Taking "Snapshot" of Windows 7 machine for backup

[stoofa]

We have a Windows 7 machine that has aken a while to get setup. It runs video analysing software and getting all required packages to "play nice" has taken us a while.
So what we want to do now is have a backup of the machine as it currently stands in case anything happens to the installation.

Is our best option to take the machine down for a while and "clone" the disk to another one?
Or any other, better options?

Ta

 

[Beans on toast Dave]

i would use acronis
but w7 also has its own backup software so you might want to go with that

i believe both can do the backups on the fly

 

[Antar Bolaeisk]

disk2vhd

Free and with the option to virtualize the hdd for use in a vm.

 

[KIA]

Use the built-in system image tool. It's under Backup and Restore.

 

[theheyes]

Use the built-in system image tool. It's under Backup and Restore.

This

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Macrium Reflect, I swear by it.

 

[bulldog147]

EaseUS backup / restore is good

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Acronis +1