Is imaging software necessary

I use Acronis, but I don't use the drive image feature - I just use it for backing up.  I had it before I bought win7, so I don't know if win7's backup function is worth it or not.

a lot of folks advocate using drive image.  I just haven't done it myself - I only back up my data/

The WD version of Acronis True Image is not as full-featured as the retail version, but will get the job done. The individual data file backup and restore features are missing for example, but you can find plenty of free data backup options.It will check your system for the presence of a Western Digital drive, and will not work if one of their products is not connected. Windows 7 is capable of making and restoring an image of your C: drive. You really only need an image of your system drive and installed software to make it easy to recover the system in the event of corruption or drive failure. Your data can just be copied to another drive for backup.

"You really only need an image of your system drive"

That should read: YOU REALLY SHOULD (MUST) IMAGE YOUR C DRIVE FREQUENTLY

Do it before any software or driver install/upgrades.
Do it before any Microsoft updates.
Any time you make a change to the system; period!
I've had good luck with the Win 7 image utility, never did get Acronis to work under XP; but I'm sure that was me...

I've had good luck with the Win 7 image utility, never did get Acronis to work under XP; but I'm sure that was me...

 
Once you have an Acronis Bootable Rescue CD, True Image doesn't even need to be installed.
If you bought a retail copy, the install CD is a Bootable Rescue CD.
Boot the machine from the CD... and you can create/restore any backup image file.
Clean... lean means of handling backup 
 
FWIW, I prefer the backup process not to be tied to the OS.

i've meandered into the following backup system: I have a system drive and a data drive. Have a system backup disk, cloned, and a data backup disk also cloned using Acronis

I use Synctoy to backup both drives about every other day. Use Acronis to clone the system drive once a week because synctoy doesn't work on most system files.

Seems to work ok.

I always get into trouble using windows backup or other backup schemes... like loose the disks or forget how it works right when I need it most. If the system drive fails I like to be able to just pop in the backup drive and be up and running in a minute or less.

John

Hi Susan,
 
Since you've got a dual-boot, I'd want a backup image file of the full dual-boot (drives C: and D:).
You could then choose to restore C:... or D:... or both.
 

Thanks, Jim. I'll do that.
 
-Susan

timidi

Jim Roseberry


Necessary... as in can't possibly live without it?  no
Necessary... as in a fool-proof "safety-net" that'll save a lot of time/frustration?  yes  

Hey Jim,


Necessary........ as in, if I have Win7, that has imaging software, do I need another company's imaging software.
Sorry, I should have been clearer in my original post.
Thanks

Tim, I'm not Jim, but based on Jim's post I've included here, I would think that he does not advocate using win7's backup/imaging functions, but rather would advise on Acronis instead.

Jim Roseberry

I've had good luck with the Win 7 image utility, never did get Acronis to work under XP; but I'm sure that was me...

 
Once you have an Acronis Bootable Rescue CD, True Image doesn't even need to be installed.
If you bought a retail copy, the install CD is a Bootable Rescue CD.
Boot the machine from the CD... and you can create/restore any backup image file.
Clean... lean means of handling backup 
 
FWIW, I prefer the backup process not to be tied to the OS.

Tim,
No way, I've restored a bunch of times on 2 different systems.
Where did you put the image, it has to be on a separate physical drive.

You are trying to restore using the "System Repair Disc"  you create in "Backup and Restore"; right?

Tom

I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL IT SO YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR HERE.
JIM AND SCOTT PLEASE CHIME IN AND CORRECT ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS.

Open Control Panel>Backup and Restore, on the left side of the screen you will see:
Create a system Image and Create a System Repair Disc.

Create the System Repair Disc, label it (on this machine its Win7x32 i3-530).
Put it somewhere safe where you can find it. With your Sonar install discs, etc.

Open Create a system Image, select the C drive (assuming C is Windows) and the 100mb system reserved.
Burn this Image to a separate physical hard drive, if you are as anal as I am you will
keep one on an internal drive and one on an external drive.
IF you DON'T put your applications on the C (Windows) drive, add the apps drive in the selection process outlined above.

Now we need to know which disc (its number on the motherboard) is your C drive.
Open Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management
All the Discs will be numbered, generally the C drive lives in location 0;
TAKE NOTES, put them with the System Repair Disc.
Write it on the little paper sleeve you keep it in?

