Why I do not recommend disk imaging

Last week’s Good Boot generated quite a few questions concerning why I did not recommend novices use disk imaging backup software.

For disk imaging software to effectively restore your operating system, applications, settings and personal files to a new hard drive or reformatted hard drive, the disk image backup must be as current as their most recent modifications.

For those who have never viewed their system’s Registry, click Start, Run and Regedit. Carefully so as not to make any changes, open each HKEY folders. I’m sure you’ll be impressed with the number of Registry entries.

Registry entries began the day Windows was installed on your computer with new entries added for every subsequent change you’ve made to your system. A new Registry entry or change to a current Registry entry can be as uncomplicated as recognizing the deletion of a Desktop shortcut or as complex as the number of entries made when a new program or a program update is installed.

To insure an accurate disk image restoration of your system to include your most current Registry as well as your operating system, applications, settings and personal files, you must either initiate a time consuming daily full disk image backup or schedule “automatic” Incremental and/or Differential backups.

An Incremental backup backs up only the changes made to a disk image since the last disk image backup. Although it’s the quickest means of backup as it makes copies of only what has not been backed up since the last incremental backup, its downside is that in order to perform a full restore you must restore the last full backup first, followed by each of the subsequent incremental backups to the most current in their correct order.

A Differential backup is a cumulative backup of all changes made since the last full disk image backup. The advantage is it’s quicker, requiring only a full backup and the last differential backup to restore the system. The disadvantage is for each day elapsed since the last full backup more data needs to be backed up, especially if a significant proportion of the data has been changed.

A word of caution: Should a full disk image backup or any one of its Incremental or Deferential backups be damaged, the restore will be incomplete.

Seem complicated and/or risky? Perhaps not for an experienced user, but probably so for a novice.

Next week I’ll revisit my recommendations for novice friendly backup techniques.

Here’s wishing you a Good Boot.