Media type

Can anyone confirm what type of media (DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW etc...) is required to make a system image (Full) using Windows 7's built in back up utility?

Well, I'm no expert, but since no replies yet, I can confirm I successfully executed a full System Image using Win7 (Home Premium) x64 backup utility. I used DVD-R because that's what I had for backups. Seems like the backup utility screens specify backups require DVD +R or DVD -R discs if I remember correctly from reading on one of the screens. Maybe someone who knows more can offer more details.

There was a problem the other day with recovering from DVD. The recovery program CD did not release the CD/DVD reader and the OP had no way to put the image DVDs in. You better check that (try it out) before you rely on this image - can be fatal.
The better way is anyhow to use an external disk for the purpose. DVDs will be messy because a) you will need a whole pack and b) it takes forever. When in use, I image my systems every second day. I could not imagine doing that with DVDs. Some of my images are 60GBs - that would mean 14 DVDs per image.

Dunno because I've never had to do a recovery (in 15 years, 4 pc's, 4 OS's). Lucky me, huh? Nice to know about the external drive being perhaps more reliable and faster. Don't know the first thing about buying, installing, Win configuring of it, or the use thereof. Looks like yet another computer learning curve on the horizon, I can see.

FWIW I have a 500GB HDD and the image took 5 Verbatim DVD's -R, (4.7GB capacity). Currently I'm showing 48 GB used space but not sure how much used space when I did the system image on Jan 17th. Haven't really installed any new programs other than Win updates/patches since the image was done, so that would account for any increase. Don't have hardly any user files, <100 photos, any absolutely no music or videos stored on this system. I want to say the image took took about 40-50 minutes from start to finish? Can't remember, as I didn't time the process. Got no errors along the way.

You were lucky to get away with 5 DVDs. Must have done some mighty compression. As to the external disks - that is dead simple. You plug it into the USB port and it shows up like any other disk. Sometimes you need to format it - always into NTFS. But use a Quick Format - else it may take hours. Then the disk is nothing like a big folder. For the backups, make a folder on it to where you backup. I really wonder how you managed for 15 years without an external disk. A computer without it is useless - in my book.

Yeah, 15 years without one. But like I said, I keep very little on my pc. We just use it to surf the internet. I figure since there's really nothing of personal value on it, if it gets infected, I'll just do a factory restore/recover from the factory image and reinstall my programs.

Well your description of using an external drive sure SOUNDS easy enough. So as Will Smith said in Independence Day after test driving the alien airship, "I'm gonna have to get me one of these!" Thanks for the mini lesson WHS! Time to go shopping!