System Image Backup Problem

In Windows 7 you have the ability to do a system image
I know how to do this and it works great on all my machines, in fact one of my hd failed and i used the image to put it all back so I know it works.

I have upgraded 2 window 7 computers to windows 8 Pro and the system image works fine
I just got a new latpop running Windows 8 Pro and when running the system image to the external HD it came up with an error msg that there is not enough space on the external hd to run the image. Now this is impossible because it says it needs 36gis and on this external hd there is 250 gigs free.
I thought maybe it was the external HD so I tried it with another one I have. I even rebooted just in case something hung up,
It came up with the same message, this HD has 500gigs free
What could be causing Windows 8 to think these drives are full?

I used one of these HD's as a test on my upgraded Windows 8 pro desktop just to see if it was the hd, and there it made the image with no complaints at all so it is not the external hds

Maybe one of you can give me a suggestion? btw it makes the system repair disk fine with no problems at all

With the new laptop - if that is what you think it is - have you tried updating your chipset drivers hence you storage driver? You could also go the manufactures website /support and type in the name of the laptop - should bring up a list of drivers -w8 maybe included-if so they may have some help there - with Asus (that's company i stick with) they also have a list of problems and resolutions.

Looking at the hard drive - it may have something left on it, which is causing the issue - i would delete the partitions etc in diskmanagement - scrub it clean (if nothing else works).

Also try the forums at the manufactures site - if there are issues they will appear there.

i will check the chipset drivers and see if there is an update, this is a dell vostro 3460, there are no other issues with this laptop, it just will not allow me to do a system image
robin

I updated the chipset, updated the drivers for the hd. Updated the bios, still will not do a system image to an external hhd oh well. I have nothing really on this laptop. I bought it for my seminars and I have a 3 yr home pro service contract on it so if something happens to it dell replaces it, and I have all the disks for it including the OS I was just wondering why it would not do it

Try different backup software, like Macrium Reflect or Acronis True Image.

Thanks for the suggestion but I like Microsoft's better. There are no documents on here and there is an image partition of 8 on it. I am wondering if that is what is preventing it to image. I am going to uncheck that partition and see if that is what is hanging it up