HD Image Backup & Setup Help

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
J

jerdoggmckoy

Distinguished
Dec 29, 2012
13
0
18,510
Hello, I'm a little confused on how to back up images of my drives for restoration for the next time I have to reinstall my OS, as reinstalling OS has seemed to happen way too many times =)

I have Windows 8 installed on 120GB SSD (C Drive) - I install some important programs that I want the fastest speed possible for, and then I have other software & business documents on 640GB HD (F Drive). Then my media on 1000GB HD (M Drive). And my master backup drive 2000GB (Z Drive).

Do I make an image copy of each drive individually? All drives at the same time? Am I structuring my files the correct way?

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Solution
hang-the-9
You want to image any drives that contain the OS and the programs, I don't think you can image two separate drives as one image. Partitions, yes, but not separate drives. The files you can just do a copy of, no need to image. The reason you want to actually have an image of the OS and programs is that you don't have to find the codes, setup media, settings, etc... For just files, that does not matter as they are just loose files.
Sort by date Sort by votes
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

Titan
Mar 25, 2010
60,387
1,081
152,940
You want to image any drives that contain the OS and the programs, I don't think you can image two separate drives as one image. Partitions, yes, but not separate drives. The files you can just do a copy of, no need to image. The reason you want to actually have an image of the OS and programs is that you don't have to find the codes, setup media, settings, etc... For just files, that does not matter as they are just loose files.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
J

jerdoggmckoy

Distinguished
Dec 29, 2012
13
0
18,510
Thank you very much for the help. But what if I also installed some programs on my files & documents (F Drive)? I am trying to avoid using up all my SSD space because I have a lot of programs that I install. Or is there a better approach?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
popatim

popatim

Titan
Moderator
Dec 2, 2009
38,883
974
135,890
The only drive that I see, in your particular case, that could benefit from an image is the ssd and the 640. For the other drives a normal backup will suffice and save you space on the backup drive. Images image the whole drive/partition, empty space included. Backups only backup the actual files, often compressing them all into 1 large file to save space.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

Titan
Mar 25, 2010
60,387
1,081
152,940
I would not dump program setups on several drives, while there is nothing technical that prevents you from doing that, it's pretty clumsy. You'll have a "Program Files" directory on all the drives, you'll have to hunt around at times to see what was installed where, things like that. In your case I'd be tempted to sell the 120 gig SSD and get a larger one so as not to play musical chairs with the program setups.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom