Backing up pre-installed windows

[ahLoonG]

Backing up pre-installed windows 7

Hi everyone,

My laptop is Asus A45VM.
I would need help from you guys. I want to format my HDD while remaining a copy of the pre-installed genuine windows in a external HDD. I know there is a partition that allow me to restore my laptop to factory setting. I want to know the location and how can i access it and back it up.

Thanks.

 

[Victor S]

That factory restore is probably "hardwired" to F9. If you screw up the reserved partition during formatting, it might not work.
Look in the Backup and Restore section of this forum to see how to make a system image with Macrium.
Back up everything to the external HD before you go after that formatting.

 

[gregrocker]

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

But the preinstalled Win7 is the worst possible install, larded with bloatware and duplicate utilities which interfere with and have better versions built into Win7.

So most tech enthusiasts won't even run such an install but prefer to do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. Everything you need is in the blue link.

 

[theog]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?

Before you start make your Recovery disk.
Disable Boot Booster in BIOS setup before you perform system recovery from USB flash disk, external optical drive or hidden partition.

1. Press <F9> during bootup.
Ensure to press <F9> only once during bootup.
2. Select the language you use and click to continue.
3. Repeat the step 1—2 in the previous section.
4. Connect a USB storage device to your Eee PC and click Backup in the Recovery System dialog box to start the recovery files backup.
The size of the connected USB storage device should be larger than 16GB.
Memory cards are not supported for this function.
A dialog box appears as a reminder if you have not connected the USB storage device for system recovery backup to your Eee PC.
5. Select a desired USB storage device if more than one USB storage device is connected to your Eee PC and click Continue.
6. All the data on the selected USB storage device will be cleared. Click Continue to start the backup or click Back to backup your important data.
You will lose all your data on the selected USB storage device. Ensure to back up your important data beforehand
7. The system backup starts and click OK when done.

You can order Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from your OEM manufacturer's website.

You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from ASUS OEM manufacturer's website.
Essentio Recovery Software

 

[ahLoonG]

That factory restore is probably "hardwired" to F9. If you screw up the reserved partition during formatting, it might not work.
Look in the Backup and Restore section of this forum to see how to make a system image with Macrium.
Back up everything to the external HD before you go after that formatting.

Thanks. i would give it a try later on.

 

[ahLoonG]

Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

But the preinstalled Win7 is the worst possible install, larded with bloatware and duplicate utilities which interfere with and have better versions built into Win7.

So most tech enthusiasts won't even run such an install but prefer to do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. Everything you need is in the blue link.

thank greg, i agree with you that preinstalled win7 is full with bloatware and manufacture utilities. This is one of the reason i want to keep a copy of it as a backup. So i can format the HDD and give others thing a try. This is to incase i mess up the thing, i can still reset it to the factory setting. i'm trying the backup complete computer method. Just to confirm, the backup complete computer is only the windows or including all junk document and everything in users ?

 

[ahLoonG]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?

Before you start make your Recovery disk.
Disable Boot Booster in BIOS setup before you perform system recovery from USB flash disk, external optical drive or hidden partition.

1. Press <F9> during bootup.
Ensure to press <F9> only once during bootup.
2. Select the language you use and click to continue.
3. Repeat the step 1—2 in the previous section.
4. Connect a USB storage device to your Eee PC and click Backup in the Recovery System dialog box to start the recovery files backup.
The size of the connected USB storage device should be larger than 16GB.
Memory cards are not supported for this function.
A dialog box appears as a reminder if you have not connected the USB storage device for system recovery backup to your Eee PC.
5. Select a desired USB storage device if more than one USB storage device is connected to your Eee PC and click Continue.
6. All the data on the selected USB storage device will be cleared. Click Continue to start the backup or click Back to backup your important data.
You will lose all your data on the selected USB storage device. Ensure to back up your important data beforehand
7. The system backup starts and click OK when done.

You can order Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from your OEM manufacturer's website.

You can order the Microsoft official OEM Recovery disks from ASUS OEM manufacturer's website.
Essentio Recovery Software

I prefer to keep the recovery kits in HDD then DVD. anyway thank for the reply.

 

[MilesAhead]

I usually make a recovery disc set. Then make an image of the system after bloatware removal and customization. Then a couple of months down the road I may delete the recovery partition. Depends on if it's big enough to do anything with. But the last step is optional. With me, the tweaking goes on forever so I keep making backup images.

If you can afford another external drive it's not a bad idea to have one stowed away that's not connected. Just in case the one you are using for external storage and backup gets hit with malware or otherwise corrupted.

 

[gregrocker]

Just to confirm, the backup complete computer is only the windows or including all junk document and everything in users ?

Well I'd want to organize my files, cleaning out any I don't need, even run CCleaner to empty the unneeded Temp files which can amount to 1gb+.

This is so you don't waste a lot of disk space storing a backup much larger than you want or need or is reasonable.

But if you've already done it and can spare the disk space, only wanting to back up things the way they are now then it's not a problem because we will help you get a perfect Clean Reinstall following those steps. Just ask back any questions.