OS & Data partitions full image restorable backups via Image for Windows

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From another backup/restore thread…

#RolandJS; I’d be interested in learning what difficulties you’ve had in the use of Image for Windows. Perhaps you should start a thread on the subject. I think there are others here who could help resolve your problem(s) with IfW.

Lettuce take RockE’s advice!
I installed Image for Windows with all the bells and whistles, I have the pay-for version. I did the “gimme control” install.
My first attempt to backup my laptop’s OS partition [approx 460+- GB; 1/2 filled], after 1.5 -2 hours, I discovered no backup image file existed.
Can somebody give me the IfW settings needed to invoke an on-demand full image backup of my OS partition?

I will attempt to follow any and all setting-by-setting, step-by-step instructions.

Meanwhile, for some time now, I have successfully made backups and restored OS partitions with both Macrium Reflect Pro and Acronis True Image.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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I’m interested… in addition to Macrium Reflect Pro and Acronis True Image, your reasoning for a third imaging solution was…?

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I’m interested… in addition to Macrium Reflect Pro and Acronis True Image, your reasoning for a third imaging solution was…?

A wise grasshopper learns to listen and harken when a near-grandmasters speak. Bbearren, and a few others, in different threads, mentioned different components of TeraByte Unlimited — Image for Windows, BootItBareMetal, and such. Finally, this grasshopper hopped to it when TeraByteU had a big sale and purchased the BigSix; downloaded and installed everything found in the paid-for account. I believe Image for Windows is quite different from MRpro and ATI, IfW will expand my knowledge.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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I believe Image for Windows is quite different from MRpro and ATI, IfW will expand my knowledge.

Many years ago I used ‘Acronis True Image’ at home (and ‘Ghost’ at work). I never liked the ‘ATI’ GUI (too confusing) so started using ‘Ghost’ at home too. I had a few issues with ‘Ghost’ as HDD technology changed so tried Clonezilla – nope, nope, nope.

Next I used ‘ReDo Backup’ (very good, but limited in functionality) then ‘AOMEI Backupper’ which was also very good, albeit quite new then.

After recommendations here on WSL I then tried ‘Macrium Reflect’ and have stayed with it for the last 2 years. I was just interested why you had changed to ‘Image for Windows’ and whether you had found any advantages over ‘Macrium Reflect’.

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Upon launch, the default selection for Image For Windows is Backup (Full).

44332-Full-Backup

Click the Settings button to configure Image For Windows; I use these:

44333-General-Settings

Click Next, then select the partition/drive for which you wish to create an image. Note that you can select the root of the drive, which will include all partitions, but the destination for your drive image must have sufficient free space to hold the image file. Or you can just select one or more partitions on the drive.

44336-Selection

Click Next and select the destination for your drive image file. I use a dedicated partition with a folder/sub-folder structure to store several images. Walk though such a tree by double-clicking at each step. Double-clicking a folder will progress to the next level automatically.

44326-Destination

44327-Destination1

44328-Destination2

44329-Destination3

When you’ve reached your final destination folder, you can use the default filename,

44330-Filename

or use a filename of your choice.

44331-Filename1

Click Next and select your image file settings. After ticking the boxes, you can click Save Defaults and the next time you run Image For Windows you can just click through this screen. I use these and the default Enhanced Speed – A.

44334-Image-Default-Settings

…continued in part 2.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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After choosing your filename (and setting defaults) click Next for a Summary of the current Image For Windows job.

44337-Summary

Click Start and PHYLock will start waiting for Windows to stop writing to the partition you’ve selected for the imaging process.

44338-PHYLock-Waiting

While PHYLock is waiting, you can open the Process Priority dropdown and change how importantly Windows will view this operation; I use High.

44339-Select-Process-Priority

Once writing to the partition has stopped, the imaging process begins. In this particular instance, it was almost 10 minutes before Windows got caught up with its writing to the OS partition.

44340-Imaging-Progress

While the drive image is being made, your filename should appear in your destination, but will have a size of 0 KB.

44335-Image-File

After imaging has completed, validation begins.

44341-Image-Validation

At this point, the filename in your destination has a size.

