Question about Windows 7 imaging.

[dennilfloss]

I have installed AvanQuest Perfect Image 12 64 bit (based on the Paragon software) and will use this program to image/restore both entire disks and individual partitions as the System Restore on my Windows 7 Home Premium 64 has been temperamental (to say the least) lately and I am about to update with Service Pack 1. I really enjoyed a previous version of Perfect Image when I was on Windows XP.

My question is: Windows 7 creates a 100MB NTFS protected partition. Should I image this also, along with my C (operating system) partition and restore both when I want to restore my OS? Should I not bother imaging this protected bit and just image & restore the OS partition?

I worry that if the protected partition (that holds mostly restore points I guess) is changed during a Windows Update and that I reverse this update later by restoring my C partition, some incompatibility may result. Then again, if there no chance of this happening, I'll just leave it be and not bother imaging/restoring this protected partition.

I'll also image both my entire hard disks but it's way faster to image/restore just my 200GB OS partition rather than the whole 1.5TB if I'm to do this frequently.

Thanks in advance for your help in this simple matter

 

[Anteaus]

I have installed AvanQuest Perfect Image 12 64 bit (based on the Paragon software) and will use this program to image/restore both entire disks and individual partitions as the System Restore on my Windows 7 Home Premium 64 has been temperamental (to say the least) lately and I am about to update with Service Pack 1. I really enjoyed a previous version of Perfect Image when I was on Windows XP.

My question is: Windows 7 creates a 100MB NTFS protected partition. Should I image this also, along with my C (operating system) partition and restore both when I want to restore my OS? Should I not bother imaging this protected bit and just image & restore the OS partition?

I worry that if the protected partition (that holds mostly restore points I guess) is changed during a Windows Update and that I reverse this update later by restoring my C partition, some incompatibility may result. Then again, if there no chance of this happening, I'll just leave it be and not bother imaging/restoring this protected partition.

I'll also image both my entire hard disks but it's way faster to image/restore just my 200GB OS partition rather than the whole 1.5TB if I'm to do this frequently.

Thanks in advance for your help in this simple matter

That partition is only created if you allow the installer to create the partitions automatically. You should include it with your backup because it actually holds some bootloader info. For future clean installs, if you manually do your partitions you can keep it from being created.

I've read that the partition allows flexibility in regards certain system repair tools, but I don't have any real world experience to back that up.

 

[corkyg]

I always clone the entire drive to create a duplicate drive. That can be immediately used without restoration . All I need do is power oner one off and the other on.

I clone the drive - partitions, warts and farts. They are then interchangeable in a mobile rack.