Windows 7: System Backup / Recovery Questions

[hanzj]

Hello,
I was thinking of creating a System Image Disc. I want to use a CD if all will fit on a CD. I would like to use a DVD only if things won't fit on a CD. How do I know how much data my System Image Disc will hold?

By the way, what's the difference between "Create a System Image" and "Create a System Repair Disc"?


Thanks!

[oobuntoo]

Hello,
I was thinking of creating a System Image Disc. I want to use a CD if all will fit on a CD. I would like to use a DVD only if things won't fit on a CD. How do I know how much data my System Image Disc will hold?

By the way, what's the difference between "Create a System Image" and "Create a System Repair Disc"?


Thanks!

You will definitely need several blank dvds. A system image is the image of your entire system (i.e. operating system and all software you installed, pretty much everything under the C: drive). So, how many blank dvds you need depends on how much of the C: drive space has been filled. You can use external hard drive or hard drive partition(different from C: drive) instead of blank dvds.
System repair disc, on the other hand, can fit on a single blank cd. It's just a disc that let you start the image restore process or run certain windows repair utilities.

[hanzj]

I can create a separate partition on the hard drive, which currently just has the C: drive. But if the C: Drive goes bad, won't the other partitions on the same hard drive be affected, too?

[hanzj]

So when is a System Repair Disc good enough? What jobs will a System Repair Disc be good enough for?

[oobuntoo]

I can create a separate partition on the hard drive, which currently just has the C: drive. But if the C: Drive goes bad, won't the other partitions on the same hard drive be affected, too?

If the partition that you use for storing your image is on the same hard drive as the C: drive and the whole drive goes bad, then you will loose everything on it. That is why it is a good idea to use external hard drive or a partition that is on a differnt drive than that of C: drive.

[oobuntoo]

So when is a System Repair Disc good enough? What jobs will a System Repair Disc be good enough for?

System repair disc is a bootable cd that allows you to attempt repair of booting problem or run commands like chkdsk, fixboot, and fixmbr, just to name a few. You may want to google to see what else it could do.

If you already have the original Windows 7 dvd, then you don't really need System repair disc. Windows 7 dvd already have all these capabilities.

[sandyd]

Hello,
I was thinking of creating a System Image Disc. I want to use a CD if all will fit on a CD. I would like to use a DVD only if things won't fit on a CD. How do I know how much data my System Image Disc will hold?

By the way, what's the difference between "Create a System Image" and "Create a System Repair Disc"?


Thanks!

you mean a system recovery disc. a system recovery disc wipes everything on your computer and returns it to factory settings. its done either by inserting the dvd, or by booting off the recovery partition. the system repair disc doesnt work in some situations, and as a result.... well, you whip out your restore discs and start all over again. the system restore discs take 2-3 single layer dvds, while the system repair takes up 1

[Johnsie]

You should use Acronis if you want to back up a Windows system.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/

[hanzj]

carlee,
The phrases I used, ("System Image" and ""System Repair Disc") are copied straight from the Windows 7 dialog window.

[hanzj]

I can't believe it. A freshly bought Windows 7 laptop's C: Drive is already using 30 GB of data. Wow! Is there a way to not include unnecessary stuff in making a "System Image" (aka system recovery)? If a regular dvd hold 4.7 GB, I need 7 DVDs!!!

[hanzj]

we don't have the original Windows DVD. The laptop didn't come with any DVDs.

[hanzj]

Hi, eveyrone.

Okay. I think I now can state what it is I'm looking for. When my computer is, say, taken over by viruses which delete all the files on my computer, I want to be able to fix that problem. I guess a "System Repair Disc" is not what I need. I guess I need what Win 7 calls "System Image Disc", is this correct?

If this is correct, is the "Create System Image Disc" provide by Win 7 the best solution? Or, as I infer from Johnsie's comment, is there non-official (read, non-Microsoft) solution that is better? If so, please tell me. Hope it's free! 8-)