is Win 7 OS backup fine for backing up?

demonikal

New Member
I just put a 1 TB 3.5" SATA hard drive into a Rosewill enclosure with fan and hooked it up via eSATA.

I just want to know if the Windows 7 backup utility is sufficient for backing up or if I should go with something else (preferably free):confused:

I used to know about the different kind of backups like incremental, etc., but it's been so long since I've actually "backed up" (I've only just copied data from one drive to another), that I don't know what I should do.
 

Geoff

VIP Member
I use FreeFileSync, and run it from time to time which I have setup to mirror my folders to a backup drive, and archive anything that gets deleted or modified into a separate folder. That way, if I delete a file accidentally, it will be in that other folder.
 

Agent Smith

Well-Known Member
AOMEI Backuper is what I use. But I just create clones of my drives. It does have a backup option of which I never used.
 

aldan

Active Member
im with agent smith on this one.i just clone my primary drive to my other hdd and if anything happens to my primary hdd i just boot to my secondary.i clone my drive after any major additions data wise.once ive booted into the secondary drive i clone it back to my primary.up and running in half an hour.
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
I just put a 1 TB 3.5" SATA hard drive into a Rosewill enclosure with fan and hooked it up via eSATA.

I just want to know if the Windows 7 backup utility is sufficient for backing up or if I should go with something else (preferably free):confused:

I used to know about the different kind of backups like incremental, etc., but it's been so long since I've actually "backed up" (I've only just copied data from one drive to another), that I don't know what I should do.

I'm assuming you mean the tool that creates a system image that you can restore Windows from? If so, the tool in Windows 7 worked really well for me on many, many occasions - certainly much better than the one in 8/8.1 seemed to. I would recommend using it.

If it doesn't work out for you, try the free version of AOMEI Backupper which is similar and works well too: http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
What kind of 'backups' are you trying to do?

Do you prefer 1:1 disk images or more on the restore of Windows side? Or do you just prefer to have your bulk data?
 

DMGrier

VIP Member
What kind of 'backups' are you trying to do?

Do you prefer 1:1 disk images or more on the restore of Windows side? Or do you just prefer to have your bulk data?

That is the beauty to the one I recommended as it will do all that to also include incremental backups, cloning and HDD wipe.
 

demonikal

New Member
Wow, so many options to choose from. Now I'm confused.

Regarding the Windows 7 utility, I always have that flagged as an issue. I hover my mouse pointer over the flag and it always says "Solve PC issues: 1 message." I click on the flag and there's a Run as Administrator icon and next to it, it says "Set up backup."

I honestly don't know what to do. I'd really like to do a clean install of Windows 7 on my drive, as I want to get rid of Windows 10 Technical Preview, now that I know having a Genuine version of Windows 7 will allow me to get an upgrade to Windows 10 when it comes out. BUT, I don't know how many uninstalls and installs are left on my Windows 7 key and I don't know how to check.

I'm worried about data loss, but I'm also worried about the operating system getting corrupted somehow and then my not being able to restore it because I don't have any re-installs left on the product key. I've had to jump through those hoops of calling Microsoft and listening to 8 codes and typing in 8 codes or whatever, just to get my product key registered as Genuine again.
 

G25r8cer

Active Member
I have been using Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 and love it.

I just do full image backups. It does support incremental backups (just backups the changes made).

With these full image backups you can mount them to your host OS using drive manager ... to modify or retrieve files.

And if you need to retrieve the whole image you simply boot from your original OS disk and do a repair and point to the backup.
 
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