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Volume Backups vs Folder Backups

When you perform a backup using Schedule Folders, only the data, along with the folder tree, is compressed and stored.

Backing up disks and partitions is performed in a different way: Schedule Volumes stores a sector-by-sector snapshot of the disk, which includes the operating system, registry, drivers, software applications and data files, as well as system areas hidden from the user. This procedure is called creating a disk image, and the resulting backup archive is often called a disk/partition image.

Only those hard disk parts that contain data are stored. Further, it does not back up swap file information. This reduces image size and speeds up image creation and restoration.

You can backup individual drive letters (partitions) or entire disk drives.

A partition image includes all files and folders independent of their attributes (including hidden and system files), boot record, FAT (file allocation table), root and the zero track of the hard disk with master boot record (MBR).

A disk image includes images of all disk partitions as well as the zero track with master boot record (MBR). To ensure recovery from complete disk failure, you should backup entire disk drives. Only by backing up entire disks will you capture hidden recovery partitions that may have been installed by your PC system vendor.