Simple question about back ups.
Sorry if I have missed a thread on this but can someone please explain why my back up of my main system is around 45 GB when around 150 GB is used up on this SSD drive?
Its the newest version of true Image 2013 on basic settings mostly default incremental...so what exactly does this back up - it feels like is not the whole drive yes? As in if my drive fails and I have to buy a new SSD will I get everything back from my backup if I boot from a boot disk and use this backup?
Ah ok thanks I thought I had got rid of my Hibernation file but I see it now yes that and the other hidden files were huge on my 64GB RAM machine!
Ok so the data is about 82GB (checked by selecting the actual files) and compression is on normal so thats why its 46GB then? Still sounds like allot of compression - almost half the size!?
I guess all I want to know is will I get 100 percent of my operating system back if I lose the main SSD disk and then recover to a new SSD disk via a acronis boot up disk and this 'disk and partition backup'? I know its not an unallocated space back up as in deleted files will be lost - that's fine for me but I see the sector by sector option as well which makes me think do I need that over the default setting of non sector by sector copy that I am doing now (but without the backup unallocated space option of course) ? And yes the system reserved partition is in the back up as well by the way. Oh yes and the back up is on a USB 3 external drive. Thanks!
Ok so the data is about 82GB (checked by selecting the actual files) and compression is on normal so thats why its 46GB then? Still sounds like allot of compression - almost half the size!?
Doesn't sound unreasonable to me. Compression level will vary depending upon the nature of the data. Lots of Word, Excel and text files are highly compressible, while video and audio files are of limited compressibility or often are not further compressible at all.
Ok maybe that's it then - just sounded way too high like its only saving part of the drive. I am used to seeing maybe 10 - 20 percent compression on system files but close to 50 and its not the highest setting.
anybody got answer to the other part? :
"I guess all I want to know is will I get 100 percent of my operating system back if I lose the main SSD disk and then recover to a new SSD disk via a acronis boot up disk and this 'disk and partition backup'? I know its not an unallocated space back up as in deleted files will be lost - that's fine for me but I see the sector by sector option as well which makes me think do I need that over the default setting of non sector by sector copy that I am doing now (but without the backup unallocated space option of course) ? "
Yes, if you create the right type of backup. Create a full disk mode Backup, selecting the checkbox for the entire disk (not just individual partitions). That ensures that you have everything you need, and you won't need to understand how the disk is laid out with possible hidden partitions. A full disk Backup captures everything, and is the simplest, safest backup method.
Do not select sector-by-sector. It is unnecessary. All it does it increase the time used for the backup and significantly increase the backup size, with no benefit.
Ok great thanks. I am now on 'disk and partition back up' and I 'switched to disk mode' so its one disk - good tip that! Its on all default settings apart from schedule of 2 days a week and its incremental. Thanks!
You're welcome.