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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Edition Does This Guide Cover?​

This guide covers O&O DiskImage 23 Premium Edition. Trial restrictions are shown on the relevant application pages.

Which Backup Should I Create First?​

Start with Backup > Entire PC and an external drive or NAS. Then prepare the local recovery environment or startup media. See Quick Start.

What Is The Difference Between A Plan, A Version, And A Run?​

A plan stores the source, destination, schedule, and options. A version is a saved backup state you can restore. A run is one execution, which may succeed, fail, or be cancelled. A failed run does not necessarily create a usable version.

How Do I Choose A Backup Method And History?​

Choose a history preset and leave the method automatic for incremental backups between regular full backups. Use Custom to choose differential backups, full backups only, or your own retention rules. See Backup Options.

Why Are More Old Files Kept Than I Expected?​

A retained version may need earlier files in its chain. These dependencies are kept too. History uses periods with actual backups, and the presets keep at least the three newest versions. A permanent keep also prevents automatic removal.

Can Backups Run While The Main Window Is Closed?​

Yes. The background service runs time-based schedules. Drive-triggered backups additionally need the notification-area application to detect the drive. Monthly schedules and optional wake-from-sleep are available; wake-to-run is off by default.

Can I Store A Copy In The Cloud?​

Yes. Configure a second copy to S3-compatible storage or WebDAV after creating the primary backup in a local or network folder. The second copy follows the plan's retention rules. See Second Copy.

Is My Backup Lost If The Second Copy Fails?​

No. A completed primary backup remains usable. Fix the second destination's problem and select Retry copy. Check the copy status before relying on it.

Can I Change The Password Or Exclusions Later?​

Those options, along with image format and backup technology, are locked once the plan has saved versions. Create a new plan to use different settings. If the application has lost access to a stored password, re-enter the original password.

Can Encrypted Backups Be Restored Without The Password?​

No. Keep the original password available independently of the PC you may need to restore.

Can I Restore Individual Files From An Image?​

Yes, from supported images, including VHD backups created by O&O DiskImage. Use file restore or mount a supported image read-only and copy files in Explorer. File-backup containers themselves cannot be mounted.

Can I Restore To A Smaller Partition?​

Sometimes. The target must meet the minimum size calculated for the image, including used data and file-system overhead. Whole-disk virtual-image restores have additional size and sector requirements.

What Happened To Fortress Mode?​

It is now called the recovery environment. Open Recovery to prepare it, check its status, or create separate startup media. See Rescue Media And Recovery Environment.

Does Check & Repair Fix Damaged Backup Files?​

No. It checks and repairs supported Windows system components and file-system problems. Use backup validation to check a backup file, and restore from another verified version or copy if it is damaged.