How to create system image on USB (Windows 10)

[Phete]

Following my thread on the easiest way to back up my data, I've managed to save it all to a usb using the Windows 10 Backup feature.

Now I want to create a system image (on a different usb). However, the system isn't allowing me to do this - even though I've formatted the USB as NTFS.

Looking online, it sounds like the solutions are all complicated.

Please could somebody advise me of the easiest way of doing this. I want to be in a position where I could restore my system files to the same computer, or a new computer.

Thank you.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Following my thread on the easiest way to back up my data, I've managed to save it all to a usb using the Windows 10 Backup feature.

Now I want to create a system image (on a different usb). However, the system isn't allowing me to do this - even though I've formatted the USB as NTFS.

Looking online, it sounds like the solutions are all complicated.

Please could somebody advise me of the easiest way of doing this. I want to be in a position where I could restore my system files to the same computer, or a new computer.

Thank you.

There's tonnes of options but you can do it straight within windows.

How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 10 or Windows 11

The built-in backup utilities in Windows are pretty solid. You can even create a full backup image of your PC without a third-party utility. This tool is still included on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[ubuysa]

PLEASE don't ever use USB drives as backup drives. They just aren't reliable enough.

 

[Phete]

There's tonnes of options but you can do it straight within windows.

How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 10 or Windows 11

The built-in backup utilities in Windows are pretty solid. You can even create a full backup image of your PC without a third-party utility. This tool is still included on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

www.howtogeek.com

Thanks - that's what I'm doing, but this is the error message I'm getting....

 

[Martinr36]

Thanks - that's what I'm doing, but this is the error message I'm getting....

View attachment 29608

I'd guess it hasn't got another spare space on it for the backup

 

[ubuysa]

Thanks - that's what I'm doing, but this is the error message I'm getting....

View attachment 29608

It's probably because it's a USB drive. Windows knows that writing a system image to a flash drive is never a good idea, so by default it won't let you.

There are solutions, which I hesitate to share because using flash drives as backup drives really is a very bad idea. However, it's your data....

1. Reformat the drive. Sometimes this will allow you to use it.

2. Create a folder on the drive, call it anything you like (Backup would be a good idea though) and select that folder as the backup location.

3. Use third party backup software.

My advise would be to pay attention to what Windows is trying to tell you. USB drives should not be used as backup drives. Ever.

 

[AgentCooper]

@SpyderTracks and @ubuysa - hope you don’t mind but I’ve taken the liberty of adding a couple of these posts to the knowledge base thread below as they’re very helpful:

Backing Up - A Sample Strategy

I have edited this post to reflect a change in the backup software I use. Pretty much everyone knows that they should be backing up their data. But why do we do it? No, it's a serious question. The backup strategy that you select depends entirely on what you're backing up and what you want to...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

(Feel free to amend/edit as you see fit 👍)

 

[KriSta]

I`d suggest using a regular USB hard drive or external USB NVMe for that reason . I have a dual NVMe USB-C dock that works superb for backups and such . Just a minor caveat ... they get very hot But performance wise it is awesome . Roughly 1000 MB/s Read/write sequential speed .

 

[David689]

PLEASE don't ever use USB drives as backup drives. They just aren't reliable enough.

Your guide to backups talks about using, amongst other things, external HDDs. Are these connected by USB or some other method? When you say "don't ever use USB drives" for back up are you just referring to USB pen drives or do you include USB connected external HDDs too?

 

[Martinr36]

Your guide to backups talks about using, amongst other things, external HDDs. Are these connected by USB or some other method? When you say "don't ever use USB drives" for back up are you just referring to USB pen drives or do you include USB connected external HDDs too?

Yes external hard drives are USB connected and when talking about not backing up to USB drives that is referring to pen drives, there are some good USB backup drives available, I have this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01IAD6016/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ubuysa]

Your guide to backups talks about using, amongst other things, external HDDs. Are these connected by USB or some other method? When you say "don't ever use USB drives" for back up are you just referring to USB pen drives or do you include USB connected external HDDs too?

Pen drives. The problem is not the USB connection, that's quite reliable, it's the flaky nature of cheap flash (pen) drives. They are unsafe as long term storage media, their principal use is short term data storage such as when sharing data with other PCs.

An external HDD is a very reliable storage medium which also uses the (reliable) USB connection.