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Create a System Image Saved On a Hard Drive

Posted By Brent Trahan On March 31, 2009 @ 8:42 am In Guides, System Protection | No Comments

Note: System images can only be backed up using Windows 7 Ultimate or Business additions.

If you need an image based backup, try one of these backup packages. [1]

Create a System Image

  1. Open the Control Panel in the Start menu.
  2. Open Backup and Restore in the Control Panel.

    create-image-backup-harddrive-1 [2]

    Note: If Backup and Restore is not available, change View by to Large icons at the top right of the Control Panel.

  3. Click Create a system image in the left column of the Backup and Restore window.

    create-image-backup-harddrive-2 [3]

  4. Select On a hard disk, select the hard drive you want to save the system image on, and then click Next.

    create-image-backup-harddrive-3 [4]

    Note: A system image should not be save on a different partition on the same hard drive as Windows is installed on. If the hard drive crashes, the backup goes down with it. Save the system image on a separate hard drive.

  5. Review what you’re backing up and then click Start backup.

    create-image-backup-harddrive-4 [5]

  6. You’ll be asked if you want to create a system repair disk. A system repair disk is used to boot a computer up that can’t boot on its own. The system repair disk can automatically fix most boot problems or restore your computer from a previous system image. I highly recommend creating a system repair disk. Click Yes to create one now or see my guide How-to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disk [6].

    create-image-backup-harddrive-5 [7]

  7. When the backup is finished click Close.

    create-image-backup-harddrive-6 [8]


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URL to article: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/

URLs in this post:

[1] one of these backup packages.: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26ref%255F%3Dnb%255Fss%255Fgw%255F0%255F6%26field-keywords%3Dbackup%2520software%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Dsoftware%26sprefix%3Dbackup&tag=comptorials-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

[2] Image: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/create-image-backup-harddrive-1/

[3] Image: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/create-image-backup-harddrive-2/

[4] Image: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/create-image-backup-harddrive-3/

[5] Image: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/create-image-backup-harddrive-4/

[6] How-to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disk: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-windows-7-system-repair-disk/

[7] Image: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/create-image-backup-harddrive-5/

[8] Image: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-system-image-saved-on-a-hard-drive/create-image-backup-harddrive-6/

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