Making a system image on DVD with Backup and Restore

Hi Tim Blundell,

Thanks for posting in Microsoft answers!

System image is in essence a snapshot of an entire drive(s). The backup is done in block level (as opposed to file level) increments and includes all user and system files, configuration data and applications that are present on the drive, plus information regarding disk layout and boot entries. The image can be used to recover a working Windows if your hard disk ever fails, or if you simply want to re-image your OS to an earlier point in time.

System image is supported on internal/external disks, optical removable media, and network locations (Business edition or above).

You can create system image either on hard disk, external hard drive or on writable CD/DVDs. You could also save it on a network drive – which you have already done.

You can also include other drives (apart from the drive which contains Windows 7), but that would add on to the size of the final image. The number of DVDs required will be equal to the size of the partition that you are backing up.

Once you select the drives you want to back up, you get a confirmation informing you the amount of space required by the image. Depending on that the number of DVDs required would vary.

A progress meter is displayed while the images is created and backed up.

Refer the link below for more details on System Image backup:

Learn more about system image backup
http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/archive/2009/10/31/learn-more-about-system-image-backup.aspx

Hope this helps!

---

Regards,
Gokul - Microsoft Support

Hello Gokul,

Thanks very much for your reply. It would appear that you can use Backup and Restore to create a system image to any kind of writeble optical media under Windows 7.
Given this feature is not working on my computer, where can I post a bug report? It should be noted that this feature worked under Vista on the same computer.

Thanks again for your help.
Regards,
Tim

Well, I have the same problems with three Windows 7 Home edition laptops (different brands). I can create system image on external hard drive, but if I sellect to create a system image on a DVD or a Dual Layer DVD, I keep getting message that I need to Format it. If I click on OK, it does something to DVD for 20-30 seconds, and then ejects DVD saying that I need other media... It really looks like there is some kind bug within the software because all three systems doing the same thing.

Sithigh - an uncertified tech and computer savy old fart. Computer savy as a hobbyist since 1974, professional builder/assembler in 1979, PC hobbyist since 1990, DOS Guru staus and many other large written manuals.

I read we must use the RW type of "writable" disks and not the +/-R recordable ones.

I'm having the same exact symptoms on a new NoteBook computer, OS and simalar USB DVD drive. (Toshiba NB205, Windows 7 Starter and LG GP08LU11 8x Slim Portable External Super Multi DVD Rewriter with Lightscribe) I have been at it for days and downgraded to reading helps for hours and find only one relevant statement (that I also did not think would apply yet): "writable disks". (I now think that was a Tech. hint or specification for RW, NOT R blank media disks). I wanted the first image to be permanent. Oh-well. I will burn a new complete "System Image" backup to a short spindle of DVD+RW as soon as I can buy something besides Memorex. My LG drive has an issue with their CDs and I don't need to waste any more time rushing the process. ;)

Since I have a successful "System Repair" disk on both a (Phillips 1-8x) DVD+R and (Jensen 32x700 RAD80) CD-R (it fits at only 141mB/134. MB.) I will not burn them again.

I hope this fixes it for all of us, Steve.
I also won't be supprised if credit is stollen for this solution.

I read we must use the RW type of "writable" disks and not the +/-R recordable ones.

I'm having the same exact symptoms on a new NoteBook computer, OS and simalar USB DVD drive. (Toshiba NB205, Windows 7 Starter and LG GP08LU11 8x Slim Portable External Super Multi DVD Rewriter with Lightscribe) I have been at it for days and downgraded to reading helps for hours and find only one relevant statement (that I also did not think would apply yet): "writable disks". (I now think that was a Tech. hint or specification for RW, NOT R blank media disks). I wanted the first image to be permanent. Oh-well. I will burn a new complete "System Image" backup to a short spindle of DVD+RW as soon as I can buy something besides Memorex. My LG drive has an issue with their CDs and I don't need to waste any more time rushing the process. ;)  I hope this fixes it for all of us, Steve.
I also won't be suprised if credit is stolen for this solution.

Sithigh, I found the same solution (so thank you for posting it).   When writing to an External DVD (Memorex 24X External) from an ACER Netbook D260 using Windows 7 Starter:

  1.  DVD-R 16x (Sony) failed.

  2.   DVD+R RW 16x (Memorex) failed

  3.  DVD+RW 4x worked flawlessly.  So, to my experience a SLOW DVD+RW works, a FAST +R or -R fails.

What confuses us all is that creating the smaller "Restore Disk" always works with any kind of media and does not ask to format the DVD.  But the "System Image" process always wants to format the DVD, and then writes a while and then decides to keep writing disk #1 endlessly.  I would love for Microsoft to publicly acknowledge the problem and then post the fix as a critical patch, so we all get it.

