Best way to create a recovery disk - MSI GT70c

philstanbridge · 3 Jul 2013 at 09:52

What would be the most efficient way to create a set of recovery disks? The laptop does not come with any and although there is a MSI Burn Recovery tool I am wondering if there is anything better? The provided tool needs about 20gb of recovery media judging by the look of things. I haven't even got a Windows 8 backup should the worst case scenario happen I would be pretty stuffed.

philstanbridge · 5 Jul 2013 at 08:40

I'm debating what to do - my system drive is rapidly running out of space already! Down to 19GB. Not sure where all the space is going to be honest.

I would prefer an entire backup but I haven't got any software to do it. The MSI backup facility will only let me backup to dvd or USB stick - I have a blank bluray disk here just for the backup - how annyoing lol. Instead it requires 6 dvds, of which I have none. I have usb sticks but nothing large enough. The other option would be to backup to my Synology but again that doesn't appear to be an option via the software. Also it would take an eternity. So I'm stuck still. I think I need some better software.

philstanbridge · 5 Jul 2013 at 09:09

thepharcyde said:
External hard drive , cheap as chips.

Indeed but I would still need the software wouldn't I. Actually an external drive would also solve my Synology backup problem, and that is just as pressing.

philstanbridge · 5 Jul 2013 at 17:49

Okay cheers. I will try Acronia True Image on trial and see what its like.

philstanbridge · 11 Jul 2013 at 09:16

I'm stuck! I've got True Image 2013 and I am trying to make a full bootable backup to BD-R (which it says it supports). But everytime I go to do it it comes back and says the disk is full, free up space. My image will be around 70GB when complete but I thought that would be fine. I've tried making a backup to drive D: which is my separate hd and that works fine.

The only thing I can think of is that my system drive is low on space - I'm down to 13gb. But surely that is fine. It works to DVD-R although that takes a ridiculous amount of disks, and my HD, just not bluray. Any ideas?

I've just noticed something else. When you choose backup to drive it says the E: drive is a CD-RW, and not a bluray. So maybe it isn't recognizing my drive?

philstanbridge · 11 Jul 2013 at 09:35

Argggh! Looks like I have found a bit of a problem with this bluray drive and this laptop.

http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/Window...D-SN-406AB-reading-blank-media-or/td-p/418055

philstanbridge · 11 Jul 2013 at 13:14

Well what I've done for now - I've created a trueimage bootdisk on a USB flash drive, and I've made a clone of the system drive on to my separate drive D: I can boot using the flash drive now, and can see the image on drive D: I'm hoping that with my new SSD I can just recreate the system drive.

I was running out of space on my existing SSD so I wanted to upgrade. But without any recovery disks it was a non starter. So I've got a 250gb one coming. But this doesn't get around my bluray problem which apparently is effecting lots of people.

philstanbridge · 11 Jul 2013 at 20:39

thepharcyde said:
u can clone a drive to drive with acronis. it is what i did

I've only got the trial of True Image 2013 which the clone drive feature doesnt work. Actually, isn't cloning the same thing as the backup? It's backed up all the partitions I just presumed it would put them all back too.