Take multiple full system image backups

[tempid159]

Is it possible to take multiple full system image backups? I don't want increments. I want full everytime like ghost 2003. Here is what I'm trying to do - Clean Windows 7 Install and activation (and do a full backup) Install anti-virus, other utilities (and do a full backup) Install Photoshop (and do a full backup) Install Premiere (and do a full backup) and the list goes on.. I need to be able to restore to any backup image and do a full system image restore. I do want to increments and heard of volume shadow copy blah blah.. I don't want to use 3rd-party tools like acronis, macrium unless I really need to. Thanks for any help.

 

[karlsnooks]

tempid,
One of way doing this would be to create a small partition on an external disk and use Win 7's Backup to do a full system image backup. Then create another small partition, install you next program, and backup. You would continue creating a parition, adding software and the backing up.

Another approach, which I've not tried yet, would be to use Disk2VHD and put the image on a vhd file on your external drive. Then when needed you would restore from the
VHD. As said, I've not done this yet and don't like to recommend something I've not done myself. The first solution I've tried and that works like a champ.

Another approach would be to work with WIM files. ImageX in the Windows Automated Installation Kit can create and apply WIM files. The one time I tried this it worked but I did have a couple of peculiarities which may have been due to the fact that I restored to different sized partitions. Right now the only procedure I can recommend, using only Microsoft software is the first offered solution. I have just today used Acronis True Image 2010 successfully to save and restore and using the Acronis software then multiple images would be easy to work with, however, this is a non-microsoft solution and there are others out there.

My trouble is that presently I don't have a system that I can sacrifice for the type of experimentation I'd like to try. Let's hope that someone else has a good solution for you using MS software.

 

[rerice]

You can do this with Windows Image Backup. Just save each backup in a
separate file.

Richard

 

[tempid159]

Just save each backup in a
separate file.

Richard

Hi Richard, could you please elaborate?

Here is what I've done so far -

I've 1 hdd with 2 partitions C (50gb) and D (850gb). C drive has Windows. D is for storage. After a clean install, I created a system restore backup image on the D drive. Windows created a "WindowsImageBackup" folder on the D drive and inside it has a folder with my machine name something like this -

D:\WindowsImageBackup\MyPC\<backup files>

Total size is about 7.5gb. I read somewhere that if I rename the MyPC folder to something else (like MyPC-CleanInstall) and create another system image, it creates a full image instead of an incremental image because a full image with the machine name doesn't already exist. So I created a new text document on the desktop (so I can differentiate this image from the original one) and created a new system image. It created a new folder in the WindowsImageBackup folder with my machine name and it's about the same size as my original image. At this point, I ended up with 2 folders in the WindowsImageBackup folder -

D:\WindowsImageBackup\MyPC-CleanInstall (original image re-named)
D:\WindowsImageBackup\MyPC (second image)

I now wanted to restore to my original "MyPC-CleanInstall" image to make sure the text document I created on the desktop doesn't show up. I booted into WinRE and I saw 2 images (MyPC & MyPC-CleanInstall) to restore from. I selected "MyPC-CleanInstall" and once it's done and restarted, I did not see the text document I created which meant that this is the original image.

Here's the weird part -- I now connected my external USB drive, created a WindowsImageBackup folder at the root and copied the contents of MyPC-CleanInstall (D:\WindowsImageBackup\MyPC-CleanInstall) into it and re-named it. I wanted to make sure that the images are not tied to the location somehow (D drive and volume shadow copy thing). I need to be able to move these images anywhere and should be able to restore. So now it looked something like -

E:\WindowsImageBackup\MyPC-CleanInstall-External

and I booted into WinRE with my USB drive still connected. To my surprise, the only image I could restore from was this one - D:\WindowsImageBackup\MyPC. It's the second image which has the text document on the desktop. It didn't recognize the other image that is at the same location nor did it the recognize the image on the USB drive. There was an option to select a driver and open any other storage device which opened a browse window and I was able to see the external drive, C and D drives. I thought I will be able to see 3 restore images to choose from but I saw only one!

At this point, I'm totally confused.

 

[tempid159]

tempid,
One of way doing this would be to create a small partition on an external disk and use Win 7's Backup to do a full system image backup. Then create another small partition, install you next program, and backup. You would continue creating a parition, adding software and the backing up.

That seems very tedious. There should an easier way.

Another approach, which I've not tried yet, would be to use Disk2VHD and put the image on a vhd file on your external drive.

Another approach would be to work with WIM files. ImageX in the Windows Automated Installation Kit can create and apply WIM files.

I will look into it and let you know. Thanks .

