Massive daily incremental backups

[Steve77]

I’m looking for a backup strategy similar to Time Machine (Mac) that will allow me to fully restore a PC that has 16GB of active Optane Memory. Currently using AOMEI Backupper (Free), I started with a full image backup of the three internal drives. I have the program set to do daily incremental backups. The problem is that each daily backup is a minimum of 30GB—even if the PC was in sleep mode for the entire day. (FYI: Backupper treats the Optane + main HDD drive as a single SSD.) When exploring the compressed incrementals, I can’t see anything that would account for these huge daily backups. Even assuming that the 16GB Optane is completely overwritten, that shouldn’t account for more than half the backup size.
1. Any idea what’s causing these huge incrementals?
2. Is there a better backup strategy for my intent of doing a full system restore in case of a catastrophic failure that will also allow me to restore individual changed files? (I dislike the idea of just doing a full system image once a month with RST disabled, for example.)

[AlHill]

Use a different backup program.

I use Macrium Reflect, but there are others available.

[Steve77]

Are you using Macrium Reflect with Optane enabled? Are you getting reasonable sized incremental backups? How frequently are your scheduled backups occurring? Finally, which paid version are you using? (The free version doesn’t support incremental backups.)

Thanks for your quick response.

[JosafathB_Intel]

Hello Fenih,

Thank you for contacting Intel® Memory and Storage support.

We cannot provide you with support or recommendations related to 3rd party software or products. Please contact the software manufacturer.

If you need assistance related to an Intel® product, please open a new thread.

We hope the community can help you.

Josh B.
Intel® Customer Support Technician

[Steve77]

The issue is a general one concerning backing up PCs that have Optane. I’m not convinced that the specific backup application is the issue. That was another user’s take on this.
1. Do Optane contents change so frequently and dramatically—even when the system has been asleep for the entire period—that the result is massive 30GB incremental backups? Is this reasonable?
2. What are the best backup strategies for PCs with Optane?

Also, who is Fenhi?

[AlHill]

" I’m not convinced that the specific backup application is the issue. "  That other user was me, and I have lots of experience backing up an Optane system.

Try a different program and remove that issue as a variable.

[Steve77]

Well, is it typical in your experience to have massive (30GB) incremental daily system backups? Have you gotten reasonable sized backups with other programs? (Not looking for a recommendation... just whether it’s possible.) For all I know, 30GB IS typical. I have no idea how much optane is rewritten or Windows 10 system files change per day.
Do you think incremental daily system backups is a good, practical plan or a bad idea?
Given that you have lots of experience backing up an optane-equipped system, it’d be really appreciated if you could offer some details. Thanks.

[AlHill · Accepted solution]

"Well, is it typical in your experience to have massive (30GB) incremental daily system backups? "  No, that is why I said try another backup program to eliminate that as a variable.

[Steve77]

Thank you. That was the clarification I was looking for.

[AlHill]

Clarification?  Well, it all depends on usage, does it not?  I do not understand your reluctance to try another backup program, so you will have another data point.  If cost is the issue, Macrium, for example, is also free.