Window XP's Built in Back Up Utilty

[Ph33zy]

Hi everyone,

I want to make an image of my harddrive. I see a Windows Backup Utility by right clicking my harddrive->properties->tools->backup. Does this make an image of my drive (eg. when I load the backup, will all my programs work and will my registry be intact?) Thanks.

 

[Navid]

I have only used that tool for making backups of my data (not the OS).
I know that you can choose to make a backup of the OS with that tool. I don't think that it makes an image. I think it makes a bootable floppy that you will use to restore the OS using the backup files created.

If you want an image, you need Ghost or Drive Image, or some utility like those.

But, I think that the XP backup utility can be used to restore the OS and the registry will be intact and the programs will work. But, I have never tried it myself.

 

[mechBgon]

XP Professional includes Automated System Recovery as part of Backup. I haven't actually tried ASR on WinXP Pro yet, but I've used it on WinServer2003. Very powerful. I made an ASR backup on an Intel/VIA/IDE-equipped system and restored it onto an AMD/nForce/SCSI-equipped system, added the mobo drivers and wham, fully-functional WS2003 Active Directory domain transplanted to a very different computer.

Try that with Ghost.

 

[redbeard1]

The built in backup will creat a file, that if you choose the option of include "system state", would contain a full backup that would restore your system to that dates backup. You would need to get Windows running again and then point the software to that file, that you have saved. The file is probably going to be bigger than any single CD however.