Backup pc with SSD and 2 x HDD

[Dicky-Art]

My Windows 7 pc has 500GB SSD for system/programmes and a 2TB HDD for other programmes and Photos, Videos and Music.
A second internal 2TB HDD for backup. I've been using Windows to Backup to this HDD.

My pc SSD and HDD together so far have only 640GB stored on them.
The Windows image file on the 2nd HDD Backup is 740GB and the PC Backup is 640GB with 52 folders (1 per week).
The first backup has 2870 Zipped Files in the first folder and then between 8 and 20 zipped folders for each subsequent backup.

Only Backups on the second HDD, but over the year of backing up weekly it is now got 1.3TB of Backup system image and backup files.

The questions are....

1. Can I delete everything off the second HDD and start again with complete backup then regular Incremental or Differential backups?
2. Is there a better way of backing up using the second HDD?
3. Can I produce an exact copy of the first HDD with the SSD backup also on this drive?
4. If the pc fails to start up how can I use the 2nd HDD to restore from?
5. Should I remove the second HDD and put it in my usb caddy to backup to?

Thanks for any advice or info you can help with. Cheers

 

[ubuysa]

The questions are....

1. Can I delete everything off the second HDD and start again with complete backup then regular Incremental or Differential backups?

Yes, as long as the second HDD only contains backups and no original data/programs

2. Is there a better way of backing up using the second HDD?

Yes, see below.

3. Can I produce an exact copy of the first HDD with the SSD backup also on this drive?

Yes, see below

4. If the pc fails to start up how can I use the 2nd HDD to restore from?

See below

5. Should I remove the second HDD and put it in my usb caddy to backup to?

No, there's no benefit in doing that. The backups will be faster where it is.

You backup choices are a little complicated by your having programs on the 1st HDD as well as having Windows and other programs on the SSD. In general Windows and programs are best backup up by taking an image of the drive (think of it as a snapshot) whilst user data is best backed up by copying only those files that have changed since the last backup (synchronising backups). I use two different tools for that; one to take the system image and one to do the file-by-file synchronisation. However, there is nothing wrong with taking an inage of your H1st HDD as well as the SSD, it will just take a little longer - but if you backup overnight you won't notice.

The tool I use for taking system images is called Macrium Reflect Free, it will write a snapshot of both your SSD and 1st HDD drives as one or more files to the 2nd HDD, you can have a separate file for each drive or combine both drives into one image if you like. Macrium Reflect can do either full, incremental, or differential backups if you like, but I always do full backups because it makes restoring much faster, the time saved by incremental or differential backups is insignificant if you backup overnight.

Macrium Reflect allows (indeed encourages you) to make restore boot media (DVD/CD or USB stick, or as a second boot option on your system drive). To do a restore you boot that media and the Macrium Reflect restore tool starts running, all you do in there is point to the image you want to restore and which drive you want to restore it to. If you restore your SSD it is bootable as normal afterwards.

Macrium Reflect also allows you to mount its image files as a virtual drive so that you can access individual file and folders inside the image. This is useful if you just want to copy one or two files/folders out of the backup image without having to restore the whole image.

Macrium Reflect also allows you to schedule backups, I have mine scheduled for the middle of my night (every night) and I keep the last 14 images too. You can tell Macrium Reflect who much compression to use on the image files if your backup device is on the smallish side.

I strongly recommend Macrium Reflect, once you are familiar with taking images, and especially restoring them, it become a fire and forget backup system. My backups happen overnight every night with no intervention from me.

 

[Dicky-Art]

Thanks for all the great info Ubuysa, think I'll get that software set up then!
I'll post back once it's sorted.
Cheers

 

[ubuysa]

Thanks for all the great info Ubuysa, think I'll get that software set up then!
I'll post back once it's sorted.
Cheers

Like all software it takes a little getting used to, it has a lot of options! Do PLEASE ensure that you make a test backup and do a test restore so that you know the rescue boot media works and you know how to use it before you ever need to use it for real!

If you need any help or guidance just ask.

 

[Dicky-Art]

Yep great software!
Did a few small back up and restore first then scheduled full back up twice a week. Don't even need to have the PC turned on!
Just need to reset the Retention Rules as my 3rd HDD is almost full after a couple of weeks.
The only thing I can't do with the free s/w is create a File and Folder backup.