[SOLVED] Backup Solutions for HDD + Optane Memory PC

[oklajohn]

PC: Acer Aspire TC-885-ACCFLi5O Desktop, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8400, 8GB DDR4 + 16GB Optane Memory, 1TB HDD
OS: Windows 10 Version 1909 (OS Build 18363.476)
Backup solutions seem to be difficult to find for these specification. I have tried several backup programs and have been unable to make any work to backup, restore, and create rescue media. The only one I can find is Macrium Reflect 7.2. I think the problem may be RST drivers, but I don't have enough technical knowledge to understand what the real problem is. I would like to be better educated about this and find why other backup programs don't work. While probably not lot of us ( foolishly) bought HDD + Optane memory pc's, we do need backup from time to time. Any ideas and information about this will be really appreciated. Thanks, John

 

[Lutfij]

In order to enable Optane, you will need to have the storage controller set to RAID mode. For all intents and purposes, having a restore point is(and has been) moot since it was brought up. If anything you're best option is to reinstall the OS in the event of a failure, now more so with Windows 10.

If you need to backup anything, I'd advise you to backup only your critical content off the OSes installed directory(not the OS or it's apps). If you've used your email to login to create the account and log-in to said account then app's get downloaded automatically during updates.

 

[oklajohn]

Appreciate your reply. Optane is installed and works fine, reinstalling Windows an unacceptable option. Intel's solution is to disable Optane, make a backup and then enable Optane, which I also find rather unacceptable, since no scheduling can be used, etc. Macrium Reflect has found a way to deal with this and it works fine. However, I feel other backup programs like Acronis, EaseUs, etc. should also be able to deal with it for their customers. I happen to be a customer of both, but can not use them due to this problem.

 

[oklajohn]

I believe I have found the difference between Macrium Reflect and the other backup programs. Here is a page from MR's knowledgeBase:

"When you run the Macrium Reflect task, Create bootable Rescue Media the wizard checks whether your device requires drivers adding to WinPE. It builds a list of devices in your computer that are either hard drive/RAID controllers, network interface cards, USB controllers or USB hubs. For each of these devices it checks if:
The device is supported by default in WinPE
There is a compatible driver in the host operating system
There is a compatible driver already present in the collection of drivers on previously created rescue media".

The others allow for adding the drives, but make the user find them. This is not so easy for some of us, so they may not always work properly. I just happen to be one who is not "techie" enough, I guess.