Windows 7's "Backup and Restore" feature takes FOREVER!

[shyronnie]

So I tried backing up my laptop on a 500 GB external hard drive using Windows 7's "Backup and Restore" feature. Thing is, it's FREAKING SLOW! I only have less than 100 GB of used space on my laptop's hard drive to backup, but I believe it took about 2 HOURS to finish backing up! What's an alternative, possibly free, solution to this one? I might just do the old-fashioned "copy/paste" way of backing up my files; I actually prefer that because I know what I'm putting on my external hard drive, especially since I don't mind reinstalling programs or changing settings if something happens to my laptop.

[tehboris]

What did you configure the backup program to backup?

[tokenuser]

BasIc math lesson.

USB 2.0 has a theoretical maximum speed of 480Mb/s = 60MB/s.
100GB is 102400MB.
Transferring 102400MB at 60MB/s takes 1706s or 28minutes.

Now that is a theoretical best, so it will take at least that amount of time.

Add in verification of the backup, and compression, indexing, yada yada yada ... And it adds up fast, but I suspect that your 2hours was a slight exaggeration.

[shyronnie]

Originally Posted by tehboris

What did you configure the backup program to backup?

I think it's the recommended settings on the program. And it created a disc image of the C: drive.

Originally Posted by tokenuser

BasIc math lesson.

USB 2.0 has a theoretical maximum speed of 480Mb/s = 60MB/s.
100GB is 102400MB.
Transferring 102400MB at 60MB/s takes 1706s or 28minutes.

Now that is a theoretical best, so it will take at least that amount of time.

Add in verification of the backup, and compression, indexing, yada yada yada ... And it adds up fast, but I suspect that your 2hours was a slight exaggeration.

No, I think it was 2 hours. Or at least it felt like 2 hours. Hmm, maybe it was 1.5.

Something like this could be an option:

http://www.frys.com/product/6149939?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

[shyronnie]

Originally Posted by davisan

Something like this could be an option:

http://www.frys.com/product/6149939?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Can I use that on my laptop? Also, I think a good old-fashioned copy-and-paste is my best option to back up my files. I don't think it's really that important to make images of my hard drive.

[tokenuser]

Provided you keep your media safe to reinstall software, its not that important to fully image a drive.

I set up a directory called data and keep everything as a subdirectory off it.

When it comes to a backup, I have a batch command to copy it off my machine. No fancy apps involved at all.

[shyronnie]

By the way, is it important to back up before using Virtualbox? I want to use Ubuntu inside Windows.

[tehboris]

Originally Posted by shyronnie

By the way, is it important to back up before using Virtualbox? I want to use Ubuntu inside Windows.

Doesn't matter. You might want to be careful about backing up the virtual disk as they can be quite large.

[jeziora]

It was with some interest that I read the posts about the long time it takes for a windows backup. After recovering from a "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this task) error where I could not open my drives or folders using the normal method, (would only open through right click "open", I decided that I would do a system backup using the Windows 7 supplied utility.

I purchased a formatted WD USB2 external 1TB drive as the backup drive and ran "Backup and Restore".

It started at 3 pm and finished 7.30am the next morning. 16 and a half hours!!!

Drive C had 391 GB and the Backup drive ended up with 548GB (indicated).

If I explore the backup drive there is no folder or file that shows anything greater than 528 bytes. So .... where is the image?

I guess the question is, how do I know that it really has backed up?