When to make an Image of my Hard Drive

[Northern Lawn]

I've never made an image but I'm reformatting right now and haven't even installed all my apps etc. I bought win7 day one, now when I reformat I have to update and restart for like 10 hours.

So first, how to I make an image on a 2nd HD (free program would be best)

and, in the process of reformatting, WHEN should I make the image?

I know after all updates and settings but how about my music file? should I image that in? or office, sibelius, photoshop, should all these be installed when I make the image?

And should I go through the windows validation then image? I can't just type in the code anymore, I have to go on the phone.

 

[dighn]

windows 7 has built-in system image backup support. it works very well. see: http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/18/windows-7-windows-backup-overview

to restore a image, you can boot up with the windows DVD, and one of the recovery options will be to restore from a saved system image.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Holy Crap thanks. I thought that was the system restore thing, I usually turn that off.

I don't know why I bought 7 Ultimate, so many features I don't have a clue about.

 

[Newbian]

Use a camera and take a picture of your hard drive so you have a image of it now.