Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

GabRieL · 26 Dec 2009

Tews said:

That is probably the best solution.. I just bought a 500gb external drive for $75.00 new so you shouldnt get hurt too bad, just remember to format it to NTFS first....

yea im looking at a Western Digital 500GB hard drive from 80 dollars...looks like thats the best deal at bestbuy.ca, i remember paying 250 dollars for a seagate 250gb like 4 years ago lol...gotta love technology!

Tews · 26 Dec 2009

Thats the drive that I bought today .. good form old bean!!!

robinb9 · 28 Dec 2009

i got the wd 1tb for $100- I saw the 500gig for $80 but for $20 and no shipping charges I just felt it was worth it

robin

Night Hawk · 29 Dec 2009

Hope you didn't get the Green Power 1tb model! I have two of those as well as having pulled a 500gb GP model out of an external casing for testing 7 back when the betas were first out and the GP models work for storage only for some reason.

One problem seen here when trying to make a complete backup with the first 64bit retail install before getting the 1tb WD Black edition model was the image turned out to be 1.2tb in size?! For the new drive now in I would need the WD 2tb model! All this before files(only 20gb) were loaded onto the drive.

gregrocker · 31 Dec 2009

Wish I'd seen this before now. Would have save a lot of typing!

Thanks, another great one Brink

Brink · 31 Dec 2009

You're welcome Greg. Thank you. :)

gregrocker · 04 Jan 2010

You might want to take a look at this: https://www.sevenforums.com/performan...tml#post457081

DrLangly · 07 Jan 2010

Hello. Im new here. Im just trying to make a backup image of the computer in its exact state and put it onto a dvd or two so i can backup. I bought this Dell Inspiron laptop and when i got it in the mail, no windows 7 re installation came with it.

I went to CONTROL PANEL > SYSTEM AND SECURITY > BACKUP AND RESTORE and selected CREATE A SYSTEM IMAGE from the left side panel. Im already on DVD 4....seems like its going to be way to big...

Is there a way for me to do this another way so i can re-install windows 7 in the current state my pc is in if something were to happen to it?

HELP!

wallyinnc · 07 Jan 2010

Hi DrLangly, welcome to the forums.
I expect it will be at least 10 DVDs, depending on how much bloatware they had installed. the system image copies everything in your HD
The better way to use the system image is to put it in an external HD or another internal HD.

If you want to create a bootable DVD with the system files only, you might try this tutorial

DrLangly · 07 Jan 2010

Wow wally, thank you for such a timely response. Believe it or not, i do computer work freelance at the moment, im just so new to windows 7 and some of the new menu's and such. Although the pc came with quite the amount of bloatware, i've stripped it bare, and installed only essential tools and always maintain a lightweight, clean and smooth running PC or Lappy.

Thank you for the recommendation on that thread, i'll go look at it now.

Again, thanks for such a timely response!