Miguel, what a great job you did. Thank you. I didn't realize that win 8.1 even had an imaging program. You saved me the expense of buying one, and clearly explained how to go about creating a back-up image. If you're not a teacher, you could have fooled me. Thank you. Steve Z
Good video. I do not understand why Microsoft buries this feature like they are hiding it. Should be a feature that is in plain site. Especially for new users.
Thank you very much for sharing the process of backing up op sys. Your video is very short and to the point without hanky panky. I found it the most helpful video on the web. Thank you very much Miguel for sharing your experience. I liked your video.
Hi, Can I use a Windows 8.1 recovery "disk" on a USB memory flash drive instead of the original Windows media to restore an image from an USB external hard drive? Thanks for posting this helpful video.
SOLVED Hi Miguel, many thanks for an exceedingly clear video. The whole subject of backup has been obscured by Microsoft. I have spent hours trying to find how to do what used to be such a simple process. Thanks again. I will be looking out for other help from your site and will certainly recommend others.
Hey nice video, very clear and nicely done. I have a question, can you boot Apple mac onto my windows 8 (upgraded to 8.1) laptop by using my Seagate 500GB external Hard drive and with an iso file of some sort just like you can do Ubuntu. I don't have any CD's if this process requires it. If you don't understand I am basically asking can you boot not install mac onto a Windows 8.1 laptop using an external Hard Drive without the need for CD's just like booting Ubuntu and with easy access back to Windows 8.1? (Sorry for the re-typing of the question, sometimes people don't understand me)
If I want to make another system image so it has more recent files than my previous image, will windows replace it with my old one? Or do I need to manually delete the old one? By the way great video.
Hello, I commented on another videos of yours earlier and I think this is exactly what I wanted. I can do this with an internal HDD and they don't have to be the same HDD as each other? My C drive is a SDD and my internal backup is a regular HDD. Also, is there a way to have this run automatically? I am looking for a time-machine (Mac) alternative for PC. Or is a RAID 1 a better way as it always keeps a mirror of the C Drive? Thank you!
If I save a back up of the sys image, does it back up all files like pictures, music etc and even the settings like screen savers, background pictures?? Or does it back up only as it was at the factory?
I have spent the past 18 months (with failed attempts to use my many system image backups) restoring my system image backup (I even upgraded the backup and recovery). After close review of your video (the one part I don't have is the screen when you click repair) where can I get this? I remember one of your videos you suggest win. 7 repair disk. I have not had any luck doing that. Do you have any other thoughts?
Hi Miguel, thanks for the video. I have a couple of questions: 1.- Can the drive where you store the backup have other data not related to windows backups? I'm worried of losing data from my external HDD. 2.- What happens if you press "Install" instead of "Repair your computer" after booting with the drive where you stored the backup?
Thank you for this tutorial. I have the 8.0 installation disc but updated to 8.1 Am I correct in assuming that I can use this system image in case of failure if I buy a windows 8.1 disc to boot from?
Very good video, thanks! I have an Asus laptop with Windows 8.1 Update1. I'd like to install a Linux OS by completely erasing anything Windows on the computer. However, if I want to go back to Windows 8.1 Update1 at a later stage, will your method allow me to go back to Windows 8.1 Update1 including the Asus's device drivers? Was thinking of using an 8 GB USB drive to put the system image on using your method from your video. Thanks
Agree with others - Excellent video! One question: I want to image (and later backup) all of my PCs to a networked Media Server box. I have had problems in the past with Windows overwriting previous image files. How do I set up individual folders to prevent their being overwritten, and then select the desired image for restore? Thanks.
you can just download windows 8 or 8.1 from the official site and after that install the tool "RUFUS imagewriter" write windows8 or 8.1 iso file to your usb. Then you can boot from usb and plug your other external device which contains back up file .. thats it
Thanks Miguel, But what do you do if your hard drive has to be replaced with a new one because of failure,, and there is no OS on the computer? Can you boot from the system image back-up dvds that were made from the computer when new? It didn't come with an installation disk, or key. Thanks
great video as other say, I have a one problem, I have new HP envy 15-J030TX laptop. about 2 months back I followed you and made a backup on my same laptop in anther partition. So i dont know any how my lap says widows need to be activated. so is there any method to reboot the lap and re insole the windows. thank you soo much for this video again. good luck and make more many important videos like this.
