how do i make an Image of my newly installed WindowsXP?

[purple buzz]

ok, im about to install a fresh copy of WinXP and i need to know how i make an image of it for backup because i am sick and tired of re-installing it every 6 months. and after i make the image how do i reinstall the windows from it exactly?

any help would be appreciated...

 

[tonyp12]

I move the Hardrive over to second computer and use Nero backItUp.

When I need to restore the image I move the HD back, locate the drive in Windows storage manager and Delete the volume as the restore function will
not work on a active drive.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

Or get a program like acronis. It will allow you to make a image you can store on a external HDD or another drive, even dvd if the image will fit. It will boot from a disk to a simple OS from which you can begin the restore processes. If your running a raid setup though it may not work as usual.

 

[purple buzz]

oh i c

another question:

when is it best to backup this image? after you install windows xp? after you install xp and download all the windows updates including s3? or after you install xp and everything you need (windows update, all the drivers, and programs you use)?

 

[ragsters]

Why don't you just slipstream windows SP3 along with all your drivers onto windows using nLite?

 

[Guest]

NORTON GHOST!
im using v11 i think... very easy
it backup your c: drive
for example i backed up mine into D: and if i have any trouble then i just ghost the bkp to c: and thats it....

and you dont need to INSTALL ALL THE UPDATES...
just install SP3 it should cover ALL UPDATES!

 

[dokk2]

ok, im about to install a fresh copy of WinXP and i need to know how i make an image of it for backup because i am sick and tired of re-installing it every 6 months. and after i make the image how do i reinstall the windows from it exactly?

any help would be appreciated...

if your hdd is partitioned??,create a ghost dir on another partition, [or hdd] i use small partitions for this and the swapfile,and use norton ghost,takes on average less than 5 min and 2 or 3 to restore,works completely from dos,so windoze can not snafu it,most folks use the 2003 version my system seems to like version 8 which unlike v3 requires 2 floppies,can also be used from a boot cd/dvd,consider it an absolute lifesaver,,have not had to do a reinstall in so long that i can not remember the last one,then again it might also be "a senior moment"...

 

[skittle]

printscreen

 

[Zorg]

Feel bold? Try PING (Partimage Is Not Ghost). I used it recently on a semi budget system, because I knew they wouldn't cough up the cash for another image software. I have used Ghost for years and I am not a fan of it.

I could not boot to version 2.01.19, it wouldn't see the HD and crashed out of the boot. I read that other people had the same problem, but no problem with version 2.01.13, so I tried it. It worked flawlessly. I know it works, because I had to restore it, due to ATI CCC being such pigsh!t combined with a bad VGA.

I do my backup after all updates and Windows Office installation, no other programs. You can install known good staples though, like Acrobat, Firefox etc.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

oh i c

another question:

when is it best to backup this image? after you install windows xp? after you install xp and download all the windows updates including s3? or after you install xp and everything you need (windows update, all the drivers, and programs you use)?

Well I would create the initial backup right after you install xp all the updates and activate it. Then I would a differential backup after I installed all the drivers, then from that point create another differential backup after I installed all of my most used games and programs. (I use acronis true image)

Of course if you'd like to keep it simple, doing it right after installing sp3, updates, and latest drivers should be good enough.

 

[purple buzz]

Well I would create the initial backup right after you install xp all the updates and activate it. Then I would a differential backup after I installed all the drivers, then from that point create another differential backup after I installed all of my most used games and programs. (I use acronis true image)

Of course if you'd like to keep it simple, doing it right after installing sp3, updates, and latest drivers should be good enough.

the question is, lets say after my windows gets fuked up right... how do i use that image to replace it, do i gotta use another HD windowsxp or something? like use the one ill wanna replace as a slave and using xp from the old HD or something? or is there a way to do it from the windows itself... like the windows im on now...

 

[Zorg]

No, you either need a separate partition on your boot drive, a second drive, USB drive, network drive, or CD/DVDs but they are a pain. For local drives you boot to the boot CD that you, smartly, created from the program after you installed it, and image the partition back. Ping runs from a boot CD all the time so it's a moot point.

The other program that I use is Paragon Drive Backup, it can actually save the initial backup as a restore capsule a lot like Dell and HP do. There is also a free Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 Express. I don't know if it has the capsule feature or what other features it is lacking, but it is certainly the best free option available, see for yourself. I would have linked it initially, but I couldn't find it the last time I looked, so I though it was gone.

 

[bobbknight]

For image software I like Acronis
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832200006
Some one mentioned slipstreaming.
Here is an easy way to make a backup xp disk with sp3 built in.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2326421,00.asp

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

As for acronis. you simply boot from the install disk. It goes to a simple OS that will recognize USB and DVD rom drives as well as other internal HDD. You you then select where you installed the image. (It must be on a seperate device or partition) If you created differential backups you then select from what point you want to restore from, then the magic happens. Much easier to do then it is to read about. Hope this helps.

 

[Zorg]

What, nothing for the freebie?