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How to Image and Back Up a Dell Mini Inspiron 3050 with Windows 10

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I am using this as a media and general use PC connected to my TV. It has an internal 32GB SSD, with about 10GB left, and Windows 10 home installed. It also has USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports.

So, I bought a 128GB USB 3.0 thumb drive for backup and image, but when I went through Windows to make an image disk, it said it would erase all data and use the drive only for the image, so I ordered a 16 GB drive for that purpose.

I can still do that, but in the meantime, ordered TI 2016 to use on this and 2 other computers I have. My question is, how & where to best make an image to restore the current state to my computer, should I have a problem, then how best to continue to make (incremental?) backups? I can probably share a DVD drive from another computer with it, but don't know that the mini will actually boot from that. I can, probably, make an image and/or backup to the 128GB thumb drive, but in case of Windows failure/corruption, how do I restore it, without a DVD? Will TI set up a small partition to boot from in this case? If so, how large will it be (as I have very limited space on the mini)?

I've used various versions of TI for PCs and workstations for many years, but this mini is something that I'm new at, so would appreciate any help you can give me.

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rraisley,

I don't own a Dell Mini Inspiron 3050, so some of this is guesswork...but here's how I would proceed.

I would not use Windows to create the image...I would use ATI for all backup tasks.

Install ATI on one of your computers.  Then create rescue media to the 16Gb thumb drive.  Then see if you can get your Dell Mini Inspiron 3050 to boot from the 16Gb thumb drive.  Using BIOS, point the boot device to the USB2 port, insert the 16Gb thumb drive in the USB2 port and hopefully the Dell mini will boot.  I am recommending using the USB2 port for the boot, since you will want to use the faster USB3 port for the image files.

Assuming you were able to get the Dell mini to boot from the 16Gb thumb drive, remove the 16Gb drive and boot to Windows 10...then install ATI 2016 on the Dell Mini.  Using ATI 2016, you should be able to perform a full backup to the 128Gb thumb drive...note how large the backup (.tib) file is, for future reference.

After the backup is complete, boot from the 16Gb thumb drive, insert the 128Gb thumb drive and set up a full recovery.  You don't need to perform a recovery, just make sure ATI, when booted from the 16Gb drive can see all of the drives necessary for a recovery.  If all of this is successful, you should have high confidence in ATI's ability to make backups and perform a recovery if ever necessary.

Prior to performing this on your Dell mini, you may want to become familiar with ATI 2016 on one of your other computers. 

I don't know how often you will need to backup the Dell mini...perhaps once a week.  But after the first full backup, subsequent backups should be incremental or differential.  As you do the backups, the 128Gb thumb drive will fill up, so watch the disk space.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

FtrPilot

 

 

Thanks for your very good thoughts.

Just to be clear, when you said:

"Install ATI on one of your computers.  Then create rescue media to the 16Gb thumb drive."

you mean to install ATI on a different computer, just to get used to it, and because I'll be needing it on that computer too, and to create the rescue media using the Windows utility, right? I wasn't /quite/ sure, since the sentence before was to not use Windows to create the image, use ATI for all backup tasks. But that must mean /except/ for the rescue media, right?

Yeah, I need to do a bit of research on how the rescue media is even supposed to be used. I know that, from Windows, you can create it, and you can also restore a previously created image. Well, that's fine, if Windows boots, and you want to get it back to the way it was, but if Windows doesn't boot, then, as you say, it will be necessary to see if it will boot from the thumb drive. So I will try that.

Everything else is clear, and sounds logical. Thanks again.

Windows has its own backup and restore capability.  Personally, I don't trust it.  I use and recommend ATI for backup and restore.   When booted normally, ATI is running under Windows.  When booted from the USB, ATI is running under Linux, or WinPE.

I do recommend installing, testing, and learning how to use ATI on a different computer. Once you are comfortable with ATI on another computer, then move to the Dell mini.

The rescue media is ATI rescue media (not Windows rescue media), and is described in para 11.1 of the user manual.  You can create it on a DVD or USB.  You will obviously need it on a USB.  If Windows won't boot, you have to have a way to boot and run ATI.  ATI rescue media performs that function.

If you can't get your Dell mini to boot from rescue media, there is a way to overcome that obsticle...but we can discuss that if you can't get your Dell mini to boot.

Hopefully this clears up my first response.

Regards,

FtrPilot

Be advised that it is recommended that users create and test rescue media for their systems.  By testing I mean that it needs to be known that created rescue media will in fact boot and the TI application will then run on the machine in question.  It is also recommended that an OS system disk restore procedure be performed only from the created rescue media as a best practice.

Recovery media can be created in 2 different versions.  The default media is a Linux based version which hosts the TI application on the media created.  Users can also create a WinPE based version which hosts the TI application on the created media.  Either of these will work in most cases.  Be advised that the WinPE version is a bit more complex to create.

Definitely test the recovery media and make sure it boots and sees your drives!  

I had (note the "had" - I took it back because of the 32-bit limitation and lack of CSM/Legacy boot support from many third party applications like ATIH recovery and EASY2BOOT) an Acer Aspire 11 - 32 bit only system (neutered bios), and an EMMC 64GB flash hard drive.  Not sure if this Dell is 32-bit only and/or if it supports legacy/CSM boot in addition to UEFI boot or not.  

Unfortunatley, ATIH2016 no longer has 32-bit WinPE so that's not an option if it is a 32-bit bios system.  ATIH should provide 32 UEFI boot capability with the default LINUX version of the bootable media though.  However, in my case, on that particulara system, it would not  detect my EMMC hard drive so I still couldn't use it.  My saving grace for that system was Acronis Snap Deploy STAND-A-Lone which is available if you have purchased an Acronis Snap Deploy license since you can then create a bootable linux version of the recovery Snap Deploye media that has the correct EMMC hard drive drive drivers which boots on 32 and/or 64bit UEFI systems. 

HOWEVER, yours being a Dell, I have a feeling it supports legacy mode boot as well and if it is 64-bit, you should not have any trouble regardless. As long as the recovery media boots and it can detect your 32GB flash hard drive, you're good to go.  I'm not familiar with your particluas systems bios, but Dells usually have the option to either boot legacy or UEFI if you press F12 after reboot and you can select which version to boot off your Acronis bootable recovery media USB drive then.  

The Dell Mini ( http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-3050-micro-desktop/pd?oc=ddcwsak101w10&model_id=inspiron-3050-micro-desktop ) is a 64-bit system. The other questions and tests will have to be done.

Thanks for all the info.

Awesome, you should be good to go then.  I imagine that either the Linux or WinPE bootable media will work fine on your system as all of the Dells I've used (mostly Latitude and Precision though), support both legacy and UEFI boot.  If the Linux one boots, but doesn't find your drive, make a WinPE version instead as that one definitely has flash based EMMC hard drive drivers.