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Glossary in AOMEI Backupper

AOMEI Post By AOMEI Updated May 17, 2023

Backup

Backup refers to copying data into an image file, which can be used to restore its contents to the original state if there is any data loss. AOMEI Backupper supports creating image files for disks, partitions and volumes etc.

Full Backup

A Full Backup is an image file that contains a selection of files and folders, partitions or discs that can be completely restored to their original state, independently from any other image files.

Incremental backup

An Incremental Backup is an image file containing only changed or newly added data based on the previous backup. They are created in a time sequence. The first incremental backup in the sequence must always be preceded by a full backup.

Compared with a Full Backup, the image file of an Incremental Backup is much smaller, and the backup operation will take less time. In addition, because multiple backups can exist in the sequence each relating to a different time point, users are able to pick a time point in the past to which to restore data, should they wish.

Incremental Backups can only be used in conjunction with their related Full Backup along with all the other Incremental Backups that were done in between.

Differential Backup

A Differential Backup is an image file containing all changed or newly added data based on the previous Full Backup. A Differential Backup must always be directly related to a Full Backup.

As time progresses, each Differential Backup will contain more changes made in comparison with the original Full Backup, and will therefore become progressively larger.

Differential Backups can only be used in conjunction with their related Full Backup.

Image File

An Image file is a file containing a “snapshot” of the state of saved computer files, folders or partitions, so that the data within can be faithfully restored to that state at a later date, if necessary.

Recovery/Restore

Recovery is the process of restoring files, system, partition or disk to a previous state from an image file or files, if there is a disk problem, such as a system crash, hardware and software failure, data loss, virus and hacker attack, etc.

Disk/Partition clone

Clone refers to creating a duplicate of the source partitions/disk by coping them to a destination disk/partition sector-by-sector. Consequently the destination disk/partition possesses identical content as the original one. It is important to know that the cloning process will overwrite all the previous data on the destination partition/disk.

Sector

On a hard disk, each track is divided into a number of sections, called a sector. A sector is the smallest logical storage unit on a hard drive, and each one holds a fixed amount of data. A sector is equal to 512, 1024, 2048 or 4096 bytes.

Bootable media

Bootable media can be a CD, DVD, USB external drive or flash drive that can be used directly to boot a computer into Windows, and which also contains a standalone version of AOMEI Backupper.

This bootable media can be used to restore system and partitions when your system is otherwise unable to boot. Once the operating system has been booted from the media, users can carry out a Restore operation using AOMEI Backupper to recover any or all lost data.