Solved AOMEI Backupper (Free Standard Edition) Review

I was using a very old program ( V2.1 from 2003 maybe) from Terabyte Unlimited called "Image for Windows" backup/imaging software.
It was getting clunky after 15 years with no updates and I'm cheap and didn't want to buy a new version.

So I decide to look around and buy a 21st Century disk imaging software.
Compared a few and accidently came across AOMEI Backupper which had a free Standard Version for Non-Commerical use for home PC's
What the hay I downloaded and installed and found out it's good to upgrade 18 year old imaging software to something new.

WOW!
Free, easy to understand and use without reading any doc file. What else can an old man want in life. More money maybe!!!!!
Back to the software review.
I have made a few backup images now as well as backup copies of particians and actually recovered system a few times to test using a USB thumbdrive.
You can even recover within Windows and will run the program I think virtually.
No matter what a slick program for this old coot.

Note for Newbie/beginners Windows 11 user and you pros that write your own code.
Worth downloading and trying if you are looking for a good free HD imaging program.

Hope some of you find this useful.
Iggy

I like it and it is the only one that works on my 11 with my restricted setup.
One fails to install, other to create a backup and another to restore it.

I am using Aomei Backupper Pro version. It works where Macruim Reflect won't work.

Where won't Macrium work @GrayOldman1 I use Macrium and have had no problems but would like to be pre warned

Iggy_AZ said:

I was using a very old program ( V2.1 from 2003 maybe) from Terabyte Unlimited called "Image for Windows" backup/imaging software.
It was getting clunky after 15 years with no updates and I'm cheap and didn't want to buy a new version.

So I decide to look around and buy a 21st Century disk imaging software.
Compared a few and accidently came across AOMEI Backupper which had a free Standard Version for Non-Commerical use for home PC's
What the hay I downloaded and installed and found out it's good to upgrade 18 year old imaging software to something new.

WOW!
Free, easy to understand and use without reading any doc file. What else can an old man want in life. More money maybe!!!!!
Back to the software review.
I have made a few backup images now as well as backup copies of particians and actually recovered system a few times to test using a USB thumbdrive.
You can even recover within Windows and will run the program I think virtually.
No matter what a slick program for this old coot.

Note for Newbie/beginners Windows 11 user and you pros that write your own code.
Worth downloading and trying if you are looking for a good free HD imaging program.

Hope some of you find this useful.
Iggy

Click to expand...

TairikuOkami said:

I like it and it is the only one that works on my 11 with my restricted setup.
One fails to install, other to create a backup and another to restore it.

Click to expand...

GrayOldman1 said:

I am using Aomei Backupper Pro version. It works where Macruim Reflect won't work.

Click to expand...

I'm curious, as to how many processes and Services, AOMEI Backupper uses, when not doing anything?
In other words... In Task Manager, how many processes "listed" under "Background Processes", when not doing anything.
And how many listed Services.

Well I personally use AOMEI and love it. It has never let me down and above all very easy to use and understand. But Macruim Reflect is almost a religion here, so not that useful talking about anything else then that

I have purchased both Aomei and Macrium and both are good programs.

Aomei is perhaps more intuitive when first using, but don't underestimate the value of the Macrium knowledge in this and the Win 10 Forums.

GrayOldman1 said:

I am using Aomei Backupper Pro version. It works where Macruim Reflect won't work.

Click to expand...

where does Macrium not work? Have been using it for 6 years with no problems for me.

The-Hive said:

Where won't Macrium work @GrayOldman1 I use Macrium and have had no problems but would like to be pre warned

Click to expand...

I would also like to know. I've been using the professional (paid versions) of Macrium Reflect since version 7. I've never had a problem with it though in all transparency I've never had to restore anything. Aomei's commercial product is certainly less expensive and they offer lifetime upgrades. That's rare in the software industry.

Rob

Didn't want to get everyone in an uproar in what is better or not.
Just a simple review of the AOMEI Backupper (Free Standard Edition) which I said is simple and understandable for me.
The free version has nothing running in the background if not in use but the paid Professional version has a scheduled clock to remind you its time to backup again. The paid version also will automatically update your backup if things are changed.
I still like the simplicity of it and have tested recovery a few times without and issue using the USB startup program as well recover while in Windows. Very slick.

