Thoughts on building a image of my C:\ Drive

My thinking is that I am going with Hasleo Backup Suite Free Version 4.0
What I want to do intially is to make a complete image of my C;\Drive then store that image on Google Drive.
My question is can I delete that image file (I will be putting the mirror image on a 512GB Flash Drive) then use that drive as a backup drive for Updates from All my different Software Programs?
Or is it better to have another copy of that image file and just use another Flashdrive for backing up OS and Programs?

EClaptonXRoads said:

My thinking is that I am going with Hasleo Backup Suite Free Version 4.0
What I want to do intially is to make a complete image of my C;\Drive then store that image on Google Drive.
My question is can I delete that image file (I will be putting the mirror image on a 512GB Flash Drive) then use that drive as a backup drive for Updates from All my different Software Programs?
Or is it better to have another copy of that image file and just use another Flashdrive for backing up OS and Programs?

Click to expand...

1. I gave you ten points, just for filling out your computer specs. That always helps us, when we are helping you.

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Probably the best way to deal with backups, is to store them on an external drive (if you don't have a lot of internal storage drive space).
Storing backups on Google Drive is not the best option because you can only access Google drive if Windows boots and if you have a working internet connection.

Backup software tips...

1. ALWAYS make the backup software's "bootable" rescue media. This will allow you to access your backups when Windows won't boot.

2. Store your backups... locally. On a different internal drive or an external drive. Google Drive would not be the best "primary" storage location for backups.

3. Try to keep the "used space" on your Windows drive... small. That way, backups and restores will be... fast.

4. At default settings, backups will be about 1/2 the size of the "used space" on your Windows drive. This is a good balance between backup speed and backup storage space needed.


Here are some external 2TB or greater, external drives. You can change the country at top right if needed.






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Here's some other things that you may find useful...

1. My First order of Business was to make a bootable media Flash drive in case a 100 year flood happen. That in fact what happened to me. I lost home, furniture, external hard drive, a bunch of flash drives, About 3 TB of data and 60 GB of music files. So I decided I was going to do it correctly this time.
2. Curretntly I only have about 59 GB of files so you think an external hard drive would be a better media platform than a flash drive?
3. Getting a couple of 1 TB drives is not a financial burden. Heck I already spent almost $900 on the computer.
4. Thanks for the references but I have already been studying them and trying to draw up a good solid plan. I guess I was trying to cheap out on that part.

EClaptonXRoads said:

1. My First order of Business was to make a bootable media Flash drive in case a 100 year flood happen. That in fact what happened to me. I lost home, furniture, external hard drive, a bunch of flash drives, About 3 TB of data and 60 GB of music files. So I decided I was going to do it correctly this time.
2. Curretntly I only have about 59 GB of files so you think an external hard drive would be a better media platform than a flash drive?
3. Getting a couple of 1 TB drives is not a financial burden. Heck I already spent almost $900 on the computer.
4. Thanks for the references but I have already been studying them and trying to draw up a good solid plan. I guess I was trying to cheap out on that part.

Click to expand...

1. Good that you made the bootable. Bad that you got flooded.
2. Your backups will be about 30GB on default settings. So a 1TB external drive, will hold lots of files and lots of backups.
This external drive is decent, and would fit in your pocket...
A decent sized USB thumb drive (as you mentioned), would also work.
Generally though, I think most would go with a external SSD, and use the thumb drive for more basic things.

3. See #2
4. Nothing wrong with saving money.

5. How about this... have your bootable rescue media on a thumb drive and your backups on an ext. SSD.
...Then you could restore your backup to almost any computer.
In case a plague of locusts or a band of pirates steals your whole computer.

@EClaptonXRoads

Keep your idea of storing one of your backups on Google Drive. A good backup strategy should always include one of your backups being offsite.

If you were to lose everything again in fire, flood, or theft, you can always buy another computer, access Google Drive, and retrieve your backup.

Some years ago we had a home theft and all my computers and backup drives were stolen. All my data and photos were also backed up offsite in Microsoft OneDrive. I bought a new computer, logged in to Windows, and all my data and photos were instantly there as if nothing had ever happened.