New
#1
Windows System Image Backup vs. Windows Reinstall.
The other day when my Win7 Home Premium desktop failed to boot into Windows, but only to the Repair Options screen, I had to decide between using my two-year old Windows System Image backup file or reinstall Win7 from my original retail DVD. I also decided that this was a good time to install a new, larger drive to use as C:, and let the original drive become D:. Although using the system image was recommended to me by a couple of people, I felt that a two-year old image on the new drive was too out of date, and so I opted to do a fresh install of Win7.
In fact, I found this reinstall to be a fairly painless operation... lengthy, with numerous updates (including SP1) and the subsequent machine restarts, but mostly just a case of clicking OK buttons. Other than an initial network driver to gain access to the Internet, all other drivers were downloaded and installed by Windows Update.
I had previously made a list of my two Program Files folders, so I knew what applications to install, as well as my Start Menu entries. With the exception of the operating system, all my applications are Open Source or freeware (such as Visual Studio Express) and readily available online. It was a good opportunity to "refresh" the entire system. ALthough I had recent backups, all my personal data files were still available on the old drive, and easily copied over to the new drive.
Since both options basically wipe whatever is on the drive, it got me wondering about the advantages, if any, of a system image. It seems to me that its value would diminish with age, and be of little use after a couple of years. I don't think I would want to revert my computer to the way it was a couple of years ago and have to worry about restoring it to the present.
Or am I overlooking something?