I ask the same question @pigpenz, we get people coming on here saying things like this program won't work or failed me etc and it very often turns out that it's their machine or the program is set up wrongly and I am sure programs like Macrium have thousands of users and it is basically a professional program for free so if it had a flaw we would have heard by now, and if there is a problem, I would want to know

I will tell you my problem with Macrium Reflect. It works fine if I save the file to a hard drive in my computer. I can restore the file. NOW here is the problem. I have a NAS and I store backups on it. It works fine for saving the backup BUT can not retrieve it. For some unknown reason it drops the Nic driver. Now I have an open ticket on it. Tech tried to fix my problem and after 90 minutes he gave up. Only way to get the file is use copy and paste with windows. Macrium Reflect is fine if you only want one copy of the back up. BUT for me more places to save that copy is better. AOMIE Backupper does the job for me. It sees all my devices and works great with my NAS. saving and retrieving the file.

Thanks for info @GrayOldman1 I see your problem, lets hope they sort it for you

I have been using the free AOMEI for a few years now and it's excellent. I have never encountered any problems with it on 6 different computers.

Iggy_AZ said:

I was using a very old program ( V2.1 from 2003 maybe) from Terabyte Unlimited called "Image for Windows" backup/imaging software.
It was getting clunky after 15 years with no updates and I'm cheap and didn't want to buy a new version.

So I decide to look around and buy a 21st Century disk imaging software.
Compared a few and accidently came across AOMEI Backupper which had a free Standard Version for Non-Commerical use for home PC's
What the hay I downloaded and installed and found out it's good to upgrade 18 year old imaging software to something new.

WOW!
Free, easy to understand and use without reading any doc file. What else can an old man want in life. More money maybe!!!!!
Back to the software review.
I have made a few backup images now as well as backup copies of particians and actually recovered system a few times to test using a USB thumbdrive.
You can even recover within Windows and will run the program I think virtually.
No matter what a slick program for this old coot.

Note for Newbie/beginners Windows 11 user and you pros that write your own code.
Worth downloading and trying if you are looking for a good free HD imaging program.

Hope some of you find this useful.
Iggy

Click to expand...

I agree.

AOMEI products are excellent, far more intuitive to use and well priced too.

AOMEI Partition Assistant once saved me from real disaster. It was the only program (after trying a dozen others) that helped recover almost all files after a mistake I made when using Diskpart command. This, when most other file recovery programs could not even see the lost files. AOMEI Partition Assistant not only saw those files, but also recovered almost every single one of them. And I'm talking of well over 500 GB of files, most important of which was my Camera Roll!

AOEMI is fine but not as flexible as Macrium Reflect. Personally, I found it is too basic but I have no reason to diss it. In the end, the most important thing is that all users should learn the importance of backing up (data as a minimum, but OS/programs is strongly recommended).

I have extensively tested most of the main FREE tools, and only recommend three for beginners.

1) Macrium Reflect - most flexible, major plus is image backups can be opened as a virtual machine.
2) Easeus Todo Backup - solid and reliable but rather slow (speed is less important than reliability)
3) AOMEI Backupper - reliable, easy for beginners, reliable but limited features.

A close fourth was VEEAM but this is more geared to commercial use.

I omit Acronis as it does not have a freely available free version (other than those bundled with a drive purchase).

There are lots of other as well, and I had varying experiences. The worst was Windows own inbuilt tool.

In the end, use whichever tool suits your needs. The most crucial point is that you should test the restore function whichever you choose but problem is how without screwing up current installation if things go wrong?

A method I use is:

1) create a virtual hard drive stored on a second drive (you can use a separate partition if you only have one drive)

2) make image backup with whichever tool you are testing.

3) Mount VHD, and restore image to the VHD

4) create boot entry for vhd

5) boot pc, and select VHD - if it boots ok, you know image was solid.

6) optional - delete vhd to save space and/or remove boot entry using msconfig.

A variation of above is to restore image in a virtual machine.

Of course, when it comes to backups, paranoia is healthy, and some users like to install two tools, in case one fails.

Personally, Macrium Reflect has never let me down but I still make a backup now and then using the inbuilt Windows FFU tool. This is not the old Windows 7 tool, but is actually quite new. It is fast as well. I prefer this as it does not require me to do a separate installation.

I tend not to pay much creedance to users who say I had a bad experience with tool ABCD, as in most cases it comes down to human error, or something was wrong with PC in first place.

