How roll back windows without reinstalling it.

[Random Bob]

I am tired of reinstalling Windows every time due to viruses and slow down on PC.

I read some where that there are softwares called 'disc imaging software' or something that can restore windows back to the way it was when it was installed (Freshly installed windows) .

Please suggest me a good software for this.

 

[marsmimar]

Windows 7 has it's own built-in imaging tool.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

Some folks find this tool to be very limited in what it can do so they use other free imaging programs like:

Macrium

Paragon

EaseUS Todo

And still others use the paid versions because of even greater versatility.

One scenario is to do a clean install of Windows 7, install an anti-virus suite of choice, and then install all Windows Updates. Once that's been done, make a system image and save it to an external hard drive. Install any other programs, applications, etc that you use and make a second system image. Then, set up a schedule that suits your needs for additional backups of only new user data and a schedule for additional system images.

I think most people recommend saving backups and images to an external hard drive just because they are more reliable than disks, they have a greater storage capacity, and in the long run it's cheaper to buy a 1TB external hard drive that an equal number of DVDs ( about 225 DVDs that are able store about 4.5GB per disk.) Also, if one disk fails to burn properly the entire set of backup or image disks becomes useless.

 

[Golden]

Some useful tutorials to help with imaging:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[Random Bob]

I see. Can you recommend me a linux distro that does the same as the above software (Macrium, Paragon) ? It should have both backup and restore features.

 

[marsmimar]

All of the different variations of Linux such as Ubuntu, Knoppix, Mint, etc are operating systems just like XP, Vista, 7 and 8 are variations of Windows operating systems. I might be completely wrong on this but I don't believe any of the Linux distros incorporate a backup or imaging capability because of the many free software programs like Clonezilla, Macrium, Paragon, etc that are available. If I misunderstood your question my sincerest apology.

 

[Random Bob]

Linux distro like Clonezilla and Ping

All of the different variations of Linux such as Ubuntu, Knoppix, Mint, etc are operating systems just like XP, Vista, 7 and 8 are variations of Windows operating systems. I might be completely wrong on this but I don't believe any of the Linux distros incorporate a backup or imaging capability because of the many free software programs like Clonezilla, Macrium, Paragon, etc that are available. If I misunderstood your question my sincerest apology.

I meant I want a recommendation of a cold backup linux distro like clonezilla, PING etc

 

[Golden]

A quick google:

Partimage

However, for imaging Windows OS I would recommend the suggestions made earlier.

 

[Mark Phelps]

Unless they updated it, and the last time I checked, they said they were NOT going to update it, PartImage (which PING uses) does not work with Ext4 filesystems -- which is the default filesystem that several Linux distros have used for years. Better solution in the Linux world (and the one I use) is Clonezilla. If you go to their website and do some reading, there is a way to install Clonezilla to your hard drive so you can boot from that, instead of having to burn a CD, or write a USB, and boot from that.