[SOLVED] Best backup software win 10?

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tizzyloucat

tizzyloucat

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Mar 11, 2011
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I need a backup software (no fail please) for Win 10. I have Easus To Do and Anomei but frequently get error mesages. Not a geek so something simple please
 
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Do you want to backup Windows and applications ONLY?

Or do you want to backup your personal data ONLY?

Or do you want to backup each and every thing on a particular drive?

I'd say Macrium is the most refined if you are trying to backup Windows itself.

None of them are "simple". There is a learning curve.

They all attempt to do the same thing, but some are more reliable and some have better interfaces that are more easily understood.

You can make a backup with fewer than 10 mouse clicks with the better ones, but you will see many many menu choices that will bewilder you. The trick is to accept the defaults and just learn how to make one simple image of ALL partitions on your boot drive. Save that file on another drive, probably an...
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Do you want to backup Windows and applications ONLY?

Or do you want to backup your personal data ONLY?

Or do you want to backup each and every thing on a particular drive?

I'd say Macrium is the most refined if you are trying to backup Windows itself.

None of them are "simple". There is a learning curve.

They all attempt to do the same thing, but some are more reliable and some have better interfaces that are more easily understood.

You can make a backup with fewer than 10 mouse clicks with the better ones, but you will see many many menu choices that will bewilder you. The trick is to accept the defaults and just learn how to make one simple image of ALL partitions on your boot drive. Save that file on another drive, probably an external.

Worry about all the smaller details later, after you made that first image.

Restoring an image is somewhat more complicated, but if you have a valid image file, someone can probably walk you through the restoration process.
 
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Are you talking about a backup of your personal files and such, or like a clone of the whole OS?

I have been using the backup built into Windows for a while now just to keep track of a couple of folders (like download, etc.) and it works pretty well for me.
I have utilized various clone/ghost software to make a copy of the completed install and apps just after finish install, and then use the backup disk to put all the saved personal stuff back. For my own personal computers I just do a clean install when needed and have been trying to transition to either free or online based subscription software. My current biggest issue are the license for Office product(s) that "kill" on the third re-install...
 
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punkncat said:
Are you talking about a backup of your personal files and such, or like a clone of the whole OS?

I have been using the backup built into Windows for a while now just to keep track of a couple of folders (like download, etc.) and it works pretty well for me.
I have utilized various clone/ghost software to make a copy of the completed install and apps just after finish install, and then use the backup disk to put all the saved personal stuff back. For my own personal computers I just do a clean install when needed and have been trying to transition to either free or online based subscription software. My current biggest issue are the license for Office product(s) that "kill" on the third re-install...
Click to expand...

I just want to restore without having to go through all the pain and agony when you have a crash! Personal computers home.
 
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tizzyloucat said:
I just want to restore without having to go through all the pain and agony when you have a crash! Personal computers home.
Click to expand...


In my own case for that level of "issue" I use an external drive adapter with an old laptop 2.5" of an appropriate size. I selected the Windows backup option and added the folders that I wanted to keep track of and let it take care of it. The only aspect I sort of don't like about it is that in some cases it will keep copies of things you deleted/didn't want and have to go through that a little. As far as easy and trouble free it's pretty cool so long as you don't care about installed programs and such. Works super well for me on a "play" machine. In the case that I have installed programs and apps, and particularly licensed, I tend to use a clone for those.
 
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tizzyloucat said:
I need a backup software (no fail please) for Win 10. I have Easus To Do and Anomei but frequently get error mesages. Not a geek so something simple please
Click to expand...
I use Macrium.
For me, it is one of those applications that "just works".

What is your backup situation at home?

What is your backup situation at home? And if you don't do that, why not? Every single day, I read multiple threads here of "How do I get my stuff back?" or "That drive had 5 years of photos of my kids!!" Be it a dead drive, dropped phone, virus, accidental deletion, formatting the wrong...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
 
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Lafong said:
I'd vote for Macrium Reflect unless you have some oddball situation.

Is EVERYTHING (Windows, applications, personal data) on the same drive, or do you have some stuff, maybe personal data, on a second drive?

Where do you want to backup to? An external?
Click to expand...
I want to backup to external. No oddball situations.
 
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Is EVERYTHING (Windows, applications, personal data) on the same drive, or do you have some stuff, maybe personal data, on a second drive?

Most people have their personal data on the C partition. Some don't. What about you?

How much space is occupied on the C partition?
 
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Lafong said:
Is EVERYTHING (Windows, applications, personal data) on the same drive, or do you have some stuff, maybe personal data, on a second drive?

Most people have their personal data on the C partition. Some don't. What about you?

How much space is occupied on the C partition?
Click to expand...
I have 3.3 tb with 3.2 free; D has2.59 free of 5.29
 
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I would back up ALL partitions on whatever drive contains the C partition, using Macrium.

It looks like that drive has only about 100 GB occupied, so the image file might be 50 or 60 GB in size.

The data drive appears to have about 2.7 Terabytes occupied. If you used Macrium to back this up, the image file would be about 1.5 TB in size.

I wouldn't use Macrium to back up the data drive. You could, but it's a bit clumsy for that purpose.

You can make an image of all partitions on your boot drive accepting Macrium defaults. Might take 8 mouse clicks. You'd end up with an .mrimg file on the external.

You can get Macrium Free here:

https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

Download and install it and try to make an image using the menus.

See how far you can get. Maybe you can get it right the first time.
 
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