Windows 7 Backup and Restore from Hard Drive with C: and E: partition

Hi Gang!

I was wondering if this would work as a poor man's backup system for Windows 7.


1) Take my daughter's laptop with Windows 7 Ultimate on it and partition the only hard disk to have a C: drive (125 Gigs) and E: drive (75 gigs).

2) Setup Windows 7 backup to backup data and disk image of the C: drive TO the E: drive.


Works OK on backup.... I know...I know.... if the hard drive fails, you loose everything.... C: and E: ..... but if you want a quick fix for virus attacks on the C: drive, or a quick way to restore files to the C: drive... this is ok.

Now... the 64 dollar question... I haven't tested this part yet.... but can you RESTORE the E: drive image of the C: drive using the SYSTEM REPAIR DISK ??

Would the restoration reformat the entire hard drive, and in effect crash the restore before it starts? Or would it just reformat the C: drive partition???

I don't know... haven't tried it yet.... have you guys tried it out before??

Thanks a bunch!!!

It worked for me the one and only time I tried it. But I haven't tried it since Nov 2009. I got my first Windows 7 machine in Oct 2009. I created a separate partition for backups and called it the G: drive. When it came time to use the System Repair Disc > System Restore option, it searched for the backup location, found G: and the restore worked. It treated that extra partition just like any other hard drive containing a system image ... C: was restored to it's previous condition.

But for the reason you mentioned (if the hard drive fails, etc etc) I bought an external hard drive in Nov 2009 and haven't looked back. It was also around that same time I learned about the free Macrium Reflect imaging tool. Much greater versatility than the native Windows 7 tool. If you haven't seen these...

System Image Recovery

System Repair Disc - Create

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

marsmimar said:

It worked for me the one and only time I tried it. But I haven't tried it since Nov 2009. I got my first Windows 7 machine in Oct 2009. I created a separate partition for backups and called it the G: drive. When it came time to use the System Repair Disc > System Restore option, it searched for the backup location, found G: and the restore worked. It treated that extra partition just like any other hard drive containing a system image ... C: was restored to it's previous condition.

But for the reason you mentioned (if the hard drive fails, etc etc) I bought an external hard drive in Nov 2009 and haven't looked back. It was also around that same time I learned about the free Macrium Reflect imaging tool. Much greater versatility than the native Windows 7 tool. If you haven't seen these...

System Image Recovery

System Repair Disc - Create

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Cool beans!!! I was hoping it would work.... this can hold her PC over till I get my hands on an external drive for backup!

Thanks!