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There are isolated problems with current patches, but they are well-known and documented on this site. |
I use Acronis (paid) but many will recommend the free Macrium Reflect (to be discontinued but still operational)
I have used both AOMEI Backupper (Pro version) and O&O DiskImage (no free version) and have not experienced any issues over many years of use on Windows 7 and then Windows 10 Pro.
We use Acronis True Image for Western Digital – it is a free download from Western Digital and works if you have any type of Western Digital storage attached to your PC.
However, I do not recall having a drive fail over the past decade. But then again, it is our policy to replace drives when they have been in service for three years.
We keep multiple backups of each of our PCs including:
The work stations we use for quantitative analysis are also backed up to external drives daily.
We have spare work stations on the shelf that mirror the configurations of the PCs we have in use. If a machine goes down all we need to do is pull one of the backups off the shelf and install the appropriate data files.
All software, product keys, recovery media, login information, etc. are stored in a tub dedicated to each computer and stored is a separate building on our campus.
I have been using TeraByte’s Drive Image Backup and Restore Suite for a couple of decades without failure or issue. I tinker a lot with Windows innards and as a result create and restore drive images frequently. Image For Windows will balk if it comes upon bad sectors on an HDD while creating an image. I’ve had that happen only a couple of times over the years, and then run chkdsk /r on the HDD. After chkdsk has done its thing, Image For Windows proceeds without issue.
Image For Windows can either use Microsoft’s Shadow Copy service (VSS) or its own PHYLock service for creating images. I have always used PHYLock, and never had an issue.
With a license for home use the suite can be installed on up to five PC’s in the license holders household. All major version updates are free (3.xx currently on 3.61a). TeraByte offers a fully functional 30-day free trial. The suite comes with scripts for many services, including incorporating Image For Windows into the Window Recovery Environment. There is an Image For Windows Forum here at AskWoody.
An added bonus (in my experience) is that Image For Windows oldest versions will still work with Windows newest versions. Image For Windows updates are to improve their software, not to keep up with Windows.
I have used Acronis, Shadow Protect (the best and most costly), and several others I tested as part of a software review panel. All will use Microsoft’s Shadow Copy service (which has been a part of Windows since Windows 7) to make their image backups. All these apps will go out of date requiring updates and some versions of some apps do not make the jump from one Windows version to the next or the maker no longer offers the app. I decided to quit that game of changing backup software and take care of the backup chore once and for all.
I set up Windows to make both image backups of the Windows OS drive and daily incremental backups of other data drives. This is all automatic and I can restore the Windows OS or retrieve individual files from my data backups (it also makes backups of the backups). I have used this system for years and Windows updates have never affected it. It may sound complicated but actually it is easy to setup (maybe easier than learning a new app) and after setup your only chore is to move one folder and that is needed only if you want to keep more than one backup image of the Windows OS drive.
If you are interested in this method of backup, let me know and I’ll post the detailed instructions (with screen shots) on how to setup this Windows Automatic backup system.
HTH, Dana:))
Here are the instructions in the attached PDF.
Slight suggestion: Schedule to run the daily data backups when you are sleeping and no one is using those files…makes it faster. After the first data backup the following daily incremental backups take a few seconds to a minute or two (only new and changed files are backed up).
Ask if you have any questions
HTH, Dana:))
Have you looked through the comments on different backup programs in the Backup Forum?
EaseUs is a good product and as you already have backups in that format why not stick with what you know?
Un-install and re-install EaseUs should fix the loader issue.
What issues did you have in 2021 that you don’t feel you have resolved successfully?
cheers, Paul
Macrium Reflect for imaging drives
Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise
HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29
PRUSA i3 MK3S+
Microsoft is bringing Windows 11 backup app to Windows 10
Despite the regular feature introduction in Windows 11 and Microsoft forcing users to switch to the latest OS, Microsoft is demonstrating its commitment to the loyal user base of Windows 10 by rolling out a new tool borrowed from Windows 11. The recent release of the KB5029331 update brings an exciting addition for Windows 10 users: the new Windows Backup app, now available for download…
The 25-May-2023 ghacks.net review of the Win 11 version of this new Windows Backup app at Here’s a Look at Microsoft’s New Windows Backup App includes a section called Limitations in the Windows Backup App which states “There aren’t a lot of options in the Windows Backup app, the main issue is that users cannot select which apps and settings are to be backed up. Here are some of the other limitations in the app. There are toggles next to each folder, so you can use it to backup the ones you want, and skip the others. Unfortunately, these toggles are not available during the restore process, so you cannot check specific folders to be downloaded.”
The 12-Aug-2023 Neowin article Windows 10 Also Gets the New ‘Windows Backup’ App also notes that “You can run the program from the Start menu to back up folders, apps, credentials, and settings in your OneDrive. Interestingly, build 19045.3391 cannot restore from a OneDrive backup during the onboarding experience, leading to some speculating about Microsoft bringing the application to Windows 10 to make migrating to Windows 11 easier.”
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Just an FYI that I currently use Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 for creating full disk images (see the AskWoody video tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjpBdzC8fug). The free version of Macrium Reflect v8.0 will reach end-of-life on 01-Jan-2024 and will not receive further updates after that date, but users will be allowed to use Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 in perpetuity if they do not want to purchase a license for the full version of of Macrium Reflect v8.1 or higher.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v116.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.1.280-1.0.2117 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Karen’s Replicator v3.7.6
For what it is worth.
Before trying to recover a system using backup software, try recovering it using Window’s System Restore.
Macrium Reflect 8 the paid 4 license stand alone version, not subscription. It’s updated on a regular basis. I prefer the full function, paid versions. Just a choice, not judging anything else.
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