Backup won’t let me create a system image

Topic

New Reply

Hi.

I’m running Win 7 (yeah, I know) and am trying to create a system image on a SanDisk 256GB thumb drive.  Backup and Restore won’t allow it, even though I formatted it in NTFS.  Why can’t the system image be created?

 

Also, when I ran Format to change from exFAT (its default) to NTFS, it seems I lost 97MB!  There is only 233GB available; what happened to the rest?

 

Thanks for any light shed.

 

Reply | Quote

Replies

I’m not saying it can’t be done but, I’ve never tried an image backup to a flash drive, nor even thought about it for any OS image.
I just asked myself, would I trust a flash drive to store an image backup?..
not likely.

Ask yourself this: How much do you value your image backup?
Although some third party backup utilities offer this function on a quick search (use at your own risk)

My advice: Use/purchase an external/internal Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for that purpose, these are far less likely to fail.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

5 users thanked author for this post.

thokur, SueW, wavy, Myst, RetiredGeek

Reply | Quote

I agree with Microfix. I am running Windows 7 Pro on my two towers and my laptop. I have two WD Elements 2TB for each machine. One is marked #1 and the other is marked #2. I alternate them each week.

Going back to my DOS days, I still partition my hard drives with two partitions — System and programs on the “C” partition and all of the data on the “D”. That allows me the ability just replace the system if something gets corrupted on the “C” without having to redo all of the data.

This setup has done me well for 33 years and I will continue to do it as long as I can keep from having to go to Windows 10 or linux or some other operating system.

2 users thanked author for this post.

thokur, Myst

Reply | Quote

An external HDD drive has worked great for my Win7 system image operation. And that’s all I use for that PC. Wouldn’t even attempt trying to get the Win7 to read and store a system image on a flash drive just because of the size I would need to store the backup. Not even sure it would work period.

The Samsung flash drive for Time Machine backups on my MacAir works just fine. I like it for the portability. But I also have another external HDD drive to use with TM on the Mac just in case something goes haywire or I lose the thumb drive.

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

2 users thanked author for this post.

thokur, Microfix

Reply | Quote

[the_Unforgiven]

What program r u using to create your B/U image?

Do u boot into BIOS to do it?  give it a try

 

have a good 1 cheers

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by the_Unforgiven.

Reply | Quote

I use the Backup and Restore program found in the Win7 Control Panel.  It seems to work well for the files backups, it just won’t do the system image.

Reply | Quote

thokur wrote:

I use the Backup and Restore program found in the Win7 Control Panel.  It seems to work well for the files backups, it just won’t do the system image

That was on the flash drive when you had the issues. Try an external HD device as noted below. If you decide to get the external HD let us know how it’s working for you.

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

1 user thanked author for this post.

thokur

Reply | Quote

Well, I guess it’s time to buy an external backup drive/device  (hope they’re not too expensive; I’m on a fixed budget) .

Thanks folks!

2 users thanked author for this post.

Microfix, Myst

Reply | Quote

Here are three sold on Amazon. I have the Toshiba 2TB but if you were planning on only 256 GB as mentioned in your OP the 1TB should be fine.

Seagate –https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-External-Hard-Drive/dp/B07CRG7BBH

Toshiba –https://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HDTB410XK3AA-Canvio-Portable-External/dp/B079D359S6

WD –https://www.amazon.com/Passport-Portable-External-Drive-Black/dp/B07VTWX8MN

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

2 users thanked author for this post.

thokur, Microfix

Reply | Quote

Thank you for those suggestions (and links!) — not terribly expensive as I’d feared.

 

1 user thanked author for this post.

Myst

Reply | Quote

You shouldn’t have issues with any of the portable external HD devices I’ve listed above to store your system images on the Win7. I have the Toshiba external HD unit and it has worked great for my Win7 going on 2 years. Ignore the handful of bad reviews on Amazon. Take it from me, it’s a good little device, small and portable.

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

1 user thanked author for this post.

thokur

Reply | Quote

Use one of the free 3rd party backup apps instead of W7 backup.
They all allow you to create a recovery USB in case of machine failure.

Apps in order of ease of use: Aomei Backupper, EaseUs ToDo, Macrium Reflect

cheers, Paul

1 user thanked author for this post.

thokur

Reply | Quote