I have 2 system hardrives?!

I am trying to create a system image of windows 7, using the create system image function under back up and restore. After I have selected my back up location, windows, by default, selects my C: drive (where windows is installed) and then selects the F: drive (which is a completely separate drive from windows...)

I have a few personal files on the F: drive as well as a handful of installed programs... nothing related to windows as far as I can tell. I obviously dont want to back up this drive along with the C: because I dont have enough space in my back up location.

Is there a way to get rid of the F: drive so that windows will not create a "system image" of it?

Unfortunately, the Windows system image function is fairly simplistic and does not have additional options. For what you are looking for, you will probably need a third party tool. Any tool you get will have a learning curve associated with it, and while the free tools work well in most cases, they do not always provide the best support for all systems. You will have to try them out yourself to see if they are something you are comfortable with and will work with your system.

Free tools:

• Imaging with free Macrium
  
  
• Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Overview

Ok thank you so much for the links, I will be sure to check them out and see which one I prefer. In the mean time, would you be able to explain to me why on earth Windows "see's" my F: drive as a system drive?? bearing in mind that there is no operating system installed on it...

Even if you had no installed apps on F, Windows might still try to include F in the image if it detects any system files on F. This can happen in some cases if you have more than 1 drive connected during the Windows installation process. That's why you often hear the recommendation to disconnect other drives when installing.

Hmmmm ok, well that makes sense... Although I do have one other query. My C: drive is partitioned into 2 separate "drives". C: is for windows, and the other D: is for programs and files etc, but its all on the same physical hard drive. When I ask windows to create a system image, it does NOT select the D: drive and I can manually add it if I wanted to... although now I dont have a choice for my F: drive.

I hope that all makes sense :)

ignatzatsonic said:

Even if you had no installed apps on F, Windows might still try to include F in the image if it detects any system files on F. This can happen in some cases if you have more than 1 drive connected during the Windows installation process. That's why you often hear the recommendation to disconnect other drives when installing.

Oh ok I see what you mean... hmmm maybe I should have done that in the beginning... Everything should still work if I maybe disconnect my F: drive for the purpose of making a system image?

Your situation is complicated because you have the OS on C, with applications installed on D and F.

Most people would tell you to put the OS and all programs on C , whenever possible. Was there some over-riding reason you have split things up?

You may also have certain system files on D or F---we don't know.

Can you boot successfully with the F drive disconnected?

A picture of Disk Management would help to decipher what you have.

Regardless, Macrium, Paragon, or Acronis will give you more control over imaging and are easier to understand.

hahaha sorry about the complicated-ness xD. The main reasons why I split things up like that, was because if something happened to windows (and I have been caught short a few times) I wouldnt be able to get back into my C: drive and thus my D: drive as well... My D: also consists of a lot of personal files that I cant replace. The other reason being that I can "format" the C: without losing data on the D: .. :)

To the best of my knowledge there should be no system files on the F: drive... but to test your theory I will do a reboot with it disconnected.

I have attached a screen shot of my drives from disk management... C: and D: are the same physical disk and F: is the one reporting that its a system drive as well. L: or Backup is the location im going to back it up too.

Set disk2 first in Bios boot order.

Mark C active.

Run startup repair from 7 dvd a couple of times.