SOLVED Windows 10 System Image

[dustywoodworker]

I set out to create a System Image for the OS on this computer (to be stored on a secondary drive on this computer).. It seemed like it was doing just that BUT when all done the file that was created (WindowsImageBackup) is only 24Kb in size. I was expecting something on the order of 80Gb.

Do I have a System Image or NO?

 

[Saltgrass]

Probably not, but you can drill down to the individual partition components to check. You may have done some other type of backup..

 

[dustywoodworker]

Never mind. I found what I was looking for (I think). Guess I won't know for sure until I need it.

 

[Grizzly]

Question: what program did you use to make an IMAGE?? It sure does not look like Acronis or others I know....

 

[Wolfie]

Hi dustywoodworker,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML

As Grizzly said, what you have is not a drive image file by the look of things!.

 

[dustywoodworker]

I am running Win10. I do not have any other tools like Acronis.

From the Home screen: Control Panel/System Security/Backup and Restore/Create a System Image+

You see in the previous post what resulted.

 

[Mike Kingsbury]

Hi

I use and recomend EaseUS Todo backup and recover.
It is free, and and much easier to use than any other application that I have ever used.

I literally will create a backup with 3 mouse clicks once you have indicated where you want to save them.

And it has never failed to work. I can't remember how many times it has saved me from hours of messing around trying to fix a computer that is malfunctioning or won't boot.

It will create it's boot and repair disk, just pop it in and in less than half an hour your computer is as good as new.

Mike

https://www.easeus.com/backup-software/personal.html

 

[Saltgrass]

Never mind. I found what I was looking for (I think). Guess I won't know for sure until I need it.

It appears to be a normal image backup. The C partition is the largest one on the top and you can mount that, if you ever want to, in Disk Management or just highlight it and select mount then open Disk Management. It will give a warning but you need to add a drive letter in Disk Management.

Be careful to detach the volume when you are done with it.

Many folks in these forums will suggest other image creation software. I don't like to use them and continue to use the Windows one. It is a little restricted in what it can do but for me, has been very reliable.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Saltgrass, thank you. I should have cleaned up the drive contents before I did this but I thought I was doing JUST a System Image. I got a number of data files that I'll never use/need. This has been a great learning experience for me.

Can I delete those files while in Disk Management without endangering the rest of the "system backup"?

 

[Saltgrass]

I don't know for sure but since they are compressed in that configuration, it might cause problems. I have never tried so no experience. I know you can pull files out if needed to use but that doesn't change anything in the image.

 

[Foxes7890]

I have a problem and I am not sure it this is the right place. I do a system back to an earlier restore point. All goes as usual until it does a registry restore. It doing repeating this statement on my screen. It will do this until I have to shut the computer down by holding the power button for 10 seconds. Then the computer comes right back to the original point before I tryed to do an earlier restore.
I have Windows 10 home. It has never done this before. I did have the computer checked over and there was no virus or spyware. HELP>

 

[dustywoodworker]

Saltgrass, thank you. I should have cleaned up the drive contents before I did this but I thought I was doing JUST a System Image. I got a number of data files that I'll never use/need. This has been a great learning experience for me.

Can I delete those files while in Disk Management without endangering the rest of the "system backup"?

I don't know for sure but since they are compressed in that configuration, it might cause problems. I have never tried so no experience. I know you can pull files out if needed to use but that doesn't change anything in the image.

I don't know for sure but since they are compressed in that configuration, it might cause problems. I have never tried so no experience. I know you can pull files out if needed to use but that doesn't change anything in the image.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Since I have managed to create what looks like a System Image (w/ Data Backup), I am going to mark this as Resolved. I am not going to attempt to alter the existing contents. I really won't know for sure that I have a means to recover from a system crash but if one happens I have a chance. I did not have that before. Thanks for your patience and assistance.

 

[Grizzly]

I just tried the Windows 10 internal backup procedure. What a disaster. It only tried to back up personal files and not even the whole System drive. Second it stopped after a few minutes saying the backup has not been created yet even though I told it to backup.
Fortunately I never relied on windows internal "tools". I'd say I am gonna stick with my Acronis (it has never let me down) or as my backup Easeus or Macrium Reflect

 

[T_J]

I've used Windows 10 - 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)' program since February 2016 when I upgraded Windows 7 to 10. I have restored the hard drive image several times since 2016 with no problems using this program. Below are details of one of my 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)' hard drive image. My 2012 Dell desktop has: (1) Dell Utility (partition?) , (2) Recovery partition , and (3) OS partition. Program not very fast but it has worked great for me and price was right (FREE).

Also - click on 'Create a system repair disc' on left side of Backup and Restore (Windows 7) window, it is directly under 'Create a system image'. You will need a DVD/CD burner to make the system repair disk.

To restore your image, put system repair disc in DVD drive and plug in your USB drive if that is where your image is. Then restart PC and follow instructions. Sometimes I make images each week if I get a lot of updates.

Backup and Restore (Windows 7) by T J, on Flickr

 

[T_J]

To better understand my image files above, here are image files of the same hard drive from Norton Ghost 15 software. This Dell still has the same partitions that Dell made in 2012 for Windows 7. Ghost 15 does change the naming of the partition numbers for the image files, but OS is still on C after restoration. Dell has a 1tb hard drive.

I would not delete any files associated with your hard drive image from 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)'. Just restart your PC with the System Repair Disc, and follow the simple instruction.

Ghost-15-images by T J, on Flickr

 

[Wolfie]

I have a problem and I am not sure it this is the right place. I do a system back to an earlier restore point. All goes as usual until it does a registry restore. It doing repeating this statement on my screen. It will do this until I have to shut the computer down by holding the power button for 10 seconds. Then the computer comes right back to the original point before I tryed to do an earlier restore.
I have Windows 10 home. It has never done this before. I did have the computer checked over and there was no virus or spyware. HELP>

Hi, it would be better if you start your own new thread as this one is marked as resolved for the OP!.