Backups on thumb drive?


  1. Posts : 59
    Windows 7 Home (64bit)
       #1

    Backups on thumb drive?


    Is it possible to make a backup for my computer on a thumb drive, and have it work just like the W7 cd I have where it gives me a fresh install if I want to wipe out viruses and such that have been a problem?

    I actually want to do this for a vista computer. I am planning to swicth from an HDD to SSD on one of the PC's in my home.

    How do I do it?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 758
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #2

    If you want to be able to use a thumb drive to install Windows see the below tutorial. If you just want to back up files and folders on the thumb drive just use the Send to command in the right click menu or simply copy and paste it to the drive
    USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

    If you intend to reinstall Windows use this guide to do so which should work on Vista also
    Clean Install Windows 7
    Last edited by Shimshom; 18 Nov 2014 at 20:27. Reason: Add info
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,379
    Win7 Pro 32-bit, Win8 Pro 32-bit
       #3

    I am planning to swicth from an HDD to SSD
    I did this recently and the way I did it was to first do an image backup using Macrium Reflect, to an external drive. Then, I swapped the SSD for the HDD, rebooted using the MR boot USB, and "restored" the image backup to the SSD. When I rebooted, everything was OK -- just a lot faster.

    So, I essentially "cloned" the Windows OS partition from the HDD to the SSD.

    You need to realize that "cloning" means making an exact copy and unless you have a small HDD, or spend a LOT of money to buy an SSD of equivalent size to your HDD, you will have to shrink down the Vista OS partition to make it small enough to fit on the SSD -- before doing the "cloning".

    I had already done this on my Windows system, so I was able to do the cloning without problems.
      My Computer


 

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