Need some advice on creating a system image of my Win7 Pro C:\

[stanhilliard]

I have a Win 7 Pro Dell T1700 tower (refurbished) and want to make a backup System Image. Windows 7 is on SSD drive C:\ Total=224GB, Used=124GB, Free=100GB (45GB is in folder=\Users).

Q1- There is also a folder C:/$Windows.~BT (6.4GB) whose function I don't know. What is it?

Q2 -There is also a drive E:\ that came with the computer. I don't know if it is a partition or separate drive, nor do I know its size as File Explorer says it is not formatted. What could it be?

Q3 - I have an HDD drive F:\=2TB with plenty of room for the image -- that raises my question of putting the image on the same drive as other files. Does the image file require its own separate folder or separate partition?

Q4 - What size can I expect and image to be?

 

[bigmck]

Could you post a Screen Shot of your Disk Management? Be sure and spread the columns so we can see all of the print. It will help greatly to make sure you get the correct info. Thanks
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

The best program to use is Macrium Reflect Free Go ahead download and install it and I will be waiting for your Disk Management.

 

[stanhilliard]

Could you post a Screen Shot of your Disk Management?

I used methods I already had.
Here are 3 screen shots:
Computer
Disk Management
Drive E
Is this correct?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Re q 1; that folder is related to upgrading to Windows 10.

What Is The $WINDOWS.~BT Folder On My Hard Drive?

Re q 2; I'd guess it's a hidden area on Disc 0. It's only 1 mb, so small as to be unusable. I'd ignore it for the time being.

Re q 3: No. Image files do not need to be on a separate partition or in a separate folder. A Macrium image file of a partition will create one file. It will have an mrimg extension. I typically put them in a dated folder, such as "Image 021916" if I made one today. The only rule is that the image file cannot be stored on the partition that it represents. It can be placed anywhere else that it will fit. So, an image of C can't be stored on C.

Re q 4: A Macrium image file will typically take up about half as much space as is occupied on the partition that it represents. In your case, you have about 125 GB occupied on C. An image file of it would take up roughly half that much space--say between 50 and 70 somewhere--depending on how compressible your files are.

Note that for whatever reason, your Recovery partition is marked "system". That means you cannot boot without it. If you image C alone and then restore C alone, your PC will NOT boot.

Therefore, in your shoes------I would make a single image file containing ALL partitions on Disk 0. That file would represent C, the Recovery partition, and that E partition if it is in fact on Disk 0. If you then restore that single image file, your PC should boot.

I say should.

Don't count on it. Know what you will do if it doesn't.

 

[whs]

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

 

[stanhilliard]

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

Thanks, I will study & start by using Macrium to create an image file in a dated folder on my 2TB drive.

 

[whs]

Macrium is really easy to use. But if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask here.

 

[DavidE]

Q2 -There is also a drive E:\ that came with the computer. I don't know if it is a partition or separate drive, nor do I know its size as File Explorer says it is not formatted. What could it be?

I would run Partition Wizard Bootable CD and see what it shows.
Bootable Partition Manger | MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

I've found different partition programs can show different info that might help explain things.
I've seen this for drives initialized as GPT rather than MBR.

Maybe PW will show where the [E] partition is located.

 

[bigmck]

I have never seen the System and Active files on a Recovery Partition before. It is strange but if you are not having any problems booting your PC, leave it there. == I agree that 2 TB disk would be the place to store your images. I would make a folder and all images in it. It is not required, but it keeps them in one place.

 

[whs]

I have seen recovery partitions to be active. Dell does that and some others. The advantage is that they do not need an extra partition for the bootmgr.

 

[DavidE]

I'm curious why the DM screen print in post #3 shows an [E] partition in the upper pane, but [E] is not shown in the lower panes for the drives.
I don't remember ever seeing that before

I found my old thread where i saw some differences for Disk Management vs. Partition Wizard, and jumanji explained it.
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware...ition-wizard-show-gpt-reserved-partition.html

That's why i suggested using a PW bootable CD to see what it shows.