Imaging strategies

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  1. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
    Thread Starter
       #31

    This is an interesting discussion. So let me add my 2 cents.

    In my computer club, we were at first teaching people to use Windows imaging because it appeared to be the simplest imaging route. But after a while, many were bitterly complaining because they were stuck with the recovery process that did not work for a variety of reasons. We then switched to teaching them to use free Macrium and there has not been a single complaint yet.

    Maybe that is not statistically significant. But the club has over 800 members and a lot of those were attending those classes.
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  2. Posts : 10,455
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
       #32

    I reimaged using Macrium this morning. It was simpler and quicker than unpicking some changes I had made that I didn't like.
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  3. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #33

    The main thing is to have one or two imagining programs that you have a high degree of confidence in. I believe you will need to have carried out a few full system reimages before you can have some confidence. After that if you like it, use it.
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  4. Posts : 1,167
    Windows 7 Pro with SP1 32bit
       #34

    Except for two or three instance, all the responses are from Seven Gurus. I wonder why most users shy away from imaging. I have tried to teach my office staff how to create and restore images and made them do it too, but they have done nothing after the creation of the first image under my guidance although some years have gone by.

    I think the frequency of image creation that has been recommended in the tutorial is much too much. I just keep three images, a Basic1 as suggested in the tutorial with all updates in place, Internet connected and WLM installed. Then an incremental Basic2 with MS Office installed and updated. After that all other programs including the A-V and the third party Firewall are installed and imaged that I call the Perfect Image. I keep updating this perfect image every month. The A-V and Firewall are in the third image because they keep getting updated very frequently and may get discarded in the future for better ones unlike the OS and Office.

    I may install some more third party programs during the month after creating the Perfect Image and evaluate them to make up my mind about which I want to retain and which ones I want to discard. Then I restore the month old Perfect Image, install the programs that I had wanted to retain, delete the month old Perfect Image and re-image to make another perfect image.

    I have followed this procedure from 2006 when I first started on imaging and it has served me excellently well. It saves a lot of time in daily imaging and there is hardly any bloat on my C Drive. I keep the images in a separate folder on an external drive. Although my imaging program permits the creation of a "secure zone drive", I have not utilized this facility.
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  5. Posts : 10,455
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
       #35

    Everyone must reach their own level of comfort in their imaging strategy. I worked for 30 years in mainframe IT where backups and recovery were essential to the well being of the company I worked for. So perhaps what I do now is habit and is overkill but it keeps me happy.
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  6. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
    Thread Starter
       #36

    Hi Keith, I just see your new shining star. Congratulations. And regarding imaging - you are right. There is no 'one size fits all'. Everybody should chose the frequency with which they are comfortable. I now deviate a bit from my own tutorial. But that is OK. I still have plenty of images on 3 seperate disks.
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  7. Posts : 10,455
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1
       #37

    Thanks Wolfgang.
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  8. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
       #38

    whs said:
    Hi Keith, I just see your new shining star. Congratulations. And regarding imaging - you are right. There is no 'one size fits all'. Everybody should chose the frequency with which they are comfortable. I now deviate a bit from my own tutorial. But that is OK. I still have plenty of images on 3 seperate disks.
    Wolfgang, did you mean Gary?

    whs said:
    Right Gary. I had only tried the scheme with test partitions. But this was a real live experience.
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  9. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
    Thread Starter
       #39

    Kari, it is a bad morning. I mix up all the names. I am up sice 5AM, had a bad night. Sorry guys, please forgive me.
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  10. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
       #40

    Wolfgang, just teasing and joking!

    Take care of yourself, don't forget to rest :)

    Kari
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