Windows 7: System Image Backup Strategies/Thoughts

XP doesn't have it's own imaging utility, if that's what you're after.
I used Ghost for XP imaging, but others work for it. Don't know about Macrium, as I haven't used it.

OK, Thanks. I also have Norton Ghost but it is sooooo difficult to use.
But I guess with XP we have no other option.

I purchased an internal HDD and 3 years ago created a full XP bootable image.
But how to keep it current - keep imaging every month....?
Ghost is not the kind of product I want to touch every month.

Thanks,
BBDS

Macrium Free will work fine on XP and you are able to create a Macrium Rescue Disc to restore images and has a few other utilities like fixing the Master Boot Record.

boyboyds,
I always found Ghost easy to use. On XP I used the boot floppy you can create to do my imaging/restore. Think that was Ghost 4. Once I created the floppy I removed all the Symantec utilities that came with Ghost, except for the image browser and the piece needed to create the boot floppy.
Pretty sure they were simple executables. Ghost 15 for Win 7 requires a recovery CD instead of a floppy, and takes a bigger footprint to keep on the PC for making a new recovery CD or browsing/recovering data from images. 287mb. I live with it.
Don't have to, because I made 2 recovery CD's and never browse or recover files from images anymore. But it's a drop in the bucket, and I don't want to reinstall it if/when I need the functions.
There are a few parameters that Ghost allows you to set, but I don't recall any of them being too confusing. The default setting should work. I always turn off the "verify" option, but I do make 2 separate images. "Verify" is a lengthy process.
Just try the default settings and test it. CAUTION: Test with a blank HD so you don't lose a system or data.
Anyway, if you don't like Ghost, somebody here should be able to set you up with Macrium if it does XP, which I'm guessing it does.

I have Ghost 14.0 and I remember it was tricky to figure out if the new HDD needs to be formatted or not, also constant disc error messages. Maybe I just need to do it few more times to get comfortable. I remember I succeeded eventually, but it was a long and painful night.

Thank you for your reply,
BBDS

You might be better off going with the Macrium option for Win 7, because I remember there was some question about Ghost 14 working well with Win 7.
Up to you to read about the issues, which might only have to do with warnings on the install of Ghost.
I went directly to Ghost 15 when I moved from XP to Win 7, and have had no issues at all. It got it pretty cheap, maybe 15 bucks, and I saw recently that it was coming free with a HD purchase at Newegg.
Keep in mind I only do system partition images, and always restore to the same size partition, so I might not get the same partitioning prompts you do.
I'm not an expert with Ghost. You'll find more expertise here with Macrium than I have with Ghost, but if you do end up with Ghost 15 I can probably offer guidance on that.

Or freeware Clonezilla. OS agnostic (for the most part). Works with many file systems. Bare metal. Clone or image.

No hot, only cold images (must use bootable CD or USB for both copy/restore). And you must use other software to view/restore individual files from the image (I've never run across a true need there).

Hundred+ restores/clones, probably close to a thousand images, never a failure.

I had tested (thoroughly in my mind) four or five different freeware programs quite a few years ago, and although all restored properly, I settled on Clonezilla. It was the most versatile and complete. For a while I used one or two additional apps when making a clone just to be sure. Last 3 or 4 years it's only Clonezilla, with an occassional test.

Don't even have to test on my own machines. I use it all the time when fixing other's machines.

If you try it you can just use the default settings and it'll work, but you'll have to make sure you understand the source and target terminology (linux-based).

I will give Ghost another chance for my XP.

But as I get deeper into the imaging issue, my next challenge is reducing the C: partition without losing data.

Any advice.....?

Thanks,
BBDS

Yes. Leave the User structure as it is on your C drive. Move your data onto another partition/drive divided up into whatever categories you like then tie it all together by including the data folders in the appropriate libraries.

I have 250gig on my C drive and 250gig on my D drive.

I want to reduce C drive to 50gig and expand D drive to 450gig.

.....also another question .....

I do not think I can boot into Windows through USB, but can I create Ghost Image through USB...?

I guess I need to understand all the steps to get it working on a regular basis.



Thanks,
BBDS.