Image for windows suggested settings

i recently bought the terabyte bundle. because the terabyte backup progs are unfamiliar to me, are there any settings i should change from their defaults or alternatively are there any tutorials ?. in the past i have been used to using acronis.

i am aware its a learning process getting used to doing things a different way, but before i can be more confident in using IFW/IFL/IFD etc i need to make a backup i can rely on.

Gazzer

 

What is your Operating System (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, etc.)?

What type of drive are you Imaging (SSD, SATA, etc.)?

 

Garry,

I find IFW's default settings work well enough on my W7 laptop, with one exception. I prefer using VSS instead of Terabyte's PhyLock (default setting) because the latter usually takes 1 to 2 minutes to lock Windows, whereas VSS is nearly instantaneous. Consequently, my backups using VSS are quicker to complete (and so far I haven't found any disadvantage re the use of VSS instead of PhyLock).

Re IFD vs IFL for restoring the Windows drive/partition, I prefer IFD (GUI) because it boots much faster and I find it easier to use than IFL (GUI).

Since buying the Terabyte bundle last year (thanks to Brian's recommendation and tutoring) it's taken several backups and restores for me to feel comfortable with the IFW-IFD screens, but now it's second nature and the results are consistently perfect.

TS

 

Under Compression 'Enhanced speed A' seems to speed up imaging a lot without making the image significantly bigger.

 

TS,

I tried VSS last year and I agree it starts IFW imaging faster than PHYLock. I liked it until I noticed my C: drive used space was increasing. I found this was due to .regtrans-ms files being created every 3 minutes in C:\Windows\System32\config. You have to unhide Protected OS Files to see these files. It may not apply to you but whenever I did a VSS IFW backup these files would start to be created and this would continue until a computer restart.

VSS doesn't backup as much as PHYLock. VSS doesn't backup System Restore points but that doesn't matter if you don't have any. I read somewhere that video files in a certain library aren't backed up but I can't recall the details.

Edit... This is with Win8.

 

My OS is windows 7 x64 using SATA drives

 

Gazzer,

I'm a default man. But a few extras...

In IFW Settings put a tick in Align Partitions on 2048 Sectors (but this is only relevant for restores).

In Backup Options I also select Validate Byte-for-Byte and Enhanced Speed - A.

 

Hi Brian,

Creation of those temp files doesn't bother me at all. If I were still using RollBack Rx (which I discontinued after my 'near death' experience), I would use PhyLock due to its advantage for hot-imaging an Rx system. But as I now rely more on imaging (doing it more frequently) I prefer using VSS as it saves me a few minutes per backup.

TS

 

TS,

I use VSS on my wife's Asus Vivo Tab as PHYLock doesn't work. I don't know why. I'd forgotten about those files but I'll check for them today. I used to delete them every few days.

Edit... She had 90 .regtrans-ms and .blf files. I deleted them. Obviously no big deal as she restarts more frequently than I do.

 

I believe those temp files are deleted upon system startup and as I always shutdown every night, they should be gone the next day (if not sooner upon an intraday restart)...

 

That's not my experience. Restarting or shutdown doesn't delete them. It does stop them being created every 3 minutes.

 

Hmm, I guess I should start monitoring them on my W7 lappy...

 

I'd be interested to hear if you have them. It's normal to have 4 of these files. I think.

 

I do recall seeing them once before, but since I ran an IFW backup (with VSS) a couple of hours ago, I just checked my System32\Config folder and don't see any...

 

Are you Showing Hidden Files and Folders and Showing Protected OS Files?

 

Yes. I do see a System and a Software file (18MB and 65MB, respectively) which are time-stamped around the time of my backup, but that's it.

 

Do you have about 50 files in that folder? Can you see pagefile.sys in your C: drive root?

 

Looks like around 50 (give or take a few) ...and yes, I do see pagefile.sys along with all of my system's files/folders .

 

TS, that's good. You don't have the issue.

 

Any incompatibilities with UEFI boot systems on Win8?

 

it's working fine here.

i have not tried dual booting with a Linux OS though.
i'm gonna have to learn that eventually.

 

Good question. Yes, fine with UEFI since ver 2.74.

My wife has an Asus tablet with 32-bit Win8. I use IFW to create backup images. It has a UEFI BIOS with no legacy USB support. I can't boot BIBM, IFD or IFL as these are legacy USB on her system. I can however boot TBWinRE (UEFI compatible) which contains IFW and TBOSDT Pro. I've used the latter to make partition changes on her drive as I can't boot BIBM. The latest TBWinRE supports 32-bit Windows as well as 64-bit.

By the way, IFL supports 64-bit UEFI booting but not 32-bit at this time.

 

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=279

 

So i need a TBwinRE boot disc from now on. I used IFL or IFD before with my old non UEFI mainboard.

Tyvm Brian.

 

tnx Brian, i saved that link.
this will come in very handy when i get some free times to play with this.