How can I partition my external HDD into 3 separate partitions and backup with Casper?

[ophaq]

I wanted to use it to restore my OS and files in case the main OS drive becomes corrupted or fails and needs to be replaced.

 

[USAFRet]

I wanted to use it to restore my OS and files in case the main OS drive becomes corrupted or fails and needs to be replaced.

Then you just need an Image, not necessarily a full Clone.
Swap in a new drive, tell the software which Image, and which drive to recover to...GO.
20 mins, done.

However...unless you update this Image (or Clone) routinely, it will quickly become outdated.
My main systems update their backup images literally every night.

 

[ophaq]

I don't mind it being outdated, as long as I can recover in case I need to. I don't really need to update every night. Things like windows updates and drivers can be regained easily if needed to be updated.

So.. I just create an image onto my external HDD and if I need to restore from that image, I use Macrium or whatever to restore from the image? What if my OS drive is unbootable. Would I be able to restore from the image with windows restore if I no longer had Macrium? Or would I need to get a new SSD with the same OS and reinstall Macrium to restore from that image?

Also, I don't know how to make just an image in Acronis. Is it not available?

 

[USAFRet]

With Macrium, you create a Rescue CD or USB.
Store that away.
When/if you main drive dies...boot from this Rescue thing you made.
Tell it which image, and which new drive to restore to.
This replacement drive will end up exactly as the system was on the day you made the image.

 

[ophaq]

So I can make a Rescue USB with my external HDD and create a image on that. I can also add separate folders for my other data on my HDD drive with no conflicts?

 

[USAFRet]

So I can make a Rescue USB with my external HDD and create a image on that. I can also add separate folders for my other data on my HDD drive with no conflicts?

No...
The Rescue USB stick or CD is simply to provide boot functionality. For instance, if your C drive actually dies.
The Image you create will live on your external drive.

Create that Rescue thing, label it, and put it in a drawer.
I have a Macrium Rescue CD taped to the inside of the case in my HTPC.

 

[ophaq]

Oh... Ok! So I make the bootable rescue media on a separate thumb drive which I will put away, and then I make an image of my OS drive onto my external HDD?

Will the thumb drive have its data wiped if it has data on it?

 

[USAFRet]

Oh... Ok! So I make the bootable rescue media on a separate thumb drive which I will put away, and then I make an image of my OS drive onto my external HDD?

Will the thumb drive have its data wiped if it has data on it?

Yes, that thumb drive will be wiped during this process.
They are cheap...buy 3 or 4.

 

[ophaq]

Alright, thanks for your help! I will have to go buy some thumb drives for the bootable disc. But in the mean time, I will make separate folders on my external HDD for the OS image and my 1TB HDD's contents.

Do I need to select "image select disks on this computer" or "create an image of the partitions required to back up and restore windows"? They sound like they do the same thing...

 

[USAFRet]

"image select disks on this computer" is I think what you want.
Select ALL the partitions on your C drive.

 

[ophaq]

Thank you. I just made an image. I'm going to just copy paste my other stuff now.

 

[mjslakeridge]

So the image file you have created contains some data files (pictures, documents, mp3s etc.). You have also copied and pasted these files to the external hard drive. Not a problem, but in my experience with Acronis, not only can you restore the entire image in the event your original drive fails, but you can restore individual data files (or a bunch of them), in the event you mistakenly delete a file, it gets corrupted, or you otherwise mess it up (like editing a photo, and then realize you screwed it up and want to go back to the original).