Hi Miguel, very useful video. But just one question (may be stupid, but I am administrator’s beginner). Must be the destination drive quite empty. I have on the destination drive some archive files and I would like keep them. Is it possible backup there ? Thanks beforehand for your answer.
Should I partition my external hard drive? And how? I am making not only as system image of my C and D drives for 8.1, but also for Windows 10. I plan on putting File History and other stuff like movies and photos on it too.
So to restore I need the windows 8.1 installation disk? I don't have that my pc didn't came with one, isn't the external drive (or dvd's) where you backed up enough to restore? thx
Thank you! Please say, how i may capture my Windows 8 state(wim) with my installed software and apps and restore it to other hard-drive. I'm using SlimImage but i can't restore it and use how system image. Thanks in advance! **Few minutes later**: I think it the same asin WIndows 8.1 , like on your video-tutor?
Great video thanks. So if I understand this right if I want to replace my 500 gig drive with a 1TB drive I can create a back up of the smaller drive then shut down and swap in the 1TB drive then boot to the CD and restore the back up to the 1TB drive and it will be back to the state the computer was in before that backup?
PilotOdyssey that tutorial is just to create a system image backup. the tutorial you need is this one: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qYK-C4rIxrI.html
Hey! I was wondering what format I am supposed to choose when "activating" my SSD for the first initialization? I'm getting GPT and MBR as options. I am going to clone Win 8.1 to my SSD, but I ain't sure what format to use for my ssd. Do you got any tips?
Hi, thanks for the video. Anyway how if we want to restore the system image to a different preinstalled Laptop (OEM) but they have same OS version, do we have to reactivate the key license? Thanks
So say I get a virus or for some reason I can't boot into windows properly(like something goes wrong with the windows 10 update). I can plug in the USB external hard drive and restore windows back to the point were the image was made? Through the troubleshoot mode? Or is there another thing you have to do?
I have a question, I got a image backup but everytime I get in System Image Restore it says that I need to start System Image Restore in Windows Restore Mode with a CD. Could you help me ?
can i follow this tutorial if i will replace my hard drive? because my hard drive has bad sectors and is corrupted? can you give me step by step in details on how to do it if i will replace my hard drive from my laptop?
hi Miguel, I'm lost at 3:00 would you help please? I have a 500gb HD on my laptop with 2 big partitions, C and D where in C I have windows 8.1 + programs and music, picture etc on D. In order to just affect C: on restoring process without losing anything on D: am I supposed to check or uncheck that box? I think I have to uncheck it but your confirmation would be much appreciated. thank you
hi miguel, have a dual boot xp then windows 8.1 pro, system image backup wants me to back up both xp and windows 8.1 partition and can't find system reserve (system) to back up either. any help? many thanks, guys like you make our lives easier...
I would like to backup my windows 8.1 as in your video. Does the backup remove all the files on the external drive? Or does it just create a folder as in the video, leaving the other (existing) files alone? I am asking because I have lots of other data in that external drive that I would like to keep.
Excellent video and demonstration. If one doesn't have installation media, can they create a usb recovery drive and use that? If there's a recovery image partition that's save to the recovery drive, can recovery drive be used same as installation media? My boot drive died. My boot drive ( C: ) had following partitions on my system. I suspect the 7.51GB partition is where installation media info is stored. I created a recovery usb drive before C: drive failed. Will the usb recovery drive I created contain same info as installation media ( plus other tools )? In otherwords, can a recovery USB or DVDs be used same as installation media to reinstall original OS? 500MB EFI System 040MB OEM 750MB Recovery 7.51GB Recovery 8.00GB OEM 300GB C: Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary
Depends on your puter and who made it. Dell has a built in recovery feature, I was able to put the factory installed OS on a USB flash drive in the event the HD took a crap, however, I upgraded to Windows 8.1 and it would not let me make a USB recovery of my current OS. So, if the HD does take a crap I might be able to restore the PC to the way it was when I bought it, which means its pretty much useless. I will say this though, Dell has offered to keep everything nice if I pay them for their premium version of their recovery app which would in fact restore my puter to the way it was when it took a crap... The way I see it you have two choices: 1) Take it to a puter repair shop and see if they can fix it. 2) Buy a new puter but this time keep EVERYTHING somewhere else and not on the HD of your puter. In other words keep as little as possible on your puter and keep everything else in the cloud or NAS or both...That way when your puter dies, you just go out and buy another cheap one and do the same...
