Should I bother with a full system image backup or just back up files?

[EllaW]

I just got a new laptop and I'm trying to figure out if I should bother with a full system image backup. My last one died and I lost some files, so I'm a bit paranoid, but the process seems like it takes forever and eats up a huge amount of storage on my external drive.

[George.R]

I did a full system image once when I moved, and it took ages and ate a ton of space, but it saved my ass when something crashed.

[Aubrey_G]

What worked better for me was saving just my important files and settings, plus a separate archive of programs, and using cloud for the most critical stuff.

[VioletJH]

Is the real problem maybe that I never get my files organized in a predictable place, so the restore is a scavenger hunt anyway?

[Kevin71]

I started the image once and got distracted by new work, then the drive filled up and I stopped; since then I mix periodic data dumps with occasional full images as a safety net.