Windows 7 Home Premium Image

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I understand we should be able to create a full system image using Windows 7 built in back up system. In my Windows 7 Ultimate laptop (Sony Vaio VGN-FW model) this worked fine. In all my Home Premium versions (2 PCs – also both are Sony Vaio VGN-FW models) when I attempt to create backup disks (DVDs) the backup starts, it asks me to insert a disk of 1 gb or larger (I’m using 4.7 GB disks), it formats the disk, it starts the backup, it states it is preparing the disk, then it loops back to insert a disk larger than 1 gb, format, etc. It somehow gets caught in an endless loop. Is there something else I should be doing with my Home Premium versions to allow this full system Image??? I’m at a loss. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

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Are you really using the “MS Backup” or is it the Sony utility to burn the System disk to the DVD?

If it is to burn to DVD, then you can not use rewritable and they need to be R type and the 1X works the best. These will be “Bootable” and can be used to rebuild your machine.

The backup from MS Backup are NOT “Bootable’ and must be used on the same OS that they were made with.

I have had issues with these “Home Brewed” DVDs, I always buy a set from the OEM (Sony in your case). They run about $25.00 US including shipping and well worth ordering.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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It is the MS backup. I have not installed the Sony software. It actually came on a second DVD. The Win7 Home Premium came on it’s own DVD without any Sony stuff to screw it up.

I do use an R type DVD, not rewriteable. I do not want a manufacturer version of the OS. All my laptops came with Vista. I clean installed Win 7 and as stated did not install the Sony software. The MS back up should work but is giving problems as stated in my original posting. There is probably some change I have to make in the home premium to allow this?????

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As far as I know, you can not make a “Image” per say, but a back up of the disk or selected files and folders using the MS Backup. You would have to have a operating machine to recover these files. There would more DVD’s than you would to think about using this method, I had heard as many as 32 of them.

Then the MS back up is NOT what I would use. I would use the likes of a third paty program such as TrueImage or Shadow, which will make a image of your system. Using these programs, one can boot to a CD/DVD of the product and then restore the image saved. I would also use a External USB drive to store these images to.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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As far as I know, you can not make a “Image” per say, but a back up of the disk or selected files and folders using the MS Backup.

You may be right about this Dave IF Windows 7 is unchanged from Vista in this area of backups. Vista Ultimate and Business editions have the ability to create full system backups, but Home Premium and below only were able to do data backups. To be honest, I haven’t even looked at the backup utility in Windows 7 (Ultimate) to check myself, hehe. But on my Vista Ultimate system, I actually use the “CompletePC Backup” utility to do a weekly backup of that system in addition to my daily system backups with True Image Echo Workstation. Yes, I like having a “plan B” with system backups.

But, I am in 100% agreement with you that the preferable method is to use a good 3rd-party backup application, e.g., Acronis True Image or Storagecraft ShadowProtect along with an external HDD. Saving a backup image to the same drive (dedicated partition, etc.) is risky. Should the drive itself fail, then there is no way to restore it.

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For what it’s worth, I have done several system image backups using MS since installing Win 7 Pro 64-bit. The difference is I’m backing up to an ext. HD. I have had no problems whatsoever.

Have you tried using a different brand of DVD?

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No I have not tried a diff. brand of disk. I’m using TDK which is considered a good brand. The problem, or perhaps difference is that The version that have the problem are the Home Premium versions. My Ultimate version works fine as well. I see you are using the PRO edition which also works well. Supposedly full system images are also enabled on the Home Premium version, but I continually have the looping problem I described above. I’m wondering if there is a setting I need to change, or perhaps a registry setting. Who knows. Tha’s why I’m hoping someone smarter than me has already solved this problem. Thanks for your response.
Ted

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I read in another thread that DVD-RW media must be used, so I will try this for the backups. This is a weird problem.

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I am curious as to the result, please let us know.

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Well it worked. The backup using Windows 7 Home Premium requires DVD-RW media, and will NOT work with DVD-R media. It also works well with an External HDD. I just bought a WD My Book Essentials 2 with 1 TB of storage for $99 at Walmart. How can you beat that!!

Ted

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Congratulations, this is somewhat curious about the DVD’s, but good information.

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If you are interested in other imaging programs, Macruim Reflect offers a free version which works well – the only caveat is that the free will only do complete images, not incremental (or allow exclusions)…a system image can be restored by booting from a CD ( it will prompt you to make the boot CD)…the paid version is fairly reasonable at $39.99 – was using it with Vista and now Win 7 and works just fine – it will also back up to CD, DVD or external drive which is nice…info is here: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

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