 

[karlsnooks]

tempid,
the rename approach should work for you, if you always put your backups on an external drive. Backing up to a drive you want to backup is sort of senseless in my opinion.

 

[polarbear]

I have been testing Paragon Backup and Recovery for a few months now and have backup my system and restored it every which way... Worth the look and the read... GL

 

[tempid159]

tempid,
the rename approach should work for you, if you always put your backups on an external drive. Backing up to a drive you want to backup is sort of senseless in my opinion.

I get your point. But I want 2 copies of the backups just to be safe. I will have to move the backup images to some other location anyway and looks like it's not gonna work that way. With Ghost 2003, I could copy/move the backups to any location and it still restores everything nicely as long as it's able to find the image.

 

[tempid159]

I have been testing Paragon Backup and Recovery for a few months now and have backup my system and restored it every which way... Worth the look and the read... GL

I just checked their website (http://www.paragon-software.com/products/home/windows/backuprecovery) and its $69.95. I am looking for something free.

 

[tempid159]

tempid,
the rename approach should work for you, if you always put your backups on an external drive. Backing up to a drive you want to backup is sort of senseless in my opinion.

Also, when I had 2 images on the D drive and backed-up to the first image and booted into WinRE to restore the 2nd image, it's not able to see the second image. It only recognizes the first one. The reason I believe is that the second copy was created later than the first one and I'm now in the environment where the second image hasn't been created yet so Windows doesn't know its there. (hope i'm making sense)

 

[polarbear]

I have been testing Paragon Backup and Recovery for a few months now and have backup my system and restored it every which way... Worth the look and the read... GL

I just checked their website (http://www.paragon-software.com/products/home/windows/backuprecovery) and its $69.95. I am looking for something free.

Guess I got lucky as it was free a few months ago...

 

[karlsnooks]

tempid,
I've been doing some testing lately with Acronis True Image Home 2010. This product will do what you are looking for but this product is also not free.

 

[Phone Man]

I use Macrium Reflect Free. The web site doesn't mention the free version but it is available at CNET.

Macrium Reflect Free - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

When you save the image you select a name and it adds it to the same folder. I have 3 images on my system.

Jim

 

[polarbear]

Here you go Paragon is free today... Hope you catch this before the offer expires... GL

 

[vicvic]

give this a shot

when you go to replace an image scan for images. it should bring up all images. (i think that i have done it this way)

i did the same thing - I system imaged my computer at basic and then with everything installed to dvd. I now create a system image once a week to an external drive. I move the old image to a new folder then create the new on onto the drive. Works fine.

just remembered - If you move the file/folder to another location (usb) and the computer doesn't see it and you want to put this image on. Copy the file/folder to your desktop. For some reason it will then work. This is how i managed to do it in the past.

 

[nailzuk]

But I want 2 copies of the backups just to be safe.

get 2 external drives
backing up to the same drive is indeed a #fail

 

[mjf]

Windows wants to see a valid image folder [WindowsImageBackup] in the root of a partition. I use a number of partitions but more importantly rename to something like WindowsImageBackup_12_11_10 and store as many as I like. Once renamed windows imaging will act like they don't exist and a fresh image can be made.
Simply rename back to windowsimagebackup and provided the image was valid in the first place, the image restore will recognise it and restore it. Also:
1) I only make one image (ie. I don't image over an existing image)
2) Renaming in prime root folder is easy to do from the system repair disk
3) I have recovered from a renamed root image folder without problem.

I think poking down deeper towards the vhd file or files is risky.

 

[richnrockville]

tempid,
I've been doing some testing lately with Acronis True Image Home 2010. This product will do what you are looking for but this product is also not free.

Exactly what I have been doing for a long time with Acronis.
I have 4 small external Esata drives where each week I create a full image
of my C and D drives.

Each has a different name based on time/date so you get to pick which one
you want to restore when you boot your system with the Cd that you create
from within Acronis.

BTW: Acronis is cheaper if you are a member of a user group by going to
the UGR.COM store (user group connection) and they are a dist for acronis
and give a good cheap price.
I don't have any financial connection but have bought several copies for
my clients and friends.

Rich

 

[gregrocker]

It's true you gain more flexibility by using the two other preferred free apps Macrium and Paragon 10, however you can do what you want as Richard said by simply placing the whole backup folder WindowsImageBackup into another folder with the date and your code name for it.

When you are ready to use it, remove it from the folder and place it in the root of the external.

Or you can rename it, but as Michael says it must be named back to exactly WindowsImageBackup to be detected.

Do not mess with the contents of the sub-folders.