imaging

[jes]

My question is about storing a backup image of a PC running Windows XP. I don't know much about doing this. Can you save a backup point from System Restore?

[awaj]

Yes and no. System restor will remember your programs. The files from Word and other stuff will not exist from a system restore. To protect your documents and what not, you should use a back up tool. Windows has a decent one that is simple to use. there are better tools if you want to do some research on it.

[jes]

If the one included with Windows is good then that is what I prefer to use. Is it the backup utility in the system folder?

[Paul Komski]

System restore is definitely not what you want. MS backup can create an archive file (or backup set) of your systems files but this is not strictly an image. If you want to create an image (or clone) of your system partition (or any other partition) then suggest you use an imaging/cloning program (http://paulski.com/zpages.php?id=1917) designed for the job.

[Sylvander]

1. MAKING SNAPSHOTS IN TIME OF OS PARTITIONS
The good thing about using a third-party program to make backup images of the partition holding the Operating System and Programs is...
Even when Windows won't load...
You can restore a good working copy of the partition contents so that all is once again as it was when all was well, so the OS will return to booting successfully.
Windows own backup programs only work if Windows is working. :(
If Windows won't boot, you are in trouble!

My favourite is Image for DOS (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads-image-for-dos.htm) [IforD] purely for making image backups, but I can see why Paul is so keen on BootIt NG (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads-bootit-next-generation.htm) because that can also non-destructively re-arrange partitions.
I have "Image for Windows", "Image for DOS", "BootIt NG", "Acronis True Image".

Acronis True Image (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/index.html) has a more fancy/sophisticated GUI, but doesn't have the simplicity in use and is a little slower.

2. BACKUPS OF DATA PARTITIONS
(a) Move your data files off the OS partition[s] to partitions all their own.
This is where BiNG may be useful in non-destructively re-arranging the partitions.

(b) Something like [the FREE version of] SyncBack (http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/) is REALLY GOOD at making a 2nd backup copy of data files in partitions or folders.
I keep 2nd copies of [the contents of] my data partitions, and hold those in a folder in a partition in an external USB HDD.
Making the first copy of the data partitions takes some time, but thereafter updating to include "Differences" between the "Source" and "Destination" folders/files only takes seconds to minutes to complete.
The 2nd copies of the files are right up-to-the minute.
The user has great control over the nature of the "Backup" or "Restore", and what should be done with the "Differences" detected during, and displayed after scanning.
All of this relies upon Windows/SyncBack being functional, but a restore of an image as in 1 above would see to that.

3. Various combinations of 1 & 2 gives great flexibility.
[B]Lets say your internal HDD failed.
You could buy and fit the new HDD and use IforD to restore [to new partitions made on that] images of both the OS and data partitions.
Or even better...
You'd restore an image of the OS partition, then boot into the now functioning Windows and use SyncBack to restore the very latest copies of all the data partitions.
All of these backups might be stored on an external USB2 connected HDD.

[jes]

I have been told that imaging a drive is a little bit risky and that the data may be lost. My friend has convinced me to use my old IDE HDD as media instead.

[Paul Komski]

Partitioning and partition manipulations are inherently risky and important data should always be backed-up beforehand. Imaging is not risky - all it involves is the creation and storage files. Indeed the whole idea of imaging is to have a way of restoring data. Restoring images does have some risk if the images happen to be restored to the wrong partition by mistake.

[Sylvander]

I originally began making backups [what seems AGES ago] using "HP Simple Backup" to CD-RW disks [sometimes a restore failed]...
And also using MS Windows own backup program [didn't backup certain files in use, so not good]...

In the years that I've been doing it now, I have NEVER had an image backup or restore fail. :D :cool:

In fact [if my memory isn't failing me], NO STEP in the process has ever failed.

IT JUST WORKS! :)

I find the process so simple I've never made a mistake.
Never backed up the wrong partition, or stored it in the wrong location, or restored the wrong image, or restored to the wrong location.

And anyway...
Even in the most unlikely event of me getting something wrong, it isn't a serious problem; I'd just correct it.
I have so many images in store I'd just use some other and restore to the correct location.

And that only affects the Windows partition.
The data partitions also have SyncBack backups in store.

So with all that protection I don't worry in the least about something going wrong whilst re-arranging partitions.

[jes]

I think that I will try IforD. Thanks for the advice.