ISO/DVD back-up copy for my new computer - confused

[ualdriver]

Hello-

I recently purchased a new ultrabook laptop that does not have a DVD drive/burner.

When I boot up my computer, the software is asking me to make a back-up copy of Windows by either burning a DVD or using a ISO file. I searched on the forum, but I have a few questions about this that I couldn't find the answer to.

My laptop doesn't have a DVD burner nor do I own a external USB DVD burner, so that's out I think.

As far as the ISO file is concerned.....from what I read the ISO file is like a "box" holding all the data needed to create this back-up DVD. Since my laptop does have a USB port and a SD card reader (Asus x31 Zenbook) is it possible to create this ISO file and put it on a memory USB stick or SD card and then transfer this file to a computer that does have a DVD burner and then make this backup DVD? Or do ISO files not work like that?

I'd just go ahead and try it, but I read that some manufacturers only give you limited attempts to make this back-up before you're "cut-off" so I don't want to waste attempts with trial and error.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Yes...create the backup copy of Windows as an ISO file, which is a bootable DVD image. The ISO image can later be copied to an external device for transfer to a machine with a DVD burner or for copying to a USB stick.

 

[ualdriver]

Yes...create the backup copy of Windows as an ISO file, which is a bootable DVD image. The ISO image can later be copied to an external device for transfer to a machine with a DVD burner or for copying to a USB stick.

OK, so make a ISO file and copy it to a USB stick or SD card.

How large is this ISO file normally if I'm backing up my laptop Window 7? Do I need to go out and buy a large USB memory stick or SD card to do this?

Also, when I put this ISO file on an external device, can one boot directly from the USB stick or SD card instead of burning the ISO file to a DVD?

 

[Bubbaleone]

OK, so make a ISO file and copy it to a USB stick or SD card.

How large is this ISO file normally if I'm backing up my laptop Window 7? Do I need to go out and buy a large USB memory stick or SD card to do this?

Also, when I put this ISO file on an external device, can one boot directly from the USB stick or SD card instead of burning the ISO file to a DVD?

The ISO image is an exact bit for bit image of your current system. However many GBs that size is, will be the size of ISO image. Ideally you would temporarily create the ISO image directly on the ultrabook's HDD to limit the risk of failure. Afterward, copy the ISO image to a suitably sized USB stick and then erase the ISO image from the ultrabook's HDD to regain disk space. Don't use an SD card.

And unfortunately no, the USB ISO image will not be bootable which is why you'll need to burn the ISO to DVD on another machine. You need the DVD in order to create a bootable Windows 7 Installation USB flash drive:

How To: Install Windows 7 Or Windows 8 From USB Drive [Detailed 100% Working Guide]

See this tutorial also:

How To Repair Windows 7 From USB Flash Drive (Repair Without Installation DVD Disc)


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[ualdriver]

The ISO image is an exact bit for bit image of your current system. However many GBs that size is, will be the size of ISO image. Ideally you would temporarily create the ISO image directly on the ultrabook's HDD to limit the risk of failure. Afterward, copy the ISO image to a suitably sized USB stick and then erase the ISO image from the ultrabook's HDD to regain disk space. Don't use an SD card.

And unfortunately no, the USB ISO image will not be bootable which is why you'll need to burn the ISO to DVD on another machine. You need the DVD in order to create a bootable Windows 7 Installation USB flash drive:

How To: Install Windows 7 Or Windows 8 From USB Drive [Detailed 100% Working Guide]

See this tutorial also:

How To Repair Windows 7 From USB Flash Drive (Repair Without Installation DVD Disc)


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Thank you very much. I owe you a beer or two

 

[ualdriver]

The ISO image is an exact bit for bit image of your current system. However many GBs that size is, will be the size of ISO image. Ideally you would temporarily create the ISO image directly on the ultrabook's HDD to limit the risk of failure. Afterward, copy the ISO image to a suitably sized USB stick and then erase the ISO image from the ultrabook's HDD to regain disk space. Don't use an SD card.

Sorry, follow-up question after making this ISO file...

