Windows 7 - Windows Image Backup.. Backup

I must admit that I am confused. Microsoft suggests that you do not keep your image on the same hard drive as the OS (I think this is good advice). Now, you are saying that you cannot use that external to restore to the original hard drive with the OS.
Mind you, I am not saying that you are wrong. I truly dont know. I never had to use the image. I do want to know in case I need to use the image one day.

Windows System Image stores a copy of your entire system on an external drive. Yes it is more than just the OS but it certainly does include it.

The image has to be able to be restored from the external drive. That is the whole point.

Yes, the Image must be able to be restored from the external drive, and I always assumed that it could. That is the reason that MS says that it is best not to store the image on the drive with the OS.

The programs mentioned are just other ways to accomplish basically the same thing that the Windows System Image does.

I certainly agree with that statement, but SIW2 says

You can also restore it from an external drive.
You can't do that with windows system image program.

If you are lucky it does that. And if you are lucky again (but only on Sunday mornings), you may even be able tp restore from that image.

But seriously. I have seen too many people having problems with Windows imaging and I also had my own share of that - so it is difficult for me to recommend Windows imaging as a viable solution.

If you want to use Windows facilities, use the Wbadmin command, that is safer.

TY Wolgang, I have lost 8kb of clusters on my drive. Not a lot on a 640GB drive, but probably an indication of what is to come. I have back up on an external using Macrium and System Image. I back up once a week now. Every time I change or make a new doucment, I copy on to a USB drive. Im in no rush to buy a new HD, but if Im forced to, Im ready; I hope.

Your experience and the few others you mention notwithstanding, if there was such a major problem with a major part of the Windows Backup program wouldn't it's faults be known more widely?

There are probably millions of people sitting with System Images created by Windows on their external drives. So all of us will be in for a rude awakening when we try to restore them?

And if there really is a problem wouldn't MS had made some chages to B&R as they do with any other programs that have problems?
OK so assume there is a problem with a major Windows component, how do I use this command?

Wbadmin

In my experience this is not actually correct. But it depends on what is meant by "original location".
If you move a Windows image anywhere within an existing partition and/or rename it, you have no problems. You need to move it back and rename if appropriate to "WindowsImageBackup" located in the root directory of a partition.
When you make one off images (not shadow difference images) you are fine.
I do it all the time. Note: moving within partition boundaries does not involve a physical image move.

When you move images across partition boundaries you are physically moving the image folder (lots of GBs!). Not practical but should work subject to the above one off image constraints.

From practical usage I fully support Macrium Reflect as well.