No Muss, No Fuss Re-image Computer?

[group6]

Ive just reinstalled Windows 7 Pro SP1 did all the updates and loaded all of my apps. The computer has one HDD with a single 232GB partition and an external USB drive. DVD drive reads but doesnt write. If some crapware installed a root kit or I just feel like reinstalling the OS without actually having to do all that work again. I just want to, by the simplest means, point to the computer to an image file, whether it is on a local USB device or over the network or whatever. Im not worried about my data, its all backed up online.

Cloning, imaging, Acronis boot CD, Ghost, Disk Director, Windows Backup image, Windows Installation disc, Repair disk, yikes! What is the simplest method of choice ?

 

[Dr_JRE]

Seagate DiskWizard, if it is a Seagate, Samsung, or Maxtor hard drive.

Cloning an infected system is pointless unless you are just trying to recover some data. Even then you run the risk of re-infection unless it's done properly.

You need to take a system snapshot when the system is up and running how you like it.

"Acronis Migrate Easy" is a good investment.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/migrateeasy/

Redo Backup is the easiest of the free solutions.

Just download the .iso, burn the .iso with the Image Burner that came with Windows, then reboot the computer with the disk in the drive. once booted from the CD you press either "Backup" or "Restore".

Simple.

But wait! There's more! It does more than just backup and restore, it can fix just about any jam you find yourself in (when booted from a USB you can install and run even more apps. You can even open Google's Chromium web browser and take a quick trip to tomshardware.com and ask a question!)

http://redobackup.org/

 

[tivatar]

I've had experience using Ghost and it does the job pretty well. Having a compressed image of only the used space on a drive comes in handy.

 

[group6]

Seagate DiskWizard, if it is a Seagate, Samsung, or Maxtor hard drive.

Cloning an infected system is pointless unless you are just trying to recover some data. Even then you run the risk of re-infection unless it's done properly.

You need to take a system snapshot when the system is up and running how you like it.

"Acronis Migrate Easy" is a good investment.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/migrateeasy/

Redo Backup is the easiest of the free solutions.

Just download the .iso, burn the .iso with the Image Burner that came with Windows, then reboot the computer with the disk in the drive. once booted from the CD you press either "Backup" or "Restore".

Simple.

But wait! There's more! It does more than just backup and restore, it can fix just about any jam you find yourself in (when booted from a USB you can install and run even more apps. You can even open Google's Chromium web browser and take a quick trip to tomshardware.com and ask a question!)

http://redobackup.org/

Its a WD drive.

I dont want to image an infected system, I want the 'how I like it' image to replace the infected one. Or just on a whim, simply because I can. IT departments make an image for 50 identical computers and when fixing one crosses the line from an annoying inconvenience to a death march, thats as far as it goes. Check please! Pull the image off the network (or a USB drive) and the computer is 'fixed' in less than an hour. Its routine. Thats all I want to do. It doesnt have to be free, just not a Hollywood production.

I've had experience using Ghost and it does the job pretty well. Having a compressed image of only the used space on a drive comes in handy.

Yes, but there is too much chatter about Diskatron Imergerators and custom Symantec Recovery Disk CDs. No CDs, no Disk Insinkerators, just point the computer to the image and boot to it and make it 'new' again in the time it takes to grab a cup of Joe and chat up the new receptionist . Am I dreaming?

 

[group6]

Best answer selected by group6.