System Backup is too large

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csstacey21

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Jun 18, 2017
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My backup is maxing out my storage and I'm wondering if there is a way to limit what is being backed up. I have an SSD and a partitioned HDD on my computer. The breakout is as follows:

SSD (256GB, 81GB free) - Operating system, MS office, itunes, Steam/Steam library
HDD Partition 1 (736GB, 586GB free) - Word/Excel Documents, music, videos, pictures
HDD Partition 2 (195GB, 20GB free) - This should only be my backup/system image.

My goal was to backup only the OS and MS office. I have my files backed-up separately and I can re-install steam games easily. The backup drive seems to only fit one backup, where I assumed it should fit 10 or so. Any idea what I'm doing wrong/suggestions to correct?

Thanks!
 
Solution
USAFRet
Firstly, a "backup" on the same drive is mostly useless.
Any virus, malware, physical drive damage....your backup is dead because it's all on the same drive.

Secondly, your backup partition is 195GB. I'm not sure how you figure that should hold 10x backups of your OS, etc.

Thirdly, the built in Windows backup works, but it is pretty braindead. There are much better tools for this, both free and paid, depending on exactly what you want to do.

Lastly, a 1 or 2TB external drive is cheap, and WILL hold a good backup routine.
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Firstly, a "backup" on the same drive is mostly useless.
Any virus, malware, physical drive damage....your backup is dead because it's all on the same drive.

Secondly, your backup partition is 195GB. I'm not sure how you figure that should hold 10x backups of your OS, etc.

Thirdly, the built in Windows backup works, but it is pretty braindead. There are much better tools for this, both free and paid, depending on exactly what you want to do.

Lastly, a 1 or 2TB external drive is cheap, and WILL hold a good backup routine.
 
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Solution
C

csstacey21

Prominent
Jun 18, 2017
22
0
510
Thank you for your response. The partition is on my HDD and that holds my files, which I back up to an external drive. I'm trying to setup a backup for my OS and settings/drivers so I have a restore point whenever I have something like a bad driver update. I think my issue is that the restore point/backup/system image (I don't know the proper term here) is trying to preserve everything.

Guidance on how to create the restore points for OS only (and maybe select programs if possible) would be greatly appreciated.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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I don't use the built in Restore point thing. And I don't think you can fine tune it that much.
You can tell it how much space to use.

I use Macrium Reflect, with a series of Incremental images.
Read here for the full story: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3383768/backup-situation-home.html
 
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