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[jtwrace]

So I've built my new computer and all is working really well.  I have a Samsung Pro SSD as the main drive.  I'd like to install another as an onboard backup.  What software do you guys recommend that will provide a bootable backup?  I've been reading http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-tip-use-system-image-backup but he even says it's not ideal and I have no experience with it.  Thanks. 

[jtwrace]

Anyone?   ?

[astromo]

For me, it depends on the level of convenience you're after and the reliability of the restore process.

For freeware, the effort +ve, reliable restore, cloning software that I've had good experience with is Clonezilla. Works from a Linux bootable USB and has a long standing track record.

I run a dedicated HDD on my desktop units for backup duty and have ended up working with Macrium Reflect to run scheduled backups. Got onto Reflect via comment on Interact and satisfied myself using the trial. I've used it to restore a system image a couple of times and it has been reliable.

I've had dud restores using other software and this is (one of) the most important performance parameters to focus on when considering clone/backup software, as far as I'm concerned.

[astromo]

Anyone?   ?

Patience delivers.. hope my comments help.. 

[jtwrace]

Patience delivers.. hope my comments help.. 

Yes, I think they will.  It seems as though the Macrium free version can actually do scheduled backups.  That should be perfect! 

[mwillems]

Yes, I think they will.  It seems as though the Macrium free version can actually do scheduled backups.  That should be perfect! 

Reflect is great, I've used to to restore images many times.  The free version can definitely do scheduled backups, but is limited in the management options available.  I don't think you can do incrementals, and it won't allow you to automatically rotate the backups, which the pay version supports. 

That said, it doesn't much matter provided you're comfortable with scripting events outside of the software.  I use the free version to spit out weekly backups of my windows boxes to my Linux NAS, and then have cronjobs running to rotate the backups periodically, etc.

[Ninouchka]

I am a long time user of Acronis True Image, it is not free but for me the best there is. The moment you installed it, you can create a
bootable CD or USB stick with the program on it and run it outside of Windows. And it has really lot's of options, check acronis website.
In fact Windows 8.1 has a bootable backup system, acronis can be interactive with this.

[batteries4ever]

Hi, I do things differently and maybe rather stupid but here is what I do.
1) Install Windows, programs, data on "disk 1"
2) Copy "disk 1" to "disk 2"
3) Install windows on "disk 2"
4) run simple software to backup your data changes from "disk 1" to "disk 2"

Changes to programs are not reflected but the method is simple & stupid and doesn't require arcane knowledge or external programs.
In case of a crash of disk 1 copy disk 2 to disk 3 and start again.... updates can always be loaded unto disk 2, it's just the settigns where you may have to redo some stuff.....

[newsposter]

see also bare-metal restore and split mirror backups.....

[Hilton]

Another +1 for Acronis True Image, used that for a few years and upgraded to the Acronis Backup and Recovery 11.5 workstation licensing a year ago. 

I have centralised backup vaults with dedupe backing up all my machines over the network to the HTPC which also runs as the backup server with my RAID Media arrays directly attached and a USB 4 slot drive dock for backup drives.

I run daily incremental for all the machines and weekly full on a GFS backup plan with 60 days retention. Every now and then I do a custom full backup to another set of backup drives and leave them at my parents place.

I've had to do complete restores to rebuild a few time for different reasons, twice for failed OCZ SSDs, and its always completed the restore without fuss. Had to go and get an old version of a file too and it was pretty quick and simple to find.

Acronis True Image is great for a single stand alone machine or even a couple of machines but the Workstation Advanced is amazing. I don't even notice the backups running and they are super quick because of the dedupe.