Resolved Questions about using Windows 7 native backup tools

1. I want to backup images from two separate computers, both using 7 Home Premium, onto the same external hdd. Should I keep these images on separate partitions (on my external drive), or does it matter? For what it's worth, I also have other data on this external drive.

2. How large is the image? The same size as the partition that it backs up—or the same size as the data on that partition? Or are they compressed?

 

I would do partitions for the different PC's.
Don't understand #2???

 

I mean, how large will the image of the OS be, on my external drive? I have a 60-gig partition for my OS, and some 30 gigs is already filled. Will I need to put a partition of 60 gigs on my external drive, or would 30 be ok? If my C partition on my laptop has 30 gigs of data on it, will it be compressed to 10 gigs or so? Or will the image on my external drive be teh same size as the original OS that it is copying?

 

I guess that would depend on what you are using to do the backups with.

 

I'm using Windows 7 itself (its own backup and restore utilities).

 

My OS and data is almost 22GB.

Using the Win 7 "Create Image ", it's compressed to 14.2 GB.

Compared to mine, I'd say you would need at least 25 GB or more.

 

Great. That tells me that they don't calculate size based on size in the hard drive, but just on the data used. I would suppose that they compress it so that it is some 2/3 of the original file--at least, based on your numbers.

Thanks.

 

How much compression depends on YOUR files.

For example, .BMP picture files can be compressed quite a bit, .JPG pics can't because they're already compressed. Same with say .TXT versus .ZIP. Most .TXT files can be compressed quite a bit, but .ZIP files can't because they're already compressed.

 

@paul;
I hope you have better luck than 2 of my friends, when they needed to restore a win7 image... it came up with error's and both had to end up doing a re-install OS.

There's a couple free 3rd party backup programs out here that you can depend on.

 

That wouldn't kill me... my docs are on a separate partition, and are backed up regardless, its just that a restoration of an image of what I have now on this laptop would be much more convenient. It is a good, functioning installation of Win7 without all the crudware that Toshiba gave me when I bought this.

 

@paul;
Yep, i heard you... been there with several cleaned-up installs. I just can't trust the win 7 image backup.
I love images as there so quick if needed.

Take Care!!

 

I don't know if I should start a new thread, but your comments have got me wondering about how common this experience is, with the Windows 7 imaging tools.

 

@paul
That might be an interesting thread to follow

 

Just speaking for myself(PC), I've restored from an Image using Win 7 utility a dozen times or more and never had a problem.

But I also use CloneZilla every so often too, just in case.
CloneZilla takes longer(20 minutes)but will compress more. 22 GB down to 9.06 GB

 

Hello. My HDD came with 1 partition for the OS & the Data. How can I backup just the data without backing up the OS itself? I want to do regular backups of data only just in-case I have to reinstall the OS from the original recovery discs that I created when I purchased the laptop. Also, what about software that is installed both as a program (data) and into the OS? How does this get reinstalled to the computer if I have to use the recovery discs?

Thanks,

Bob

 

Bob, Please start your own thread as this is different then what the OP is asking about. Also please post your system specs in the User CP near the top left side of this page and don't forget to save them.