Windows 10 Need help with Windows 7 Backup in Windows 10 Pro x64

[brkkab]

I need help configuring Windows 7 Backup in Windows 10 Pro x64. I know I need to manually pick the files, but I forget which to backup and which to skip.
I've got Windows 10 Pro, programs, apps and newer games on my M.2 ssd. I got my older games on a 2nd ssd with symbolic link on the C: drive. I've got my Contacts, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Music, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches and Videos on my h.d.d.
Any help setting up the Windows 7 Backup is appreciated.
I don't care for File History as it doesn't have enough options for the backup schedule and it's copied Picture & Videos folders to it on me in Windows 8/8.1 Pro, but left the folders empty.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

First of all if you're planning on using the native Microsoft backup app in W10 that's a big mistake, as we've done exhaustive testing on it here, and it's certainly less than reliable. We've been testing both manual backups as well as Image backups all the way back to Tech Preview versions in 2014. I'd recommend using Macrium Reflect for the SSD that's your C: bootdrive and perform an Image backup to external hard drive first. On the second SSD, since there is no OS on that drive, I'd recommend AOEMI Backupper to do Library and or partition/volume/folder backups. We've tested these on W10 and are highly reliable.

Other Image backup programs (all the ones we recommend are free, but paid versions are optional if you want to deploy in a business environment) we like are Acronis TrueImage and EASETodo. If you've read some of my other threads on backup, you'll know that the Microsoft native backup apps haven't been reliable going back to Windows286 and before; over 2 decades of poor backup programs has created a billion-dollar niche industry and to my knowledge there is not a Fortune500 company on the planet using Microsoft native backup in the corporate environment.

Best,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[brkkab]

Thanks, I'll just do the free version recommendations for now. After I have my new video card and new red led fans to complete this pc, I'll be renewing my Carbonite online backup. It expires in 2 days, so I didn't bother installing it when I did my clean install last week.
The Windows system image got worse in the Anniversary update. It took 6 hours to make a system image. Granted it actually does both ssd's, as GameSave Manager made symbolic links on my Samsung ssd of all my games I moved to the Intel ssd.
Previously it only took 3 hours, tops.

 

[brkkab]

I went to AOEMI's website snd downloaded the free Backupper Standard and Windows says it's signature is invalid. I downloaded it twice and got the same result both times.
I think my Seagate external hd had a backup program. I'll just redownload it after I download Macrium Reflect free.

 

[Neemobeer]

If you want to use a Microsoft tool for backing up data and settings, I would use USMT User State Migration Tool (USMT) Overview (Windows 10)

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm still pushing EaseUS Todo back up and recovery.

I've used it for years, it's never failed me, and it's so easy to use that you can literally make a system backup with 3 mouse clicks.

And it makes it's own recovery disk in any of several formats, USB, DVD, in Linux or Windows PE.

Best free backup software for Windows 10/8.1/8/7/vista - EaseUS Todo Backup Free

And best of all, it's free!

Mike

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Thanks, I'll just do the free version recommendations for now. After I have my new video card and new red led fans to complete this pc, I'll be renewing my Carbonite online backup. It expires in 2 days, so I didn't bother installing it when I did my clean install last week.
The Windows system image got worse in the Anniversary update. It took 6 hours to make a system image. Granted it actually does both ssd's, as GameSave Manager made symbolic links on my Samsung ssd of all my games I moved to the Intel ssd.
Previously it only took 3 hours, tops.

>>>You're welcome! Carbonite's another good solution, though you need to have a speedy broadband connection to do large data transfers over the wire. However, Carbonite to my knowledge doesn't do disk image restores after a hard drive crash and replacement. I think they have the capability but I've never done it personally.
On the AU on my Test Machine I tested with Macrium free on 3 different drives; and image backups (very minimal) took from 12 min. -22 min. these are very small images of course. On my Main desktop my image is a 190GB which takes about 1hr. 45 min. <<<
That's weird about the AOEMI; I downloaded it on multiple W10 machines. I'll check that out and get back to you.<<<
Cheers!
BBJ

 

[brkkab]

Apparently the AOEMI Backupper isn't compatible with the 10 Anniversary Update. 10 states it's driver isn't signed and then bsod's when you restart your pc after installing it.My drivers are up to date and Raxco's PerfectUpdater say's they are, too.
I love Carbonite, it's not bad at all $100.00 a year for unlimited space. You don't need a fast connection for it. It has a setting to limit it's network speed usage. The only thing worthless with it is it's extremely slow system images it does. Though, I haven't tried to make one with it since 2012. Otherwise, it's the best option compared to other's. Most you pay, by the space you're going to use. The system image's it makes are on a external hdd you have. As far as how to restore it, you would have to contact their support. I've never restored one made by it.

