Install from a backup

[Jules59]

Sorry if this is a really basic question but Ive just spent two evenings reinstalling Win7 64bit, MS Office & other software, resetting all my preferences and installing my drivers for the perpherals etc etc
Its running nice again.
So I want to be able to copy the SSD C;\ drive contents (totalling about 60GB) to one of the HDDs so that I can re-install this exact setup should I need to wipe the SSD and reinstall it all again for some reason.
The PC can boot from DVD or USB stick , but Ive not previously created a separate bootable DVD or USB stick.
What is the best way to do all this ?
Does the Win 7 backup do this well? I tried it years ago with XP and got into all sorts of bother and gave up and continued with the traditional reinstall from a pile of DVDs etc,
Or is there better software ?

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[yodap]

I use Todo Back-up free. Others I know like Macrium Reflect free. I did not like The back-up utility that came with 7.

Todo and Macrium allow you to create an image of partitions or entire disks in a compressed way that helps save disk space. Your 60GB drive may finish at 30GB depending on what kind of files you have. They also have the feature of cloning a disk to another disk at a 1 to1 ratio. The only time I clone is if I'm getting a larger drive or something.

If you ever need to repair from these options all you'll need to do is go through windows update after the recovery.

I found the windows utility to be slow and confusing and I'm sure others will disagree with that.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/easeus_todo_backup_free_edition.html

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.htm

As always with free download sites beware of toolbars and such that may want to become part of your install.

Good luck

 

[Jules59]

thanks I'll give them a trial.

 

[DipStick]

Sorry if this is a really basic question but Ive just spent two evenings reinstalling Win7 64bit, MS Office & other software, resetting all my preferences and installing my drivers for the perpherals etc etc
Its running nice again.
So I want to be able to copy the SSD C;\ drive contents (totalling about 60GB) to one of the HDDs so that I can re-install this exact setup should I need to wipe the SSD and reinstall it all again for some reason.
The PC can boot from DVD or USB stick , but Ive not previously created a separate bootable DVD or USB stick.
What is the best way to do all this ?
Does the Win 7 backup do this well? I tried it years ago with XP and got into all sorts of bother and gave up and continued with the traditional reinstall from a pile of DVDs etc,
Or is there better software ?

Many thanks for any advice.

NO, JUST COPY YOUR SSD INFORAMTION ONTO A USB HDD OR ANOTHER HDD PREFERABLE A BLANK PARTITION ON A OTHER HDD, AFTER THAT YOU NEED TO TELL WINDOWS WERE TO FIND THE BACKUP OR IMAGE