Instead of excluding file formats, I only include selected directories under C:\Users. This avoids the many Temp folders and other high traffic places like antivirus signatures which change frequently, because these would be automatically rebuilt after a restore or reinstall. I rely on monthly image backups to get the Windows system and program files for disaster recovery, and just expect daily file backups to keep copies of my current work.
Right now I use this on my personal PC, under Included files (with wildcards):
Users\:\AppData\Roaming\*;Users\:\Desktop\*;Users\:\Documents\*;Users\:\Downloads\*;Users\:\Pictures\*
Default directories to backup: would only be C:\Users
with nothing in Excluded files (with wildcards).
AppData\Roaming is there only because that’s where my email client keeps its files, and I didn’t feel like typing the whole address. Otherwise it’s the normal daily work folders for all the users: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and Pictures. I also capture those four on most office workstations and again, I rely on image backups to get everything else. If there is a special application installed on a few sets I might add its folders to a Group or individual Client. Most other applications will store data on the office file server or on the Internet.