I had the computer make the ISO file and save it to my laptop's hard drive. But it made TWO ISO files, not one like I expected. They are different ISOs as they are different sizes- one is 3.1GB and the other 3.7GB. So do I copy these files and burn TWO DVDs? Or do both go on one disc? Confused.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Looking at the sizes I can only guess that one is 32-bit and the other 64-bit. Although 7-zip is a file archiver it's also able to open .iso files. Download 7-zip and install it. You'll be able to right-click each ISO and select to open with 7-zip, and then view the contents of each ISO to determine if they are in fact 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 versions. Post the model ultrabook you've got so I can check the users manual also.


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[ualdriver]

Looking at the sizes I can only guess that one is 32-bit and the other 64-bit. Although 7-zip is a file archiver it's also able to open .iso files. Download 7-zip and install it. You'll be able to right-click each ISO and select to open with 7-zip, and then view the contents of each ISO to determine if they are in fact 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 versions. Post the model ultrabook you've got so I can check the users manual also.


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It is a Asus UX31E laptop. It is running what I assume is a 64 bit version of Windows 7 as when I go to the system information page, it says "x64 based PC" under system type in the System Summary screen. I ASSume that what x64 based PC means, right?

I tried to find this information in the computer manual before I posted another question. The recovery CD stuff starts on page A14 of the manual, and it implies that more than one DVD may be created by the process. But the next page talks about using "the" recovery DVD, which would imply only one DVD is needed. Confusing.

Finally got 7zip to install. Will read the instructions for the program and try to see what is inside the ISO files.

Thanks.

 

[MontyAC]

You can use Daemon Tools Lite to mount the iso's and then view them. Use ImgBurn to burn the iso's. Both programs are freeware.

 

[ualdriver]

You can use Daemon Tools Lite to mount the iso's and then view them. Use ImgBurn to burn the iso's. Both programs are freeware.

OK thanks. I am reading the help file on 7zip now. I will try Daemon tools if I can't figure out 7zip. What is it exactly that I am looking for when I look inside these ISO files? I assume some reference to 32 or 64 to determine if these ISOs are 32 bit and/or 64 bit?

 

[MontyAC]

The 64 bit disk will have a bootmgr.efi file the 32 bit won't. Also, the 64 bit disk is bigger.

 

[Bubbaleone]

OK thanks. I am reading the help file on 7zip now. I will try Daemon tools if I can't figure out 7zip. What is it exactly that I am looking for when I look inside these ISO files? I assume some reference to 32 or 64 to determine if these ISOs are 32 bit and/or 64 bit?

Open the 7-zip File Manager and click "Tools", select "Options", click the 7-zip tab and put a check in every box. Now right-click on the ISO file and from the context menu select "7-zip" => "Open archive".

You don't need burning software as you don't have an optical drive, and there's no need for installing a virtual drive and then mounting the ISO just to view it's contents; 7-zip is all you need.

 

[Bubbaleone]

If you didn't get one; download the Asus Zenbook User’s Manual for English Edition, and read the section titled "Recovering your Notebook PC". It's good to have the physical DVDs but not required; the hidden recovery partition is accesible by tapping the F9 key on reboot, and accomplishes the same task that recovery by using the DVD would accomplish.

 

[ualdriver]

Open the 7-zip File Manager and click "Tools", select "Options", click the 7-zip tab and put a check in every box. Now right-click on the ISO file and from the context menu select "7-zip" => "Open archive".

You don't need burning software as you don't have an optical drive, and there's no need for installing a virtual drive and then mounting the ISO just to view it's contents; 7-zip is all you need.

OK, thanks. I wanted to have the ISO files in case my hard drive crashed. If my hard drive crashed and I didn't have the ISO files, then I would lose the ability to reinstall Windows on my laptop without having to pay for a new Windows 7 disc.......right? I've never had a laptop that didn't have an optical drive AND a Windows disc, so perhaps my logic is flawed.

Thanks for those steps. I never would have figured out that by reading the HELP files. Anyway, here are the files that showed up following your instructions:

DISC 1, 3.77GB
BOOT
EFI
SOURCES
[BOOT]
ASUSRDVD.IMG
BOOTMGR
BURNENGINE.TXT
IMAGEX.EXE

DISC 2, 3.1GB
ASUSRDVD.001
BURNENGINE.TXT


So what is the purpose of these 2 discs, knowing what's inside?

