Is True Image suitable for backing up a fresh machine?

Hi folks,

I've got a new laptop coming in the next couple of days.

I want to back-up the drive as it is when it first comes out of the box - i.e. fresh, and before any of the preloaded software has a chance to start. I basically want an image of the data as it looked before the machine was first turned on.

Could I for example use True Image on a Boot CD and then write the image to an external USB2 drive? Remember all this has to be done without even booting Windows.

Is this possible, and is True Image suitable for this?

I don't trust the hidden restore partition on the machine to contain the data as it is from the moment I turn it on (and the machine doesn't come with recovery CDs). I intend to sell it at some point so it's important that I get the drive back **EXACTLY** to the way it was before I even first turn it on.

Thanks,
D

Thanks,
D

 

TrueImage is perfect for what you want to do. I do it on my Dell.

I connect my USB external hard drive first, then boot to the setup menu, choose one-time boot from CD-ROM drive, insert my TrueImage boot CD and boot directly into TrueImage and image the internal hard drive.

That's about as pure as it gets without using the restore partition.

 

Thanks.

That's all I needed to hear.

 

Just make sure you elect to image the whole hard drive i.e. all partitions and PLEASE read this <previous thread> regarding data corruption during large file transfers.

Regards

 

And after you have that image made and verified, start the notebook. Make TrueImage the first software you install so that you can make backups as you set up the new baby.

I was doing this with my wife's new system yesterday when one program created an install from hell that really messed things up. No sweat, I restored the image from before that installation, ran it again with different options, and it went fine. Without that image, I'd have had a whole lot of work cleaning the system up so that I could continue the setup.

Just one suggestion, be sure to make backups of the entire hard drive not just the C partition. That way you know you can restore the image and have a bootable system.