Backing up Windows 10 to usb?

[Windows Central Question]

Backing up windows 10 to usb

What's the difference between using the backup facility on windows 10 to a usb, to simply copying the c: drive to a usb?

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Re: Backing up windows 10 to usb

What's the difference between using the backup facility on windows 10 to a usb, to simply copying the c: drive to a usb?

I should think there's a big difference. Backing up to USB will copy the installation files and critical files while copying the whole of drive C will copy everything there including user files, app files, programs files, data etc. The size will be considerably larger

 

[Boice]

It requires reserved partition also when backing up Windows 10 to USB to make sure system bootable. If you only copy C drive, then it won't boot from USB.