backup and restore windows 7

[aruwin]

Ok, I am going to replace the internal hardisk of my laptop with a new one because the current one that I have is making loud weird noises (like a motor engine) and the repairer said a new hardisk needs to be installed and so I will lose all my files inside the laptop. Well, I dont wanna lose any file or any software or any programmes that I have in my laptop, so do I have to do a backup to create an exact copy of my C drive? And when my old internal hardisk is replaced with a new one, will I have my laptop as it was just like when I did the backup, if I restore it again?

[Bjs]

Yes and yes.

There are many hard drive imaging tools around which will to a 1:1 copy.

The new drive should be same size or larger.

Most imaging tools will fail if system bitmap is damaged, some will still copy even if bad sectors are detected, depends on what the current state of the drive is at.

Worse case scenario using bootable linux, connect both old and new drive to system, format the new drive and do a raw transfer of files from bad to new drive. Being a laptop, if its not got a secondary hd slot it'll need to go into a usb external case.

[aruwin]

Yes and yes.

There are many hard drive imaging tools around which will to a 1:1 copy.

The new drive should be same size or larger.

Most imaging tools will fail if system bitmap is damaged, some will still copy even if bad sectors are detected, depends on what the current state of the drive is at.

Worse case scenario using bootable linux, connect both old and new drive to system, format the new drive and do a raw transfer of files from bad to new drive. Being a laptop, if its not got a secondary hd slot it'll need to go into a usb external case.

I have an external hard disk of 1TB which is large enough to store all my data. Will this be a good drive to copy my laptop??Oh and one more, when my internal hard disk is replaced, how do I restore my back-up data into the laptop?

[mL999]

There must be many backup/drive clone softwares available including, I think, some built into some versions of windows.. In your case the proceedure with my favorite 'Paragon Hard Disk Manager ' could be : -
-install the Paragon software and make a so-called 'Recovery CD/DVD' this self-boots into a suite of Linux utilities.
-Use the software or the Recovery CD to backup your system to your external drive.
-Take out your old hard drive and put in your new one.
-Self-boot the recovery disk and use it to form the new drive (in NTFS)
and then to 'restore' your system to the new hard drive from the image in the external drive
You might also have to set the computer BIOS to boot from the new hard drive . (I have forgotten if this was needed).
All this works but you could try installing only the system software that you use , and then restore the data and you will have a nice clean system .
PS if you use Mozilla/Thunderbird browser etc, there is a fine free e-mail and browser settings back up available for it "MozBackup".
gud luk from mike

[Nelson37]

I would very strongly recommend simply backing up your DATA FILES ONLY, then do a normal Windows install and just copy the data files back to the new HD.

Programs will need to be re-installed, sure. BUT, the odds are very high that you currently have programs installed that you never use, or have been updated.

Also, just one minor error in OS or Programs can cause tremendous problems, such as you might get from copying system files from a failing hard drive. A minor error in a data file is a much less serious problem.

The only time I would do an image backup in the case of a failing HD would be in the case of installed programs that absolutely cannot be replaced; this is very rare and almost never justifies the risk.

Copy only user-created files for which there is no KNOWN GOOD alternative. Everything else can, and should be re-installed.

Fresh, clean, and KNOWN GOOD.

[aruwin]

Yes and yes.

There are many hard drive imaging tools around which will to a 1:1 copy.

The new drive should be same size or larger.

Most imaging tools will fail if system bitmap is damaged, some will still copy even if bad sectors are detected, depends on what the current state of the drive is at.

Worse case scenario using bootable linux, connect both old and new drive to system, format the new drive and do a raw transfer of files from bad to new drive. Being a laptop, if its not got a secondary hd slot it'll need to go into a usb external case.

I was backing up my laptop and after the process was finished, it turned out that the back up was unsuccesful. Here is the image of the error message. What does it mean and what is the solution?

[Hoser Rob]

I would very strongly recommend simply backing up your DATA FILES ONLY, then do a normal Windows install and just copy the data files back to the new HD.

Programs will need to be re-installed, sure. BUT, the odds are very high that you currently have programs installed that you never use, or have been updated.

Also, just one minor error in OS or Programs can cause tremendous problems, such as you might get from copying system files from a failing hard drive. A minor error in a data file is a much less serious problem.

The only time I would do an image backup in the case of a failing HD would be in the case of installed programs that absolutely cannot be replaced; this is very rare and almost never justifies the risk.

Copy only user-created files for which there is no KNOWN GOOD alternative. Everything else can, and should be re-installed.

Fresh, clean, and KNOWN GOOD.

I'm totally with this ... your drive sound a wee bit flaky.

Also, I wouldn't put in a new drive that is too much bigger. I've seen people have power consumption & excess heat problems after doing that.

[Nelson37]

The error message means that the backup failed, that's about it. A flaky hard drive is one possible cause. It does give a "failure to read" error. That could happen to any file on the HD, at any time. The fewer files you copy, the less likely you are to have such an error.

While you are able to, which may be for a very limited time, get some usb memory sticks and copy your important files, data that YOU created, before it is all gone. Then chuck the rest and re-create it on the new drive.

[Moontrash]

I posted this a ways back on backing up/cloning a hdd. It still goes in this scenario for any hdd. I would buy another hdd and plug it in using an external hdd case and go from there.

Macrium Reflect Free all the way. Can't be any easier.

[MOVIEGEEK]

The built-in backup utilty in Windows is worthless, use the program that came from the manufacturer* of the laptop or use a third party program, I agree with Nelson37 to just backup the files on a HDD/USB drive.

http://www.winhelp.us/index.php/windows/backup-and-restore-windows.html#.UKvEroeAw-w

*if you didn't get a recovery disc. Old XP PC's came with a recovery CD disc but newer PC's need several DVD's.

[sambat]

The built-in backup utilty in Windows is worthless,.

I used it three times in the last thirty days to install from a system image without any problems.

[MOVIEGEEK]

The built-in backup utilty in Windows is worthless,.

I used it three times in the last thirty days to install from a system image without any problems.

You're lucky I guess, every time I have used it I get the error in post #6.

[sambat]

You can get that error (quite recent in fact on a family members PC) when Microsoft Essentials picks up on a Java security hole.
The History log (of M E) might report something.

[aruwin]

You can get that error (quite recent in fact on a family members PC) when Microsoft Essentials picks up on a Java security hole.
The History log (of M E) might report something.

Hi, I tried to do a complete backup including a system image copy of windows 7 but as the process was finished, an error message appeared which says:
"The system cannot find the file specified. (0x80070002)"

I checked the size of the backed-up file and it was 110gb while the original OS that I was copying is actually 116 gb.

[sambat]

Did it name the file?