The Choice
There’s one decision you have to make. If you use True Image on your system as it stands now, the only thing you’ll lose if you have to restore the system down the road is what you’ve added since you made the last backup file.
But the reality is, unless you either strictly enforces a backup routine yourself or set it to auto-backup, chances are months might have rolled by since the last time you made a backup file and you’re going to lose a whole pisspot full of things.
So it’s either tackle the problem of getting into a strict once-a-week (or day) routine, or spending the time to get all of the valuable stuff off the C Drive so you don’t have to worry about it. Following is an overview of both methods.
Daily Backups
If you make a backup file every day or two (either manually or automatically), then you won’t lose much outside of a few emails or saved pics.
But the hard drive will fill up pretty quickly, and if the automatic backup process ever gets interrupted and you don’t notice it — and then your system melts down — you could stand to lose several months of work and/or saved files.
So if you go this route, you (1) have to promise to get on a schedule and stick to it, and (2) promise you’ll keep the old image files cleaned out so the hard drive doesn’t fill up.
To set up the scheduler, click ‘Backup’ and start the routine. When you get to a certain point, the ‘Scheduling’ button will appear over to the left. Click on it and set the parameters.
The ‘Clean’ Drive Method
The alternative is to move any valuable files (bookmarks, email, databases, text files, pics, videos, etc) permanently off the C Drive. It’s more work now, but then you don’t have to worry about losing anything in the future.
For example, I’m a hands-on video guy, so I’m constantly installing some goofy video conversion program and messing up that end of my system. Or, just as likely, I’m going to test out three or four small video programs, pick the best, and want to return the system to its former state before (re)installing just that one.
So, honestly, when even the slightest thing seems amiss with my rig and a reboot doesn’t fix it, I don’t screw around. I grab True Image, slap in the last image file and let ‘er rip. I don’t give a thought to losing a thing.
If this is the approach you’d like to take, first make something like an "Apps" or "Progs" folder on your backup partition to keep the "normally on the C Drive" stuff together.
And here are the three main areas:
And, of course, never, ever save anything to the C Drive again. If you’re into partitioning, make yourself a ‘Downloads’ partition to reinforce the fact that the C Drive is now a "pure system drive" and should never be touched or added to.
Except for programs, and, as I noted above, if you’re testing out a handful of programs, restore your ‘pure’ system before (re)installing the one you decide upon. That’s your new ‘pure’ system.