Solved Windows 11 image/ backup?

algypan · Sep 3, 2024

Hiya.

I'm looking to backup my OS drive which is an nvme 256GB. I'm unsure of how to actually do this though as I've never done it previously. Is a backup better than an image of the drive? What even is the difference... If any? Is there a solid how to follow guide you can recommend and what are some things I should be aware of; like drive size or type of drive (ssd, hdd, nvme ...ect) I did google and looked at some guides but they seem to have different information or not that easy for me to follow. As you've probably figured, I am clueless but more worried I will bodge a backup and be buggered when it comes to actually restoring in the future.

Thanks for any help.

fixer · Sep 3, 2024

This article should get you started:

How to Make a Full System Image Backup in Windows

Make a disk image file that can give you a perfect restore or even mount as a drive.

www.tomshardware.com

Once you have successfully created an image of your system and successfully tested it you will have a completely new level of confidence in your ability to recover from system problems, including dealing with virus infections.

algypan · Sep 3, 2024

Excellent. Thank you very much! I'll check the guide out tomorrow as I'm working tonight. Thanks again for your help. Il post back if I have any problems.

antspants · Sep 3, 2024

Hi, algypan, welcome to the ElevenForums

After paying some decent money on backup software, I ended up deciding to use Hasleo Backup Suite Free.
It has a basic interface, it’s simple to use, there are many here that could help you with it.

You can backup to any drive, internal or external drive, as long as the drive is larger than your OS drive, a 500GB external or internal would be fine and a 1TB drive even better. You can buy Samsung SSD’s fairly cheap, depending on your budget.

You can not (or should not) save (backup) an image to the same drive as your OS (C: Drive)

The terms image and backup can be ambiguous in their use. But a software with the word backup in it can mean a system image backup process.
Backup can mean simple backups of folders and files etc (Hasleo can do this also) A system image is exactly that, an image (or backup) of a drive, most importantly your OS (Operating System) drive.

There are 3 quite common ones used in here: Hasleo, Macrium Reflect & AOMEI. There are others also.

This thread will most likely attract a lot of attention. The minute you say backup software people have opinions, which of course is fine, and helpful.
It will not start a war (I hope) unless you also include the term OneDrive

In which case, hire security and buy a flak jacket.

I hope I haven’t confused the issue.

antspants · Sep 3, 2024

P.S.

There is a POLL i here, but I didn’t post it because you seem like you don’t want to be confused. Also, it was started back in 2022
It’s very “Apple vs Android” type thread that I don’t believe you need.
As I said, Hasleo, Macrium and AOMEI are popular posts here.

Having said that, some people can’t help themselves but to confuse the issue..

algypan · Sep 3, 2024

antspants said:
Hi, algypan, welcome to the ElevenForums

After paying some decent money on backup software, I ended up deciding to use Hasleo Backup Suite Free.
It has a basic interface, it’s simple to use, there are many here that could help you with it.

You can backup to any drive, internal or external drive, as long as the drive is larger than your OS drive, a 500GB external or internal would be fine and a 1TB drive even better. You can buy Samsung SSD’s fairly cheap, depending on your budget.

You can not (or should not) save (backup) an image to the same drive as your OS (C: Drive)

The terms image and backup can be ambiguous in their use. But a software with the word backup in it can mean a system image backup process.
Backup can mean simple backups of folders and files etc (Hasleo can do this also) A system image is exactly that, an image (or backup) of a drive, most importantly your OS (Operating System) drive.

There are 3 quite common ones used in here: Hasleo, Macrium Reflect & AOMEI. There are others also.

This thread will most likely attract a lot of attention. The minute you say backup software people have opinions, which of course is fine, and helpful.
It will not start a war (I hope) unless you also include the term OneDrive In which case, hire security and buy a flak jacket.

I hope I haven’t confused the issue.

Thanks for your suggestion. I will check the software out. This may sound silly but will the image include everything installed on the drive also or can I only make an image of the actual OS on that drive?

Bree · Sep 3, 2024

algypan said:
Thank you very much! I'll check the guide out tomorrow...

The link @fixer gave you is a good introduction to imaging. The author of the article, Ed Tittel, is also a member of Eleven Forum.

Of the six imaging programs listed one in particular has long been popular with members here, Macrium Reflect. Although Macrium have retired Reflect Free it can still be still be downloaded direct from Macrium, links here. Since the article was written another has appeared, Hasleo Backup Suite. This seems to be gaining popularity with those looking to replace Reflect Free with something that is free and in active support. Another Eleven Forum member is a Beta tester for both Hasleo and Macrium, so you won't be short of help here.

antspants · Sep 3, 2024

algypan said:
Thanks for your suggestion. I will check the software out. This may sound silly but will the image include everything installed on the drive also or can I only make an image of the actual OS on that drive?

