Windows 7: New free system imaging program

Worth noting is that the PE version of the recovery disks gives you more functionality in the EaseUs product when you boot from it. Namely, you can boot from the cd, and actually run a backup of the machine instead of just a recovery.



This can be nice for
1). Linux machines where the software doesn't run natively
2). Backing up a machine which won't boot to get the data off it before a format and reinstall.

Macrium within the mini XP environment of the Hirens Boot CD does the same. You can make as well as restore (x32 or x64bit) Macrium images. It has worked fine for me.

Hi mj,

The instructions are pretty simple.

To make a Macrium pe3 disc on 7 x64 - you don't need WAIK .

Just d/l the small app. Attachment 170112

Ther is 7-zip file inside

Un 7-zip it onto your windows 7 drive ( e.g. C: ).

You will see an exe called RunMeAsAdminV2.exe.

Rt click it and run as admin.

It will make the pe3 shown in the picture for you - usb3.0 drivers already included.



[I could make a similar one for Easeus - but you would need access to 32 bit winpe - it won't run in native 64 bit pe.]

One question.....

Does ToDo store the data in a special format that only it can see, or does it use ZIP compression, or just the files themselves backed up in a tree structure?

Thanks!

It backs up into a .PBD file. It can be compressed..by default it would be. You would need the software to mount it and restore it.

Did some performance testing and file size comparisons. I did a backup of one of my Windows 7 boxes, which had approx 33.5GB of stuff installed on C.

Acronis True Image 2010:
Normal Compression Level: 4:55 seconds, resulting in 14,762,836KB output file
High Compression level: 7:45 seconds, resulting in 13,456,570KB output file

EaseUS ToDoBackup Free v.3
Normal Compression Level: 4:54 seconds, resulting in 16,398,548KB output file
High Compression Level: 14:15 seconds, resulting in 13,454,536KB output file.

So, overall, Acronis seems to compress better and faster...but it's also not free.

LATEST: No joy. It boots, I get the cute desktop and your GUI buttons, and when I try to start Macrium I get its splash screen and its enumeration of my disk drives, but then the splash screen goes away and... nothing appears--the Macrium screen does not appear. Maybe only works with 5? I'm using Free 4.3 build 3775 (latest I think). The other apps you included do all work afaict.
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Wow if this works it's akin to magic SIW2--I came here to say "what do I do with the ISO directory it made" but then got a pop-up and it made an .iso for me!

I'll just say to others the execution of RunMeAsAdminV2.exe involves multiple steps, takes a long time, and culminates in the creation of an .iso file and an offer to burn to disc! I tried testing with QEMU (I use XBOOT for all my bootup .iso images on a USB stick) but it must not know to emulate 64-bit programs I guess. I need to boot my USB3.0 PC (that didn't work before w/Macrium Linux boot disc) to see about this.

In the meantime I'll ask: I thought WinPE needed to be bought from MS or something? In any case if this works it's WILDLY BETTER than downloading a couple gigabytes from MS!!! Thanks in advance SIW2!

Yes, It only works with v5.

You can install the trial macrium v5 and the app. will make the pe3 disc from that.

Ah, I figured as much. Too bad, but thanks for confirming so fast!

Don't wanna buy v5 though; I'd just made a few images w/4.2 before realizing its boot disc didn't work w/my USB3.0 drive.

You don't need to buy it.

Install Trial version of Macrium v5.

Do the RunMeAsAdminv2.exe - like you did before.

The boot disc you get does not expire.

Then reinstall the free Macrium v4.

Macrium v4 and v5 are interchangeable - the engine is the same - they work with each others images.