In case PC cannot boot to Windows and we have no Installation media, is there any other way to restore our recovery image ? or Could this recovery image become installation disk if we create bootable USB ? Thanks for sharing.
chinmi101 this is not an installation disk, its a system image restore. Booting from this would create a system identical to the one it was created from. You could also use a recovery disk or ask a friend to borrow his Instalation disk
Hi Miguel great video thanks for that. I'm abit of a noob to this kinda stuff but after changing your BIOS boot order to CD/DVD and re-image your PC. Do you go back to BIOS and change it back to boot for C: hard drive again? Thanks :)
is it possible to backup only my copy of windows using this method, while leaving behind all the other files. Is it possible to completely remove windows and reinstall it using this method? Thanks!
hi Miguel, i followed every step form your video but in the part of restoring windows 8.1 appears a message "does not support this type of windows" only in option windows i can go, but i cannot find the image there. If you can give me hand, please let me now. Nice video by the way Regards,
I partitioned by my 1tb HD which contains windows and other drive. While backup it is asking to backup both the drives saying both are system which is not as I checked using easeParition. I just want to backup windows parition. How do I do it? thanks!!!
I have a 500gb partitioned from a 2 tb hard drive to backup my C drive SSD, however system immage backup is trying to also backup the 1.5 tb remaining. I can't seem to tell it to just back up the C drive. Why?
nice video! but i question.will the system image work if i install a new hard drive since my old one fail.i had created the back up in my usb pen drive....i m thinking of installing a new hard drive myself and the os from the back up i made in pen drive just want conformation that it will work
I'm trying to put the system image on flash drive...I formatted it to NFTS, however, it says "this drive is not a valid back location" The drive has 64GB of space and "c" drive is 27GB so its not a space issue...Its showing the flash drive location as (F:), don't know if that has anything to do with why its saying the drive is not not a valid backup location...
helo bro,, my drive is 3....c drive..e drive.....f drive........... when i restor from image drive......have any chance 1 drive hide between the two drive ( e and f) ??????//??? please ans me ( cause i instal my dell recovery dvd ......my 1 drive is hide)
My VAIO came with 7 partitions, Windows 8.1 will only image-backup 3 of them, if I create an image will it work or I'm losing my time? Is there other software that will backup the entire hard drive?
you know at 2:55 can you do the same thing with a windows 8 system image but with a new windows 7 CD or does it have to be windows 8 CD .Because I want to keep all programs and files but go back to win 7 64 as I want to play gta v.
i want to upgrade to windows 10... but if i dont like it i want to be able to go back to my pre installed windows will this still work, if i have windows 8.1 pre installed from factory..
haiii , i am celar with the image back with C drive. i wan to ask u , if the take the back up for my D drive and store it in external drive how do i take the back up for my D drive, help me.
How can i explain.... Got an ssd,want to install the os onto that, so i back up the hdd with the os in it and i put it in another hdd and then delete all the stuff in my c drive so i can fit it in my 60gb ssd and the restore the back up?
So my Old PC has Windows 7 Home Premium and I want to transfer that to my new PC what does not have a OS installed. And the reason I want to transfer Windows 7 to my new PC is cause to my knowledge all Windows 7 or 8 owners will get Windows 10 for free! So if I do this shown on the video will I achieve that ??
Very helpful. I have a problem though. I have 500 gig hard drive and iTb western digital external drive. When I go to create system image, it starts fine but then comes back and says there is no room on the external drive. This is in spite of fact that there is nothing on the drive and I formatted it to make sure. When I copy regular files to the My Passport, it works fine. Can you help? Is the glich with windows 8.1 or the drive? Thanks
***** It turns out that the problem must be with windows, I guess. Where does one get a clean copy and how do you install it without messing things up? Thanks! MB
