Trying to create a system image, system tells me I may need 101 GB spa


  1. mrbreezeet1
    Posts : 29
    win 7 Home Premium bit. 64
       New #1

    Trying to create a system image, system tells me I may need 101 GB spa


    ce.
    Kept putting it off and putting it off, I guess they tell you to make your system image as soon as you get the system where you want it.
    I have a bunch of PDF's, pictures and movies on My C drive now, and it's telling me I need 101 GB space to make the image. DVD only holds 4.7 GB, so I'd need over 20 DVD's.
    Is my only option to save all the PDF's, pictures and Movies that I want to save, on to separate DVD's, then delete them from my C drive ,and then make my system image when it will be a lot smaller.

    Or is it worth it to try to get some kind of external hard drive for a back up only.
    Is that cost effective, and will I be able to have the computer recognize the external hard drive if I need to do a back up.
    I did make a System repair disk,
    Do I need that disk if I have to do a restore from my system image?
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  3. mrbreezeet1
    Posts : 29
    win 7 Home Premium bit. 64
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    was this a stupid question or something?
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  4. JDobbsy1987
    Posts : 2,177
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
       New #3

    My Back Solution Summary:

    1. I took a system image when i had a fresh build with standard software installed.
    2. All media is then backed up every night to an external hard drive (only backs up what has changed).
    3. I also then use Skydrive for online storage for pics/vids of my kids (this would be beneficial in the event of water or fire damage to my house)

    In your case:
    As you have already got a lot of work on there i would suggest getting an external hard drive to back everything up too.

    I would copy all work onto it, take a fresh image of the PC and store the image on the external hard drive.
    I would then move my work back to the PC and back that up every night/week.

    Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
    Backup User and System Files

    Regards,
    JDobbsy1987
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  6. ignatzatsonic
    Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       New #4

    mrbreezeet1 said:
    was this a stupid question or something?
    No.

    Hard drives are much better than DVDs for backup purposes.

    What I would do:

    Make a data partition on your main hard drive and store the original versions of all of your personal data on that partition.

    That would leave the C drive for Windows only. Make it perhaps 60 to 100 GB.

    Back up C with the imaging program of your choice, probably to an external hard drive. Make a new image periodically---perhaps monthly. Each image will take up about half the space occupied by the files in C.

    Back up your data partition without an image--by using a "file by file" backup program such as Karen's Replicator, Second Copy, or Synctoy. Back up these files to the external drive as well, probably every day.

    Make sure your bookmarks/favorites and email are part of the personal data backup.

    You can use the built-in Windows backup product, but it's not particularly easy to understand or flexible. I'd instead use Macrium Reflect Free Edition to make the image---and any of several file by file backup programs for personal data.

    Don't get yourself in a situation where it would ruin your day or week if your images won't restore.
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  7. JDobbsy1987
    Posts : 2,177
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64
       New #5

    ignatzatsonic said:
    bookmarks/favorites
    That's one thing i missed off my first backup, felt lost without them after needing to do a restore, at least i still had all my media and work
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