Need recomendations for a comprehensive Backup program

[Michael Pooley]

Hi all
I have been using storagecraft shadow protect for years now but it is not working on win10 so I am looking for a new solution.
So far am thinking about Macrium and EasUS can anyone who has these comment on how they work on win10 or if anyone can suggest anything else I would be very grateful as I can't leave myself without any backup for more than a day !

thanks
Mike

 

[Ian]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum .

I'm a big fan of Acronis True Image. I've used it for years and it has never let me down.

 

[Michael Pooley]

I have just been reading that lots of people have been having problems version 15 !
what vers are you using?

 

[Ian]

I'm running 2013, but I've not noticed any problems. I'll have to do some Googling now that you've mentioned it though . I restored some files from a backup just yesterday (and have done several backups), so it seems ok as far as I can tell.

 

[Michael Pooley]

Most of the comments were along the lines of "Wish I hadn't upgraded to 2015 - previous versions were much better"

Mike

 

[sasafried]

Used to use Easeus free, for a number of years. Windows internal win7 backup shadow image ok, just a big file.
I like Macrium free, as it is very fast, even at high compression. I end up with a smaller file.
Now I don't even need to use the Macrium boot disc any more, as it can boot into its bootui program.
One more thing I like about Macrium, is if Windows can't boot, due to corrupt master boot files, it can be boot repaired,
better than Windows can do it.

 

[Michael Pooley]

Thanks I will give macrium a look.
Did you ever have to use the restore ? years ago I tried several big name backup programs and they all worked fine until you actually need to restore then they all gave up !!!

 

[sasafried]

Yes. Don't know if it's my numbass ways, or down to hardware/software problems.

Has happened to me more with the backup image on multiple set dvds. Now I use an old hard drive for the first backup, then physically disconnect it,
only to be used for extreme emergency restore. I use a second partition with newer system images, that I update each week. Trouble with that partition is,
if I ever get that malware that encrypts every drive connected to computer, well it's toast.

Windows System restore, has saved me many times. Can it be trusted always, no.
The older the restore point, the less chance it will work.
Use it mostly for restoring to a point before I installed a downloaded program,
that messed up the system. Will not bring back personal files. It helps with the registry and programs.

The Win7 backup has given me problems sometimes. It could not find the image. Must have gotten currupt.

By the way, I still use "EaseUs Todo Backup", on my personal document files folder.
I have a bad habit of working on a file, saving it with the same name, but in a different folder.
So it had to happen eventually. Got mixed up. Modified an older file, and saved it in new folder.
I overwrote the good file. Many days work gone.
I was disgusted with myself. When I went to use the Windows "Restore Previous Version" from right clicking context menu, now really ticked off.
I was using Win8.1. There is no "Restore Previous Version", as MS chopped it out. Now I see Windows10 has it back.
Thanks MS.
Did not have time yet, to see what else Windows 10 has for restoring. I would prefer to use everything by Windows.
If it aint great, then off to 3rd party software.

 

[Michael Pooley]

Thanks

 

[JohnMarchant]

Cannot understand why MS does not sort this out. One of the reasons from MS for Win 10 to be able to be installed from USB drive was that many computers don't have DVD/CD drives any more. However you cannot create a recovery disk on a USB it still has to be a DVD.

You would think that MS had thought that through. I use Macrium and it has served its purpose well, im now going to find out if its Win 10 compatible.

 

[sasafried]

I never thought of the usb system repair.
Always have a disc burner in system.
Yes, totally numb of Microsoft to not have it as an easily visible option.
Of course, it can easily be done by getting all the info and perhaps an iso from internet,
and a program to make the usb drive bootable. Once again they think we are all
computer geeks.
Also.
Sometimes when the system is installed, it will make a small separate partition with the system repair data.
So in that case computer boots from that partion to help with repair. Disc, or usb recovery not needed.


Side issue, I just had, recently with Macrium Version 6. Can't always be trusted to work.
Have to have exact version match up to the image one has made, or it won't recognize, and even when matched up,
gave a "no handle", "bad pipeline"? error on a solid state drive, when trying to restore.
It restored the exact same image on an old hard drive, without a problem.
Looks like always have to have two or three types of backup, to be safe.