Brand New Win8 Laptop - Need to make initial backup

Hi,

I just bought a new Gateway laptop that's come pre-installed with Windows 8.

I've just gone through the initial setup and before I use it, need to make the initial Windows 8 and system backup incase I need to restore the system should something go wrong.
I want to do this BEFORE anything (I've not even installed any anti-virus yet)

I'm totally new to Windows 8 and would really appreciate if someone could guide me through the process.

Thanks in anticipation.

Warm Regards.

 

Hi bizres,

I think you'll want to get a System Image at its current state then start regular backups. This might be what you're looking for, from yesterday:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-8-1-backup-restore-question.html#post9450854

And, this: System Image - Create in Windows 8[1]=Backup Restore

 

I highly recommend this free software Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Overview, Once the image is made you can restore entire partitions, individual folders or files. Also the built-in wizards make using it very easy.

 

Thanks.

I'm taking a look at the pre-installed Gateway Recovery Management and there's a " Create Factory Default Backup" but it's like wanting to backup to USB.
I really don't trust removable media and having just a single backup.
I was hoping there maybe a possibility to make something like an .iso image and have multiple copies over DVD's, USB, copies in other external HDD?

Also, I though there is a backup partition coming with Win8 and while I look into "My Computer", I can see only one HDD which is 449GB. Is there some hidden partition somewhere, 'cos the laptop states to have a 500GB HDD?

 

The HDD manufacturers advertise 500 GB as 500 000 000 000 Bytes or 500x1000 ³ Bytes. The thing is that computers working in binary (base 2 instead of base 10), windows counts 1 GB as being 1024 ³ Bytes. (1000/1024) ³ will give you ~93% which is the storage capacity reported by Windows.

EDIT: That would actually make 465 GB, remove the hidden recovery partition which is surely there and you'll end up with 449 GB. Check in disk management if you want to see if there are other partitions.

 

Open a command prompt as administrator (right click), type: diskpart, then: list volume

It'll show you all partition volumes.

EDIT: To see hidden partitions on the disk, type: list disk; select disk n; list partition. (n=number of disk to focus on)

It is advisable to backup to an external USB HDD or another internal HDD.

Also, should be able to create that image including the Mfr. recovery partition.

 

Gateway does have the USB Recovery Drive option which also makes a backup of the Recovery Partition - all onto a USB stick.
Once USB Recovery Drive is made, is it possible to make backups of the USB (USB Recovery Drive)?

 

If what you're asking is that after a USB Thumb Flash drive has been made, connecting a USB HDD then backing up that Flash drive to the HDD, then yes I think you should be able to do that. The W8 backup should allow you to include it. But as always, verify afterwards by checking the backup files, that everything you wanted was backed up.

When you take a W8 image of your system drive, restoration is also easy and fast.

 

Thanks, RCB.

 

Turn file backup on, make a system image(lower left hand corner of page) save image to external HD, make a usb flash drive recovery drive,,system image here in win 8.1 is as good as windows 7,,save your money,,I used once already,,,,AVG secure search, wrecked the settings on win 8.1 like a virus , system image was installed all good,,, used the usb drive to boot too reinstall the saved image.,,,:hi2:

Cheers , Prost
3Fees

 

I use Macrium Reflect Free edition. It's robust and easy to use. I've had issues using Windows to actually RESTORE a system. It seemed like the backup went OK but no matter what I did durin the restore process, it kept failing. Thankfully I also do a Reflect backup, and system was up and running in no time. This was for a friend's computer and similar issue with my parent's laptop.