I use Acronis. I do full hard drive backups (all partitions) when I back up. Thus, on a Dell, doing all partitions and a drive fails you can restore everything including the Dell recovery partition and the Dell hardware diagnostic partition.
I don't think the Windows backup will do this as this is from the Microsoft site about the Windows 7 backup:
" Backup and Restore—improved for Windows 7—creates safety copies of your most important personal files, so you're always prepared for the worst."
Will Windows 7 Backup image include all partitions of a hard drive, or only the Windows partiton? I ask because like you said Acronis did have that option. Windows does the C: drive and also a 'System Image." But I do not think it does any type of hidden restore partition. Anyone know for sure?
I guess having the system image would defeat the purpose of the system restore type partition, but just to have the ability to go back to new easily is nice....
I guess part of the reason I am asking, though, is I have used Acronis for years and it has proven very reliable at backing up complete hard drives, which is really all I'm looking for.... $30 or so dollars for that peace of mind very well may be worth it....
Here is some more from Microsoft. I would still go with Acronis, it can backup the entire drive with "one click". It looks like Windows MAY be able to do it but you have to work at it, not just a "one click" for the entire hard drive (all partitions). Acronis will allow you to restore one file, for example. It looks like Windows will only do that if you have done extra backups - another +1 for Acronis.
Windows Backup provides you with the ability to create a system image, which is an exact image of a drive. A system image includes Windows and your system settings, programs, and files. You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer if your hard drive or computer ever stops working. When you restore your computer from a system image, it is a complete restoration; you can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced. Although this type of backup includes your personal files, we recommend that you back up your files regularly using Windows Backup so that you can restore individual files and folders as needed. When you set up scheduled file backup, you can choose whether you want to include a system image. This system image only includes the drives required for Windows to run. You can manually create a system image if you want to include additional data drives.
Tom - I did see somewhere that Windows 7 Backup Image would only restore to a same o larger size hard drive. I think it could be done by shrinking the Windows 7 partition to something small before creating the backup image if you plan on replacing it with a smaller HDD... Not that it helps you at this point...
Fireberd... So I can use Acronis and clone the whole, complete drive, including recovery partitions and such? Will the F key recovery still work as it currently does? That is what I had done with my old version 8, and really, that is all I want it for... It is currently on sale at Newegg for $30... I should jump.
Based on these quotes that you provided from MS, is it safe to assume it would provide he same complete disk image, or only the active Win7 partition?
"Windows Backup provides you with the ability to create a system image, which is an exact image of a drive."
"This system image only includes the drives required for Windows to run."
I guess it is that lack of knowing that is really breaking me down into considering Acronis again...Has anyone used the Windows 7 backup to confirm that it makes (or does not make) a full hard drive backup including all partitions?
EDIT: By the way Robin, I know what you mean... The first time I used my previous version of Acronis, I felt that one instance (short story = kid got virus, eradicated it by restoring most recent image) paid for the program. Anything else was a bonus...
If you do a complete, all partitions, hard drive backup using Acronis, and then have to completely restore the hard drive (or "clone" the hard drive) all functions will work as they did originally. e.g. F8 will access the Dell recovery partition, F12 will access the boot options and also the Dell diagnostic partition.
What you use or buy is your choice, just my 2 cents.
What kind of hard drive(s) do you have? Before you spend any $$, see if that drive manufacturer is offering any backup sotfware.
I have a Seagate USB 880-GB hard drive and Seagate offers their DiskWizard software for free download to people who own their brand drive. It's a stripped down version of Acronis. It will only make full backups of the entire hard drive whereas Acronis will make incremental backups of files that are new or changed since the previous backup.
I make a complete image (including recovery and utilitiy partitions) of my internal 180-GB WD hard drive on the external Seagate, and a backup of the external Seagate on the internal drive. So if either fails, the other has an image...
Hi all and thanks for your posts... Still unsure how I will proceed...
