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For a brand new desktop running Windows 11 with a Sata drive for operating system and software and separate drive for images, what is the proper way to create a bootable backup?  A clone or image of the Sata drive on a USB?

I would put it on another SATA drive and yes a clone - that way you can simply swap drives if you have a failure.

E.J. Peiker wrote: I would put it on another SATA drive and yes a clone - that way you can simply swap drives if you have a failure.

Oops, I meant my os drive is an SSD not SATA. Should my backup drive be an external SSD or internal SSD put in an USB enclosure?

jnadler wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote: I would put it on another SATA drive and yes a clone - that way you can simply swap drives if you have a failure.

Oops, I meant my os drive is an SSD not SATA. Should my backup drive be an external SSD or internal SSD put in an USB enclosure?

Doesn't really matter.  I actually install a second SSD inside my computer and just clone over once a week on a schedule with Macrium Reflect.  That way if my main one crashes, it's very simply to just boot off of the backup.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

jnadler wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote: I would put it on another SATA drive and yes a clone - that way you can simply swap drives if you have a failure.

Oops, I meant my os drive is an SSD not SATA. Should my backup drive be an external SSD or internal SSD put in an USB enclosure?

Doesn't really matter.  I actually install a second SSD inside my computer and just clone over once a week on a schedule with Macrium Reflect.  That way if my main one crashes, it's very simply to just boot off of the backup.

E.J. Why do you use Macrium for scheduling? Does the SSD already have its own software to use? Macrium must have an advantage? Also, can a computer be reboote with an external hard drive connected to usb?

Eia wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote:

jnadler wrote:

E.J. Peiker wrote: I would put it on another SATA drive and yes a clone - that way you can simply swap drives if you have a failure.

Oops, I meant my os drive is an SSD not SATA. Should my backup drive be an external SSD or internal SSD put in an USB enclosure?

Doesn't really matter.  I actually install a second SSD inside my computer and just clone over once a week on a schedule with Macrium Reflect.  That way if my main one crashes, it's very simply to just boot off of the backup.

E.J. Why do you use Macrium for scheduling? Does the SSD already have its own software to use? Macrium must have an advantage? Also, can a computer be reboote with an external hard drive connected to usb?

Cloning is just super easy with Macrium and 100% reliable so I use what I trust
Yes, a computer can be booted from anything, you just have to intervene the boot-up process with a key combination that you can look up for your version of the OS and then select from all of the attached devices.

A plus one for using Macrium Reflect Free to clone a backup of C drive. It's free, easy to use and its update process is easy to do.

signgrap wrote: A plus one for using Macrium Reflect Free to clone a backup of C drive. It's free, easy to use and its update process is easy to do.

The free version is ending soon.

Yes, the free version will soon end and support is no longer available. Unfortunately I got an error that said disk cannot be found backup aborted. I tried several different ports, cables and drives with same message. Their knowledge base said a bug was in the version, but since it’s not supported I don’t know what else to try unless I pay yet another fee.