Server and laptop image backups vs file backups: what's the difference?

A file backup protects your documents and data; a full image or system backup captures the entire operating system, settings and installed software, letting you restore a whole machine quickly after a hardware failure rather than rebuilding it from scratch. Servers and key laptops usually deserve both — files for granular recovery, images for speed when a whole device dies.

Coach's tip: image backups age fast as software updates roll out — refresh them regularly, not just once and forget.