Thanks for reminding me of the fee Acronis through Seagate. That is an option, The drive in the computer in question is Western Digital, but it has room for a second drive. I was planning to get second drive for backup images and also maybe store some recorded TV (installed a tuner card in it within first week or two)... I could buy a Seagate and make that work.
Another option is use Windows backup images.... I have figured out the pesky 30% limit on an external drive I have used for backups so far.... My concern was if that included the manufacturer partition or not. As of now, no one knows. The only reason I'd use that is if I ever sold or gave away the machine, I'd like to get it back to original configuration.... (It has the recovery partition, but if the HDD goes, so goes that partition if I do not have a backup set that includes it...)
Finally, the option to just buy Acronis and have the option use whatever HDD I want is there... I am guessing I will want Acronis anyway, so I should just do it...
I will just wait until summer when I have more time and decide then....
Anyway, thanks for all your input....
One last note - I did not create recovery disks when the machine was new, and this particular model (Lenovo H405, conformed by their Tech Support) only allows recovery disks to be made using the current system image... New one to me, so I did make changes to the system before creating recovery disks... They want $60 for the recovery set (next time people complain about Dell, tell them this...)... Sorry, but Acronis would be cheaper.... I guess another option would be to use the recovery partition right after creating a system image backup... Set it to day one, create my 'original configuration' recovery disk set, and then use my image of the way I have it now to get things back to normal.. That just seems very circuitous... But I guess I would find out if the Win 7 backup image included the restore partition...
Finally, the option to just buy Acronis and have the option use whatever HDD I want is there... I am guessing I will want Acronis anyway, so I should just do it...
I will just wait until summer when I have more time and decide then....
You can get the Acronis from Western Digital for your WD drive from the link below, and it's free,
Thank you. I did not know Western Digital had their own version. While I am not partial to either Western Digital or Seagate over the other, as I mentioned the drive in the machine is a Western Digital. Also, my external drive is a Western Digital as well. I had bought that for a D630 when its HDD died... Literally used it only a few months there before the nVidia issue rendered that laptop dead... I didn't want to lose the relatively new drive, so I reused it in a USB enclosure...
Anyway, the Western Digital option is nice... Thanks for letting me know.
EDIT: I am still curious if the windows backup image includes the whole hard drive (all partitions, etc...). If anyone reading this has used it and can confirm either way, let me know.
Try the Win 7 backup and see what it does or what options it gives you. That will confirm how it works.
Well of course I have tried it and done some backups... It is unclear at best as to whether it includes the complete drive or just the active system partition. Judging by the lack of response here, I am guessing I am not the only one who finds it unclear...
I am a rather cautious individual, and I don't think there would be confirmation until I restored it to a bare hard drive (which I don't have at the moment) to see what was actually there......
Or, like I said, if someone has done that if they can confirm what it actually backs up and restores - does it include the recovery partition?
I found this tutorial on the Windows 7 forums. One thing that sticks out is that the Windows backup will only backup NTFS partitions, thus on a Dell with the Recovery and Diagnostics being FAT32 formatted that would mean the Windows 7 backup would NOT backup ALL partitions. Acronis will backup all partitions regardless of FAT32 or NTFS.
fireberd
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May 1st, 2011 04:00
I use Acronis. I do full hard drive backups (all partitions) when I back up. Thus, on a Dell, doing all partitions and a drive fails you can restore everything including the Dell recovery partition and the Dell hardware diagnostic partition.
I don't think the Windows backup will do this as this is from the Microsoft site about the Windows 7 backup:
" Backup and Restore—improved for Windows 7—creates safety copies of your most important personal files, so you're always prepared for the worst."
bacillus
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May 1st, 2011 04:00
Both will do the job but Acronis will peform the backup quicker.
RobinBredin
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May 1st, 2011 05:00
I agree with Fireberd. I use Acronis, and was put into a position where I had to use it, and was glad of Acronis.:emotion-2:
hrova
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May 1st, 2011 13:00
Okay... Just to clarify...
