IT Mortals

Windows 7 Create Backup System Image

CREATE A SYSTEM IMAGE WITH MICROSOFT WINDOWS 7

You can make a snapshot backup of your current running Windows 7 system with a built-in program from Microsoft called … drum roll … “Back Up”!

First get your Windows 7 system exactly how you want it.

  1. Install all the latest security updates using “Windows Update”
  2. Un-install all the trial software and other manufacturer’s “bloatware” that you know you will never use
  3. Install any software that you know you will always want/need if you had to reset your computer back to this snapshott image
  4. Then reboot your computer
  5. Run “Windows Update” one more time – just to make sure you have all the latest updates
  6. One final reboot

You are now ready to create a system image of your current computer settings. Remember this is a “snapshot in time” of your current cleanly installed setup. This will save you the trouble of having to reinstall Windows 7 and then going through the same un-install bloatware stage you have just done – it also takes much less time to get back to a working machine should you get a virus or hard disk failure in the future.

  1. Click the Start Menu and type “Back Up” then click on Back up your Files.

  2. In the Control Panel window that appears, Click the blue Create a system image link.

  3. The Create a system image window should pop-up. Select which hard disk, DVD, or network location you are going to save your system image to. Click Next to continue.

  4. On the next page check both your System and System Reserved drives. Once you have selected the drives Click Next to continue.

  5. Note: You can select as many drives as you want (if available), but the more you choose to include means the larger the image size will be.

  6. The next window is just a review, make sure everything is correct then Click Start backup to start the process. This can take 10 minutes or more so patience is required.

  7. After the backup completes, you will be prompted with the option to create a system repair disc. This is a good idea just in case your system has any problems in the future. Click Yes.

  8. Choose which Disc Recording drive you will be using to burn the disc. Insert a blank CD or DVD in the optical drive and then Click Create disc.