Vista Tutorial - Vista Backup Recovery Disks

**rive0108**

How to Create a Vista Backup Recovery Disk for Free

Information

This will show you how to create a complete drive image backup for when you have the Vista Home Basic or Home Premium editions that do not include the Back Up Computer utility. You can use this on the other editions if you did not want to use theWindows Complete PC Backup and Restore Image Utility feature included in these editions though.

NOTE

It seems many in the Forum are having an issue with corruption either of the User account and/or Windows that may be a result of Malware and/or User error, and suddenly find themselves without the means to fix or re-install Windows Vista.

This is equivalent to a "OEM factory Image restore/recovery disk".

If your system is up and running without issue, or you plan to upgrade your hard drives in the future, be proactive and create your own Vista O/S Recovery Disk now. For those even with a Vista DVD, and/or a Recovery Partition the time saved in means of Driver and Program re-installation is a fraction of what it would take you to painstakingly reinstall Windows/Updates/drivers/Programs in the event of unrecoverable failure or error.

WARNING

What is required:

Healthy Vista Installation
An external USB Hard Disk Drive at least 250GB (recommended) or Multiple CD-RW/CD-R/DVD-RW/DVD-R/BD-RE/BD-R Disks

RELATED LINKS:

Here is How:

1. Download and install Paragon's free disk imaging software Drive Backup Express.
NOTE: This will create a bootable recovery image of your entire hard drive and partitions. If you have a Vista Ultimate, Business, or Enterprise edition, then you can use the Windows Complete PC Backup and Restore Image Utility feature included in these editions instead.

2. Set up the Vista File Backup Utility to backup weekly or perform your own manual backup.

Tip

HOW IT WORKS:
In the event of catastrophic failure, boot into the Recovery Media created when you made the disk image, and reinstall, then restore all files changed since image was created through the Vista File Backup Utility.

**JimJoe** · 04-14-2009

Thanks ! I have been looking for the means to do this.

**venom762** · 06-02-2009

How do you get to the boot into the Recovery Media?

**Brink** · 06-02-2009

Hello Venom,

I updated that area a bit to help clarify it more, but you would just place the recovery media (Ex: USB key, DVD) created during the backup and restart the computer to boot from it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**venom762** · 06-02-2009

Great thanks brink, would a 16GB flash drive work?

**rive0108** · 06-02-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by venom762

Great thanks brink, would a 16GB flash drive work?

definitely

**rive0108** · 06-04-2009

I have just updated the tutorial with the free Paragon Hard Disk manager 9.5 SE full version
note- there is no telling how long this will be available, get it while you can.

**surfbug** · 06-08-2009

Good stuff. Thanks!

Al

**venom762** · 06-08-2009

So the main difference is that the program on the top of the page copies your entire PC including your personal Media,pics,program files.

The basic Backup on Home Premium only copies personal data, so lets say if my I get a virus I could use the factory image restore and reload all my backup data at once.

If I use the program listed if does the entire PC.

**pacinitaly** · 06-08-2009

is this freeware or trial/demo/share ??

04-14-2009
JimJoe Master Join Date: Feb 2009 Vista Home Premium 32bit 528 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks Thanks ! I have been looking for the means to do this.
My System Specs

06-02-2009
venom762 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Vista Home premium 32bit, SP2 152 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks How do you get to the boot into the Recovery Media?
My System Specs

06-02-2009
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,810 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks Hello Venom, I updated that area a bit to help clarify it more, but you would just place the recovery media (Ex: USB key, DVD) created during the backup and restart the computer to boot from it. Hope this helps, Shawn
My System Specs

06-02-2009
venom762 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Vista Home premium 32bit, SP2 152 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks Great thanks brink, would a 16GB flash drive work?
My System Specs

06-02-2009
rive0108 DNPNWO Join Date: Sep 2007 Vista Ultimate X64 SP2 2,073 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks Quote: Originally Posted by venom762 Great thanks brink, would a 16GB flash drive work? definitely
My System Specs

06-04-2009
rive0108 DNPNWO Join Date: Sep 2007 Vista Ultimate X64 SP2 2,073 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks I have just updated the tutorial with the free Paragon Hard Disk manager 9.5 SE full version note- there is no telling how long this will be available, get it while you can.
My System Specs

06-08-2009
surfbug Member Join Date: May 2009 Vista Home Premium, 32 bit----XP SP 1----XP SP2 16 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks Good stuff. Thanks! Al
My System Specs

06-08-2009
venom762 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Vista Home premium 32bit, SP2 152 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks So the main difference is that the program on the top of the page copies your entire PC including your personal Media,pics,program files. The basic Backup on Home Premium only copies personal data, so lets say if my I get a virus I could use the factory image restore and reload all my backup data at once. If I use the program listed if does the entire PC.
My System Specs

06-08-2009
pacinitaly Master Join Date: Jan 2009 VISTA home prem 32bit SP2 --- XP Pro SP3 32bit 783 posts	Re: Vista Backup Recovery Disks is this freeware or trial/demo/share ??
My System Specs

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