[SOLVED] Creating a backup image of Win10 parts only.

[Ori0n]

I've previously asked a question about partitioning for the purpose of keeping an image as slim as possible for backup purposes.

M.2 NVMe SSD boot drive partitioning. Good or bad idea.

The results of which were... well I'm still not 100% sure. So I'll refer you to the provided link.

If it turns out that partitioning isn't a good idea, can anyone advise me of a way to image my OS without the stuff I was going to put on the second partition? Traditionally, imaging software looks at a partition and shrinks it to create the image file.
This method is less than ideal for a drive that's going to accumulate data up to whatever size the recommended full partition will be.

If I've failed to explain this well, which is likely, please don't hesitate to slap me and ask for clarification.

Thanks guys n gals.

 

[Ori0n]

Right.
And on an SSD, the "start" and "end" of a partition is irrelevant to the user, the OS, and to the recovery software.

On an HDD, a partition can be said to start and end at a particular physical sector. The next partition starts at the sector right after the previous one ends.

On an SSD, that does not exist. You can't look at a particular 'cell', or 'sector', and say "This is part of Partition 1". There is no physical begin and end. The drive firmware shuffles the data all over the cell space, and simply displays to you and the OS what it would be if it were physical locations.

If you have two partitions on an SSD...a C and D partition.
You purposely put something in the D partition...that does not relate to a delineated physical space on the drive. You and I and the OS sees it as such, but it actually resides all over.

Well that makes sense. I just wish I knew what that they were talking about.

I did a search before and found lots about it but I was hesitant to believe it as the first 2 results took me to AOMEI 's website, who obviously want you to use their SW. That's when I started asking real users here about it.
However I just looked at the 3rd result and got this.....

Speed Up Your SSD By Correctly Aligning Your Partitions

 

[USAFRet]

Right.

1. That is an 8 year old article.
2. It doesn't reference the split between 2 "partitions". It is talking about a direct clone from an HDD to an SSD.

The recent tools (Macrium, etc) migrate the "data", not necessarily a clone of the actual sectors.

 

[Ori0n]

Right.

1. That is an 8 year old article.
2. It doesn't reference the split between 2 "partitions". It is talking about a direct clone from an HDD to an SSD.

The recent tools (Macrium, etc) migrate the "data", not necessarily a clone of the actual sectors.

Well there u go then. lol. Shows how much I've been out of the loop and apparently, how much I pay attention.
Five minutes before typing this, the last component of my PC arrived and I'm gonna start building now. Yay. To Partition or not to partition. I have a decision to make.
Thanks for all your help mate.

 

[USAFRet]

Good luck.
Further answers abound, if needed.

 

[Ori0n]

Good luck.
Further answers abound, if needed.

Thank you, that's very much appreciated. As is your help so far.

 

[piikea1]

I was about to start a thread with a similar question which pointed me to this one. I "think" Ori0n's question is what I'm trying to figure out too. Say you have a 500GB SSD w/ W10 OS + w/e data accumulates or you put on the drive. If you have 2 partitions: 1 w/ only W10 OS & programs you might add and another w/ ONLY data on it - you can image JUST the OS partition w/ 20GB or so of W10 (or w/e size it grows to over time) & if something goes wrong as it seems w/ W10 it always WILL - you restore the image to that partition & you're back where you started. You'd need the data partition stuff backed up elsewhere too but instead of creating one large image of let's say 20GB of OS & 400GB of data equaling (compressed) perhaps 300GB you can have a 10GB (compressed) image of just the OS + programs in case of OS corruption.

This makes sense to me & may be what Ori0n was getting at.....

 

[USAFRet]

I was about to start a thread with a similar question which pointed me to this one. I "think" Ori0n's question is what I'm trying to figure out too. Say you have a 500GB SSD w/ W10 OS + w/e data accumulates or you put on the drive. If you have 2 partitions: 1 w/ only W10 OS & programs you might add and another w/ ONLY data on it - you can image JUST the OS partition w/ 20GB or so of W10 (or w/e size it grows to over time) & if something goes wrong as it seems w/ W10 it always WILL - you restore the image to that partition & you're back where you started. You'd need the data partition stuff backed up elsewhere too but instead of creating one large image of let's say 20GB of OS & 400GB of data equaling (compressed) perhaps 300GB you can have a 10GB (compressed) image of just the OS + programs in case of OS corruption.

This makes sense to me & may be what Ori0n was getting at.....

A 20GB partition is useless.
You can't keep it to 'just the OS'. You want your applications on there as well.
Nothing smaller than 150GB.

All your data can live elsewhere.

 

[piikea1]

No, I meant my W10 OS at the moment is about 20GB & I was considering making a 60GB partition for just that & applications (+ w/e "natural" growth over time from updates, etc). The other partition (the rest of the drive) just for data.

Preferably I wouldn't bother w/ any partitions BUT like the thread starter - I can't figure out an easier way to backup (even after reading this thread & looking elsewhere).

I've never shrunk or expanded partitions but from what I gather it can (& is) done - so if need be in the future I could do so if need be. Having everything on the drive backed up of course just in case.

BTW - my W7 OS started out at at most 20GB (likely less) on a 60GB SSD & over the years it's grown to about 45GB w/ no data stored on the drive & only app's that installed to C: automatically w/o offering option of where else to install to.

 

[USAFRet]

Even 60GB is not enough.
Yes, it starts small. But grows quite quickly.

It can be done in a small partition like that. But you spend a lot more time in trying to keep it that small.
And applications (apart from most games) that reside in a different partition would need to be reinstalled anyway.


For backups...drive space is cheap.
4TB Barracuda for under $100.

A partition for data, sure. Games also.
But all the applications should go with the OS anyway.

 

[USAFRet]

The main issue is twofold:

1. trying to keep it 'only windows'. Never works out.
2. Making a partition for the OS that is TooSmall. For my use, even a 250GB drive or partition is TooSmall for the OS and applications. YMMV.

 

[piikea1]

Yeah, I almost got a 1TB SSD instead of 500GB but money was tight. I wish I had now so I'd have more room to play with. Whatever size W10 grows to + 300GB of videos I have I may have to make a much larger image of the entire drive. My thought too is seems like a lot more to go wrong imaging say 400GB vs 20 to 80GB. Also, I don't think video files compress much if at all.