Reloading Win7 and/or using Backup and Restore

[DogFather]

I have reloaded older machines. Back from Win 95, where reformatting the HD was necessary, to XP machines
with only a recovery disk. The XP PC I had worked very well for the last 5 years, and still would today. If I
needed a second PC for something. However, I have never reloaded Win 7. It appears much more complicated,
that did a PC with only a recovery disk. I usually back my files up, on a USB Drive (I have three).

So, in what situation would I need to reload Win 7, and how difficult is it? In Windows Back up or Restore Your
Files, I create a disk about once a month, using a blank DVD.

Under Backup, I have that sent to once a week. Any important files are also sent to e-mails web sites, like
Yahoo, Live & Excite. So, what would happen if I got a virus or something? Would be better to reset to a
previous time, or might I have to reload everything?

Yes I have the 3 disks, you are told to make when the machine first comes out of the box.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

So, in what situation would I need to reload Win 7, and how difficult is it? In Windows Back up or Restore Your
Files, I create a disk about once a month, using a blank DVD.

Under Backup, I have that sent to once a week. Any important files are also sent to e-mails web sites, like
Yahoo, Live & Excite. So, what would happen if I got a virus or something? Would be better to reset to a
previous time, or might I have to reload everything?

Yes I have the 3 disks, you are told to make when the machine first comes out of the box.

Reinstalling is normally a 30 minute or less job, to get Windows up and running. That excludes getting updated from Windows Update, reinstalling programs, etc.

I've gone years without having to do it and that's common.

If something bad happens you can do several things before resorting to a fresh install. System Restore works pretty well. Anti-virus and anti-malware tools normally can take care of those issues.

Those 3 discs will restore you to "out of the box" factory state--if they work as advertised. Any changes you've made since opening the box will NOT be restored--your data, new programs you've installed, etc.

Installation is pretty simple--insert the Windows installation disc (which you may not have but can download and burn to a disc), boot from that disc and follow the prompts. Normally, you'd delete all partitions when you come to the partitioning screen and let Windows take over from that point. It would reboot a time or two.

I'd be more than a little nervous about relying on Windows Backup.

 

[cmmtch]

I've used restore to an earlier time with no problems, recently I upgraded my SSD from a Crucial 64G to a Samsung 120G. The software that came with the Samsung is supposed to allow you to migrate your existing HDD or SSD to the new Samsung, it wouldn't work for me so I used a backup image. It worked great, there was no windows updates to download, I really didn't notice anything different.

I have the backup with image scheduled every Sunday to a second spinner HDD that I use for backups so there's not much change from week to week.

P.S. This is kind of important, it wouldn't boot from the new SSD at first, I had to use the CD to repair startup, had to run it two times before the boot was restored. After that everything was like it was on the old SSD.

 

[Ztruker]

Installing windows 7 is pretty straight forward. All the info you need is in these tutorials. They even tell you where to download a legal copy of Windows 7 is you don't have an install DVD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[gregrocker]

Everything that works best for reinstalling Win7 is compiiled in these same steps for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which are based on tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped do here since beta.

You only need to do one perfect install then capture it after setup in a backup image saved externally. Then if Win7 becomes irreparable you can reimage it to the HD or replacement in 20 minutes. But if you stick with the steps, tools and methods in tutorial, there will be no degradation of a perfect install.