Windows 10 Backup - SSD (OS and Programs) & HDD (User data)

[bwreynolds]

I am planning on building a new PC in the coming months and am trying to figure out the best backup solution for it.

My current plan is to install Win10 and all programs on a 500GB SSD and store all personal files on a 2 or 3TB HDD. I've found plenty of tutorials online for moving the Windows "Users" folder to a separate drive either during installation or afterwards.

However I am wondering if doing that will mess up using Window's backup? If either the SSD or the HDD fails, will Windows Backup be able to restore all the files to their proper locations (i.e OS and programs to SSD and data to HDD)? Has anyone done this and had any problems?

I've used Windows 7's backup in the past to restore all my data after a HDD failure and it worked flawlessly. However, I'm not committed to using it exclusively. If there are other backup options you can suggest, I'm open to hear about it.

This computer is going to be the family computer, with all my wife's data on it, so I need to make it "just work".

 

[Luminary]

If you're planning on spanning data over two drives I'd suggest getting something like Acronis, its great for backing up data from multiple locations:

http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/computer-backup/

If you have Acronis backing up to a third drive you can restore all data to your main SSD and HDD from the Acronis Backup, and the data will be restored in the correct locations.

 

[USAFRet]

It is recommended that you do NOT move the /Users/ folder to elsewhere.
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

You can have the personal files go wherever you want, just leave the actual /Users/ folder in its default location.

 

[JonnyDough]

I prefer to use Macrium Reflect myself. I think Acronis is crap.

 

[USAFRet]

I prefer to use Macrium Reflect myself. I think Acronis is crap.

My two recommendations are Macrium Reflect and Casper.

 

[bwreynolds]

It is recommended that you do NOT move the /Users/ folder to elsewhere.
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

You can have the personal files go wherever you want, just leave the actual /Users/ folder in its default location.

Thanks for the link. I have been a bit hesitant about doing that step, mainly because I can see so many things going wrong moving a system folder. Plenty of of websites tell you how easy it is, but none ever mention the possible issues you could face. I wish Windows had an easy solution for using an SSD & HDD combo.

The hardest part of the whole process may actually be to convince my family to store their stuff on the HDD and not the SDD.

 

[JonnyDough]

You can make "My Documents" point anywhere you'd like. I have a server with dual 2TB drives in RAID-1 that I store stuff on, and my HTPC upstairs points to it in the MyDocuments folder. The downside is I have to have my server on to use that, and I usually keep it off to save energy. It mostly just holds files I don't want to lose but don't access often.

 

[USAFRet]

It is recommended that you do NOT move the /Users/ folder to elsewhere.
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

You can have the personal files go wherever you want, just leave the actual /Users/ folder in its default location.

Thanks for the link. I have been a bit hesitant about doing that step, mainly because I can see so many things going wrong moving a system folder. Plenty of of websites tell you how easy it is, but none ever mention the possible issues you could face. I wish Windows had an easy solution for using an SSD & HDD combo.

The hardest part of the whole process may actually be to convince my family to store their stuff on the HDD and not the SDD.

See these:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

Be careful how you do this, but it works 100%. I have most of my systems setup like this.

 

[bwreynolds]

It is recommended that you do NOT move the /Users/ folder to elsewhere.
http://www.zdnet.com/dont-move-your-windows-user-profiles-folder-to-another-drive-7000022142/

You can have the personal files go wherever you want, just leave the actual /Users/ folder in its default location.

Thanks for the link. I have been a bit hesitant about doing that step, mainly because I can see so many things going wrong moving a system folder. Plenty of of websites tell you how easy it is, but none ever mention the possible issues you could face. I wish Windows had an easy solution for using an SSD & HDD combo.

The hardest part of the whole process may actually be to convince my family to store their stuff on the HDD and not the SDD.

See these:
Win 7 & 8: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1834397/ssd-redirecting-static-files.html
Win 8.1 & 10: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2024314/windows-redirecting-folders-drives.html

Be careful how you do this, but it works 100%. I have most of my systems setup like this.

Thanks everyone for your input. I think redirecting the individual folders and using a third-party backup solution may be the way I will have to go. It seems like the easiest way to go.