Now you have a copy of your OS and all your apps, if you have a total meltdown OR
you install/update apps, drivers, etc. and something is amiss, you can roll your system back.

To Restore your image:
Insert the System Repair Disc, boot from the CD, System Recovery Options will come up.
Select Restore your computer using a system image you created earlier.
then select Use the latest available system image. Location, Date and time will be listed,
there are advanced options that will let you search for more images if necessary.
When you select Next all drives will be listed; EXCLUDE all drives EXCEPT the 0 drive
(assuming that windows is on the 0 location on your mobo).
That part is IMPORTANT! You DO NOT want to re-format your Audio, Data, Samples, Video drives.
Start the image restore and you will be good to go!

Again, I am not a Pro IT, so use this info cautiously; google it!
Jim will recommend Acronis, not sure of Scott's preference.
Never look a gift horse (free Win utility), you pay's your money?
We never get exactly what we want Bluesman, but that ain't no reason...

HTH

Image Image Image, Backup Backup Backup.

Will someone PLEASE write a tutorial for saving all presets, preferences, etc., etc.?

As far as I know the "backup" function simply puts a copy of selected drives (I think you can select specific folders on the drive) on another drive, I think you can schedule routine backups, sort of like scheduling virus scans; I don't use it.
I'm not sure a "backup" of your C drive, put on another drive, makes the new drive a bootable drive (I want to say I doubt it).
"Restore" as far as I know is the same as restore in XP; no guarantee that your problems are fixed. I do not (have not) used it in Win 7.
The system "image" puts you right back where you were when that image was taken.
On my desktop I have 2 identical 250gb Seagates that I routinely "update"; that way I can change out drives if something goes sideways.
Like when MS Security Essentials hosed my system; long story...

HTH,

Tom

JC, did you load the drivers/software for your video card? 
I did not. Don't know if that's good or bad?
Or, maybe I should just use the windows 'update driver' in system?

Alegria

"timidi"

JC, did you load the drivers/software for your video card?

Yes, since I only use the 2600K's onboard graphics currently, and loaded from the Drivers section of Asus's support DVD. Keep in mind that I just purchased the motherboard which was also just released, so the support DVD drivers were up-to-date, with the exception of the BIOS. Since the fixes/enhancements from the newer BIOS did not apply to my case, I did not update it. And as mentioned to you by others, you only update a BIOS when the update specifically addresses an issue you're experiencing.

Since then (almost 3 months now), I've updated the iGPU driver through the Windows update feature (once). An optional hardware update that is. For my needs, it's performing quite surprisingly well.

In your case, you're using a standalone graphics card. Is it your intention to also use the onboard iGPU of the 2600K in a pseudo SLI mode? Cause I seem to remember that your motherboard supports it. If that's your case, then there's other drivers you would need to install (LucidLogix Virtu).

Did I answer your question Tim?

Ahh.. 
Onboard graphics. No, I don't think my board supports that. Would there be a video port on the board if it did?
Well, I loaded the display software and drivers anyway. Finally moved the rig into the studio and hooked it up to the monitors in there. Everything hooked up and works. I'm trying to get to a state where it's just Sonar and all hardware and drivers ready to go so I can Image it and start with all the plugs and such.


Anyway, I've got some horizontal red line issues on one monitor which is hooked to the dvi port of the card. It was like that before I loaded the HIS drivers (that's why I loaded them).  So, trying to figure that out. 


Any Windows 7 tweaks that you feel are necessary? 
Thanks JC.

deeringamps

Like when MS Security Essentials hosed my system; long story...

timidi

do tell,,,..

To start, let me just say MS Essentials is working fine on my DAW.
BUT
On my desktop, it decided my Win 7 Pro was not "genuine".
This is long AFTER I activated it (Win 7), and MS was "Happy".
MS let me download MSSE, install and activate, run automatic daily updates and scans, etc.; every thing was STILL good.
Then one morning, after an MSSE midnight auto-update, I was suddenly "Not Genuine".
WTF!
I KNOW better than to let Windows auto-update anything, but Virus, I let it do its thing.
So I re-loaded the "Image" I had burned prior to the MSSE install.
I lost everything I had loaded in the meantime.
A minor PITA, but a PITA none the less.
Should I contact MS and "work" it all out?
I've used MS tech support before; how's the weather in New Delhi today?
So that's the "short" long story...