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How to backup fresh Win8 installation?

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  • 29-10-2012 1:49pm
    #1
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,088 ✭✭✭✭


    So I have my Windows 8 up and running and activated. I did a bit of configuration that suits me and some basic software installed.
    At this point I would like to do a backup copy to be able to revert to exact the same state in anytime in the future (do the image of what is now). Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an option to do it from Windows, so I'll need to do it somehow else.

    I also have linux running on this comupter (dualboot) so I can use this for making my backup.
    The easiest option seems to be just to make the whole partition image like:
    dd if=/dev/sda1 of=Windows8backup.img
    But this will make an image of the whole partition which is actually 150GB, while Windows itself takes less than 20GB, so it's not great.

    Other option I though was like described here but this makes the copy of whole directory free, but wouldn't preserve some special attributes and permisions within NTFS filesystem, as well as boot record from the first sector of partition, so all those would have to be recovered later somehow, so it's not ideal option either.

    Anyone has any idea how to do it or what free software could do it for me?
    Thanks.


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    #2
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,686 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    id be very cautious about how you dualboot. reported linux bug atm:

    https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=859373

    try norton ghost or similar imaging program?


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    #3
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    Overheal wrote: »
    try norton ghost or similar imaging program?

    Norton Ghost (not to be confused with Symantec Ghost) suxx, it doesn't support Ext4. Drive Snapshot does.


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    #4
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,088 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Overheal wrote: »
    id be very cautious about how you dualboot. reported linux bug atm:

    https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=859373

    try norton ghost or similar imaging program?
    Torqay wrote: »
    Norton Ghost (not to be confused with Symantec Ghost) suxx, it doesn't support Ext4. Drive Snapshot does.


    I don't need to backup Linux - just Windows 8 (one partition).
    Both Norton Ghost and Drive Snapshot cost money, while I'm looking for free solution.
    Since writing this thread I looked up and seems Clonezilla should do the job for me. I'll try it later.

    BTW Overhaul - thanks for letting me know about this bug (or rather incomaptiliity). I'll just have to turn off fastboot feature on win8.


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    #5
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    The partition backup is useless if the boot loader and/or partition table is shot, better have a full drive backup in addition to the partition image.

    DriveImage XML and Clonezilla are both free.


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    #6
    desaparecidos
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,332 ✭✭✭desaparecidos


    Paragon have free Partition Manager and Backup & Restore programs. Both very full featured for free apps.
    http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/

    Can run from within Windows (do a backup of the Windows currently running) or create a recovery DVD / USB that you can boot into and backup any partitions / full disk and restore partitions / full disk.

    Nice and easy to use, and best of all allows you to be very specific about what you want to include in the backup. You can pick a single partition or multiple partitions including the MBR (master boot record) or entire disk.


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    #7
    Vorrtexx
    Registered Users Posts: 541 ✭✭✭Vorrtexx


    You could try the recimg.exe command line application that comes with Windows 8 to create your own Custom baseline image.

    There are details on MSDN blog about how to go about creating the image here
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/01/04/refresh-and-reset-your-pc.aspx

    It's towards the end of the article, 'Refreshing your PC to a state you define, including desktop apps'.

    There's also a 3rd party freeware tool which is a GUI wrapper around the recimg application I think here:

    http://www.recimg.com/


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    #8
    testicle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,430 ✭✭✭testicle


    Windows 8 can roll itself back to a fresh install.

    Alternatively, you want ntfsclone, not dd :-

    ntfsclone -s -O Windows8backup.img /dev/sda1

    Remember though, Windows is 2 partitions.


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    #9
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,088 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Torqay wrote: »
    The partition backup is useless if the boot loader and/or partition table is shot, better have a full drive backup in addition to the partition image.
    Windows loader is actually on first sector of it's partition.
    Master boot record normally contains only simple program which loads windows loader from it's partition.
    I always used to have lilo or grub in there, which gave me a choice of starting windows from it's own partition.
    I obviously have a copy of my partition table anyway (believe it or not but I have it printed on piece of paper in my drawer)
    So a copy of Windows partition will be sufficient for me.

    DriveImage XML and Clonezilla are both free.
    I'll probably try CLonezilla this evening.


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    #10
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,088 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    testicle wrote: »
    Windows 8 can roll itself back to a fresh install.
    How can you do it?
    Alternatively, you want ntfsclone, not dd :-

    ntfsclone -s -O Windows8backup.img /dev/sda1

    That actually looks brilliant.
    Deadly simple and hopefully effective. I'll try this first then.
    dd obviously does the job as well, but consumes horrendous amount of space unneceserily, as it just makes exact image of partition, inluding it's free space, which in my case is about 85%.
    Remember though, Windows is 2 partitions.
    In release candidate it was 2 partitions indeed, but final version seems to fit only on one partition.


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    #11
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    CiniO wrote: »
    How can you do it?



    That actually looks brilliant.
    Deadly simple and hopefully effective. I'll try this first then.
    dd obviously does the job as well, but consumes horrendous amount of space unneceserily, as it just makes exact image of partition, inluding it's free space, which in my case is about 85%.


    In release candidate it was 2 partitions indeed, but final version seems to fit only on one partition.
    Did Microsoft get rid of the 'Create System Image' and 'Create System Repair Disk' which were in Windows 7 under the backup and restore areas?


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    #12
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,088 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    kippy wrote: »
    Did Microsoft get rid of the 'Create System Image' and 'Create System Repair Disk' which were in Windows 7 under the backup and restore areas?

    It looks like they did.


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    #13
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    CiniO wrote: »

    It looks like they did.
    Are you sure?
    http://www.howtogeek.com/123713/how-windows-8s-backup-system-differs-from-windows-7s/


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    #14
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,088 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    kippy wrote: »
    Are you sure?
    http://www.howtogeek.com/123713/how-windows-8s-backup-system-differs-from-windows-7s/

    After reading the above - yes - I'm sure now ;)

    There's no option of creating an image of the system partition, and that's what I'm looking for.


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    #15
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,396 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    CiniO wrote: »

    After reading the above - yes - I'm sure now ;)

    There's no option of creating an image of the system partition, and that's what I'm looking for.
    You read the comments?


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    #16
    testicle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,430 ✭✭✭testicle


    CiniO wrote: »
    How can you do it?

    "Start" -> Type "Refresh" -> Settings -> Refresh your PC
    CiniO wrote: »
    In release candidate it was 2 partitions indeed, but final version seems to fit only on one partition.

    Windows has been 2 partitions by default since Vista, Boot & your normal C Drive. You can force it onto one by creating a partition taking up all available space on the installer screens, and installing Windows onto that.


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