Windows 7 - Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

**Brink** · 11-22-2008

How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7

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Click here to read the entire tutorial

**Dinesh** · 07-02-2009

downloading it now, thanks SIW2.

**Brink** · 07-02-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by SIW2

Hi Shawn,

I suppose it is better than nothing.

When it pops up warning a backup hasn't been made - many users will go ahead and do it.

They may not have thought of it otherwise - many I speak to have never heard of making your own backup image.

Wow. I can't tell you how many time a system image has saved my bacon from not spending hours reinstalling everything.

**SIW2** · 07-02-2009

Me too - but I do like to experiment.

Amazing the average person knows nothing about it - even those who use their laptops every day.

The most important thing anyone can do is image their drive, imo.

**Dinesh** · 07-03-2009

but it becomes a problem when some one has a small HDD. He will then have to give atleast 15-20 Gb just for the back up. Its still good though.

**polycue** · 09-09-2009

"You must use the same 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 installation DVD or recovery partition as the backup image is."

If I make two or more dvds of the same ISO do I have to use the same physical DVD to do the restore?

**SIW2** · 09-09-2009

What .iso?

If you mean burning 7 recovery cd's , they will be identical if produced from the same o/s.

They will also identical if you create one from the o/s and then copy it .

The 7 dvd's you create from the same .iso will also be identical.

You can use any of them, even one you borrow from someone else, as long as they are the same bit version as the backup image.

**polycue** · 09-09-2009

I mean the installation dvd which is different than the recovery disk. Can you can use any of them, even one you borrow from someone else, as long as they are the same bit version as the backup image.

**polycue** · 09-09-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by SIW2

Hi Shawn,

I have the relevant boot files on both, so if I want to change back, I only need to swap the active flag back to the first partition.

How do you swap the active flag? In computer management I see one partition set as active but it does not allow me to make any other partitions on that disk active.

**SIW2** · 09-09-2009

Yes , you can use any 7 installation dvd, or recovery disc as long as it is the correct bit version.

Quote:

How do you swap the active flag? In computer management I see one partition set as active but it does not allow me to make any other partitions on that disk active.

Disk Management will allow you to set a Primary partition Active. You may have an Extended partition containing Logical drives. It has a dark green border.

Please post a screenshot of Disk Management.

**polycue** · 09-10-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by SIW2

Disk Management will allow you to set a Primary partition Active. You may have an Extended partition containing Logical drives. It has a dark green border.

Yes the other partitions were in an extended partition with the green border.

If you have two partitions on a single hard drive and one is set as active does setting another primary partition active deselect the first one's active flag?

Windows 7 - Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup problems?