new computer built

[shankle]

Good by HP and Dell. Never again.
This computer cost about $600 and has all the goodies that I want.
I was unable to get what I wanted from Dell.
Although I might be able to build one myself with a lot of errors
and expense I am to chicken to try it. And then there is wiffie.....
So I can have one built for half what it would cost at Dell. :(
It has a Bios by Gigabyte. This will present a problem until I read
the manual. It's quite different from the Bios in a Dell.

I tried to back up this computer with Clonezilla-lve and it froze the computer.
The tech man told me to use the one in the control panel. This worked.
But it has no verification of the backup which worries me. When I need
to restore, will the backup work????? Has anyone used this Microsoft backup???
Be curious to hear your experience.
 

[Magnum]

I have never used Microsoft backup.

I highly recommend Macrium Reflect.

It can backup most file systems.

[shankle]

Hi Magnum,
I know about Macrium Reflect but it has a word connected with it that I don't understand "PAY".
My long time ago experience with it was the backup was free. But they didn't tell me that the restore
wouldn't work until you "Pay'd" for the software. This is false advertising and I will not buy a product
with false advertising in it.
Clonezilla-live is free. It just doesn't work with this new MO that I have.
It works fine on Wiffies computer running a Dell MO.

[Vortex]

Hi shankle,

Do you have the option to restore the backup on another drive?

Personally, I prefer file-level backups. Compared to sector based backups, they occupy less space and you can extract individual files and folders.

Here is a good open-source project :

http://sourceforge.net/projects/wimlib/

[Magnum]

Hi Magnum,
I know about Macrium Reflect but it has a word connected with it that I don't understand "PAY".
My long time ago experience with it was the backup was free. But they didn't tell me that the restore
wouldn't work until you "Pay'd" for the software. This is false advertising and I will not buy a product
with false advertising in it.
Clonezilla-live is free. It just doesn't work with this new MO that I have.
It works fine on Wiffies computer running a Dell MO.

Shankle,

The free version that I have does backup and restore.

I used it for years until I bought a full copy. (I ended up not using the incremental backup because it involves more steps in restoration.)

It only does full backups and not incremental ones.

Let me know if you want it.

[shankle]

Thanks for responding Guys.
I went again on the Macrium site and the program is not free.
I would pay but as long as one is free that is the option I would take.

The wimlib  program looks a tad complicated. Does it allow one to verify
the backup?? I haven't downloaded it yet. I don't need the incremental
feature as my hd is partitioned. So the image file backs up everything
and the other partitions give me the option to pull anything I want from them.
This technique has worked very well for me.
I'll download wimlib and take a look.

[dedndave]

i use Easeus
Todo is the name of their partition backup program
i also use Partition Master
both are free for home use

[Vortex]

Hi shankle,

>The wimlib  program looks a tad complicated. Does it allow one to verify
>the backup??

You can check the the backup files with wimlib and 7-Zip. Even, you have the option to add integrity information to the backup.

Code Select Expand

wimverify.cmd C:\test1.wim
[WARNING] "C:\test1.wim" does not contain integrity information.  Skipping integrity check.
Verifying metadata for image 1 of 1
Verifying streams: 14 MiB of 14 MiB (100%) done

"C:\test1.wim" was successfully verified.


Creating the backup of R:

Code Select Expand

wimcapture.cmd R: C:\test1.wim
Scanning "R:"
14 MiB scanned (33 files, 5 directories)
Writing LZX-compressed data using 2 threads
14 MiB of 14 MiB (uncompressed) written (100% done)

Restoring the backup after formatting R:

Code Select Expand

wimapply.cmd  C:\test1.wim R:
Applying image 1 ("R:") from "C:\test1.wim" to directory "R:"
Extracting files: 14 MiB of 14 MiB (100%) done
Done applying WIM image.

You can create a Win7PE \ Win8PE  ( PE = Windows Preinstallation Environment ) disc to do offline backups :

http://theoven.org/

[shankle]

Hi Dave,
From what I see Easeus is  free for the trial then what happens??????

To vortex: Still looks complicated to use.
What's wrong with: what do you want to do? click A,B, or C.
I downloaded it and can not even tell where to start running it.
I tried clicking on "winlib-imagex". It just flashes on the screen and nothing happens.
Couldn't find a manual.

[dedndave]

hi Jack
it is free indefinately for home use

big green dowload button...
http://www.easeus.com/backup-software/tb-free.html

once you have it installed, you can go to the menus to create a restoration CD to boot from
be sure to partition the drive
i generally use 80 to 100 GB for the boot drive - it depends on total drive size
in some cases, there is an OEM restore partition
look over what you have - perhaps post pictures - before you decide a strategy

[dedndave]

just to give you an idea....

my original OEM restore partition was ~ 7 GB
i modified the restore image, removing a bunch of bundled crapware   :P
so - i can get it in 4 GB pretty easily, now

as you can see, i have set up all my drives to be bootable - and with the OEM restore partition
on some of the drives....

1) small partition for OEM restore
2) boot partition 60 to 100 GB (this will be the C drive if i boot from this drive)
3) larger data partition
4) small partition for backup images

when you partition a drive, you are allowed up to 4 "primary" partitions
if you want, you can make "logical" partitions to go beyond 4 - i never do, 4 is enough

this image was made using EaseUS Partition Master (free for home use version)



i set up my e-mail programs etc to use the data partition
and, i generally save all my images and other personal data on the data partition
if i have to restore from an image, it takes minimal time to get going again

let me know what you've got - i can help you decide a strategy, if you like

[Vortex]

>To vortex: Still looks complicated to use.
>What's wrong with: what do you want to do? click A,B, or C.
>I downloaded it and can not even tell where to start running it.
>I tried clicking on "winlib-imagex". It just flashes on the screen and nothing happens.
>Couldn't find a manual.

If you really checked the zip archive, you could see the doc folder containing 14 pdf files. They are the manuals.

As I demonstrated some examples above, you should understand that wimlib is a command-line tool. You can see some of the options above in the examples.

[shankle]

Thanks Dave,
I download it and ran a backup of Easeus.
It ran successfully. Now if it only works when I need to restore.
Of course they constantly pester you for upgrading.

[dedndave]

you can opt out of the pester e-mails
and, i created shortcuts that goes directly to the desired program, rather than their little splash thing

[Magnum]

Shankle,

I offered you a free version that works.

??