Everything on the C: Drive will be included in the image. If it’s on C, it’s included, that also means your user folders (Documents, Desktop, Downloads etc) if you haven’t moved them to an external drive (That’s another story altogether) algypan

antspants · Sep 3, 2024

And there are no silly questions, only silly people who don’t ask them. Everyone is here to help no matter the complexity or need or lack of understanding.

Bree · Sep 3, 2024

algypan said:
This may sound silly but will the image include everything installed on the drive also or can I only make an image of the actual OS on that drive?

The image will contain everything needed to restore a fully working system, that will be the entire contents of the C: partition (so that's the OS, your installed software and your user files) and all partitions required to boot the system (eg the EFI partition). If you have a separate partition that's only used for data most imaging software will allow you to include that as well, though it may not be included by default.

Both Hasleo and Reflect allow you to retrieve individual files from the image, should you need to.

pseymour · Sep 3, 2024

antspants said:
Everyone is here to help no matter the complexity or need or lack of understanding.

I’m not.

RD Mercer · Sep 3, 2024

antspants said:
Everyone is here to help no matter the complexity or need or lack of understanding.

Well, I'm here to help, but no one likes me mentioning that I bought 2 duplicators, one for sata and one for M.2, I guess they're just to easy for backing up, most real geeks like a task..

Ghot · Sep 3, 2024

@algypan

Here's some other things that you may find useful...

Quickie Eleven Forum Setup Guide for new Members

Quickie Interface tour... Quickie set up... At the top right, click on your name, then choose "Preferences". Then go through everything on the left side. Quickie navigation... Click Forums and choose a subforum, OR... Click Forums, then New Posts or What's New Ranks, Trophies...

www.elevenforum.com

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials section. Make sure to read the "notes" in the various tutorials. At the bottom of the first post in all the "tutorials", there are...

www.elevenforum.com

algypan · Sep 5, 2024

Thank you all for the help, it's very much appreciated. I went with @antspants advice and installed the software. It seemed very straight forward and the OS drive was backup in less than around 4 minutes. I know a back up is only as good as it's restore, but hopefully when the time comes and I need to refresh my OS installation this should work ideally.

cereberus · Sep 5, 2024

algypan said:
Thank you all for the help, it's very much appreciated. I went with @antspants advice and installed the software. It seemed very straight forward and the OS drive was backup in less than around 4 minutes. I know a back up is only as good as it's restore, but hopefully when the time comes and I need to refresh my OS installation this should work ideally.

Here is a safe way to test a restore.

1. Create a virtual hard drive (.vhdx) file large enough to hold contents of C drive plus 30GB on a secondary drive.

2. Initialise vhdx as GPT

3. Restore image to .vhdx drive.

4. Note drive letter of vhdx file (say E as an example)

5. create dual boot entry from admin command prompt by running

Code:

bcdboot E:\Windows  /p /d                    (substituting drive letter for one noted in step 4)

6. boot pc and select vhdx file as OS to boot from.

If pc boots ok to vhdx file, the you knoew the restore worked fine.

To get rid of this, boot into you normal windows, delete .vhdx file and remove boot entry using msconfig entry from boot tab.

If you want a bit of fun, you can keep the .vhdx file and boot entry and join the Insider Programme, and select say Dev.

glasskuter · Sep 5, 2024

algypan said:
I know a back up is only as good as it's restore, but hopefully when the time comes and I need to refresh my OS installation this should work ideally

But did you create and test that you could boot from your emergency disk? If not, a backup image doesn't do you much good in an emergency.

algypan · Sep 6, 2024

glasskuter said:
But did you create and test that you could boot from your emergency disk? If not, a backup image doesn't do you much good in an emergency.

Oh!

TairikuOkami · Sep 6, 2024

You can always use PreOS. Emergency disk is only needed if bootloader gets corrupted and it is highly unlikely with SecureBoot.

Ghot · Sep 6, 2024

algypan said:
Oh!

Hasleo has the ability to create a bootable version of itself on a USB stick.
You need to create that, and then make sure you can boot from it.

The bootable version of Hasleo is necessary, so even if Windows won't boot... you can still access your backups.

As @glasskuter mentioned... if you can't access your backups, then you won't be able to restore one of them.

Once you get the hang of backups and restores... it's pretty easy.
You should probably keep System Restore running, until you get comfortable with backups and restores.

algypan · Sep 6, 2024

Ghot said:
Hasleo has the ability to create a bootable version of itself on a USB stick.
You need to create that, and then make sure you can boot from it.

The bootable version of Hasleo is necessary, so even if Windows won't boot... you can still access your backups.

As @glasskuter mentioned... if you can't access your backups, then you won't be able to restore one of them.

How do I go about this in the software? I am sorry but I am new to the world of backing up and using this hasleo software.

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