creating a backup Image of my System win7 X64

[arik3k]

hey all,

i finally jumped onto windows 7 x64 and ACHI mode.

now i wonder what app do u use to create an image backup ?

wonder what to use, cause i've put lots of hours creating the pc exactly as i want it.

acronis true image, norton ghost or maybe Winpe+IMAGEX - last one i used in vista, dunno if that version works well on win7 images.

thanks for all the responses.

[duronbas]

I often use the bootable cd of acronis so i recommend acronis true image

[Access Denied]

Win 7 has its own backup and it works great. Even makes images now.

Look under Start, All Programs, Maintenance.

Enjoy

[Andromeda43]

For some weird reason, I'd never trust Windows to back up Windows.

Yes, go with the third party backup program like Acronis True Image,

run from a bootable CD.

I have also used Ghost 11.5, booted from a bootable flash drive.

Both programs work like a champ, to backup Vista or Win-7.

I'm just curious though............ how are you going to boot up your PC after the hard drive has totally crashed

and restore the image that Windows made?

You MUST have your backup/restore program on some bootable media.

Also, the Backup Image File itself must be somewhere other than on your HD.

Just a thought,

B)

Edited September 6, 2009 by Andromeda43

[Access Denied]

Win 7 creates bootable media when you make the first backup.

[midiman]

Windows has never been great on backup.

I use Ghost for all my backup procedures.

Make a decent backup and recovery plan.

i.e backup the image to another drive on your pc. Store another copy onto another physical disk.

Disks are cheap and a decent 250Gb - 500Gb disk can hold a lot of images.

If you need to restore your PC just use the local drive copy of the image, or if your hard disk has failed insert a new disk and restore from the image stored on your second disk.

[Eager_Beever]

I use Acronis True Image and am fully satisfied with it. You need the Restore/Bootable CD of Acronis Tru Image. There is no need to install (or keep installed) the local copy. Just boot your system using the boot media, create the image and that it. You may keep another copy of the image in a separate harddisk for emergency or when the original harddisk crashes and makes it totally inaccessible. When the need arises, just boot your system using the boot CD, choose restore, select the image, choose where to write the image and your system will be up and running in around 10 minutes.

Eager_Beever

[*Daniel]

I use paragon drive backup pro, and that comes with a winpe cd as well. I really don't like boot cd that boot into linux, mainly driver issue for SATA/RAID controlers

[g-force]

I prefer Acronis too.

Images stored on external HDD (a slow, but safe place).

[Access Denied]

I just restored an image to another disk using 7's backup. no 3rd party required.

[jago_lfn]

Win 7 creates bootable media when you make the first backup.

I just restored an image to another disk using 7's backup. no 3rd party required.

It's going to take a while for people to get used to this. I've had no problems with backups made in win7 and I dont even bother with acronis anymore now.

[amenx]

I just checked the backup options on Win7 x64. To make a system image, the only option that seems available is to image your ENTIRE drive, not just the Win 7 partition! I have a 640gb drive with a 40gb system partition and about 300gb of games/music on another partition which I do not want backed up but seems I would be forced to if I use the windows image backup. Incredible!

Oh well, thankfully 3rd party apps offer logical, practical options, MS = fail on simple backup options.

[spacesurfer]

I just checked the backup options on Win7 x64. To make a system image, the only option that seems available is to image your ENTIRE drive, not just the Win 7 partition! I have a 640gb drive with a 40gb system partition and about 300gb of games/music on another partition which I do not want backed up but seems I would be forced to if I use the windows image backup. Incredible!

Oh well, thankfully 3rd party apps offer logical, practical options, MS = fail on simple backup options.

What version of 7 are you using?

I have created several backups of just ONE partition of my HDD. No problems here.

[amenx]

RTM x64. I double checked to make sure I wasnt missing anything, but nope I have no option to choose drives or partitions. The drives to be backed up are pre-selected and and shaded, ie, cant uncheck them. They inclued my XP dual boot installation on another drive, my Win7 partition and my large games partition (which is on the same drive):

And as I scroll down the drives list, my 500gb games partition (H) is included as well:

And it sees that large partiton as a "system" drive for some reason and is included "by default" as stated in the dialogue box.

[spacesurfer]

You may have some rogue system files in those locations. It seems that if you have a dual boot, it will back up both so both can be restored. You might have your system files in the other partition. Seems to me that's expected behaviour. It detects where your system files are.

What if you backed up just the d: and not c: where your boot files are? You're still screwed then. If you want to avoid, you prolly have to use another program.