Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7​

   Information

A system image is an exact copy of a drive. By default, a system image includes the drives required for Windows to run. A system image would include all NTFS formatted partitions with an operating system installed on it (ex: C ), as well as the System Reserved partition. These system partitions cannot be unselected. It also includes Windows and your system settings, programs, and files. You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer if your hard disk or computer ever stops working. When you restore your computer from a system image, it's a complete restoration—you can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced with the contents of the system image.

This tutorial will show you how to create a system image (clone) backup of the entire hard drive or partition that Windows 7 is on, and any other selected drive or partition. You can use this image to be able to do a system image recovery to restore the hard drive or partition at boot back to the way it was at the time the backup image was created.

If you want to include additional drives in the system image, you can manually create a system image. If you manually create a system image, it can be saved on a USB flash drive, CDs, DVDs, or a hard drive.

If a system image was created through Windows Backup instead with the Include a System Image of Drives box checked, you can set Windows to retain as many system images as it has space for on the backup disk or to only keep the most recent system image.

   Note

Keeping different versions of system images

If you're saving your system images on an internal or external drive, or on CDs or DVDs, you can keep several versions of system images. On internal and external hard drives, older system images will be deleted when the drive runs out of space. To help conserve disk space, you can manually delete older system images.

Backup images are saved as backup periods in this format at the selected saved to location like the example below.

drive letter:\WindowsImageBackup\computer name\Backup YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS

For example, if your computer name is Computer, your backup image location is on hard disk or partition (network or local) D: , and you backed up on 11/22/2008 at 1:00:50 PM (It uses 24 hour time), then that backup image would be located in the folder below.
D:\WindowsImageBackup\Computer\Backup 2008-11-22 130050
If you're saving your system images in a network location, you can only keep the most current system image for each computer. If you have an existing system image for a computer and are creating a new one for the same computer, the new system image will overwrite the existing one.

   Tip

If you want to keep multiple system image versions on the same drive or partition, then you can use either method below to do so.

METHOD ONE:
Change the maximum space used for system images on the drive letter you are saving the Windows Backup to by changing the maximum space used by System Protection for the same drive letter. This is the same setting.

You do not have to have System Protection turned on for the drive letter, but do need to adjust the maximum space to what you like.

The size of a system image can be quite large since it will include all system drives in the image by default plus any drives you have included. If you want to keep multiple system images, be sure to increase the max size accordingly.

METHOD TWO:

1. Navigate to the backup location above for where you saved a system image that you want to keep before creating a new system image.

2. Right click, or press and hold, on the WindowsImageBackup folder, and click/tap on Rename.

3. Rename it to something like WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1, press Enter, and click//tap on Yes if prompted by UAC.
NOTE: This way you can just easily change the 1 an the end of the name to 2, 3, 4, etc... for each new system image that you make a copy of.

4. You now have a different system image version that you can leave at this location to be able to keep multiple versions.

NOTE: When you want to restore a system image in a renamed WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 folder in the future, then you must rename the current WindowsImageBackup folder first, then rename the WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 folder back to WindowsImageBackup in order to be able to restore it. The WindowsImageBackup folder must be in the root directory of the drive, and not within another folder.

   Warning

• Windows 7 can only include drives formatted with the NTFS file system in the system image.
• Windows 7 cannot include the partition or drive that you are saving the backup image to in the image.
• All "system" or "boot" drives/partitions are included in the system image by default, so you will not be able to save the system image to a system or boot drive/partition.
• If you are saving the system image to a HDD or partition, then you can only save the system image on a separate hard drive (recommended) or partition than what Windows 7 is installed on. It cannot be saved to the C: drive.
• Only the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions can backup to a network location.
• You cannot restore a 64-bit Windows 7 backup image on a 32-bit system.
• You cannot restore a 64-bit Windows 7 backup image with a 32 bit Windows 7 installation DVD or recovery partition, or the other way around. You must use the same 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 installation DVD or recovery partition as the backup image is.
• A system image that was created on a computer using EFI cannot be restored on a computer using BIOS. It can only be restored on a computer using EFI.
• When restoring a system image from a dynamic volume, the disks on your computer cannot be formatted to match the layout of the disks on the backup. To have full functionality, select a volume (partition) on a basic disk as your backup location instead.
• I would recommend to create a system image on a separate HDD, or a separate partition on a separate HDD, for the best reliability to restore from it. CDs or DVDs are just not as reliable. A scratch one just one of them could ruin the whole image.

