HDD will die soon, I need a backup image software

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RealPetChicken

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So, I already have a new HDD ready but I want to make am image back up of my current HDD and then restore it on the new one, so can anyone recommend any software. Thanks [emoji2]
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7
    Memory
    12GB DDRM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    ESET Smart Security 7

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7
    Memory
    12GB DDRM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    ESET Smart Security 7
Just do a complete clone. I use Macrium Reflect free. Extremely easy to use.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell E6410
    CPU
    Core i7 M560
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia NVS3100
    Hard Drives
    120 GB SSD
Be aware, though, if your current install has any corrupt files due to the failing drive, they will be included in the install.

Whenever I encounter something like this, I back up the user-created data (photos, documents, game saves, etc) and do a clean, fresh install on the new hard drive. Then you get to install the latest drives and software versions as well.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-Z77-UD3H
    Memory
    16 GB Patriot Viper 3 DDR3-1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 470 GTX
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M4 256 GB, WD WD20EFRX 2 TB
    PSU
    OCZ 700W
    Case
    Corsair 300R
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
I would use EaseUS Todo Workstation. It will image sector by sector. If you use any other method, it may fail every time you try.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
DeaconFrost said:
Be aware, though, if your current install has any corrupt files due to the failing drive, they will be included in the install.

Whenever I encounter something like this, I back up the user-created data (photos, documents, game saves, etc) and do a clean, fresh install on the new hard drive. Then you get to install the latest drives and software versions as well.
Click to expand...
That is a great idea, so I will most likely do that then. So this is still using Windows as a back up method and not a third party software right?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP
I guess you could still use the Windows back up, but I meant just copying those important files off to an external drive, just so nothing needed to be saved or recovered once you put in the new drive and went through the clean install.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-Z77-UD3H
    Memory
    16 GB Patriot Viper 3 DDR3-1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 470 GTX
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M4 256 GB, WD WD20EFRX 2 TB
    PSU
    OCZ 700W
    Case
    Corsair 300R
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
DeaconFrost, actually it would not work. They took Windows Backup after 8.1.1 came out. Your only option in this case, because of the failing Hard Drive, would be with EaseUS ToDo Workstation. Then when the OP wants to restore to say a different sized hard drive, ToDo allows you to do that.

I had to work on a laptop with a quickly failing hard drive. I tried every tool I could use, to try and get an image backup, but would either fail, or not allow resizing to the new drive when restoring. It was a lot of trial and error. I used a USB pocket drive case, that has my old 300 gb from my laptop to hold the image on. Then used it to restore to a 240 gb SSD installed in the machine.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
broe23 said:
DeaconFrost, actually it would not work. They took Windows Backup after 8.1.1 came out. Your only option in this case, because of the failing Hard Drive, would be with EaseUS ToDo Workstation. Then when the OP wants to restore to say a different sized hard drive, ToDo allows you to do that.
Click to expand...
That's good to know, but I honestly don't use back up software in a situation like this. I pull off the files that are needed, and perform a clean install with the new hard drive. All components are up to date, and you can test the stability of the system before restoring the data. I don't trust images taken from failing drives, and don't always want to stress the drive copying off everything, when only a small portion is actually what's needed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-Z77-UD3H
    Memory
    16 GB Patriot Viper 3 DDR3-1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 470 GTX
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M4 256 GB, WD WD20EFRX 2 TB
    PSU
    OCZ 700W
    Case
    Corsair 300R
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo
DeaconFrost said:
broe23 said:
DeaconFrost, actually it would not work. They took Windows Backup after 8.1.1 came out. Your only option in this case, because of the failing Hard Drive, would be with EaseUS ToDo Workstation. Then when the OP wants to restore to say a different sized hard drive, ToDo allows you to do that.
Click to expand...
That's good to know, but I honestly don't use back up software in a situation like this. I pull off the files that are needed, and perform a clean install with the new hard drive. All components are up to date, and you can test the stability of the system before restoring the data. I don't trust images taken from failing drives, and don't always want to stress the drive copying off everything, when only a small portion is actually what's needed.
Click to expand...
I'm taking your advice, I will only back up the stuff I need.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP
I don't know if I should start a new thread or just add on to this one.

An elderly friend of mine was using acronis home image 2013 to automatically image backup her pc to an external USB hard drive. 2 weeks ago her pc's HD suddenly died. I told her not to worry because a restore should be easy.

Not true! I know the latest version of Acronis has been roundly criticized but this was an old Acronis version. She took it to microcenter. They sold her a new HD and installed Windows 7 on it. (I would have thought that the image restore could have been used to restore the OS but they didn't do that). The store technician told her he found a full backup from January 2015 which he would restore and that the later backups which she had to 5/5/2015 were "corrupted".

She's waiting for her pc to be ready for pickup later today. But, needless to say, both her confidence and mine (I too use Acronis Home Image 2014) are shaken in Acronis. So, we are both looking for another dependable backup software.

What is today considered a dependable backup for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1?

I've used the free version of Macrium but the free version does not permit automated backups which this lady needs because she is elderly and not computer literate beyond email, the web, and MS Word. Buying Macrium is $69 per copy which is a little steep. Does it ever go on sale? Is another dependable image backup solution available that can be automated to backup once a week? I've never used Windows own backup. Don't know if it does image backups that would restore the os.

Thanks.
 

My Computer

System One

CuriousOne said:
I don't know if I should start a new thread or just add on to this one.

An elderly friend of mine was using acronis home image 2013 to automatically image backup her pc to an external USB hard drive. 2 weeks ago her pc's HD suddenly died. I told her not to worry because a restore should be easy.

Not true! I know the latest version of Acronis has been roundly criticized but this was an old Acronis version. She took it to microcenter. They sold her a new HD and installed Windows 7 on it. (I would have thought that the image restore could have been used to restore the OS but they didn't do that). The store technician told her he found a full backup from January 2015 which he would restore and that the later backups which she had to 5/5/2015 were "corrupted".

She's waiting for her pc to be ready for pickup later today. But, needless to say, both her confidence and mine (I too use Acronis Home Image 2014) are shaken in Acronis. So, we are both looking for another dependable backup software.

What is today considered a dependable backup for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1?

I've used the free version of Macrium but the free version does not permit automated backups which this lady needs because she is elderly and not computer literate beyond email, the web, and MS Word. Buying Macrium is $69 per copy which is a little steep. Does it ever go on sale? Is another dependable image backup solution available that can be automated to backup once a week? I've never used Windows own backup. Don't know if it does image backups that would restore the os.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Search the internet for Macrium Reflect Coupon you can usually get 20% off sometimes as much as 40%.
I was a long time user of Acronis since 2011 they claimed UEFI compatibility yet as late as 2014 they could not restore a booting UEFI GPT disk. I switched over to Reflect with all my systems.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro MC
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus G75VW / Z97 Pro
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-3610QM / I7-4790K
    Motherboard
    Z97 Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Hyundai HTM315156CFR8C-PB PC3-12800
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M (GF114M)
    Sound Card
    VIA 6.0.10.1600
    Screen Resolution
    1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 Pro 256, Samsung 850 Pro 1TB
    Internet Speed
    30 down 3 up
    Browser
    Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    NIS and Malwarebytes
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