Windows 7: win7 system image backup problem

i just ran the Windows 7 systems image bu first time. completed and created recovery disk. message said completed. when i look at my external hard drive, the created file contains 0 bytes; this doesn't seem right to me based on previous imaging software I have used. what should i do?

Hello rnhende and welcome to Seven Forums.

Just for confirmation, when you created your system image did you get all of the dialog boxes shown in this tutorial? Or did you perhaps by mistake click on the "Create a system repair disc" prompt?

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

I deleted the Systems Image file and reran the backup systems image. I looked at the usage on the hard drive before and after i ran the backup. It went up by 60 gb; however, when I click 'properties' on the backup file, it says 0 gbs. Am i to assume that it worked correctly?

Windows images - "WindowsImageBackup"
and Windows file/folder backups will show zero bytes under properties. They are protected folders and this is just the way MS do it!!
You can browse your file/folder backup using the Backup & Restore window and attach your images under Disk Management to browse your images.
System Image - Extract Files Using Disk Management

Like mjf said, the "WindowsImageBackup" and Windows file/folder backups will show zero bytes under properties because they are protected folders.

But go ahead and open WindowsImageBackup > click Continue > open user-PC > Continue > open Backupxxxxxx > Continue

Then go back to WindowsImageBackup > right click on it > Properties and you'll see the size now.