Windows 11 backup or Windows 7??

My windows 11 (control panel) only show Windows Backup ( Windows 7)

Yes, its been like this since relelase, and it works fine. There area also a few free alternative backup programs availalbe.

Does backing up to external drive wipe all data from that drive before backing up Win 11 ?
Thanks for the info

Does backing up to external drive wipe all data from that drive

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No, backups are saved as compressed files on your selected destination. Existing files on the destination are not affected.

All file/image programs I have come across work that way.

man00 said:

My windows 11 (control panel) only show Windows Backup ( Windows 7)

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Yes, it's only really there for backward compatibility, should you have any old Win7 backups to restore. MS don't suggest you should use it for new backups, particularly their 'system image backup' part. They deprecated that more than four years ago.

Microsoft said:

System Image Backup (SIB) Solution
We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors.

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Yes, it's only really there for backward compatibility, should you have any old Win7 backups to restore.

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sdclt in win7 could only create .vhd files. Yet in win10/11 it creates .vhd(x)
So it clearly not only for restoring old backup images made in win7.

A new scheduling function has been added to wbadmin in win11. So it appears that if macrium buffs can scare enouigh people away from sib, MS might remove it, while still retaining wbadmin, for which sib is a kind of basic front end.

SIW2 said:

sdclt in win7 could only create .vhd files. Yet in win10/11 it creates .vhd(x)

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I think that change was made starting in Windows 8. The vhd(x) files are only part of the SIB, and that has only ever been specific to each version of Windows. You need to boot from a WinRE of exactly the same version (7/8/8.1/10/11) and bits (32/64) as the OS in the image to be able to do a restore.

The Files and Folders backup wiith its .zip files remains unchanged from 7 up to 11, and can restore in any Windows version, not just the one used to make the backup.

Vista bmrui can restore win7 system images. Not a lot of people know that.

You need to boot from a WinRE of exactly the same version (7/8/8.1/10/11) and bits (32/64) as the OS in the image to be able to do a restore.

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if so, what is the meaning of this:

it's only really there for backward compatibility, should you have any old Win7 backups to restore.

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So bottom line can the backup I'm talking about work to restore Windows 11 partition?

man00 said:

So bottom line can the backup I'm talking about work to restore Windows 11 partition?

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Yes. If you use the 'Create a system image' option in 'Backup & Restore (Windows 7)' to create a system image of a Windows 11 machine then you should be able to restore it too. You do not get to choose which partitions to back up, it will back up all that are required to restore a working system. Your only available option would be to add any data partitions that may not have been included as they only hold data files.



Bear in mind though that Microsoft have for the past four years recommended that you do not try, and that you should "....use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors". Microsoft's imaging has been known to be temperamental and fragile. It sometimes fails to see your image when you need to restore it. There are plenty of good, reliable, free alternatives to choose from.

So does it make sense to use native Windows image backup?

Before I answer that, consider why majority of users here recommend Macrium Reflect

It is simply the experience of majority of forum users it is rock solid and that is what counts in backup tools.

Of course, in the end, it does not really matter which of the major 3rd party image tools you choose but you have to ask yourself a simple question "Can I rely on its support team in a timely manner if I get a significant issue".

In most cases of the major 3rd party apps, answer is surely yes. If a bug is reported, the appropriate development team will usually try and fix issue asap. Then it just becomes opinion as to whose support team is best.

There are lots of image tools around but do they have a proven support record? Personally, I would advise users to stick to the majors (Macrium, Easus, AOMEI, Acronis, and perhaps Paragon and Veeam).

However, getting back to starting point about whether it makes sense to use the native Windows image backup, consider this:

Can you rely on MS for timely support if you get issues with the Windows tool, and it is obvious the answer is definitely no!

You might call MS Support and they may be able to help if a user issue rather than a bug.

However, if they cannot sort it i.e. a real bug, you will be lucky if it reaches a development team member, and even then, it could take a year or more (if ever) before a fix is issued. You do not get a ticket support/tracking number and you have no idea if anybody is looking at issue.

So for all those who favour using the native Windows image backup tool, if it works for you fine, but the moment it falls over due to bugs, you are basically snookered.

I cannot for the life of me see why people would think NOT following MS advice to use 3rd party tools is a good idea?

.

For the life of me I can't understand why someone would want to rely on it when way better, much more reliable options are available. Reliability is what is key for me.

cereberus said:

....you will be lucky if it reaches a development team member, and even then, it could take a year or more (if ever) before a fix is issued

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You would have to be very lucky indeed. There isn't actually a development team working on this any more, not since the end of 2017.

Microsoft said:

The features in this article are no longer being actively developed...

Feature	Details and mitigation	Deprecation announced
System Image Backup (SIB) Solution	We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors.	1709

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