Solved Image wants to include my data drive

[rwstarrett]

My Win 7 Pro 64bit system boots from an Intel SSD, my C drive. My D drive is a standard HD that I use for data, no programs or OS files so far as I know. There are no hidden partitions on that D drive.
I want to create a system image on an external USB drive, but when I attempt to do that, Windows wants to back up my entire D drive as well as the C drive. The choice to uncheck the D drive is greyed out in the backup dialogue. Is the D drive actually needed to run windows? Could there be some system files somewhere on the D drive that are causing this behavior? Since I have ~900GB of stuff on that D drive, I don't want to incorporate it into an Image Backup.

 

[Brink]

Hello RW, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you move your user folders or page file to the D: drive? If so, that would cause D: to be a "system" drive and included in a system image by default.

Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing your Disk Management to see what it shows for the D: drive.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[rwstarrett]

Thank you for a prompt reply.
Yes, I have pointed my documents, pictures, etc., to the D Drive. I've attached a .jpg of the disk management screen

 

[Brink]

Ah, that's why then. You'll need to move your user folders back to C: before D: will no longer be included.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

 

[rwstarrett]

Can I just make an image of the C: drive and use that to restore Windows if I had to?

 

[Brink]

Not using the System Image feature unless you moved the folders back.

You could use a 3rd party program like Macrium Reflect Free to do so though.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[whs]

Free Macrium is the best choice you can make. It is a lot more reliable and flexible than the defunct Windows imaging. Look at my tutorial that Shawn linked and if you have any questions, let us know.

 

[rwstarrett]

Thanks, that was quite helpful. I tried Macrium with success and will likely upgrade it it. Easy to use and effective.
Great advice!

 

[Brink]

Glad we could help.