The classic one is VSS not working, and people recommend doing backup from WinPE which is fine BUT all means if you restore the image, you restore it with VSS still not working. In the end, using WinPE is a workaround rather than solving the root issue.

The crucial point is to test the tools and use the one you are happy with.

I consider Macrium reflect to be more of an imager than a backup, Aomei backupper, (pro, at least), feels to me more like the systems that I have been using for decades. I have both available and use them differently. If I need an image I use macrium and for my multiple scheduled backups I use Aomei,

Now, as far as I know the both options will do the same thing, but for me the above differentiation is what "feels Right" to me

There is one process that Aomei Backupper pro will do that I'm not sure other easily available options can. This is one I use for my photography...

When travelling with my camera,( plus all the other gear), for more than a day or so I will carry my laptop and an external NVMe drive containing my full live lightroom catalogue, images are added to this catalogue when back at the hotel at the end of each day, and some will be edited to some extent.

Aomei has an option that will automatically synchronise the data on the NVMe when connected too either the laptop or my main workstation. What this means is I can have the same catalogue live and identical on the two systems just by plugging the NVMe into either system. At 10Gb/s speeds this is done quite quickly too

barman58 said:

I consider Macrium reflect to be more of an imager than a backup, Aomei backupper, (pro, at least), feels to me more like the systems that I have been using for decades. I have both available and use them differently. If I need an image I use macrium and for my multiple scheduled backups I use Aomei,

Now, as far as I know the both options will do the same thing, but for me the above differentiation is what "feels Right" to me

There is one process that Aomei Backupper pro will do that I'm not sure other easily available options can. This is one I use for my photography...

When travelling with my camera,( plus all the other gear), for more than a day or so I will carry my laptop and an external NVMe drive containing my full live lightroom catalogue, images are added to this catalogue when back at the hotel at the end of each day, and some will be edited to some extent.

Aomei has an option that will automatically synchronise the data on the NVMe when connected too either the laptop or my main workstation. What this means is I can have the same catalogue live and identical on the two systems just by plugging the NVMe into either system. At 10Gb/s speeds this is done quite quickly too

Click to expand...

And that is my point - use the tool that suits you. There is no right or wrong answer as everybody's needs differ.

When it comes to paid versions, the same is true. To me Rapid Delta Restore is why I use Reflect Home. You use AOMEI PRO because of that sync tool.

GUIs are important but not the most crucial factors - I accept AOMEI is more intuitive for beginners, and indeed I have in the past recommended to the Macrium Team that they should have some form of "Express Menu" for beginners but their basic philosophy is that their tool is not aimed at beginners but for more advanced users. In the end, all software is aimed at a target audience.

As an aside, to me the one major weakness with free version of reflect is it does not offer incremental backups. The company view is that this would harm sales of the paid version. I argued with them that sales would be harmed as other tools offer incremental backups, and users will simply "defect" to other tools.

In the end, the most crucial factor is reliability of restore and in my case Reflect has never let me down. I am sure the same is true of the main players or els they would not be market leaders but I have no incentive to change.

I don't have a need to use differential or Incremental backups for my home use, though I do have backups running overnight every night they are all full backups and independent of any others.

I did use them with dealing with Petabytes of data in an age where you moved the storage media, (Tape Spools), from the computer room and the fire-safes on a Sack truck. Obviously the trips were made often as the backups were running virtually 24/7/365

barman58 said:

I don't have a need to use differential or Incremental backups for my home use, though I do have backups running overnight every night they are all full backups and independent of any others.

I did use them with dealing with Petabytes of data in an age where you moved the storage media, (Tape Spools), from the computer room and the fire-safes on a Sack truck. Obviously the trips were made often as the backups were running virtually 24/7/365

Click to expand...

I do not use incrementals that much as my laptop only takes 3 minutes to do a full backup. I do however use then when I just want to take a quick snapshot of current state (rather like making a restore point) e.g. if messing with registry or installing a new program, so I can quickly revert back if any issues. Coupled with Rapid Delta Restore, this is really fast. I have turned off system restore points.

I tend to use incrementals rather like Hyper-V checkpoints e.g. supposing I want to do several registry edits for different functions, I would make an incremental, do registry edits for one function, make second incremental, do second set of regedits, etc. That way, I can retrace my steps.