Free Image/Backup Software

I ran across this software and wondered if anyone has any experience with it?

Free backup and restore software for system backup and restore, partition or disk backup and restore, disk clone and disk image under Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7/2003/2008..

I am about to purchase an upgrade to Acronis, but figured this would save me $30!

Thanks,

Many members like this

Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Overview

or this

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

Each mentioned many times in the fourm. Never saw yours mentioned here. That may be a clue for you

Your OS, also has a good back up; system image.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/4241/how-to-create-a-system-image-in-windows-7/

Or....

You could just use the native image backup tool in Windows 7. Works great.

The only thing it really doesn't do is compress the image.

I use a free system backup.

That free system backup can be accessed by:
WIN key | type backup | Enter key

Works very well. I use it very frequently.
Documentation is also excellent:
WIN + F1 key combo | type Backup and Restore | ENTER key


WIN is the the key with the weird-looking flag on it.

Thanks for the great suggestions! I am mainly looking for something that I can use to create a "gold" image of my machine so that I can quickly restore it if hit by a virus or other failure. Something that is easy to use and fast critical.

Thanks again!!

A little extra information. While you are sure that your computer is 100% up to snuff. Make a copy of your hard drive, and hide it somewhere. Then once a week you can make another copy to update once a week ( I use System Restore). If you have a problem your update is only a week old. If you get a virus etc. and the copy is damaged, too, guess what, just remember that old copy that you hide away.

Here's a tutorial for macrium which I use with no problems,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

Here's one for windows which takes a little longer in my experience with it,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

Todo works ok - but there are much better free solutions.

Rich already mentioned Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Overview

and http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

Both of those are much much better than the one built into Windows.

seag33k said:

Thanks for the great suggestions! I am mainly looking for something that I can use to create a "gold" image of my machine so that I can quickly restore it if hit by a virus or other failure. Something that is easy to use and fast critical.

Thanks again!!

Click to expand...

Both of those are much much better than the one built into Windows.

Click to expand...

+1, absolutely agree. Unless you have the skill level in windows imaging like Karlsnooks, I suugest you opt for something easier and more reliable such as Macrium. derekimo has posted the link to my Macrium tutorial in post #8. If you have any further questions, post back.

Thanks for the suggestions and link to the video tutorial. I will most likely choose one of these products considering the recommendations and save my $30

Also take into consideration if you have anything other than a plain vanilla HD controller, you may need to be able to use the Windows driver on the boot CD. Many free and paid backup imaging programs give you a Linux based boot CD to boot to do the restore(say from a USB external drive the image is on) but if it doesn't recognize your HD controller you can be totally hosed or doomed to a restore that takes 10 times the normal amount of time(compatibility mode.)

I would burn the boot CD and boot it. Go into the restore program. Make sure it shows the HD on your PC. If it can't see it you may need to use WinPE so that you can include the Windows driver in the Boot CD. Macrium Reflect paid version is one that licenses a copy of the WinPE so you can modify it for your machine.

Chances are the default Boot CD will work but it's good to test it while your PC is at 100% to avoid unpleasant surprises later.

testing the boot cd is a very good idea.

I have never used the other backup and restore programs mentioned.

I have used Windows Backup and Restore. I have complete computer novices use, with absolutely zero problems, Windows Backup and Restore.

Anybody can mess up any product as is evidenced by some of the questions posed on this forum.

The main thing is to backup. Personally, I backup frequently but that's because of my needs. Let us hope that you never need to restore from a backup.

These are excellent suggestions. I always recommend to test a complete backup/restore cycle on a little test partition. For that I have developed this little scenario which seems a lot at first glance but is really easy each step of the way. Once you have done this little excercise, you know how to deal with it and that it works - or not.

Macrium test

1. Shrink 2GBs from C and define a simple volume (partition) - let's call it Y
2. Move some files (any files) into Y - I always also move the sample picture folder in (you'll see why)
3. Define a test folder on your external backup disk - call it Mtest
4. Make an image of Y to Mtest - requires that you make a new definition
5. Delete a couple of pictures from the sample picture folder on Y (I always use the 2 animals)
6. Reboot and tap (ESC, F2 or whatever it is on your system) to get into the BIOS boot sequence
7. Set your boot sequence to CD/DVD reader
8. Throw in the Macrium recovery CD and let it run, then hit Enter
9. Now you are in the recovery wizard, set it to Mtest where it says "Locate Image" and to Y where it says "Choose partition to overwrite with the image data".
Note: the partition letters may not be the same as on your system. Macrium uses its own lettering. Best is to go by the size of the partitions and open it with the little + in the front.
10. Watch out when it asks whether to replace the Master Boot Record - in this case say "do not replace" because this is only a data partition. If that were your system partition, you would replace the MBR provided you do not have a separate boot partition.
11. When you get the little window saying "Your computer will now reboot", you have to hit "Cancel" (on the bottom" to get it to reboot. That's a little strange way to end the session, but that's the way it is.
12. Check whether the 2 animals in the sample picture folder are back. That shows you that the recovery worked.

When you have done these steps, you did the whole cycle and have learned

1. That your recovery disk works
2. How to recover
3. That things work

Now you can delete the little 2GB partition and add it back to it's originating partition.
If you are not familiar with the creation and deletion of partitions, watch this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72427-data-partition.html

too many steps
too complicated
too difficult for a beginner

Just having fun with you.:devil:

karlsnooks said:

too many steps
too complicated
too difficult for a beginner

Just having fun with you.:devil:

Click to expand...

You are invited to suggest a simpler test. I think each step by itself is simple. You just need to follow the "cookbook".