Windows 7 - Backup to image, create system repair disk fails...

I am trying create a backup image of my Windows 7 OS on a system that has these drives:
The available space for the volumes listed varies from 29GB (K) to 218GB (F), the backup requires 25GB available storage to complete the image creation. No matter which drive selected for saving the image, the backup fails. The error message goes a long way about not enough disk space, please see the image below...



Creating system repair disk fails with an unspecified error as well, which is ok in a sense; I do have retail version of Windows 7.

A little background how the current volumes came about...

Drive H and F has/had my previous version of Windows 7 that I think I can still boot. My current Windows 7 has been installed on the C drive without realizing that the "System" partition remained on Volume 6 or H drive.

Maybe having the System and Boot volumes on a different drive prevent creating the repair disk and backing up the image. If that's the case, is there a way moving the System partition to drive C without reinstalling Windows 7? I don't believe that it matters, but the C drive is an SSD drive.
TIA...

Cr00zng

I think the error is referring to shadow volume space available on the 100MB system reserved partition. 100MB being less than the 500MB specified means that it needs 50MB of free space for a shadow copy.
Go to "Disk Management" and see how much free space you have on your 100MB system reserved partition.
If this is the problem:
In time it generally clears itself. But there are a couple of more immediate changes that can be made. One is to increase the size of the 100MB partition, the other is to transfer the boot functions to the Windows partition. You may need further advice on how to go about this.

Edit: I wouldn't have the system reserved and boot on different drives. So getting rid of the 100MB system reserved on E: may be the best way forward.

Windows7 imaging is a dog (I know some, few other people disagree). I made my life easy and use Macrium. Has never failed (yet). I made at least 500 images and 30 restores - plus half a dozen recovery CDs for my different OS systems. Imaging with free Macrium

I'm one of them. I've made many of images and restores with the built in version including to a new disk. Windows imaging remains my primary imaging tool, however, I use Macrium as well. Imaging is so important I wouldn't trust any single package.

I know you are one of the few far and apart who use it (KarlSnooks is the other one I know). And I have used it too with mediocre success. But why complicate your life - see my slogan below.

I've got a suspicion there are a few more of us closet Windows Imaging users out there. Mind you:
Can it be improved? - You bet.
What if it seriously lets me down? - I'll dump it.

Michael I believe you are on the right track that 100mb needs to extended using Partition Wizard CD to see if it will free up enough space to create VSS file and let image proceed.

However I am not clear on why you would also want to move System Files to C if this works? Unless the OP wants to get rid of SysReserved, it is worth keeping if only for WinRe it places on F8 Boot Tools menu - unless it causes more trouble.

I thought the 100MB partition was on a different drive to the new SSD (Boot/Windows) drive. If so you wouldn't want to be booting through another physical drive.

In layman's terms, I think mjf is right...

Currently, the system partition has 31.8 MBs free space; this partition is at the beginning of the Seagate SATA2 mechanical drive. And yes, the boot drive is the SSD where the Windows 7 is residing.

I do want to move the system partition to the SSD drive and don't really care about the previous version of Windows 7. It does not boot anyway, just goes in constant repair/reboot option. I guess the previous version of Windows did not like the new CPU, MB, etc, changes.

I also don't want to wait until the system partition clears up enough to create an image; especially, after seeing the tip of the iceberg for the Windows image discussion...

I rather move it now before I break everything by "accident". I did end up creating a repair disk (don't ask); can I use that to restore the system partition to the SSD drive (currently shown as C, boot drive)? I can just unplug the other four drives until the repair disk does its job.

I think that is what you advised Greg in this topic:

system reserved partition on second drive

Thanks guys...

Are you saying the new install to C configured a Dual Boot by placing its boot files on 100mb System Reserved on the H disk?

If so, then you have the right idea to recover the System boot files into C so that it boots independently via the BIOS. This should clear up your imaging error as well.

To do this, unplug all other HDs, boot Windows 7 DVD Repair console, open a Command line to mark C Active using Dispart: Partition - Mark as Active

Close Command Line, run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times until it writes the System MBR to Windows 7 partition: Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

When you plug the H drive back in, see if it will boot using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key at bootup. If not, you may have to follow the same procedure to repair its MBR, either marking 100mb or H active first.