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File Names And Exclusions

O&O DiskImage lets you control how backup files are named and which files or folders are skipped.

File Name Templates​

File name templates generate backup paths and file names automatically. The default pattern uses placeholders such as year, month, day, hour, minute, second, user name, computer name, and file extension.

Use templates to:

  • Keep backup files sorted by date.
  • Include the computer name when several PCs write to the same destination.
  • Separate backup sets into predictable folders.
  • Standardize naming across scheduled backups.

Example pattern:

Backup_{Year}{Month}{Day}_{Hours}{Minutes}{Seconds}{Extension}

Storage Path Templates​

The storage path can also contain placeholders. A typical default is based on the selected default destination and a Backups folder.

Keep paths short and predictable, especially for NAS destinations. Very deep folder structures are harder to browse and troubleshoot.

Exclusions​

Exclusions remove unnecessary or unsafe data from backups. O&O DiskImage includes predefined exclusions for temporary files, paging and hibernation files, system volume information, and backup container files.

You can add:

  • A full file path.
  • A folder path.
  • A wildcard pattern such as *.tmp.
  • A path fragment surrounded by backslashes, such as \System Volume Information\.

Best Practices​

  • Keep default exclusions unless you have a specific recovery requirement.
  • Exclude application caches and temporary build folders from file backups.
  • Do not exclude system folders from full PC or drive images unless instructed by support.
  • Avoid storing backup files inside a folder that is itself selected for backup.