Question System backup is much larger on my laptop than on my PC ?

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jettamc

Mar 6, 2024
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I have a Windows 10 laptop with just a 500gb hard drive running the same Windows version as my
Windows 10 PC which has a 228gb SSD containing just Windows and a few programs but very little else, along with a 500gb hard drive containing nearly all programs, apps and data (documents, pictures, videos and music etc.).

When I do a system backup on both machines using same software app (either Hasleo or Aomei) why does it only take up 50 to 60gb on the PC but a massive 140gb+ on the laptop?

I think it might be because I need to partition the C drive on laptop but if so - how?
 
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More information needed.

Start by posting images of the Windows Disk Management window for both computers.

Expand the respective laptop and desktop Disk Management window so all (disks, partitions, specs) can be seen and take a screenshot.

Post the screenshots here via imgur (www.imgur.com) being sure to identify between laptop and desktop.

One immediate thought: Is the PC's backup being compressed and the laptop's backup uncompressed?
 
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Your laptop is only a single 500GB drive where the desktop is a 228GB plus 500GB. Is the backup software backing up the C and D drive on the desktop or only the C drive. You stated above that your C drive only has Windows and a few programs installed on it, while the D drive carries the brunt of everything else.


How much room is being taken up on your laptops C drive, compare that to the backup size. Then look at your desktop C and D and their used space, does the backup of 50-60GB match up to the used space on the C drive?
 
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Hi Ralston, never used igmur.com before but here goes.
https://imgur.com/a/xgY7RUO
View: https://imgur.com/a/xgY7RUO
this might show both images, let me know if not.

Hi faalin, Software is backing up only C drive on desktop.
File explorer shows 180gb used and 749gb free on Laptop C drive. Resultant Backup size using AOMEI backupper for a System Backup (says Backup Windows and create an image of system partition) is 140gb.
File explorer shows 93gb used and 128gb free on PC C drive. Resultant Backup size using AOMEI is 53gb.
So just noticed that both are a consistant 40gb less that AOMEI says it will backup on both Laptop and PC. Will send some AOMEI screenshots shortly.
 
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Imgur used correctly.

However, the results will be easier to view if you capture and save screenshot to upload via imgur.

(Versus taking photographs and uploading the photographs. Just the screen is all that is needed.)

Were there any manual drive letter changes or edits?
 
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Drive L is a portable Hard Drive connected to PC - I do some backups to it.
Drive F is a 256gb memory stick which wasn't connected to Laptop when I did Disk Management screenshot but I've used it to do an AOMEI system backup of laptop a couple of weeks ago and now there's not enough space for another one.
 
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The Imaging tools leave off a lot of things.
page file, hibernation, possibly temp files.

You can't assume 180GB consumed space would equal a 180GB Image.
40GB difference is not unusual.

On my system, there is 251GB consumed on the C drive.
An Image with Macrium Reflect is 203GB.
 
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Ralston, PC disk D is dynamic I agree but don't know what that means. I've done nothing.

USAFRet, I completely understand and agree with what you say about the backup image size not being same as that used on disk. What I can't understand is why the images of the same Windows software - 10 version 22H2 with same Quality Updates loaded as far as I can see, use completely different amounts of storage by the same backup software just because one is on a PC and the other is on a Laptop.
 
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jettamc said:
What I can't understand is why the images of the same Windows software - 10 version 22H2 with same Quality Updates loaded as far as I can see, use completely different amounts of storage by the same backup software just because one is on a PC and the other is on a Laptop.
Click to expand...
Different software installed (large games perhaps?),
different amount of space reserved to System restore,
different user files (large video files perhaps?).
 
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Ok, thanks that answers my query then. So to get my OS save down to manageable proportions then on Laptop I guess I need to partition the OS to its own separate partition and leave all the rest- what I call data - on another partition which I can save as and when using File saves. Is that easy to do assuming possible.?
 
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jettamc said:
Ok, thanks that answers my query then. So to get my OS save down to manageable proportions then on Laptop I guess I need to partition the OS to its own separate partition and leave all the rest- what I call data - on another partition which I can save as and when using File saves. Is that easy to do assuming possible.?
Click to expand...
Why, though?

Your personal files also need backing up.

My systems are like that - 1 physical drive for the OS and applications, other drives for 'just data'.
But those also get the same nightly backup schedule.

With one physical drive in the system, there is little benefit in partitions like that.
And it is much easier to manage that one large space.
 
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Hi, well the data on laptop is just a copy of specific things I need away from the house. I keep all my original data files on my PC and do both a Data backup and OS backup on a regular basis using Macrium. Therefore I don't need another data backup from laptop, just an OS backup in case my laptop has some sort of Windows error and need to restore. Once back working I can restore my data files from PC backup.
 
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jettamc said:
Hi, well the data on laptop is just a copy of specific things I need away from the house. I keep all my original data files on my PC and do both a Data backup and OS backup on a regular basis using Macrium. Therefore I don't need another data backup from laptop, just an OS backup in case my laptop has some sort of Windows error and need to restore. Once back working I can restore my data files from PC backup.
Click to expand...
Up to you.

But remember, Windows acting up is not the only reason you might need to restore.
Physical drive fail is another.

But one thing I've often seen with trying to partition a single drive is one or the other partitions ends up as too small.
Then it becomes a real hassle to reconfigure.
 
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