How do I create a back-up disc for my system? Can I use a 64 gig flash drive instead of a disc?

[BruceWilliamJ]

This neophyte wants to create a back-up disc for possible future recovery of Operating System.

Step by baby step, please!

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

BruceWilliamJ

Hello;

Allow me to welcome you to the HP forums!

I read your post about wanting to create a backup of your system and wanted to help.

What I would suggest, as I have been using this without problems for years, is using a third-party tool known as Macrium Reflect.

Macrium Reflect (MR) provides a FREE version that can be used to image and restore partitions or entire drives.

What I recommend is the following:
1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR)
2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive or USB stick
3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD

My experience is that MR, when using the High Compression option, typically can compress the saved image file to about 50% of the USED space in the OS partition.  This means if you have an 80GB OS partition, and 40GB is used, MR only needs about 20GB to store the image file.

I use this all the time and it typically takes less than 10 minutes to do the image backup and about the same time or less to do a restore.  

Plus, MR has the option to Add a Recovery Boot Menu entry.  This allows you then to boot into WinRE, and you can then use that to do a restore -- when you can't boot into Windows!

NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive or USB stick in only a few minutes.

If you need more information, then visit their website: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

Good Luck
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[BruceWilliamJ]

I can't thank you enough for your advice. I'm really very inexperienced on computers; but even I had success following your suggestion. I've only had this laptop for less than a month, and when I mentioned to friends and family that I created a backup disc (actually flashdrive) for my operating system they were all amazed. None of them, especially family, some of whom are/were teachers and have used computers for years, even knew about such a thing. I did have a bit of trouble, though; but nothing I couldn't correct as the process played out. Mistakes of inexperience. I guess I missed the compress option, though, cause the stick filled up to a little less than 60 gigs; but I believe the boot drive is on there as well as the O.S.  And it took longer than you said, was that because it wasn't compressed; or perhaps it was due to the processor speed; my laptop only has a 2ghz processor? ( I just found out about processor speeds 3 weeks ago, lol.) Anyway, thank you very much, for taking the time to reply to my question, and for a fantastic solution.

Sincerely,

BruceWilliamJ