Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

Here is the performance of a simple portable 500GB WD Elements HDD (size of a pack of cards). Takes on the order of ~30min to do a decent size image. That's what I'd recommend over a high capacity flash drive.



I wouldn't go too "cheap" with image storage when they can save you a lot of pain and grief. One image alone is risky.

Thanks alot for this guide...have never really cared about backups.
But got couple of old internal hdds i hook up in the external cradle via usb, so now im doing a backup that i will move when done =)

Can never be to safe right hehe

Yeah =D

Atm im moving the backup to an ext hdd..takes some time for 75GB

Btw, a pic of my usb haxxor cradle hahaha. instagram style

Hi Brink,

I've new to Windows 7 and have been trying to set up a back up plan.
I've made WindowsImageBackup on a separate USB 3.0 drive. Initially as part
of Windows Backup. Later did a few separately. I only realized that I have
no control of which images will be saved, other that the most recent that
will fit on the drive. This tutorial gives a way to save the images by renaming
before new images are made. However, is there a way to save the previous images
I made?

Thanks

mjf said:

Baritompa,
you should also note that your USB3 drivers load when you run Windows normally but when you attempt a system image restore using a standard "System Repair Disk" you need to manually load the drivers. This is described here
Problem recoverying from backup via USB 3.0 external drive

You can store the drivers on a USB flash drive.

Hi mjf, thanks for the warning. I've look at the above post, and while it suggests putting the drivers somewhere convenient such as a flash drive, I'm not sure where to find the drivers files to copy. Could I have some more details please. Thanks.

Brink said:

Hello Baritompa, and welcome to Seven Forums.

By default, it will save as many images that will fit in the WindowsImageBackup folder for up to 30% of the HDD's size. To save more than that on the same HDD would just require renaming the WindowsImageBackup folder as outlined in the tutorial. :)

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn, Sorry I wasn't clear. I have a 2TB USB 3.0 drive which I bought to be a backup drive. I have run windows backup twice (I think) to this W: drive. The first time requesting a systems image. I have also done "create a systems image" a few times. I have not used this drive for anything else (however I did put a deny "list folders/read" for the guest account on it). Attached are snapshots of what is on W:.

1. Do I still have 4 system images on this drive? If so how can I tell what dates and times for them? and if I rename WindowsImageBackup folder as described, will it keep them all saved?

2. Concerning the backup of my data. There seems to be one back up set folder which has two back up files folders. I thought
the second file folder was a differential one, but the earlier folder
has 10059 files 552GB, while the later has 10089 files 553GB. Could it be that because I changed permissions that they were saved twice?

3. Vaguely related to this concerns how file permissions get changed. I have a user account for using most of the time and an admin account for installation and backup tasks. Often when running with the admin acct, to open a file I get a pop up saying I do not have permission (even though the files and folder have full control for administrators), and the option given is to get perminent control. When I do this then my admin account is added to the permissions. Could this be what is causing them to be copied again by the backup?

Sorry to be so long winded. This forum is very helpful, although I really want to use the computer and not have to spend so much time trying to get Win7 to work for me. Thanks.