Backup software vs. Imaging and where to store

[dkulprit]

Right now my rig is set up this way:

60gb SSD for OS
120gb SSD for games currently playing
3tb HDD for whatever else I have, like the digital copies of movies, or games I do not play as much but I keep on system after I transfer them from 120gb SSD.
2tb hdd that I haven't even touched

All this in a jbod.

From reading the forums, I am seeing that using an imaging software would be the best bet for restoring everything I want. Would the imaging software restore it directly to the disks in the order I have above? Or would it just try to write everything back to 1 disk?

Also what would be my option for doing this:

Dedicate backups/images to the 2tb I do not use?

Buy a nas to put images on?

Or

Buy an external usb HDD to use?

I see that under the free software links there a few free backup/imaging software that I can use. How do these compare with the paid imaging found on this link:

http/disk-imaging-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
(thank you for the sticky!)

My goal is to be able to boot from the image whether it be on the an isolated HDD on in my computer, nas, or usb drive.

Thank you in advance for your insight and input!

 

[Alabalcho]

Since you have that spare drive, you can afford the luxury of trying several of these products to see whether you like them. More expensive Windows versions (Ultimate, not sure about Professional) have their own backup program which creates images of the system drive, and backup copies of whatever is left. After you choose your solution, test it in "real" world - perform a backup, and restore it.

Whether you will stick with internal, external or network solution is up to you. I personally keep couple of external media and rotate them once a month, with one backup media kept at other location.

 

[dkulprit]

Thank you for your input.

Which brings me to my next question.

Upgrading my mobo and memory in the next 2 weeks. From what I have heard, doing a fresh install of the OS is referred when installing a new mobo. While doing this is going to be a PITA, I was wondering if there was a way to do a backup/image without the motherboard drivers being saved so I would be able to swap out then drop the image on without having to re-download all my stuff.

Obviously I can transfer my games, movies, and music to one of the other drives in the JBOD (probably 3tb), then do a fresh install on my SSD and connect the drives back into a JBOD, and finally transfer stuff back on. I KNOW I can do this, but I would prefer a much easier way if that is possible.

Thank you.