Windows 7: Advice applying windows 7 image

craney5 · 11 Jul 2010

Hi all, i have decided to create a system image of my machine as everything seems to be running well and i would be happy to return to this state should a problem occur. I have a program called macrium reflect but i think i will try the built in windows imaging program. I have 4 partitions, OS, Apps, Music/Pictures and Games. When i go to create a backup it automatically selects my OS and Apps partitions which is fine as they are the main 2 backups i would like. I am saving the image to my external 320gb HD my main question is how would i restore this image using my external HD? would i have to change the boot sequence to boot from an external device? Also once the image has been restored will it just overwrite the old OS and Apps partiton?

Sorry if i sound a bit silly its just i have never dome this b4

Thanks so much

electrotune1200 · 11 Jul 2010

Hello,

Here's a tutorial that will explain your question.

System Image Recovery[2]=Backup Restore

craney5 · 11 Jul 2010

Just what i needed thanks so much for that!! should have been able to find that tut myself really didnt look very well sorry

thanks again

whs · 11 Jul 2010

If you want to stay out of trouble, stick with Macrium. The built in Win7 facility has all kinds of unpleasant surprises in stock. You will find a complete Macrium tutorial here.

ignatzatsonic · 11 Jul 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by craney5

I am saving the image to my external 320gb HD my main question is how would i restore this image using my external HD? would i have to change the boot sequence to boot from an external device? Also once the image has been restored will it just overwrite the old OS and Apps partiton?

No, you should not have to change the boot sequence. But you have to be able to access that external drive because that is where you are storing the images. If you cannot get to Windows, you would need another boot method--typically a rescue CD. If you in fact use the rescue CD and Windows is still bootable on your hard drive, you would set your BIOS to boot from your CD drive.

Yes, if you restore your OS and apps partition to your original hard drive, it would overwrite the old partitions--that's what imaging does.

But, you can always choose to restore to some other hard drive--not your original drive. If your original hard drive fails, this is likely what you would do.

I vote for Macrium as well. Easy to use and intuitive interface and fast. You will have to make a Linux rescue CD from within Macrium. You MUST use this Linux CD to restore an image.

I'd think you would want to make a separate image for each of your partitions, rather than one image for the entire drive.