Solved How to create a Win 7 bootable CD with external drive support

[cma6]

I am able to create a system image of my Win 7 x64 drive. But if I had to restore the system image, it seems I would need a Win 7 bootable CD with external drive support, as my drive system image is on an external drive.
Windows backup does make a System Repair CD but that is for repair of Win 7; or can it be used for the System Image restore operation?
If not, how would I make a bootable Win 7 CD with external drive support?
Thanks in advance to the system experts.
CMA

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello CMA6 mate I think this is a much better option to be honest I set mine to a weekly imaging bit it can be set as often as you like.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

there is this too
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

 

[Ranger4]

I also use Macrium to image my Hard Drive on a weekly basis. Macrium has provision to be able to make a bootable CD for recovery.

 

[cma6]

How to make a Windows 7 bootable CD

Thanks for the replies but neither of them answer my question. I know how to use Win backup to make a system image. That does not concern me.

My question is how to make a Win 7 boot disk with external drive support so that the image backup can be used for restore.

Thanks to Ranger and Icit for the link to Shawn's (fantastically complicated) Win 7 recovery methodology. I don't suppose that MS actually expects anyone to be able to do this

However, assuming one can execute the recovery method, it still begs the question: one needs a Windows 7 boot CD with access to Backup/Image Restore as well as to the external HD.

Section 6 B) of Shawn's tutorial implicitly acknowledges this issue of not having access to the external HD:
"If the drive can't be seen to select a system image from, you may need to use the tutorial below to load your SATA drivers. You would click on the Advanced button and on 'Install a driver.'" option."
This brings us back to the basic issue: how to create a "System Repair" disc that also loads the SATA drivers.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hmm well I can only suggest this http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html and just have it on a disk or stick. I am not sure how it would work from an external drive because it needs to boot that ISO?

I am equally unsure as to why you want to have that copy of Windows on the external drive when it can be kept separately on a disk and not be open to getting mixed up with what is on the drive??

Just make sure you have the right version though as the activation code you have is only for that version and is tied to the motherboard.

 

[cma6]

Adding Sata drivers to Windows Repair disc

I won't have Win 7 on an external drive, which contains only the system image. The Windows 7 Repair disc already has Windows 7 on it. The issue is how to add the Sata driver(s) to the Windows 7 Repair disc so that the external drive can be recognized.
Thanks for your help which clarified these issues for me.

 

[SIW2]

Your question is not clear.

1) Have you already made a win7 repair cd/usb drive?

2) If so, when you boot it up, does it fail to see the external HD which contains your backup image?

3) If that is the problem, then if you have the required drivers, you can install them permanenetly into your win7 repair wim.

 

[cma6]

SIW2,
Your response is exactly on point. Not having the SATA drivers, the Win 7 Repair disc does not find the external HD. If it did find the external HD, I would not be posting here.
How do I find the WIN7 SATA driver(s) for my external HD?
Once I know that, I can copy them to my Windows Repair disc.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well I was under the impression that you wanted to make the machine boot from the external as far as I know the drivers are loaded by Windows whe you do the install.


Plus as there are no specs for the machine you are working with then it is hard to determine what those drivers are from the manufacturers site.