System Backup

rjkardo

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Member
Messages
24
Location
Houston, Texas
I am dual-booting Win7 and Win8. From within Win8 I am trying to do a system backup of just my Win8 system. However, it won't let me chose just the Win8 partition. Is there any way to do this? Thanks, Rod
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
Hello Rod,

Not with the built-in System Image feature in Windows. By default, all system drives are included in the system image and cannot be unselected since they are required for both Windows to run properly.

This was done to make sure you didn't miss including anything in the system image, and not having it work when needed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Hello Rod,

Not with the built-in System Image feature in Windows. By default, all system drives are included in the system image and cannot be unselected since they are required for both Windows to run properly.

This was done to make sure you didn't miss including anything in the system image, and not having it work when needed.

So, I cannot do it with the built in system image feature.
That implies that there is another way to do it?
Perhaps a free way to do it?

Thanks,
Rod
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
Yep, but be sure that you also include your boot partition as well. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Screenshot.jpg
This is what my disk management shows.
The C and D drives are my Win 8 and Win 7 partitions.
E and F are a separate drive.

What is the best way to be sure?

Thanks,
Rod
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
I assume you want to image just the win8 (C) and not the 60gb New volume?

You can do that - and it should be fine after restore - but it will still be dependent on the 60gb new volume being ok. To be extra safe, I suggest making win 8 (C ), the system partition.

It will be independent then and allow much more flexibilty.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Here is what happened, the full story.
I purchased the Win8 upgrade CD from a local Microcenter. Since they had the disks for $40 I figured it was a great deal and better than doing the online upgrade, as I would have the DVD.

My wife's computer is identical to mine. I built them both from parts at Newegg. They were running Win7 64 bit.
On my computer, I put the extra partition of 60 gigs on disk 0 so that I could run the Win8 beta.
That is what shows up as the current C:
The only part I want/need to backup is the current C partition.

When I ran the 64 bit Win8 DVD, for the heck of it I ran it from the Win8 beta, expecting it to fail. But it didn't, it ran through with no problem. But it did not give me any options to save personal files or settings, nor the option to do a "Clean" install.
I still have a Windows.old folder, though...but it has nothing in it as I had nothing under the Win8 beta that I intended to keep.

When I ran the upgrade on my wife's computer (a second 64 bit DVD, trying to be completely legit here), I ran it under her Win 7 and it again ran just fine. The only option it gave me was to save personal files and settings, which it also stored under the Windows.old.

Now, I want to do a system backup so that I don't have to install Win7 in order to run the Win 8 upgrade, but I am not sure if that is necessary either. Regardless, I want to run the backup just to make life easier and not have to redo Outlook and other settings.

Hope this all makes sense.

Rod
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8
Rod,

You're in luck. You can do a clean install or upgrade install with a upgrade copy of Windows 8. No need to install Windows 7 first. :)

I'll let Simon continue about "Macrium Reflect" for the system image. He has more experience with that program that me.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
I think he's trying to avoid reinstalling and setting everything up again - hence the image backup.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I think he's trying to avoid reinstalling and setting everything up again - hence the image backup.

Well, I am just trying to learn what exactly I am dealing with; I am not certain what will work.
Doing the system restore is fine, doing a reinstall is fine. I did not know that the dvd allowed me to do a full reinstall.

That is a bit curious, don't you think? Why sell the full version and the upgrade version if the upgrade version will do a full install?

Or am I misunderstanding something (again)?

Thanks,
Rod
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 8

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    mix: Win95, 98, XP Pro, Vista, 7, 8.
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    30: mix of Dell Latitudes, Dimensions, Optiplexes, HP 6400, Acer, and a bunch of 286-486 incl. GRiD
    CPU
    varies from Atom to i7 quad
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    varies, mostly 4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon, Intel, nVidia
    Sound Card
    Creative Soundblaster, Xonar, Intel
    Monitor(s) Displays
    varies, mostly FHD or widescreen used
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 or 1600x900 or 1366x768 etc
    Hard Drives
    Many kinds, probably Hitachi, Seagate, or WD
    Keyboard
    Dell
    Mouse
    Dell wireles
    Internet Speed
    1 G
    Browser
    Firefox preferred
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    Endless computer glitches
Just switched from using the built-in imaging to using Macrium.

Very happy with it so far.

Am re-imaging all my machines with it.

Like brainout, I found issues with the other alternatives I tried.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit (7 Ult, Vista & XP in V-Box)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G 'Super-Laptop'.
    CPU
    Intel Sandy-Bridge i7-2670QM quad-core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 3000HD / Ge-Force GT555M 2 gigs
    Sound Card
    Realtek/5.1 Dolby built-in including speakers.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18.4" full-HD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1024
    Hard Drives
    2x750GB Toshiba internal, 1x500GB Seagate external, 1x2TB Seagate external, 1x640GB Toshiba pocket-drive, 1x640GB Samsung pocket drive.
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Air-cooled
    Mouse
    I/R cordless.
    Internet Speed
    Borderline pathetic.
Switched back again...

Macrium point-bank refused to restore an image.

ANY image. ANYwhere.

Easeus, well, isn't.

Paragon works, but I don't trust it yet....am testing.

Going back to the built-in Whinge-doze imaging.

At least I KNOW it works every time.

Most of this 3rd-party imaging software is crap.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit (7 Ult, Vista & XP in V-Box)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G 'Super-Laptop'.
    CPU
    Intel Sandy-Bridge i7-2670QM quad-core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 3000HD / Ge-Force GT555M 2 gigs
    Sound Card
    Realtek/5.1 Dolby built-in including speakers.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18.4" full-HD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1024
    Hard Drives
    2x750GB Toshiba internal, 1x500GB Seagate external, 1x2TB Seagate external, 1x640GB Toshiba pocket-drive, 1x640GB Samsung pocket drive.
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Air-cooled
    Mouse
    I/R cordless.
    Internet Speed
    Borderline pathetic.
WhS 2011 is the best solution for backup and restore, at $ 50 it's a no brain deal if you have an extra PC to host it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 enterprise x64
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pc-Quebec / Area 66
    CPU
    i7-3960X Extreme Edition
    Motherboard
    Rampage IV Extreme
    Memory
    Gskill 4x4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    4 x HD 7970
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Screen Resolution
    2560*1600
    Hard Drives
    C:\Intel series 520 SSD , 250 GB
    D:\ WD 750 black with Intel 40gb SSD cache Intel RST
    E:\ WD 2TB Black
    PSU
    Corsair AX 1200
    Case
    TT Mozart TX
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Logitech G-15
    Other Info
    Windows 8 VM is install on his own SSD.
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