Will Windows 7 Backup image include all partitions of a hard drive, or only the Windows partiton? I ask because like you said Acronis did have that option. Windows does the C: drive and also a 'System Image." But I do not think it does any type of hidden restore partition. Anyone know for sure?
I guess having the system image would defeat the purpose of the system restore type partition, but just to have the ability to go back to new easily is nice....
I guess part of the reason I am asking, though, is I have used Acronis for years and it has proven very reliable at backing up complete hard drives, which is really all I'm looking for.... $30 or so dollars for that peace of mind very well may be worth it....
fireberd
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May 1st, 2011 13:00
Here is some more from Microsoft. I would still go with Acronis, it can backup the entire drive with "one click". It looks like Windows MAY be able to do it but you have to work at it, not just a "one click" for the entire hard drive (all partitions). Acronis will allow you to restore one file, for example. It looks like Windows will only do that if you have done extra backups - another +1 for Acronis.
Windows Backup provides you with the ability to create a system image, which is an exact image of a drive. A system image includes Windows and your system settings, programs, and files. You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer if your hard drive or computer ever stops working. When you restore your computer from a system image, it is a complete restoration; you can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced. Although this type of backup includes your personal files, we recommend that you back up your files regularly using Windows Backup so that you can restore individual files and folders as needed. When you set up scheduled file backup, you can choose whether you want to include a system image. This system image only includes the drives required for Windows to run. You can manually create a system image if you want to include additional data drives.
Tom Green
322 Posts
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May 1st, 2011 14:00
I agree with Fireberd and RobinBredin Acronis is better than Windows 7 backup.
I had a 500GB setup with win 7 and the drive failed after I had it all updated,
had a win 7 backup on external drive. Had spare 320GB drive, poped it into the
computer and tried to restore win 7 backup and found that the drive was too
small. It had to have a 500GB drive to restore because that was what was backedup.
Been using Acronis ever since then.
If you have a Maxtor or Seagate drive you can get DiscWizard which is powered by Acronis
and it is basic and free.
Tom
hrova
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May 1st, 2011 22:00
Tom - I did see somewhere that Windows 7 Backup Image would only restore to a same o larger size hard drive. I think it could be done by shrinking the Windows 7 partition to something small before creating the backup image if you plan on replacing it with a smaller HDD... Not that it helps you at this point...
Fireberd... So I can use Acronis and clone the whole, complete drive, including recovery partitions and such? Will the F key recovery still work as it currently does? That is what I had done with my old version 8, and really, that is all I want it for... It is currently on sale at Newegg for $30... I should jump.
Based on these quotes that you provided from MS, is it safe to assume it would provide he same complete disk image, or only the active Win7 partition?
"Windows Backup provides you with the ability to create a system image, which is an exact image of a drive."
"This system image only includes the drives required for Windows to run."
I guess it is that lack of knowing that is really breaking me down into considering Acronis again...Has anyone used the Windows 7 backup to confirm that it makes (or does not make) a full hard drive backup including all partitions?
EDIT: By the way Robin, I know what you mean... The first time I used my previous version of Acronis, I felt that one instance (short story = kid got virus, eradicated it by restoring most recent image) paid for the program. Anything else was a bonus...
fireberd
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May 2nd, 2011 04:00
If you do a complete, all partitions, hard drive backup using Acronis, and then have to completely restore the hard drive (or "clone" the hard drive) all functions will work as they did originally. e.g. F8 will access the Dell recovery partition, F12 will access the boot options and also the Dell diagnostic partition.
What you use or buy is your choice, just my 2 cents.
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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May 2nd, 2011 19:00
What kind of hard drive(s) do you have? Before you spend any $$, see if that drive manufacturer is offering any backup sotfware.