I read we must use the RW type of "writable" disks and not the +/-R recordable ones.

I'm having the same exact symptoms on a new NoteBook computer, OS and simalar USB DVD drive. (Toshiba NB205, Windows 7 Starter and LG GP08LU11 8x Slim Portable External Super Multi DVD Rewriter with Lightscribe) I have been at it for days and downgraded to reading helps for hours and find only one relevant statement (that I also did not think would apply yet): "writable disks". (I now think that was a Tech. hint or specification for RW, NOT R blank media disks). I wanted the first image to be permanent. Oh-well. I will burn a new complete "System Image" backup to a short spindle of DVD+RW as soon as I can buy something besides Memorex. My LG drive has an issue with their CDs and I don't need to waste any more time rushing the process. ;)  I hope this fixes it for all of us, Steve.
I also won't be suprised if credit is stolen for this solution.

Sithigh, I found the same solution (so thank you for posting it).   When writing to an External DVD (Memorex 24X External) from an ACER Netbook D260 using Windows 7 Starter:

  1.  DVD-R 16x (Sony) failed.

  2.   DVD+R RW 16x (Memorex) failed

  3.  DVD+RW 4x worked flawlessly.  So, to my experience a SLOW DVD+RW works, a FAST +R or -R fails.

What confuses us all is that creating the smaller "Restore Disk" always works with any kind of media and does not ask to format the DVD.  But the "System Image" process always wants to format the DVD, and then writes a while and then decides to keep writing disk #1 endlessly.  I would love for Microsoft to publicly acknowledge the problem and then post the fix as a critical patch, so we all get it.

the statement by Norrad

Gokul T

Your statement;

"You can create system image either on hard disk, external hard drive or on writable CD/DVDs. You could also save it on a network drive – which you have already done.
You can also include other drives (apart from the drive which contains Windows 7), but that would add on to the size of the final image. The number of DVDs required will be equal to the size of the partition that you are backing up.
Once you select the drives you want to back up, you get a confirmation informing you the amount of space required by the image. Depending on that the number of DVDs required would vary."

1.  IS TOTALLY UNTRUE FOR DVD-R AND DVD+R.  SO YOUR TERM OF A WRITABLE DVD SHOULD BE EXPLAINED BETTER AND DEFINED AS 'RW'-- that's re-writable, NOT JUST WRITABLE.      Windows 10 uses the system Restore from Windows 7 and you CANNOT USE DVD-R or DVD+R discs.  It will ask to format the discs and it WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FORMAT THEM.  Thus the 'system image backup' will FAIL.

2.  YOU CANNOT CREATE THE IMAGE ON THE EXISTING HARD DRIVE FOR WHICH YOU ARE MAKING AN IMAGE OF EITHER.

 You, as a Microsoft professional, should not write statements that would make people spend countless hours trying to do something that is physically impossible!!

  Go back to Microsoft and let them know this problem exists and see if they can fix it. 

  YOU CANNOT CREATE A WINDOWS 10 SYSTEM IMAGE USING DVD-R OR DVD+R DISKS BECAUSE THE WINDOWS IMAGE CREATOR IN WINDOWS 7 OR WINDOWS 10 TRIES TO FORMAT THE NON-FORMATTABLE DVD-R OR DVD+R DISKS CAUSING A FAILURE.  ALSO THE SYSTEM IMAGE CREATOR WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SAVE THE IMAGE TO A DRIVE YOU ARE USING/MAKING AN IMAGE OF.

Mike W

Melbourne, FL

I read it needs +RW.. spindle in hand for HP 15-ac-143 Laptop and I insert disk. Opppsss ! 

win 7 backup fail.  Disk won't format - tried file explorer, tried selecting the drive, and looked at autoplay.  I saw the backup was for to put on external device... which I do not have/internal HP drive e: ---  ok, can you make a software for windows 10 to format/backup to +RW disk ?  (I know it's 4.7gb media)  Also, I was looking at making an .iso, shrinking it....  I think though, the pc I have needs to format a disk.. first !