And I do have a copy of the manual and saw that there was a recovery section of the hard drive. But the computer kept prompting me to make a DISC or ISO back-up, which led me down this path.

 

[MrColin]

The question we should also ask is how on earth is he going to restore anything with those disks if the laptop doesn't have a DVD drive?

 

[ualdriver]

The question we should also ask is how on earth is he going to restore anything with those disks if the laptop doesn't have a DVD drive?

There were some instructions above on how to make a bootable USB drive, so I'm probably going to give that a whirl tonight.

And the reason why I am even pursuing all this ISO stuff is to cover myself for a worst case scenario.....the crash of my laptop's hard drive. If I had to, I would just borrow or buy an external USB DVD drive, which I assume I could boot from with the disc in the drive.......hopefully

 

[Bubbaleone]

OK...looking at the two files; the ASUSRDVD.001 is the second part of the ASUSRDVD.IMG meaning the complete recovery disk is 6.87GB thus having to be placed on two standard 4.7GB DVDs. This contains a complete Windows 7 installation DVD, plus additional Microsoft and Asus software required to facilitate the process. In other words this is the entire contents of the hidden Asus recovery partition.

As far as the recovery procedure via booting from a USB flash drive is concerned, you may need to do a little experimenting; I'd recommend following the procedure in the guide for a bootable Windows 7 USB installation, but copy the entire contents of both DVDs. (At this point don't delete the ISO files from your laptop's HDD until you know the USB drive recovery process works).

Then, test it by inserting the USB drive, reboot, set the BIOS boot order to boot from USB first, then save and exit BIOS and see if the recovery process starts from the USB flash drive.

 

[ualdriver]

OK...looking at the two files; the ASUSRDVD.001 is the second part of the ASUSRDVD.IMG meaning the complete recovery disk is 6.87GB thus having to be placed on two standard 4.7GB DVDs. This contains a complete Windows 7 installation DVD, plus additional Microsoft and Asus software required to facilitate the process. In other words this is the entire contents of the hidden Asus recovery partition.

As far as the recovery procedure via booting from a USB flash drive is concerned, you may need to do a little experimenting; I'd recommend following the procedure in the guide for a bootable Windows 7 USB installation, but copy the entire contents of both DVDs. (At this point don't delete the ISO files from your laptop's HDD until you know the USB drive recovery process works).

Then, test it by inserting the USB drive, reboot, set the BIOS boot order to boot from USB first, then save and exit BIOS and see if the recovery process starts from the USB flash drive.

Another question unfortunately......how to use the 2 DVDs I created from the .ISO files. Let' say someday the laptop's hard drive completely crashes and I put a new hard drive in. Can I assume I can just plug an external USB DVD drive into my laptop with Disc 1 in the DVD drive and boot from that and then there will be some sort of menu to reinstall Windows 7 and the Asus software? Similar to when you build a computer and put that Windows disc in for the first time?

OK, will give the USB drive procedure a try tonight just for the heck of it to see if it works.

Again, thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Another question unfortunately......how to use the 2 DVDs I created from the .ISO files. Let' say someday the laptop's hard drive completely crashes and I put a new hard drive in. Can I assume I can just plug an external USB DVD drive into my laptop with Disc 1 in the DVD drive and boot from that and then there will be some sort of menu to reinstall Windows 7 and the Asus software? Similar to when you build a computer and put that Windows disc in for the first time?

OK, will give the USB drive procedure a try tonight just for the heck of it to see if it works.

Again, thanks for everyone's help.

Lol......that's what I meant by having to do a little experimenting. You may very well be able to burn the two DVDs then boot from an external USB HDD enclosure. But again, you'll just have to try both methods to know for sure.

 

[ualdriver]

Lol......that's what I meant by having to do a little experimenting. You may very well be able to burn the two DVDs then boot from an external USB HDD enclosure. But again, you'll just have to try both methods to know for sure.

Ah....OK. I thought you just meant that about the bootable USB drive. OK, will play with it.

Thanks!

 

[Bubbaleone]

I just re-read my last post and noticed an error which certainly is confusing. I wrote:

"You may very well be able to burn the two DVDs then boot from an external USB HDD enclosure".

when I should have written:

"You may very well be able to burn the two DVDs then boot from an external USB DVD drive".

I apologize for any confusion.