I have a Seagate USB 880-GB hard drive and Seagate offers their DiskWizard software for free download to people who own their brand drive. It's a stripped down version of Acronis. It will only make full backups of the entire hard drive whereas Acronis will make incremental backups of files that are new or changed since the previous backup.
I make a complete image (including recovery and utilitiy partitions) of my internal 180-GB WD hard drive on the external Seagate, and a backup of the external Seagate on the internal drive. So if either fails, the other has an image...
Did I just save you a few bucks? :emotion-11:
Ron
hrova
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May 3rd, 2011 23:00
Hi all and thanks for your posts... Still unsure how I will proceed...
Thanks for reminding me of the fee Acronis through Seagate. That is an option, The drive in the computer in question is Western Digital, but it has room for a second drive. I was planning to get second drive for backup images and also maybe store some recorded TV (installed a tuner card in it within first week or two)... I could buy a Seagate and make that work.
Another option is use Windows backup images.... I have figured out the pesky 30% limit on an external drive I have used for backups so far.... My concern was if that included the manufacturer partition or not. As of now, no one knows. The only reason I'd use that is if I ever sold or gave away the machine, I'd like to get it back to original configuration.... (It has the recovery partition, but if the HDD goes, so goes that partition if I do not have a backup set that includes it...)
Finally, the option to just buy Acronis and have the option use whatever HDD I want is there... I am guessing I will want Acronis anyway, so I should just do it...
I will just wait until summer when I have more time and decide then....
Anyway, thanks for all your input....
One last note - I did not create recovery disks when the machine was new, and this particular model (Lenovo H405, conformed by their Tech Support) only allows recovery disks to be made using the current system image... New one to me, so I did make changes to the system before creating recovery disks... They want $60 for the recovery set (next time people complain about Dell, tell them this...)... Sorry, but Acronis would be cheaper.... I guess another option would be to use the recovery partition right after creating a system image backup... Set it to day one, create my 'original configuration' recovery disk set, and then use my image of the way I have it now to get things back to normal.. That just seems very circuitous... But I guess I would find out if the Win 7 backup image included the restore partition...
RobinBredin
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3.7K Posts
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May 4th, 2011 07:00
You can get the Acronis from Western Digital for your WD drive from the link below, and it's free,
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en
hrova
2 Intern
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2.2K Posts
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May 4th, 2011 22:00
Robin....
Thank you. I did not know Western Digital had their own version. While I am not partial to either Western Digital or Seagate over the other, as I mentioned the drive in the machine is a Western Digital. Also, my external drive is a Western Digital as well. I had bought that for a D630 when its HDD died... Literally used it only a few months there before the nVidia issue rendered that laptop dead... I didn't want to lose the relatively new drive, so I reused it in a USB enclosure...
Anyway, the Western Digital option is nice... Thanks for letting me know.
EDIT: I am still curious if the windows backup image includes the whole hard drive (all partitions, etc...). If anyone reading this has used it and can confirm either way, let me know.
fireberd
9 Legend
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33.4K Posts
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May 5th, 2011 04:00
Try the Win 7 backup and see what it does or what options it gives you. That will confirm how it works.
hrova
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May 5th, 2011 09:00
Well of course I have tried it and done some backups... It is unclear at best as to whether it includes the complete drive or just the active system partition. Judging by the lack of response here, I am guessing I am not the only one who finds it unclear...
I am a rather cautious individual, and I don't think there would be confirmation until I restored it to a bare hard drive (which I don't have at the moment) to see what was actually there......
Or, like I said, if someone has done that if they can confirm what it actually backs up and restores - does it include the recovery partition?
fireberd
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33.4K Posts
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May 5th, 2011 10:00
I found this tutorial on the Windows 7 forums. One thing that sticks out is that the Windows backup will only backup NTFS partitions, thus on a Dell with the Recovery and Diagnostics being FAT32 formatted that would mean the Windows 7 backup would NOT backup ALL partitions. Acronis will backup all partitions regardless of FAT32 or NTFS.
Read the Tutorial HERE