Install ghost image

Adrianr

Adrianr

Adrianr

Soldato
Joined
3 Feb 2008
Posts
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Basically what I'm after, which I've been meaning to do the past few installs but never seem to get round to it, is a fresh install (Win 7) with my core apps and plugins installed/updated and ready to go. Basically my retouch workstation in a work ready state, just in case it all went completely **** up and I needed my machine back online pronto. Or for whatever reason it had became a little clogged up with temp files and I just wanted a fresh start again.

A) Can I image the install from my boot 500GB drive to my 320GB backup drive? The whole install plus apps isn't huge. Win7 + Photoshop, LR, Capture 1, Premiere and After Effects. Probably Chrome etc too.
B) Which program?
C) Anything I need to look out for?

Cheers for the help.
 
You can create a system image using Windows 7.

In the start menu, type backup, select Backup and Restore.
Click the system image link in the panel on the left.

You can read about it from the help links it provides.
 
Adrianr said:
Can I image the install from my boot 500GB drive to my 320GB backup drive?
I think the replacement drive has to be the same size (or greater than) the one you took the image from.. can't be smaller afaik.

Which program?
I would use the built in image creation tool on Win 7 or the free trial of Acronis.

Anything I need to look out for?
Not really other than the drive size issue I mentioned. Someone else will confirm this for you im sure.
Click to expand...
 
Looks like I may have to install first onto one of my 320GB drives and then image it onto the 500GB drive for use. And keep the image on the 320GB drive for the backup.

I used Acronis before when swapping out a faulty hardrive, was very easy and worked a charm. Didn't realise Win7 had one built in though, looks good. I'll give it a whirl.
 
Macrium Reflect Free Edition. Easy to use, reliable, quick and doesn't have partition/HDD size issues like the Windows 7 backup.

I use it on all my machines and it is fantastic.
 
SiriusB said:
Macrium Reflect Free Edition. Easy to use, reliable, quick and doesn't have partition/HDD size issues like the Windows 7 backup.

I use it on all my machines and it is fantastic.
Click to expand...

sorry to hijack the thread (was about to start my own)

would the image then fit onto an 8gb USB Pen?

Is this better than Norton Ghost?
 
The size of the final image depends on two things:

1: The size of your Windows partition
2: Whether the Free edition of Reflect has compression.

If your Windows partition isn't huge, and the Free edition has compression, you might squeeze it onto an 8GB USB drive. Not sure why you would want to though!
 
our IT guys at work use Norton Ghost and have got Cad2010/Win7/Word 2007 all under 8gb.

may just hunt the torrents later for ghost.

also i want it as a quick instal whenever i format my C: drive.
 
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