TUTORIAL: Windows 7 and Windows 10 together with Linux - Quick restore and optimize

[cannie]

1.- Adding "Unmount.reg" is a permanent change; what are the disadvantages to making this permanent change?

2.- After I set up my computer this way, Acronis True Image can't find the hard drives/partitions in my computer when I try to run it.

3.- Are we supposed to change the registry back to its state before adding "Unmount.reg" after each copy of the system?

Hello rlstroncek!

I have numbered your questions for a better answer:

1.- Units keep mounted even after running "Unmount.reg" and the registry is updated automatically at next reboot. The change is therefore no permanent and has no disadvantages at all.

2.- When you use "Unmount.reg" your registry gets modified so that you can use Windows 7 into any other primary partition. It achieves its goal by totally deleting any references to the unit into which the OS is working and also to all other mounted ones. It doesn't leave into the recovery file any reference to the original unit. You should rather save the recovery copy into an external device (copy/paste) or by building a rar file of it to be saved on DVD using the UDF format of Nero.

3.- No need to change the registry back to its state after each copy of the system: as soon as you reboot all units will be mounted, recovering the deleted registry keys.

Enjoy it!

cannie

PS: Being this explanation very important, last paragrah of the tutorial has been modified to include it.

Edited January 16, 2011 by cannie

[cannie]

I have noticed that the compressed recovery .rar file can also be fully copied into a DVD by simply using the Windows 7 file manager.

Trying to make it better I've modified the text to include this easier method. Of course you may keep using the UDF format of NERO or any other burning program for the same purpose.

HTH

cannie

Edited August 18, 2010 by cannie

[cannie]

Revised and improved in many points, collecting new suggestions and personal experiences.

HTH

cannie

Edited August 22, 2010 by cannie

[m0gely]

It's seams like the primary focus here is to quickly do a bare metal restore of the machine. It's a nice experimentation exercise, but I don't see the point beyond that. It's not a backup, so that's something the user still needs to do. Wouldn't it be easier to have an external hard drive and regularly use the built in Windows backup so your backups are up to date? This reminds me of all the extra partitioning people were doing with Win9x back in the day. Ugh. And why not use Virtual machines for testing? You get snapshot capabilities that can't be any easier to use. Many bits of good knowledge here. I just don't see why anyone would go through all this trouble.

[cannie]

1.- It's not a backup, so that's something the user still needs to do.

2.- Wouldn't it be easier to have an external hard drive and regularly use the built in Windows backup so your backups are up to date?

3.- Why not use Virtual machines for testing.

Hi mOgely!

I've resumed and numbered your questions for a better answer.

1.- The purpose of the tutorial is not to describe a backup method: there are a lot of excellent ones. But as a consequence of the proposed optimized system the recovery "unmounted" copy is a backup for both primary partitions. You may also backup your personal files into an external device, but they are not permanently in danger.

2.- If you simply use the traditional image obtaining methods, when your C drive fails you must stop working and you loose all your not previously saved personal files.

3.- Using virtual machines for testing is also an excellent option for those who prefer it.

HTH

Edited September 1, 2010 by cannie

[Guest nfljerseys]

Thanks for this site very helpful.

Edited September 2, 2010 by Tripredacus
removed links

[m0gely]

2.- If you simply use the traditional image obtaining methods, when your C drive fails you must stop working and you loose all your not previously saved personal files.

We agree factory restore images are bad. However Windows backup in Win7, and business versions of Vista create a current image of the entire system. When you restore the image, it contains all your current personal files so nothing is lost. This requires you to backup regularly, but in Windows 7 it can easily be scheduled and is a question the user is asked when they run their first backup. The backup software takes care of this for them. You mention "when your C drive fails." I know that what you mean is, when the "Windows partition needs rebuilt". However, if the hard drive physically fails, then nothing is gained by your method. In either case, using Windows backup or other backup tools to create a restore image that is regularly updated would still be a solution. It's fine, we just prefer different methods. I just prefer less effort.

[cannie]

1.- Windows backup in Win7, and business versions of Vista create a current image of the entire system. When you restore the image, it contains all your current personal files so nothing is lost. This requires you to backup regularly, but in Windows 7 it can easily be scheduled and is a question the user is asked when they run their first backup.

2.- The backup software takes care of this for them. You mention "when your C drive fails." I know that what you mean is, when the "Windows partition needs rebuilt". However, if the hard drive physically fails, then nothing is gained by your method. In either case, using Windows backup or other backup tools to create a restore image that is regularly updated would still be a solution. It's fine, we just prefer different methods. I just prefer less effort.

Well, I see it this way:

1.- Even when the recovery system now used by Microsoft is by far the best of all existing ones, no scheduling saves the last minute introduced personal files, unless you save inmediately every change, and today, as you know, your personal files are very frequently dispersed into hundreds of GB.

2.- Of course I exclude a physical failure of the HD. In that case the only solution is a new one. But in the everyday use we all have lived experiences in which restoring to a previous moment was not enough and you had to pick your external image to rebuild totally the HD, including the personal, and normally outdated, files and folders. Then you must stop working, and that may be a big problem in critical moments.

HTH

cannie

[dencorso]

The best strategy is many at once: full partition images burnt regularly to DVDs, full partition images saved at finer regular intervals to a big external HDD, two HDDs with independents OSes in system partitions and one data partition in one of them incrementally backed-up to another one of the same size in the other. And, at least one aditional partition in one of the drives for discardable data (which can be lost without problems) and the page file. It's time consuming, but the more paranoid you are, the safer you get.

[catsado]

For me the best way to get speed for your Win 7 is to install it on a SSD , and keep your data on a HDD .

[cannie]

1. Install (Windows 7) on a SSD, and keep your data on a HDD.

Probably in a near future all hard drives will be outdated and substituted by solid state devices, but today is today.

[R600]

Isn't this the same as HyperOS? Given that this method maybe free, the process sounds a bit time consuming compared to HyperOS.

I haven't used it since 2005, but I do remember that having installed XP once, I could clone the C: drive and dump it on to a newly created partition via HyperOS and use the cloned copies as one wishes.

[cannie]

1.- Isn't this the same as HyperOS

2.- Having installed XP once, I could clone the C: drive and dump it on to a newly created partition via HyperOS and use the cloned copies as one wishes.

I've numbered your questions for an easier answer:

1.- This method is only based upon a previous one by choosing, collecting, resuming and putting together many ideas suggested by other members, now updated and rebuilt in order to optimize your HD for Windows 7 and duplicate your installation into the same HD, using your Administrator rights for it. You can find such antecedents here:

How to create easily a second Win98/XP in the same computer

BTW: Being this explanation very important, last paragrah of the tutorial has been modified to include it.

2.- Windows 7 is about 10 times bigger than Xp and is by far much better in every sense, including protection measures.

Thanks, R600!

cannie

[Bi2L]

Sorry for off topic but The Title must be HDD not HD

HOW TO OPTIMIZE Hard Disk Drive, not HOW TO OPTIMIZE High Definition

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR HDD FOR WINDOWS 7

[cannie]

Sorry for off topic but The Title must be HDD not HD

HOW TO OPTIMIZE Hard Disk Drive, not HOW TO OPTIMIZE High Definition

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR HDD FOR WINDOWS 7

Hi Bi2L!

Even when HD is commonly used for "High Definition", the same initial letters are valid for "Hard Disk" and also "Hard Drive" in opposition "Pendrive" or "External Drive", according to the context into which they are used.

Best wishes

cannie

Edited September 18, 2011 by cannie