Windows 7 System Image

If I create a system image with Backup And Restore Center of my 3 partitions on my HDD can I use that image to restore it onto a different HDD, provided I have the same version of Windows 7 on that 2nd HDD?

 

I think you can, but you must know it will replace your current Windows 7 on that disk with the one that was imaged.

 

So can I create an image of a freshly installed and activated OS?

 

Of course. I would use a proper imaging program though.

 

Windows 7 System Image is good enough. You can boot from your Created System Repair Disk, or your Win7 official disk, click on "repair Windows", and there is an option to restore to an image your computer.

 

I have used windows 7 to create a system image to my external. Have also loaded the image. It works great, and if you want, it'll do periodic backups for you.

 

You can use your setup disk to restore the image.

Keep in mind that installation may have problems if you plug it into a different computer.

Fred.

Fred Fred Bo Bred
Banana Nana Go Gred
Be Bi Bo Bred
Fred!!!!!

 

Thanks fellas you sold me on Windows 7 backup and Restore.

 

Just to sure...
"backup and restore" doesn't make an image... just a normal backup. Within the same panel you have an option on the left side column to create a system image.

 

Just make sure you are using Pro or Ultimate edition. They are the only ones with the System Image option.

 

My copy of Enterprise Edition is also able to make system images.

 

Can I do this?

My SSD comes with 7 Home Premium x64. I'll enter my Professional x64 key, making the Windows on the SSD a Professional x64 right?

Then, I'll restore from my image. That should remove everything currently on the SSD and replace it with my image right?

 

Yes

:yes: :yes:

 

Thanks! Tech coming tomorrow with my new parts, I hope everything goes well.

 

If it doesn't.... Time to break open the bottle.

 

OK that failed. I installed 7 HP x64 and then upgraded to Pro with my key, and tried to restore from image. It says reboot, so I did. Then it says to boot off the repair DVD and then restore. So I did. Then, I choose my restore image and everything, it says the disc cannot be found since the eHDD (on which I saved my image) was a system drive. What the heck?

Did this a few times, reinstalled Windows twice, and mind you I was extremely pissed since rebooting from the DVD took like 5 minutes each time. I even tried reformatting with the disc and installing to a new partition.

Finally, I just reinstalled everything manually. fml

 

This is very strange.

 

Boy. I'd definitely be unscrewing the bottle.

:cry:

 

I tried the built in system restore feature in W7 Ultimate and it's pretty slick. Don't forget to make a repair disc as you'll need it to boot and install the system image. Also you can use a CD for the repair disc as it's only 163MB. I used a DVD-R instead so if you want to save a DVD use a CD-R for the repair disc.

Also the snap shot image created will all be there including activation.

 

Dell gave me not 1, but 2 repair discs, so safe there.

Activation isn't my concern, I've phone-activated 3 times already. Just kinda annoyed that I had to reinstall everything.

 

That's the beauty of system backup/system image. You can install your programs, activate then backup your stuff. When you perform a restore everything is back to the way you had it before the backup.

So basically you can install all your programs or apps and back everything up to a DVD. When you need to restore everything is back to the way you left it.

 

You must of not read through the whole thread. The System Image didn't end up working for him.