Vista - Backup Qs and strategy

**the.lost.one** · 08-16-2008

Here are some dumb questions:

how do we restore an entire disk image of OS? Supposed I copied the OS drive to an external HDD through DriveImage XML and later windows vista wont boot up or the drive died, now i dont have windows how can i run DriveImage XML?

will DriveImage have correctly made an image of the OS partition even though the OS was in use? I mean the Os was in use obviously when the drive to drive image was made.

To avoid having to download updates again and to avoid making image of stuff we dont want to backup can we do this:

(i)- make 3 partitions:- "C: for windows and office only, "D" for other programs, "E" for data. (we can always move the user file folders like my docs to another partition)

(ii)- make regular images of only the windows and office partition or perhaps separate images of each

(iii)- [this is the question] in case of disaster, restore only the Win/Office partition. Will the restoration restore ALL the updates too? AND will it be like having a factory fresh fast laptop plus updates? u know when we buy a computer it is fast, a year later it slows down a bit. when we restore it to factory default it is fast again but without updates. can restoring the OS/Office partition image (it will hav the updates too) make it factory fast again? or will the other D drive programs have made entries into registry and make it slower?

**the.lost.one** · 08-22-2008

Ok. To cut it short, is there a way the already downloaded windows updates can be re used over a fresh install from initial recovery image?

**Brink** · 08-22-2008

Hello the.lost.one,

The program Acronis True Image is a great program to use with Vista for backups. You can try a 15 day trial version of from the link below to see if you like it.

Complete hard disk recovery solution, backup, drive copy, clone and image computer software

Hope this helps,
Shawn

08-16-2008	#1 (permalink)
the.lost.one Vista Home Premium 32bit 15 posts	Backup Qs and strategy Here are some dumb questions: how do we restore an entire disk image of OS? Supposed I copied the OS drive to an external HDD through DriveImage XML and later windows vista wont boot up or the drive died, now i dont have windows how can i run DriveImage XML? will DriveImage have correctly made an image of the OS partition even though the OS was in use? I mean the Os was in use obviously when the drive to drive image was made. To avoid having to download updates again and to avoid making image of stuff we dont want to backup can we do this: (i)- make 3 partitions:- "C: for windows and office only, "D" for other programs, "E" for data. (we can always move the user file folders like my docs to another partition) (ii)- make regular images of only the windows and office partition or perhaps separate images of each (iii)- [this is the question] in case of disaster, restore only the Win/Office partition. Will the restoration restore ALL the updates too? AND will it be like having a factory fresh fast laptop plus updates? u know when we buy a computer it is fast, a year later it slows down a bit. when we restore it to factory default it is fast again but without updates. can restoring the OS/Office partition image (it will hav the updates too) make it factory fast again? or will the other D drive programs have made entries into registry and make it slower?
My System Specs

08-22-2008	#2 (permalink)
the.lost.one Vista Home Premium 32bit 15 posts	Re: Backup Qs and strategy Ok. To cut it short, is there a way the already downloaded windows updates can be re used over a fresh install from initial recovery image?
My System Specs

08-22-2008	#3 (permalink)
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 26,110 posts	Re: Backup Qs and strategy Hello the.lost.one, The program Acronis True Image is a great program to use with Vista for backups. You can try a 15 day trial version of from the link below to see if you like it. Complete hard disk recovery solution, backup, drive copy, clone and image computer software Hope this helps, Shawn
My System Specs

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