44342-Image-File1

After validation is complete, Image For Windows will inform you of a successful process or a failure. You can return to the Menu and continue imaging, or close Image For Windows.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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“…I was just interested why you had changed to ‘Image for Windows’ and whether you had found any advantages over ‘Macrium Reflect’…” -Rick Corbett

I continue to use Macrium Reflect! It really works! And, I continue to use Acronis True Image, it works!
I simply want to add to my knowledge of restorable backup-making – IfW seems to be a great 3rd choice.

bbearren — many many thanks for your gracious posts! I saved this url onto my hard-drive. I will be following your instructions during next week.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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bbearren or anyone using Image for Windows: With Macrium Reflect, I can pause it, then hypernate the whole Windows session. I can’t find a pause button for Image for Windows — would it hurt the backup process if I simply hybernate the Windows session while IfW is in progress? Of course, just before reawakening Windows, I would reconnect the appropriate usb external pancake platter-clatter hard-drive.

I have done an OS partition backup; now hoping to finnish a data partition backup.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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That’s interesting about Macrium Reflect Roland, I’ve never missed a “pause” button (would I want to use one?).
There is no “pause” button within IfW – at least not AFAIK.

Now that you mention it, perhaps when an unexpected tornado swings my way I might want a pause button(?). No, on second thought I suppose I’d “cancel” the image (…or just run away!).

On one of my computers the OS partition has almost 60 gigabytes of used capacity and when I image that partition to another internal drive it takes about 10 minutes, and produces an image file of about 21 gigabytes.

My data drive (one partition) currently has two such image files on it, along with my business records, Word documents, PDFs, drawings, family pictures, a copy of my web site, and other important data. That data drive amounts to about 784 gigabytes. To back up that data I simply copy its content to another drive (which I temporarily place in my hard drive dock).

Out of curiosity I imaged my data drive once and discovered that the image was only slightly less than the original number of bytes (haven’t bothered to image it since then). In short, my data doesn’t lend itself to much compression so I don’t bother imaging it, I just copy it somewhere else.

Let us know your results and give us a comparison of your three imaging products, if you will. We’d like to know how they stack up in respect to speed and size of the resulting images (i.e., compression).

RockE

Image or Clone often! Backup, backup, backup, backup......
- - - - -
Home Built: Windows 10 Home 64-bit, AMD Athlon II X3 435 CPU, 16GB RAM, ASUSTeK M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 (AM3) motherboard, 512GB SanDisk SSD, 3 TB WD HDD, 1024MB ATI AMD RADEON HD 6450 video, ASUS VE278 (1920x1080) display, ATAPI iHAS224 Optical Drive, integrated Realtek HD Audio

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Rock,

My data drive (one partition) currently has two such image files on it

These are already compressed so further compression by imaging them is unlikely! I’d imaging they take up the bulk of your data drive causing the perceived lack of compression.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Rock,

These are already compressed so further compression by imaging them is unlikely! I’d imaging they take up the bulk of your data drive causing the perceived lack of compression.

HTH :cheers:

Actually they take up about 41 gigabytes of the 784, so the other stuff is also pretty compact.

Image or Clone often! Backup, backup, backup, backup......
- - - - -
Home Built: Windows 10 Home 64-bit, AMD Athlon II X3 435 CPU, 16GB RAM, ASUSTeK M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 (AM3) motherboard, 512GB SanDisk SSD, 3 TB WD HDD, 1024MB ATI AMD RADEON HD 6450 video, ASUS VE278 (1920x1080) display, ATAPI iHAS224 Optical Drive, integrated Realtek HD Audio

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Shofar, I’ve used Image for Windows for OS and data partitions onto SeaKAT ext hd. As normally done, I’ve used Macrium Reflect Pro for OS and data partitions onto SeaKIT ext hd. The MR and IfW compressions although different are not different enough. The times taken are not logged, so I really cannot say which utility uses more time, yet.

On all three computers, I successfully got Macrium Reflect into bcd-boot, now Windows 7 and MR are the two choices awaiting my hi-lite and enter-key. — I made a new thread, we’ll work out bcd-boot in that new thread.

http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//175808-IfW-and-ATI-into-bcd-boot-to-share-with-Windows-7-as-boot-choices

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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bbearren! I wanted to thank you very much for the great tutorial earlier in this thread! I was able to follow your crystal clear instructions and successfully make full images of both OS and data partitions. I later used IfW’s internal explorer to pull out a document via copy and extract, so I’m pretty sure a full restore will also work. I plan to use IfW on the other two computers as well. I think it’s fun and educational to use more than one backup/restore program.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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