Windows 7 Backup and Restore - Initial Setup

The first step is to launch Backup and Restore so it's open and running on the system. Here are possible methods.

Method One - Click Start Menu > Control Panel  > System and Security > Backup and Restore. This method will bring you into the screen shown in Fig. 02 below. Click the [Set Up Backup] text and allow the UAC prompt.

Method Two - Click the Start Menu and in the Search Programs and Files box at lower left, type in [ Backup ] then click Backup and Restore in the Programs (1) section of the results. This method will bring you into the screen shown in Fig. 02 below. Click the [Set Up Backup] text and allow the UAC prompt.

Method Three - Click the Start Menu and in the Search Programs and Files box at lower left, type in [ sdclt.exe ] then click the executable file. This method will bring you into the screen shown in Fig. 02 below. Click the [Set Up Backup] text and allow the UAC prompt.

Method Four - An alternative method that may or may not be available on your system, go in via the Action Center either from the flag icon in the Notification Area on the desktop lower right or by clicking Start Menu > Control Panel  > System and Security > Action Center. Once Action Center opens look in the Maintenance section, click the [Set Up Backup] button and allow the UAC prompt.

 
Fig. 04

The screen capture (Fig.05) below is an expanded view of the [ Save Backup On: ] section in Fig. 04 above. Obviously what you see will reflect the drives on your current system, but this group of drives will serve as the basis for a few comments.

• Notice the system volume is not available (nor even listed) as a potential backup location. In most cases this would be volume C:/ where the operating system is installed. Even if it 'was' possible, you certainly don't want to store a backup on the same volume where the operating system is installed.
• If a System Reserved volume was created at the time of Win 7 installation it will not be listed as a possibility.
• Although you can't tell from looking at the drive list, in this case volume D:/ is also on the same physical hard drive as C:/, the system volume. While it 'is' possible to save the backup in this location, it would be as foolish as storing it on the system volume. If the hard drive fails it's going to take everything on the drive along with it to wherever failed hard drives go for eternity.
• The volumes carrying the RD1 and RD2 designations are hot swappable hard drives accessible from the front of the system case. These are exceptionally handy for backups and any number of drives can be swapped for different backup scenarios. I suppose technically these are considered external hard drives because they are easily swappable, but I consider them internal hard drives and are available for 'scheduled' backups.
• All of the volumes with Antec or MyBook designations are external hard drives, either USB or eSATA connected, and are suitable as backup locations. These are also suitable for 'scheduled' backups yet easily removable and available for transport or offsite storage.
• The volume called Removable Disk (Q:/) is actually a 16GB USB key. These come in many different sizes and depending on what you want to back up, they can be quite useful, especially for frequent backups of directories and work in progress. I've read on numerous forums that USB keys cannot be used for system images. That simply isn't true. A properly formatted, adequately sized key can be used for a system image. In spite of the fact the Microsoft interface may prompt you for a 1GB or greater storage device during the image creation process, you can still proceed and successfully create a system image.
• Last on the list is a DVD drive. In a pinch this can be handy, but the cost of the media, the storage of the DVD's, and the ease with which the media can be damaged or degraded over time makes it a less attractive option. On the bright side, the DVD's are easily transportable for offsite storage but can't be used for scheduled backups.

There are a lot of variables involved depending on the location you select. Watch the main window as you select each possible location on your system and you're likely to see warning messages appear related to each location. They can range from not enough disk space, to system images not allowed on removable media, to possible security problems with a location type.

Once you have selected a location for the backup, click the [ Next ] button.

Next up is selecting what will be backed up. There are two choices here; let Windows choose for you (the default option) or select what will be backed up yourself. So, which one do you choose? That's hard to say, but here are a few thoughts and guidelines.

• If you pay little attention to your system, don't store files in any custom locations, and want a system image that can be used to restore the system in case of disaster while keeping it backed up regularly without any user intervention then the [Let Windows Choose (Recommended)] option should suit your needs well. Just be aware that if you deviate from the standard file storage locations Windows imposes or have multiple hard drives, this option may well leave substantial portions of your system unprotected.

• The [Let Me Choose] option offers a much higher degree of control over the backup process. One advantage of this method is the ability to drill down through the entire file hierarchy and select individual files for backup, just as if you were in Windows Explorer. This is invaluable if you store files in non-standard locations. On the flip side, it's incumbent on you to know where the files you want backed up are stored and accept the responsibility if you miss backing up something important. The option to create a system image is available just as in the other method, but it doesn't get created automatically unless you specify it to be made.

• System images are invaluable as long as they accurately image the timeframe you specify. For example, you may want an image of the system volume immediately after a clean installation has been completed, or another image including a clean installation plus additional drivers, settings, and applications, or a third image with everything mentioned before with data files included. The trick is managing the images and keeping subsequent images from overwriting previous images you don't want destroyed.

• Scheduling - For as long as there have been backups available, the biggest issue is actually getting people to backup regularly, or on some kind of schedule. It's been proven time and again, backing up when left to the initiative of the user, will likely never happen. That's even true among users that have previously suffered catastrophic disk failures and total data loss. Keeping that in mind along with your own work habits and reliance on your data, turning off scheduling is probably not a good idea for casual computer users. The guide is at Backup and Restore - Scheduling.

• System Image - System Images can be created on demand or made a part of the regularly scheduled backups. Unless you're going to physically manage the images regularly and stay up to date on when they are created and what each contains it's probably best to let Windows manage them as well.

• Data File Backups - As long as you store all your files in the locations Windows suggests ( i.e. photos in the pictures folder, etc) then the standard settings do an alright job. However, if you branch out and store data in non-standard locations the risk the data will be unprotected rises substantially unless you modify the backup settings to include custom locations.