 

[brkkab]

**SOLVED** Using Macrium Reflect for system images & Seagate Dashboard for my personal files.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Thanks for letting us know! Macrium is the best, IMO, I haven't tried Seagate Dashboard, but I know that both Seagate & WD give you the ability to use Acronis TrueImage image software on their sites, and we have tested both. The only requirement, licensing-wise on using either of those it that if you get the Acronis from the Seagate site, at least 1 of the 2 HDDs you are using (either source or target doesn't matter which) must be a Seagate drive. The Acronis on the WD site works exactly the same way; 1 of the 2 HDDs(either source or target) must be a WD drive. Generally speaking Seagate & WD software is usually very good and is well tested prior to deployment on their websites. I'll have to give a look at the Seagate Dashboard (thanks for mentioning it!) and do some testing for my next Backup Class I'll be doing in 2017 for my local Computer Club.

Right now I've got 5 machines with W10, and my test machine has 3 drives with W10 on it; 1 has the AU and the other 2 have pre-AU (or v1511 b10586.545). I ran into a weird problem using old recycled HDDs from old Customer machines; and I had 2 HDD failures this last week on my Test Machine; one of them during my W10 class yesterday! Uggh! I'm going to need to buy some new SATA HDDs for further testing from ebay I guess; low capacity probably 250GB or thereabouts. Smaller capacity drives have MFGR dates like <2008 and even though they are new stock, they could still be used, and as soon as I get one my bench and test the "new" drives; they have like 10,000 hrs. plus on them so somebody was running them. It's hard to believe drives that old are sitting on the shelf somewhere for 8-10 years and never been turned on.

On the Carbonite; that's been my experience too, never had to make a restore from local storage backup with their product, though I have friends who have done this in their companies. CrashPlan is their main competitor and I have friends running this, but they've never gone through a complete image restore process either. As a Tech, I have an aversion having to call some Tech Support guy just to restore my OS, programs, and data. That's something I prefer to do myself. Now if it's for a small business, perhaps, large business, definitely. How my Clients use Carbonite is they backup their stuff, but don't know how to do all the settings. So when their computer crashes and they take it to someone other than me, they tell me the Tech can't figure out Carbonite they've never used it before, etc. They call the Carbonite support, and after spending 15 min. on the phone they tell the Client that they're computer is crashed and to go buy a new one, call them back, and the Tech will then remote into their computer and restore their saved data files from Carbonite's server. Sounds good right? Problem, is all the installed programs are not going to be on that brand new computer from Best Buy or wherever, so what's the sense of doing folder-ized backups if all the programs that run the restored data files are gone? This is all based on feedback from my various home users and small business owners here where I live. I'm in a small resort community of about 20,000 and the majority of people are retired seniors. They are for the most part quite computer illiterate. To them the Carbonite restoration procedure is a miracle! They have no idea that's 20 years out of date compared with image backups and RAID mirroring solutions, etc.

Glad you got your backup covered!!
Cheers,
BBJ

 

[brkkab]

I'm sill deciding of if I want to go the RAID route.I could use my bottom PCIex16 port as PCIe x4 speed for it. That's down the road, though. Probably in 2017, not this year.
I still need to get my Sapphire NITRO+ 8GB video card and a bunch of red led case fans to get first.
That will be between September and November for that stuff.
For the fans I need 2 200mm., 4 120mm. and 4 140mm.
For the 200mm. ones I'm probably going with NZXT red led's and for the rest, it will probably be Bitfenix Spectre Pro's.
My case had rgb lighting and my motherboard does, too.
NZXT Phantom 820 matte black and Asus Maximus VIII Hero.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Some very nice specs there. I am building my custom-gaming rig for my son and just got the case in last week. Link here: Link Removed

I'm still trying to decide on a Mobo and GPU card. Looking at getting it piece by piece over the next several months and then we'll assemble the thing and get it to work.

Good luck with your build!!
BBJ

 

[brkkab]

I love my case except for one annoyance. The magnetic door that covers the 5.25" bays squeaks where it's hooked on the right side of the front panel.
Whenever I get my new fans and have the front panel off, I may see if I can spray some of the white lithium grease that I use on my mountain bike.

 

[brkkab]

Oh, I uninstalled the Seagate Dashboard, as it needs to run all the time and was a resource hog memory wise.
I read a Tech Radar article on free backup software. AOEMI was #1 and EasUS Todo Backup free was right behind it, so I downloaded it and will try it tonight.

 

[brkkab]

I'm also experiencing the Windows 10 Anniversary update issues. As I did a clean install with it, I'm stuck until Microsoft fixes it.
Asus just released new chipset drivers for my motherboard the other day. I installed them this morning, so maybe that will help a little bit.
Ever since the Anniversary update Windows 10 occasionally loses my Seagate Barracuda 3.0TB h.d.d. and it also now states that Samsung Magician 4.9.7 is unsigned. That's the most recent version of it.