Paragon Back Up & Recovery 2011 (Advanced)

[RonH]

I have installed this free version, tried to understand a bit about it reading their manual, but am unsure about the backup process. I got as far as the final page which 'talks' about virtual etc and decided to stop in case I stuffed up something.
Is there an 'idiots guide' or has someone the time to 'walk me through' the process? I also have the MS back up of Windows 7 in my pc so should I bother with Paragon ... do they both fully back up the entire hard disc including programmes as seems to be suggested

[RonH]

Anyone able to point me in the right direction about this?
Thanks

[HansV]

The built-in backup in Windows 7 is much improved compared to previous versions; you can easily schedule what to back up, when and where. For "standard" backup requirements, it fits the bill.
But third-party utilities offer more options, such as creating and restoring a complete disk image. It's up to you to decide whether you want/need those extras, we can't make that choice for you...

[RonH]

Understood Hans thanks. Does the built in Windows 7 really back up the entire hard disc ... it seems to suggest that it does unlike the one in Vista. If this is the case and my programmes are also backed up (I add quite a few to do with eg photography) then I think I will not further 'play' with the Patagon which is a bit out of my depth of knowledge at this time. I always back up my files on a regular basis but programme back up would be a major plus.

[HansV]

I have Windows 7 Home Premium. The help file states that program files are *not* included in the backup...

[Bigaldoc]

Understood Hans thanks. Does the built in Windows 7 really back up the entire hard disc ... it seems to suggest that it does unlike the one in Vista. If this is the case and my programmes are also backed up (I add quite a few to do with eg photography) then I think I will not further 'play' with the Patagon which is a bit out of my depth of knowledge at this time. I always back up my files on a regular basis but programme back up would be a major plus.

Ron, I don't know anything about the Paragon product so I can't help "tutor" you about it, but...

Although I'm a dedicated Shadow Protect imager for my backups, a month or so ago I was helping a friend restore her laptop and it was an agonizing process because she had NO backup. Long story short, after I was finished, I took the recommendation of others here and downloaded a copy of the FREE Macrium Reflect FREE Edition, installed it on her laptop, made a couple of test backups and restores and showed her how to do the same.

Last I talked to her, she's doing a full image once a month, which is better than where she was before (i.e. none). You might want to give Macrium Reflect a look. It's not a difficult program to use and was pretty fast. Got good comments from other Loungers which is what caused me to try it.

PS The only reason I don't know about Paragon is that I tried their partition manager program once and didn't like it at all, so I've never ventured into their backup product.

PPS I've NEVER used a Windows backup program from day 1... Sorry MS!

[RonH]

I have Windows 7 Home Premium. The help file states that program files are *not* included in the backup...

This is an extract from my Windows 7 Premium backup headed System Image accessed at the Help button when in 'backup'...
Windows Backup provides you with the ability to create a system image, which is an exact image of a drive. A system image includes Windows and your system settings, programs, and files. You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer if your hard drive or computer ever stops working.

This is where I 'got confused' because it strongly suggests 'all' is backed up

Looking at other searches I also get ...
The system image will create a full copy of every file on your boot partition, which can be restored from the recovery console on the installation disk. This will restore everything, including the operating system, registry, all installed programs, and user profiles.

Macrium Reflect ... I'll take a looksee. Thanks Al

[RonH]

... I took the recommendation of others here and downloaded a copy of the FREE Macrium Reflect FREE Edition, installed it on her laptop, made a couple of test backups and restores and showed her how to do the same ...

Hei Al
Bit the bullet and downloaded Macrium. Did my first backup with it and created the rescue disc ... it all seemed very straightforward.
I guess that now I should test the backup but I am rather sensitive to 'messing around' with my laptop hard drive! Since I have Macrium backup on an external high capacity hd, do you know if one can 'test' the backup on this one eg write a copy hd of the pc? I suppose the only other option would be to purchase another hd that would be mountable in my laptop?
Your advise would be appreciated
Ron
(ps. All the reading I have done seems to confirm that the new Windows7 Backup & Recovery can do a complete hd recovery including all programmes etc eg a mirror image. There seems to be differing opinions in 'Eileen' )

[StuartR]

Windows 7 backup can do a full image backup. See this page for instructions of how to do a full restore from this. I'm not sure I would trust it after many years of experience with Windows backups. The worst problem has always been that a newer version of Windows could not be used to restore an older backup, so every upgrade caused a loss of all archived backups.

[RonH]

Windows 7 backup can do a full image backup.

Thanks Stuart.
Whilst on the subject of Windows backups, do you know if the Vista inbuilt backup programme backs up all user files (I have two users on my other pc) or does each user have to do their own backup. I think it must be 'all' but to be sure

[StuartR]

I also assume it is "All", but I am not sure and I don't have a Vista system here to check.

Microsoft Knowledge Base article 309340 says

...
With Backup, you can create a copy of all the data on your hard disk, and then archive it on another storage device, such as a hard disk or a tape.
...

[Bigaldoc]

I guess that now I should test the backup but I am rather sensitive to 'messing around' with my laptop hard drive! Since I have Macrium backup on an external high capacity hd, do you know if one can 'test' the backup on this one eg write a copy hd of the pc? I suppose the only other option would be to purchase another hd that would be mountable in my laptop?

Ron, I don't know of a way to "test" the backup, i.e. a RESTORE, other than let it restore to "some disk" and if you're not ready or needing to do that on the same disk you backed up, you would have to replace the disk and try it.

In my case, during the course of working on the lady's laptop, I DID have a need to have Macrium restore the drive and it did so successfully. You could of course "pretend" you're doing a restore and STOP short of letting it go. Obviously that wouldn't test the viability of the image.

What I usually do for "spot checking" is to "browse" (mount) the image and browse through the folders to get an idea that it is viewable, and maybe even restore a few files to an empty folder. I haven't tried selected file restore with Macrium yet.

[RonH]

I also assume it is "All", but I am not sure and I don't have a Vista system here to check.

Microsoft Knowledge Base article 309340 says

...
With Backup, you can create a copy of all the data on your hard disk, and then archive it on another storage device, such as a hard disk or a tape.
...

Yes I read that also ... but you never know

[RonH]

... What I usually do for "spot checking" is to "browse" (mount) the image and browse through the folders to get an idea that it is viewable, and maybe even restore a few files to an empty folder. I haven't tried selected file restore with Macrium yet.

Cheers Al ... one day I will be brave enough to 'have a go'