trouble backing up with sym. system recovery 2013 R2; are files too large?

Question

I have Symantec System Recovery 2013R2; windows 7 64 bit desktop.

It does regular backups; but I'm not sure the right kind?

When I go to tasks, run or manage backups, I see it does do, on a regular basis, some kind of backup that's probably an incremental one and also a 'factory image' one I believe.

I have no idea how to tell if I'm doing/getting the backups I need in case of a disaster?

How can I tell?

What should I set up?

Also, I set up a backup in order to back up my outlook 2007 emails; I went to define backup wizard, and in the 'select files and folder to back up' I checked "email files" and left the default at "all drives; *.dbx, *.eml, *pst., etc.". But when it tried to do this it was at 5% for over 2 days. Yes, I have a ton of emails; but how do I know if it was stuck or something? I could take weeks?!

All my backups are done to an external hard drive (seagate 2 TB); and it says it has 700 gb free; so I should be fine. (because my entire computer, when I look at my computer, C drive, it says 441 gb free of 919 gb.....and that's my entire computer). In "hard disc drives" it also shows 'factory image D" 2.21 gb free of 12.3 gb.

I'm soooo confused! I just need to be able to make sure I'm doing correct current backups.

And I want to back up my emails and pictures.

Also, I tried backing up JUST .xls files; but that's been stuck at 5% for over 16 hrs. now. So I'm not sure what's going on.

thanks for any help! : )

criley · Answer

helpplease
As I mentioned on your other post, there are 2 types of backups available:

Volume-level backups (recommended)
File/folder level backups

When creating a new backup job, you are presented with these 2 options. The first (top) option is a full volume-level backup and this is what I always recommend - this will protect you against disaster (hard disk failure etc).
Hope this helps.

helpplease · Answer

When I go to 'define new backup', my only 2 options are:

"back up my computer (recommended)"

or

"back up selected files and folders"

And yes I think that top one is the top one is the 'factory image/clone/disc image' (for lack of a better phrase) one.

And does that one also include incremental backups?

Also

I set up a backup in order to back up my outlook 2007 emails; I went to define backup wizard, and in the 'select files and folder to back up' I checked "email files" and left the default at "all drives; *.dbx, *.eml, *pst., etc.". But when it tried to do this it was at 5% for over 2 days. Yes, I have a ton of emails; but how do I know if it was stuck or something? It could take weeks? Is this normal.

All my backups are done to an external hard drive (Seagate 2 TB); and it says it has 700 gb free; so I should be fine? (because my entire computer, when I look at my computer, C drive, it says 441 gb free of 919 gb).

In "hard disc drives" it also shows 'factory image D" 2.21 gb free of 12.3 gb.

Also

I tried backing up JUST .xls files; but that's been stuck at 5% for over 16 hrs. now. So I'm not sure what's going on.

thanks for any help! : )