Working with System Image Backups in Windows 7

  System images are exact images of the drive that Windows is installed on and are used by Windows 7’s Backup and Restore tool. You can read more about Windows 7’s Backup and Restore in my Backup and Restore in Windows 7 - What it should have been in Vista! and Restoring Files with Backup and Restore in Windows 7 articles. A system image includes Windows and system settings, programs and files. You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer, or the drive that Windows is installed on, if your hard drive or computer ever stops working. When you restore your computer from a system image, it is a complete restoration and you can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced. Restoring Windows 7 systems with System images and Backup and Restore tool is also addressed in an upcoming article.

Note: Although this type of backup includes your personal files, remember that because of the fact that they cannot be used to restore individual items to restore, I strongly recommend that you regularly back up your files using the Backup and Restore.

Note: If you have more than one drive or partition on your computer, a system image is only made of the drive or partition that Windows is installed on.

Note: Remember, Windows 7 is still under development. The version I’m working with to grab screenshots from is beta build 7000, and things might (and probably will) change by RTM comes along.

 Open Backup and Restore by going to the Control Panel and typing “backup” in the search box. One of the results will lead you to it.

Restoring Windows 7 from a Backup System Image

As always, before rushing to totally wipe and re-install your system in case of a sudden software malfunction, make absolutely sure that you do need to go all the way. In many cases a wrong registry setting, a bad driver, a missing system file – all these might be repaired by performing a boot as Safe Mode, or if need arises, a system repair. However, if nothing else works, it’s time to bring in the heavy cannons and restore your system from a previously backed-up System Image.

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In my Working with System Image Backups in Windows 7 article I described the steps needed to be taken in order to successfully create a System Image backup of your Windows 7 computer.




Note: Remember, Windows 7 is still under development. The version used for these screenshots is beta build 7000, and things might (and probably will) change with RTM.
So first thing first – you must make be 100% sure that this is the only means to repair your system. Why? Well that’s because when you restore your computer from a system image, it's always a complete restoration. You cannot choose individual items to restore, and all of your programs, system settings, and files are replaced with those on the system image.
If you’re perfectly sure that a restore is the only way to get your computer back to business, you now have 3 options to start the restore operation:

Option 1: Restore using Recovery

This only works if your computer is still working and you can access Control Panel > Backup and Restore, or if you want to restore your system image backup onto a different computer.

Option 2: Restore Using a Windows Installation or System Repair Disk

If you cannot access Control Panel > Backup and Restore, you can restore your computer using a Windows installation DVD or a system repair disk (if you have previously created one).
To use this option, insert the installation disk or system repair disk into your computer’s CD/DVD drive.
Next, restart your computer using the computer's power button.
If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disk or system repair disk. If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, check the information that came with your computer. You may need to change your computer's BIOS settings.

Restoring Files with Backup and Restore in Windows 7

Following my Backup and Restore in Windows 7 - What it should have been in Vista! article, I would like to walk you through the steps needed to restore files or folders from a previous backup created by the new Windows 7 Backup and Restore tool.

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How can I write (burn) ISO files to CD or DVD?

 How can I write (burn) ISO files to CD or DVD?

ISO files are actually images of complete CDs or DVDs compiled as one whole image file (*.iso), just like Ghost does for hard disks and partitions. ISO images can be loaded into several different CD/DVD recording software packages to create CDs or DVDs.

  New: Create or Burn Any .ISO File to CD/DVD



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The Ultimate Guide to Hard Drive Partitioning

The Ultimate Guide to Hard Drive Partitioning

Disk partitioning divides the data storage space of a hard disk into separate areas referred to as 'partitions'. Partitions are usually created when the hard disk is first being prepared for usage. Once a disk is divided into partitions, directories and files may be stored on them. Because of later changes on the computer and operating system, often an administrator or power user will be faced with the need to resize partitions, create new partitions in the unallocated space, and sometimes even undelete partitions that were previously removed or deleted.

Hard disk partitioning tools will allow you to create additional partitions from existing ones by resizing the existing partitions and creating empty, un-used space on which you can create new partitions. The most important aspect of such tools is their ability to do this without losing your data that is currently on your existing partitions. Such tools allow you to create and format these new partitions.

Hard Drive Partitioning:  Use Caution!

Most tools will let you convert a partition from one file type to another, i.e. from NTFS to FAT/FAT32 or vice versa. Needless to say that in most cases, such a conversion, especially from NTFS to FAT/FAT32 will cause the files to lose their NTFS permissions (ACLs), and in some cases where EFS was used to encrypt the files, it will actually cause you to lose access to these files. So beware!
Some of these tools may be able to help you recover deleted partitions, and if data on that disk was un-damaged, actually help you gain access to that data. Some, but not all of the tools may have the ability to move existing partitions from one location on the disk to another location, again, without losing data.