Windows System Image Backup

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by rrrh1, Dec 10, 2015.

  1. rrrh1

    rrrh1 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2007
    Posts:
    211
    Is basically worse than useless, you think you have a backup but you don't !

    If you are depending on windows system backup as your disk imaging backup you may be toast.

    Have a neighbor that got upgraded to windows 10 let 30 days pass. The latest windows upgrade of windows 10 (1511) rendered the computer unbootable.

    Windows 10 1511 modified the hdd in such a way that they lost their factory recovery partition.
    The recovery DVD's made when the computer was purchased had went bad.
    Most of the time you only get to make only one set so use good disk please.

    Tried to reimage their computer from windows system image backup, it no longer recognizes the computer as the one that the image was created from.

    Tried to clear the hard drive, still won't restore.

    Finally had to Install from ordered recovery disk from the manufacturer.

    Customers can't download OEM versions of Microsoft OS with their CD key.

    Not had their computer for 2 weeks, cant remember their passwords and user ID's to setup their social media and email accounts, they always used automatic login. Do yourself a favor and write that stuff down store it in a safe place.

    Run out tomorrow and buy yourself a reliable recovery program and make multiple backups to different places remember flash drives / SSD's and HDD's do go bad.

    My neighbors lost about 5 years of family pictures and some irreplaceable pictures of lost love ones !

    Don't put all of your trust in a single backup solution.

    rrrh1 (arch1)
     
  2. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,115
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
    rrrh1,

    Was it a UEFI system?

    Can you recover the family photos from the image? You didn't mention exploring the image.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2015
  3. rrrh1

    rrrh1 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2007
    Posts:
    211
    No

    System restored from manufacturers recovery disks will not access or mount the vhd file for the OS but the other 2 partitions are readable and mountable.
     
  4. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,115
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
  5. rrrh1

    rrrh1 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2007
    Posts:
    211
  6. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,115
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
    I'd put Windows Imaging on the bottom of my imaging apps list too. One major weakness is it can't Validate an image. Here is a case where Validation might have indicated a corrupt file and led to the creation of a good image.
     
  7. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2005
    Posts:
    5,554
    Location:
    USA still the best. But barely.
    And as I remember it takes forever.
     
  8. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2003
    Posts:
    20,590
    Nope. It takes even longer then that.
     
  9. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,115
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
    The image isn't compressed so the image can be double the size created by other imaging apps. It takes longer to write a non compressed file than a standard compressed one.
     
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.