Question about Restoring from System Image?

[boogieboy]

Hi i want to know i had created a System Image of my Windows in which i included only Drive C: and System Reserved by default and i have'nt included any other drives at that time coz all other 4 drives were empty at that time. Now i want to know if i will restore my PC from the Image i created before .... will it erase all the data on other 4 drives as well other than C: ? I'm asking coz i tried to restore my system today and it gives a pop up warning something like "All the data on drives will be replaced with the data in the system image" before starting the process so i cancled it coz i have tons of data on other drives which i have'nt backuped yet will it delete data on my other Drives as well? sorry if it's a noob question

 

[bigmck]

Hi i want to know i had created a System Image of my Windows in which i included only Drive C: and System Reserved by default and i have'nt included any other drives at that time coz all other 4 drives were empty at that time. Now i want to know if i will restore my PC from the Image i created before .... will it erase all the data on other 4 drives as well other than C: ? I'm asking coz i tried to restore my system today and it gives a pop up warning something like "All the data on drives will be replaced with the data in the system image" before starting the process so i cancled it coz i have tons of data on other drives which i have'nt backuped yet will it delete data on my other Drives as well? sorry if it's a noob question

You didn't say what software you used to make the System Image, but if you backedup only C:, then when you restore the image, it will only affect C:. What software did you use to make the Image?

 

[boogieboy]

I used Windows 7 Backup & Restore

 

[bigmck]

I used Windows 7 Backup & Restore

It will only affect C: if you have backed C:. It won't affect the other drives. A lot of guys on here, myself included use free Macrium to backup. Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download It does a good job and I have heard others say that they have run across problems with the Windows Backup. It is easy to use and you can backup each drive independently.

 

[boogieboy]

I used Windows 7 Backup & Restore

It will only affect C: if you have backed C:. It won't affect the other drives. A lot of guys on here, myself included use free Macrium to backup. Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download It does a good job and I have heard others say that they have run across problems with the Windows Backup. It is easy to use and you can backup each drive independently.

Thanks bigmck for the Help... i will try Macrium instead

 

[bigmck]

Thanks bigmck for the Help... i will try Macrium instead

One thing to note when you are installing it. It gives you an option of Linux or something else. Check the Linux option even though you don't use Linux.

 

[bigmck]

There is one other thing that is strange that you need to watch out for, but it is no big deal. == I will give you the example using my setup. -- My C: is named OS / Programs and my D: is named Documents. I backup C: to F: OS Backups and I backup D: to G: Doc Backups. == When you go to restore a drive, the letters are not the same. The way Macrium loads, it shuffles the drive letters. You have to refer to the names you have assigned, not the letters. In my case I would just make sure I am restoring Doc Backups to Documents regardless of what the drive letters said. Just thought I would warn you about that.

 

[mjf]

boogie boy,
It is a good question.
When you reimage with windows imaging if you select the reformat/partition checkbox it is likely that your data partitions would be wiped. Given the option do not select it if reimaging to the same disk. See the tutorial
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

Macrium Reflect is a solid product and I use it as well. Boot CDs generally won't know what letters windows & you gave to partitions so they will be generally be different. You just need to make the associations yourself. If you use MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) I'd lean towards Macrium!

 

[whs]

If you use MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) I'd lean towards Macrium!

mjf, that is interesting. What is the reason?

 

[mjf]

If you use MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) I'd lean towards Macrium!

mjf, that is interesting. What is the reason?

For reasons I outline here
http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/139348-backup-image-windows-backup-restore.html
My recent decision to go with MSE may have been a mistake.

 

[whs]

Thanks for letting us know. I was not aware that MSE would do that - but then I use NIS2011. MSE played a few acts on me too, so I axed it.

 

[fireberd]

I use Acronis True Image and MSE. No problems or conflicts.

I looked at the Macrium and wasn't impressed, even though it's "free".

 

[mjf]

Thanks for letting us know. I was not aware that MSE would do that - but then I use NIS2011. MSE played a few acts on me too, so I axed it.

Whs, can you answer a question regarding NIS2011 because I haven't dismissed it as an option.
Say I bought NIS and installed it and I need to reimage with an older image that didn't have NIS installed. Also assume I didn't have time to deactivate NIS. Could I just reinstall it?

 

[whs]

Thanks for letting us know. I was not aware that MSE would do that - but then I use NIS2011. MSE played a few acts on me too, so I axed it.

Whs, can you answer a question regarding NIS2011 because I haven't dismissed it as an option.
Say I bought NIS and installed it and I need to reimage with an older image that didn't have NIS installed. Also assume I didn't have time to deactivate NIS. Could I just reinstall it?

I think you can do that after uninstalling the "other" AV program and installing NIS. It asks you right during the installation for the key. I have reactivated NIS many times. I use NIS since years - even during their "bad years". I have a 3 system license renewable every 3 years (it's cheaper). I threw in MSE because I have 6 systems. It is OK for my wife's systems because all she does is AOL and Word and all her files are on USB sticks (because we move between 3 locations without moving the systems). But for my systems, NIS does best.

Once you have the key, the direct download site is this:

http://www.norton.com/nis11

And year over year you can change the 11 to 12, 13, etc. That always worked for me and the same key always applies.

Btw: In case you do not remember, here are the AV uninstallers: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/78961-av-uninstallers.html#post690028

 

[mjf]

Thanks!

(good list of uninstallers)

 

[boogieboy]

Thanks for all the Help guys i just restored my OS from the Image i had created and i must say windows 7 makes my life easy and for now im satisfied with how it restored though i agree that windows recovery does not show important options before starting recovery which should be available so the user can see what drives the image is going to restore