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Thread ID: 135766 2013-12-10 03:47:00 Full back-up to external H/D effie c (6856) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1362140 2013-12-10 03:47:00 Hi,

I have W 7 with everything working well, but this query resulted after a discussion on any burglary of my house, especially involving computers and a subsequent loss of operating system for restorage

I have backed up everthing into an internal H/D (D drive and it has used about 50 odd gb

When I come to a full back up to the external h/d (F ) I see only about 8gb is used--why?

When I open F drive everything appears there except I can see no sign of a full systems back up, to use say 50 gb like my internal h/d

I I am using an Imation external H/D to do this can anyone advise please?

I want to be able to re install this successful os in a new computer.


Effie C
effie c (6856)
1362141 2013-12-10 04:11:00 Can you tell us what you used to create the backup? Was it the W 7 backup or a third party program? Bryan (147)
1362142 2013-12-10 04:27:00 You may not be able to restore the complete OS to a different PC , all sorts of issues there
Data yes.

Some backups simply dont backup everything you expect, you may only have the user data on the backup(email , docs etc)
1101 (13337)
1362143 2013-12-10 04:59:00 What I do is change my folder locations like My Desktop, My Downloads, My Pictures, My Documents. Also with the other software who might have their own location. Put there in one sorta area. So when I backup I backup that "parent folder" and I can do it regularly. I don't backup my system files b/c they always change. You can and I do make a Hard Drive image with Windows freely (thru Control Panel and then Backup) - that's no real good if the computer got burgled b/c the hardware is too different. You can use utility to strip the hardware info but it is more work involved ... Nomad (952)
1362144 2013-12-10 07:45:00 Hi,all,

Thank you for your advice
For what it is worth I followed one of you who said did I back up with the computer in house program- or a imported apps, I did the original that was built into the Imation h/d program, and for some reason was not able to save the essential installation of W 7 program apps.

That set me thinking--the computer should treat the outside h/d (F ) the same as the internal one ( E drive ) so I did a full back up using the computer program and got a back up of 44 gb which is nearer to the expectation I had
I have not examined the new back up as yet but it looks like I might have succeeded

Effie C
effie c (6856)
1362145 2013-12-10 17:58:00 I would recommend you make an Image of C: with Active @
Then have a copy of your important files separately on the external drive.

I have 2 external drives with this sort of backup on it, one here, one that comes off site with me.

Because if you are are burgled, and they take the PC, I bet they take the external drive too - then what?
pctek (84)
1362146 2013-12-10 18:28:00 Yep,a image of C Drive for a quick turnaround if something happens plus a full backup of files etc on another drive

Having files on a drive separate allows the ability to upgrade operating systems or upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit

The more backup the more options
Lawrence (2987)
1362147 2013-12-10 22:40:00 Hi pctek,

What is active@ ?
Is that the correct address?
Effie c
effie c (6856)
1362148 2013-12-10 22:57:00 http://www.disk-image.com/ smithie 38 (6684)
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