How do I make multiple copies of system image in Win 7?

[Dethoff]

I have two drives on my Windows 7 (64 bit) computer

disk 0 Intel 160 Gb SSD partitioned into c (OS) and a 100 MB reserved partition which was put there as part of the Windows 7 install
disk 1 WD 1 TB HDD with two partitions: drive (D) 600 GB for data and drive (K) 375 GB for backups of my system.


After installing Windows 7, and updates, I successfully used the "create system image" feature to create an image of C: (and the reserved partition) to drive (K).

A few days later after installing my programs, I wanted to make a second system image of (C) but desired to keep the original image since it represented a "clean install" of Windows 7. According to the message during the creation of the second image, it said windows would create multiple images until the space began to fill up on the drive.... then older images would be automatically deleted. Since my (K) drive was only filled to 1/20th of its capacity, I assumed that both images would be saved.

But, in fact, the first image was overwritten leaving me with only the more recent one.

So, is there a way to store multiple copies of a system image? I have done a reasonable amount of searching on the subject with no solution.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Can't you just backup the old one?

 

[Dethoff]

"Can't you just backup the old one?"

I don't understand what you mean. The first system image, made after just a clean install of Windows is gone...replaced with the later system image made a few days later.

I want to keep several images, not just the latest.

I am not sure what you mean by backing up the old one. Please elaborate.

thanks

 

[Soundmanred]

"Can't you just backup the old one?"

I don't understand what you mean. The first system image, made after just a clean install of Windows is gone...replaced with the later system image made a few days later.

I want to keep several images, not just the latest.

I am not sure what you mean by backing up the old one. Please elaborate.

thanks

Rename it, move it to another folder/partition/drive, etc?

 

[Dethoff]

Perhaps that will work, but for some reason I thought Windows 7 didn't like the file being moved to a location other than where it put it. I was hoping for a more eloquent solution.

As I have investigated this subject, it seems that others are frustrated with the limitations of the built in feature in Windows 7.

Perhaps I should be looking at a third party utility such as Acronis True image, or Nortons Ghost.

Does anybody have any experience with the free imaging program Macrium?

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Rename it, move it to another folder/partition/drive, etc?

Exactly.

You can use Clonezilla to clone your pc but it isn't as user friendly as Norton Ghost or Acronis. Depending on which hard drive you have, your vendor will package software that can clone your hard drive.

 

[Soundmanred]

If Windows 7 doesn't like having a backup anywhere other than where it looks, how could you have two or more in the exact same spot?
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