Backup: Create system image on external or network drive

Question

I am running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit and I have 2 internal HDDs plus a networked Windows Home Server.

When I go to Backup and select Create System Image I am only shown the option of backing up the system drive (C drive) and not the other HDD (D drive). And as destination for the backup of the system drive I am presented with no option other than the D drive. I am not shown the option of an external drive or the WHS network drive.

Apparently the option of an external or network drive should be available as long as they are NTFS formatted.

Could it be that these options are not available for the Home Premium edition?

Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Hi Brovig,

1.     How many drives are there in the computer?

2.     Can you see the external hard drive in Disk management?

To open Disk management follow the steps below.

1.     Open Computer Management by clicking theStart button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, clicking Administrative Tools, and then double-clickingComputer Management.‌ If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

2.     In the left pane, underStorage, click Disk Management.

A system image is an exact copy of a drive. By default, a system image includes the drives required for Windows to run. If you select an another drive to backup, then you may get the option of  D drive to backup.

You can only save your backups on a network location on Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 7 Enterprise.

You may refer the below mentioned links for more information.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/features/backup-and-restore.aspx

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/backup-and-restore

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Back-up-your-programs-system-settings-and-files

Thanks and regards,

 Fouzan – Microsoft support.

 Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum 

 http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-%20US/answersfeedback/threads and let 

 us know what you think.

Answer 2

You can only save your backups on a network location on Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 7 Enterprise.

That is rubbish!!! I've searched for this problem across many forums and keep seeing the same response. Why on earth would Microsoft offer Windows 7 to Home Premium Users with a backup function that doesn't allow you to backup to any network location that you can see on your Windows Explorer? I've just brought a Buffalo network backup drive for my laptops that are running Windows 7 Home Premium and I can't select this backup drive to create a system image file because this option has been deliberately removed from Windows 7 home premium edition yet is available in these other additions mentioned above. What a micky mouse company Microsoft is. Seems like many other home users are having the same frustration. Who would design a backup suite like this? No wonder microsoft is losing market share!

Does anyone know if there are any upgrade patches to put the additional radio button back onto that backup dialogue box which will allow Home Premium users to actually backup their data to their network drives? How can I complain about this directly to microsoft to get this changed? It is not acceptable.

Answer 3

I totally agree with Nick1111. Not allowing an image to be saved on a network drive - even with Premium - is absurd. 

I often defend Bill Gates and Microsoft against critics, but in this case critics are correct!

Answer 4

Hi Nick1111,

You can give your feedback in the below mentioned link.

http://mymfe.microsoft.com/Windows%20%207/Feedback.aspx?formID=195

 Thanks and regards,

 Fouzan – Microsoft support.

 Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum 

 http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-%20US/answersfeedback/threads and let us know what you think.

Answer 5

The inability to create a system image on a network drive just because the O/S has the word "Home" in it is infuriating.  System images are part of a comprehensive approach to computer security, right up there with backups and Antivirus software.  One would think that Microsoft would not nickle and dime us when it comes to computer security.  So the time and money I invested in buiding a centralized netword-based backup system for my home was all for not.  I am so tired of this type nonsense from Microsoft.