System backup

Plumberdl,

Below are some links to help you with the backup of Windows 10.

Create Windows 10 recovery media for your Dell computer

Reset or reinstall Windows 10 on your Dell computer

Back up and restore your files

Thanks.

AA

Still dont know what is the RECOVERY folder for. Do I need to do something to use it or the OS will use it when needed?

Saw some videos on the recovery. My preferred 1st option is to restore the OS and all the installed programs. The mentioned recovery will reformat the HD and re-install the OS which is nearly my last option if nothing else works. Ha.

" The mentioned recovery will reformat the HD and re-install the OS which is nearly my last option if nothing else works. Ha "

:emotion-2:

Your first option should be to create a windows 10 recovery drive. I'd suggest you go to nearest Walmart and buy a 8GB(or 16GB) SanDisk Cruzer Glide flash drive. I also suggest you purchase an external drive (recommend Seagate Backup Plus Slim - 1TB) to backup your system image, photos, music and other important stuff.

https://youtu.be/Z7ahnstpkQ0

https://youtu.be/rtPrM3-k0jQ

Any other better simple system backup software?

:emotion-2:

All you need is the free tool(Windows) on your computer to create a system image. I've purchased Dell Backup And Recovery(Premium), Acronis and other backup software but the one I use all the times is the free windows tool to create a system image. I'd suggest you create a system image then test it.

https://youtu.be/rtPrM3-k0jQ

https://youtu.be/Z7ahnstpkQ0

Noted and many thanks.

Will try out your suggestions.

I already have WD My Book (2TB) and My Cloud Mirror (4TB). So trying to sort out how I want to back up the image and files.

For a 1 TB C drive, 8 GB sufficient to do the image file?

Thanks for your help.

Trying to summarise what I have in mind for the backup as above.

Is that the right way forward? Or have I missed something important?

Then use Win 10, Acronis etc to do AA, BB and CC. 

Cheerio.

I use both Acronis and Macrium Reflect (paid version) for backups on my Win 7 system. Both make provision for creating boot recovery media, and certainly Macrium will convert its own image files into Windows images if required. Both now handle W10 (which I have avoided as my XPS 8300 isn't supported for it).

They also back up selected folders/files, if you want.

I back up according to some carefully thought-out plans to external HDDs, and am planning to use a Samsung 128gb USB3 flash drive as well.

With Acronis, recovering a full system from an Acronis .tib image stored externally is a matter of changing boot order to start an Acronis boot from the backup device, then restoring from there.

That's it put simply, but it's a little more complex in practice. There's more detail on the Acronis website.

I prefer to use Macrium Reflect, which I consider more user-friendly than the latest Acronis. There is a free Reflect version, which offers the basic important functions, and omits things like the ability to backup files and folders separately. If you look at macrium.com, there is plenty of information about Reflect there.

Just use google search, and find the followings. It might answer the AA you mentioned:

When installing a Windows operating system (OS) on a hard drive, and if you use Windows Setup to create new partition on an MBR disk, Windows will create a system reserved partition, and if it is a GPT disk, then Windows will create a recovery partition and a EFI system partition without drive letter. The recovery partition on Windows 10 consumes about 450MB, Windows 8/8.1 200MB, and Windows 7 100MB. This recovery partition is to hold the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), which can be explored if you manually assign a drive letter to it. If you delete this partition, you won’t be able to use Windows Recovery options. If you create Windows 10 recovery disk, Windows will give you an option to remove the recovery partition. With the recovery drive, you can still use Windows recovery options. Otherwise, if you install Windows on a hard drive containing multiple partitions, Windows will save the WinRE in a folder named Recovery in the root directory of your system drive (C: drive) without leaving a recovery partition.

Apart from the recovery partition of Windows, there may be another recovery partition created by the computer manufacturer like Lenovo and Dell that has made their computer come with an OEM recovery partition consuming about 7 to 20 GB, which contains the WinRE and their factory installation files. On some computers, the WinRE and the factory installation are separately stored on two partitions, so you may see two OEM partitions on your computer. This OEM partition allows you to press a specified key to boot into Recovery Environment, so you can recover your OS to factory setting without a Windows installation disc.

Thanks.

I guess then if I used Acronis etc for the backup and not using Window's, I can delete the Recovery folder. Guess I will leave it as it is till I run of HD space later. Ha.

I think Dell should have at least a document for customers detailing the OS system they have installed, what they are for, what we need to do, etc, etc.

Cheerio.

Thanks.

Did some reading on Acronis manual and also tried out making the restart disk and also the first full backup. Went well.

Said to myself now I am in better shape in the event should  my PC fail. But one scary scenario comes to mind.

Say my PC is infected with a sleeping virus. I back up the system not knowing about the virus. Then the virus awakes up and makes a mess of my PC. Thinking that I am safe as I have a back up, I restore the PC with the backup. But the backup has the virus and problem is not resolved. So, the backup is only as good as the source content.

My strategy is,

AA   do a PC checkup using CCleaner or Dell PC Check or AVG PC tune up

BB   defragment if required

CC   run anti virus

DD   run anti malware

EE   do backup

In the above order as that will reduce the files anti virus and malware need to check.

Acronis manual says defragmentation will also reduce the backup file size. I thought defragmentation is arranging the file contents in continuous order to make file reading easier and faster. File size saving comes in if there are contents written in partial clusters here and there. Correct me if I am wrong here.

Hope forum members here can share their backup tips they have picked up over the years.

Thanks.

I wouldn't delete the Recovery folder. In W7, it's about 12.25gb, which isn't too much space nowadays.

Your strategy seems sound. I run Kaspersky IS, which is scheduled to do frequent scans as well as protect. I also scan regularly with Malwarebytes. That way, I have a reasonable hope of a clean machine.

With backups, I like to have several in different places. I make daily ones, and also weekly/fortnightly/monthly, so that I have the chance to go back to a much earlier point if I have to.