Here's How:
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view).

2. Click on the Backup and Restore icon.

3. Click on the Create a system image link. (See screenshot below)

4. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes.

5. Select the location to where you would like to save the backup image at, and click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: See the Warning box at the top of the tutorial. Only the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions can backup to a network location.

6. If available, check any additional hard drives or partitions (ex: Vista) that you would like to include in the backup image with the Windows 7 (System and C: ) partition or hard drive, and click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: See the WARNING box at the top of the tutorial. If you do not want to add any additional hard drives or partitions, then just leave the others unchecked. You will not see this, if you do not have any other OS installed other than Windows 7.

7. Click on the Start backup button. (See screenshot below)

8. You will now see this window. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you wish to stop creating the backup image during this point, click on the Stop backup, Stop, and Close buttons.

9. When it is finished you will see this create a System Repair disc pop-up window. Click on No. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For how to always hide or show this message, see this tutorial.

10. Click on the Close button. (See screenshot below)

11. Close the Backup and Restore window. (See screenshot below step 3)
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Backup User and System Files in Windows 7
• How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7
• How to Backup and Restore the Windows 7 Registry
• How to Enable or Disable the Ability to Create a System Image in Windows 7
• How to Extract Files from Windows 7 System Image using Virtual PC
• How to Extract Windows 7 System Image Files Using Disk Management
• Imaging with free Macrium
• How to Restore your System with a Broken Windows 7 System Image
• How to Manually Extract Files from a Backup in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Backing up to a CD or DVD in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Backing up to Local Hard Disks in Windows 7
• How to Delete Windows 7 User Data and System Image Backup Files
• How to Create a "Create a System Image" Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Hide or Show "Do you want to create a system repair disc?" Message
• How to Fix Backup Error 0x81000019 in Windows 7
• New Installation: How to Create a General System Image in Audit Mode

 

[sygnus21]

I could be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time.

No you were right

Thanks.

 

[crimson]

Will doing this be able to create an exact clone of whatrever is on my hard drive?
For example. If I have a 1TB hard drive using Windows 7 OS with 300GB full, and the rest free. And I would like to copy everything from my 1TB hard drive into an empty 500GB hard drive. Thus I can take my 1TB hard drive out of my PC, and put the 500GB hard drive in. So that all the information is there exact.

Thank you.

 

[Brink]

Hello Crimson,

Yes, that would be correct. A system image backup will restore everything (drives and partions) that was selected when the image backup was created exactly the same way to the drive you restore it to.

 

[crimson]

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Crimson.

 

[crimson]

Wait I'm confused by the word 'restore'. I have a 500GB drive with about 300GB of information in it. I'd like to put the entire 300GB of information into an empty 1TB drive. That way, I could remove the 500GB hard drive from my PC, and put the 1TB drive in so that it will function exactly the same way. Is that what this is for? Thanks.

 

[SIW2]

No, you are talking about a Copy.

System Image makes an Image file.

You could make an image first, then restore the image to the other drive - it would have the same effect.

Easier and quicker to use an app. that has a Copy partition /disk function.

Hope it helps

 

[crimson]

No, you are talking about a Copy.

System Image makes an Image file.

You could make an image first, then restore the image to the other drive - it would have the same effect.

Easier and quicker to use an app. that has a Copy partition /disk function.

Hope it helps

So the tutorial of this thread will only put an image file onto the other drive? But it won't clone all the exact data onto the empty drive?

 

[SIW2]

This tutorial is about creating an image.

It should be possible to then restore that image to anther drive. It is not clear to me how that is done with Windows System Image function.

Much quicker and easier to do a copy/clone with an app. for that purpose.

