How in the Tech

Create a fresh system image after Windows 7 upgrade

By Adam Myers ⋅ October 29, 2009 ⋅ Tags: Backups, Windows 7

Everyone knows that proper computing practices involve backing up your computer and the important files on it. Unfortunately, those words of advice often fall on deaf ears  for one reason or another – the only users who tend to maintain backups are those that have already lost precious files from an experienced computing disaster. It’s a shame but it is the reality we still live in.

Microsoft continues it’s attempt to hammer in the issue of PC backups in Windows 7. After your successful upgrade to their latest release, the Action Center contains 1 message – set up a backup! All versions of Windows 7 contain the functionality of creating a system image that allows for system recovery in the advent of a major crash. Previously, system imaging was only available in the business versions of Windows or from 3rd party utilities such as Norton Ghost.

From the Windows 7 Start Search, search for back up your computer and execute it.

On the left-hand menu click Create a system image.

This initiates the system image Wizard where you answer a few questions, including: where do you want to save the backup and what drives do you want include in the backup. Answer appropriately.

After confirming you answers Windows will begin creating the system image, complete with a progress bar that attempts to detail the time to completion.

With the image creation process complete, Windows will prompt you to create a System Repair Disc. The system repair disc is necessary in order to restore your freshly created image in the future, so it is very important to continue with the second wizard.

The wizard is very straight forward and will require a blank CD to write the information to.

This bootable CD is the gateway to recovery of your system in the future – keep it safe!