Windows backup difficulties

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
G

Ganfuusen

Reputable
Mar 12, 2014
8
0
4,510
I use a desktop pc with windows 7
I just did windows backup on my C: to get all files from there to an external hard drive, so I could reinstall windows and put them back to C: after. But in C I have 155GB's of stuff and when I backupped it to the external drive, it tooks 4 hours and when it was finished the external hard drive had only 100 GB in it. (The whole external is 500 GB, so it has the free space). What happened to the 55GB? Do I have to do the whole process again? I can't access the external drive to see what's missing, so what should I do?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
U

unksol

Splendid
Sep 12, 2011
7,060
0
27,960
Backups are normally either compressed by default, or only backup certain files. So if you set it for a full backup it is likely designed to restore the entire system as is and is compressed. If you backed up data it would not include OS files.

Why use windows backup? If you are doing a clean install you have to reinstall EVERYTHING. just grab the files you want and copy paste to the external.

And what do you mean you can't access the external?? how did you backup to it or see the backup size? if you mean you can't see inside the backup file its a full system compressed backup and not much use for what you're doing
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
T

thomasjames

Honorable
Jul 19, 2013
33
0
10,560
if you're having problems with the regular windows backup, "windows easy transfer" might be a better fit for your current skill level, however, the above poster is also right, dragging and dropping the folders you want to save to a different drive is straightforward and everyone can do it.

however, if backup is what you want, in order to verify what it has backed up, you have to open it with the backup/restore app, the size won't necessarily mean much, as it's compressed. i would also like to hear why you can't access that drive.
 
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