[SOLVED] Help me understand a "System image backup"

[kuba2002.11]

So my PC has an HHD, SSD, and an M.2
The HDD is 1TB (Split into 2 500GB drives)
SDD has just the system on it and is 120GB
And the M.2 is 240GB

Let's just say that files on the SSD are named "Files C," C for short
Files on the HDD are E Files and F Files because it's split into two 500Gb
And the files on the m.2 are G Files

I've created a system image backup of my ENTIRE system, all the files (C, F, E, G)
My question is what will happen if my HDD dies on me and I need to restore the F and E files. I will probably buy another 1TB HDD and try to copy the file from the external storage there. Will the system image backup swamp ALL of my files with the ones on the external hard drive or can I choose which ones go where ?? (I don't want to replace the C and G files)
How would the program know that the E and F files need to go into the new 1TB HDD I bought?

Is there an easier way to do this manually? I really don't want to use the Cloud
I could just copy and paste the files in the drives by hand to the external hard drive, create 4 folders called C Files, F files, E files, G files and just copy and paste the files that I've lost to the new HDD that I buy. will that work?
Let's say I lose my HDD and just get a new one, and copy and paste the F and E folder from my external hard drive in there, but that almost seems too easy.

Sorry if this question is looooooooooooooooooooooooooong, I dont't really have anyone else to ask about this ):

 

[hotaru.hino]

I'm assuming you made a system image through Windows' tool. What you're doing here is not the intended use of making a system image. It's meant to either back up the Windows partition for later recovery or to create a baseline Windows install and deploy it on multiple computers who are going to use that same baseline. It's not useful as a general backup method because the images aren't readily accessible.

For backing up your data, there are plenty of methods of doing it. You can literally do a copy and paste operation. As long as you're following these guidelines, your data should be fine in most scenarios:

• Have at least 3 copies of the data
• Have the data on at least two different physical media
• Have at least one copy off-site (either online or in a physically different location)

However you do this is up to you.

 

[USAFRet]

Other methods....

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

 

[kuba2002.11]

So I can just literally copy and paste my entire HDD onto an external one and paste it onto a new one when it dies?

 

[USAFRet]

So I can just literally copy and paste my entire HDD onto an external one and paste it onto a new one when it dies?

The OS drive?
Nooooooooooooo


Secondary drives, yes.

 

[kuba2002.11]

But don't some of the files in secondary drives have libraries in the OS that they can't function without?

 

[USAFRet]

But don't some of the files in secondary drives have libraries in the OS that they can't function without?

Maybe. Depends on what is on it.
But if the new drive ends up with the same drive letter and folder structure as the old one did, the OS doesn't know the difference.


But copy/paste from old drive to somewhere else is a poor method of data protection.
That copy is only as relevant as the last time you made it. And if a manual process, you WILL forget to do it.

In my system, each physical drive backs up to a subfolder in another location, every night. A Full image, then a series of incrementals. Keep for a rolling 30 days, delete the oldest.
Each system has a top level folder, then each physical drive has a subfolder.
All automated, hands off.

These backups are never more than 24 hours out of date.

 

[kuba2002.11]

Maybe. Depends on what is on it.
But if the new drive ends up with the same drive letter and folder structure as the old one did, the OS doesn't know the difference.


But copy/paste from old drive to somewhere else is a poor method of data protection.
That copy is only as relevant as the last time you made it. And if a manual process, you WILL forget to do it.

In my system, each physical drive backs up to a subfolder in another location, every night. A Full image, then a series of incrementals. Keep for a rolling 30 days, delete the oldest.
Each system has a top level folder, then each physical drive has a subfolder.
All automated, hands off.

These backups are never more than 24 hours out of date.

I've read the post you've created about that and let me tell you, your system is impressive as f$%k

 

[USAFRet]

I've read the post you've created about that and let me tell you, your system is impressive as f$%k

Once set up, it take almost zero effort on my part.
I added a new system a couple months ago. Adding a new system takes a whole 10 mins.

And I have actually had to use that to recover from a totally dead drive.