FULL OS back up software??

Does any one know of any windows FULL back up software which is Free, I'm not interested in any snap shot, say for example my current OS is 13 GB so 13 GB would be copied over to another partition.

 

Go check "imaging" over on thefreecountry - many you can then reference here.

 

well that doesn't help much. with out me having to download and install them all any one know of any which does a FULL image back up?

I want to be able to run a backed up copy of windows without having to have the original windows copy running on the other Partition.

 

Best free drive imaging programs

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-drive-imaging-program.htm

 

I'm confused. You already list an imaging program (Macrium Reflect) in your signature?

If I'm reading this right, you want to be able to run the same Windows copy in 2 instances? I don't think that's allowed.

 

Unless English isn't your first language, just about any one of those would satisfy your request.

Observant ~wink~ point there Han.

 

Macrium Reflect Free
Website:
http://www.macrium.com
Download link:
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp
Author: Macrium Software
Current version: 4.2.2033
File Size: 26MB
License: Limited functionality freeware
Operating Systems Supported: Windows XP and Vista
64 bit capable: Yes
Any special system requirements: An external USB disk is required - alternatively a DVD burner drive
Portable version available: This product is self booting
Additional software required : BartPE - a custom BartPE boot disk must be created, with additional Macrium files

 

If as I read it the object is to clone the entire system drive rather than just create a compressed backup image then there are many free tools to do so.Here are a few:

http://www.runtime.org/shadow-copy.htm
http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/
http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/clone_maxx/info.htm?Language=1

 

I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you want 'plain' imaging, or cloning ?

I use Acronis version 8 (not free), and I use it to create an image of the entire harddisk on an external harddisk. In my case, I have only one partition. By default, the software compresses the image, and the size of the image is only a fraction of the contents of the harddrive.

 

Paragon Drive Backup 9 Professional for free from 25th through to midnight of the 28th of August 2009.

http://www.v3.co.uk/vnunet/downloads/2158058/paragon-drive-backup

 

I have tried out a few but still no luck of what I want to achieve

What I want to know is this.

For example I have windows installed on hard drive A. I copy the entire contents from hard drive A onto hard drive B. I then attempt to boot windows up on hard drive B, and it will only boot up on hard drive B if hard drive A is also plugged in.

Is It possible to boot up on hard drive B without Hard drive A plugged in??

What back up copy software can do this??

 

Of course. This is exactly what everyone has been suggesting to you. Get the word "backup" out of your head. What you are looking for is "imaging" software. There have been some mentioned; Macrium Reflect, Drive Snapshot. There are other though, such as Paragon Drive Image, Image for Windows Clonezilla. Acronis True Image, etc. I use ShadowProtect. It works flawlessly for me.

In the above scenario, copying will not work as it will not be complete. You need to restore a complete (full) image of Drive A to Drive B.

 

boot managers eg BING;
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootit-next-generation.htm

or drive switchers...

or Try boot from bios screen...

If you clone your Xp OS onto different HW: may = licensing issues

 

If you move the config (image) of drive A to drive B Windows will prompt for your license key, as the hardware set up has changed.

Might be worth checking out Mup.sys bootup hang before you do (if you are doing this with XP). Changing the physical set-up can trigger this nightmare.

http://www.aitechsolutions.net/mupdotsysXPhang.html

http://www.aitechsolutions.net/mup-sys-resolved.html

 

My only experience is with Acronis (not free).
In my case, I have a bootable CD, created by the Acronis software.
When I need to restore an image I insert the bootable CD, shut down the computer, connect the external harddrive to the computer, reboot and I can restore an image from the external harddrive. There are alternatives, for example USB sticks.