Looks like the free Partition Wizard will do it - check the Help file first:

Free Download Partition Wizard

I would use Paragon Partition Manager/Drive Backup - ( not free) , but they will update bcd and do scheduling.

 

[FyrmnJ]

Macrium reflect free is great for imaging:
Paragon have an new imaging freebie - it is a bit too new yet - that will probably be the best freebie soon.

I have used BOTH the Paragon BACKUP & RESTORE and the Macrium Reflect to do backups and have done restores and they have both worked as they should have.

FyrmnJ

 

[SIW2]

Thanks FY.

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

How to create a disk image with Macrium Reflect

How to create the Macrium Linux rescue CD

How to recover your PC using the Linux rescue CD

 

[Mahd2010]

Thank you all. I did this and it worked

1. Start -> Computer -> Right click -> Manage -> Storage -> Disk Management
2. Right click on the problematic volume (FAT32) - Right click on system (unnamed drive)
3. Select "Change Drive letters and Path"
4. Change it to your desired letter (L or any thing)
5. Right click again as in 2 and select "properties"
6. Name it as anything like "SYS" or "SYSTEM"
7. Start -> RUN command (as adminstrator)
8. type -------->> convert L: /fs:ntfs ------- where L came from 4 above
9. When asked to give the volume name, you give what was made on 6 above
10. Finally, you create system image and do the backup. It should work now

 

[pboong]

Correct me if I am wrong.

Having the image backup is for C drive only? (System OS and program files?)
What if I had my programs installed to D drive, can I actually create an image backup as well?

Am I right to say that if I ever format my computer, using this image backup to restore, I do not need to go through all the long installation of drivers and etc?

 

[Brink]

Hello Pboong,

In Windows 7, you can now select any internal drive or partition (step 6 in tutorial) to be included in the system image. You cannot include the partition letter that you are saving the image backup to though.

Correct, you would boot from your Windows 7 installation disc to do the System Image Recovery that will format the drive for you and restore everything as it was when the image backup was created. No more having to go through installing all of the drivers, programs, and stuff each time.

 

[pboong]

Hello Pboong,

In Windows 7, you can now select any internal drive or partition (step 6 in tutorial) to be included in the system image. You cannot include the partition letter that you are saving the image backup to though.

Correct, you would boot from your Windows 7 installation disc to do the System Image Recovery that will format the drive for you and restore everything as it was when the image backup was created. No more having to go through installing all of the drivers, programs, and stuff each time.

That will be cool.
Image for those we installed before.

Back up for backing up the files folders we had in computer for secure.

It is also great that we can System Image Recovery by using the HDD instead of DVD, right?

Does the System back up image work the same as Backup? What I meant is the incremental. =)

 

[Brink]

Yep, it's saved incrementally as well. You'll notice under step 4C here, you can select a date within the incremental image backup to restore.

 

[wsplawn]

I used to do my backups with Acronis. But after reviewing things thoroughly, Windows 7 appears to be all I need. It is simpler, easier and faster. This has been my expericene so far. Though I haven't had to restore anything yet either. <grin>

 

[mdpilam]

Is it possible to create a backup of just a few certain folders? My external HDD only has 35GB left and my current C: drive is 40+GB, and I want to keep adding to the external drive. There are only a number of folders/program data that I want (and don't want to lose); is there a way to just periodically back these up?

 

[Brink]

Hello MdPilam,

Yes, you can use the backup feature in this tutorial below instead to backup user files and folders.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/615-backup-user-system-files.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[lourens]

Wow Brink! Amazing work and nice guides. I saw you answered a lot of questions and there are a couple of things I am not sure about. Could you help me out? Thanks!

I have a external HDD(1 big partition) where I want to put my system image, but I also have personal files on that HDD. I have enough room but will I keep these personal files?

I just reinstalled Windows 7 and did a clean install. So to save me from doing this every time I want to 'reinstall' I want to make a system image. I also installed my drivers, some personal files and programs. Stuff like, fingerprint, download locations, power settings, networking.... Will these also be in the image?

Greetings and keep up the good (amazing!) work.

Lourens