Multiple OS installations from 1 image file

[jebbrown]

Is it possible to create multiple OS installations of windows 7 on one machine from one master image file (I'm using True Image 2012)?

I have several win 7 installs on the same machine for dedicated purposes (Main, Games, Testing, Programing, etc...), and they all are the same up to a point - that is, they share many initial programs, tweeks, service packs, updates, etc.
Since I reinstall often, I'd like to have a basic image that I can restore from and then only have to minor customizing.
I used to do this using Acronis Disk Director, and made it so each OS could not see the others, but I'd really rather use Windows 7's own boot menu as it seems much, much cleaner. I'm just not sure if Win 7 would get confused by this.
Any thoughts?

 

[SIW2]

You can boot as many windows installtions as you like using windows boot management.

I often have over 30 boot menu entries.

You know that - as you already doing it.

I can't understand the question

 

[jebbrown]

You can boot as many windows installtions as you like using windows boot management.

I often have over 30 boot menu entries.

You know that - as you already doing it.

I can't understand the question

I want to install all of them from a single image file instead of from the windows installation disk. The image file is made from 1 installation which has all the common elements of the different installations I want to make.
Since they are all created from the same image file they are initially identical which was a big problem with XP (something about partition or disk IDs ?). So my question is would this be an issue in Windows 7 or not?

Thanks for any help.

 

[SIW2]

Yes, you can do that.

Modern imaging apps. will adjust bcd during the restore process.

You can restore the same image to multiple partitions on the same machine.

 

[jebbrown]

Yes, you can do that.

Modern imaging apps. will adjust bcd during the restore process.

You can restore the same image to multiple partitions on the same machine.

Thanks for the info! That makes my life so much easier

In the olden XP days, duplicate images or clones of the same OS could cause them to be confused as to where they were really supposed to write to (sometimes writing into the other OS's partition. Exactly why & how this happened I don't know / remember, but I'm glad it's no longer the case.

Thanks again for the help

 

[SIW2]

Not sure that old imaging apps. will do it tho - anything in the last 3 or 4years should do the job, macrium and paragon both do good free versions.

Have fun

 

[Infinite]

i often have over 30 boot menu entries.

30

 

[Ztruker]

How are the partitions setup? Are they each visible or does each think it's the C: drive? If not, then I would think there would be problems with restoring an image taken from C: then restoring it to a partition that runs as F:

Am I missing something?

 

[SIW2]

You can take an image of your o/s partition ( usually calls itself C ) - which may be on Disk0 partition 2.

You can restore that image to any other partition without issue.

 

[Ztruker]

I don't understand how that will work. If you install to C: that means everything in the registry is expecting things to be on C:.

If you then take an image and restore it to another partition which is F: or G:, anything but C: are you saying Windows 7 will boot and run without any problems?

 

[whs]

I don't understand how that will work. If you install to C: that means everything in the registry is expecting things to be on C:.

If you then take an image and restore it to another partition which is F: or G:, anything but C: are you saying Windows 7 will boot and run without any problems?

The active OS partition (the one that runs at this moment - not to be confused with 'active' where the bootngr is) will always be C - but if it is not active and running, it can have any letter.

 

[SIW2]

Yes, I do it all the time.

Plenty of people take an image so that if the HD fails, they can restore it to not just a different partition - but an entirely different HD.

 

[SIW2]

Usually, but not necessarily.

You can see my current windows partition ( labelled "boot" in disk management ) is in fact, X.

I don't understand how that will work. If you install to C: that means everything in the registry is expecting things to be on C:.

If you then take an image and restore it to another partition which is F: or G:, anything but C: are you saying Windows 7 will boot and run without any problems?

The active OS partition (the one that runs at this moment - not to be confused with 'active' where the bootngr is) will always be C - but if it is not active and running, it can have any letter.

 

[whs]

SIW, how did you manage to name it 'X'.

 

[SIW2]

During installation:

Apply the o/s image to the partition ( in the normal way ) - load up the registry, make a few changes.

Then continue as normal,creating the boot files, restarting the pc -and installation completes as normal - except you now have your chosen o/s letter.

I use a batch file to do it.

Will pm you a copy if you like.

I don't know a way of changing the o/s letter after installation

 

[whs]

You are a real master tweaker. And thanks for offering the file but I do not think I have any use for it. My systems are 'simple', LOL.

 

[CB]

You can take an image of your o/s partition ( usually calls itself C ) - which may be on Disk0 partition 2.

You can restore that image to any other partition without issue.

Hi SIW2
Do you mean each time it restored to a different drive it will enlist itself to menu entries and show up on initial screen? (which is editable by BCD program)
Thx

 

[SIW2]

Yes, it will be on the boot menu - (assuming you have the boot menu set to display)

Have you guys never restored an image to a different partition than it was made from?

I am amazed.

It is not something you can do easily with Windows built in system imaging program .

All other imaging programs I can think of will do it.

 

[Ztruker]

I guess I have to try it to believe it. Is this a change from XP to Vista/Windows 7? Or is it a function of the software you use to create/restore the image.

I know in XP if I created an image from my C: partition then restore it to my F: partition and added it to boot.ini, either manually or using bootcfg, it would not run worth a darn because it would still be F: when booted.

 

[SIW2]

Imaging software has come on a lot since the days of Ghost 5 or whatever everyone used to use.