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

I have another computer with the Ultimate version and regularly backed up the system image to my network drive. After a problem with another computer with the Home Premium version, I decided to do the same but was confused when I saw that the utility wouldn't bring up the network option. That was when I checked with this forum and was shocked to learn that MS intentionally excludes this critical security feature. The only option is to use disks, which I calculate will take 60 to 70 disks in my case, obviously not a workable approach.

I wish MS would provide some kind of response regarding this issue other than to direct us to a feed back link where our comments will disappear into the ether, never to be responded to.

MS should step up to the plate here and acknowledge that this is an improper approach in this day of increasing security problems. They should not be compromising our ability to maintain a secure system in order to reap a few extra bucks at our expense. They should immediately issue and update to all Home version users providing them with network back up ability.

These are the kinds of things that are pushing me toward Linux. I have already converted another of my computers to the Linux OS.

I hope to hear something from you Microsoft!

Answer 3

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.

What a polite way to tell your customer you don't care and don't have an answer.

Answer 4

Why would Microsoft and these computer manufacturers like Dell and others sell these systems that are useless to begin with?

Answer 5

Gentlemen,

I am currently researching and educating myself about the versatility and usefulness of the " wbadmin" cmd for imaging and backup.

I want to credit the fine contributor to this forum, Andrei V., for suggesting to me the  "wbadmin" option in the 6th post on the 2nd page of the thread: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_10-win\_upgrade/windows-10-to-windows-81-downgrade/a66b8125-15b7-4929-b850-af17ad7e197a?page=2 and at my request, he elaborated more on the benefits in an answer to another query in the 6th post in the thread: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_10-update/custom-refresh-gone-is-there-another-way/e86d8d9b-8464-4731-b629-48d8ea5c2e22

As I understand, the "wbadmin" line command first appeared in Vista and has carried through in 7, 8, 8.1, and on into 10 also.

When I stumbled across this thread concerned about not being able to do an Image backup across a network to another computer on Home Premium and "lesser" editions through the built in "Backup and Restore", I thought perhaps the  article at the bottom of this post may provide the solution you are looking for.

The article is a tutorial for Vista, however it applies to all Windows O/S's since Vista. As an interesting aside, the article speaks about the glories of the "Backup and Restore Center" in Vista, however those of us with Home Premium or "lesser" Editions, were excluded form having a "System Image" option, which in turn excludes us from using "wbadmin", just as you Windows 7 HP and below are excluded from having the "Network" option.

The article does show how to set up a regular automatic scheduled backup which is great if that is what one wants. If you only want one backup or only backup occasionally, just run it as a line command at elevated level.

As Andrei V. has pointed out, the big drawback is there is no compression, so one needs to make sure the target has enough space to accommodate the Image.

As I stated at the beginning, I am just researching and starting my education on the "wbadmin" cmd's and in fact, probably know less "computer stuff" than any of you so if you have any questions, I would be of little or no value. I have found Andrei V. to be very amiable and helpful and he would probably be willing to assist if anyone has any questions. He monitors his posts closely, so I would suggest if you want his help, post your query here in the proper thread and then, in order to not hijack another thread or take it off track, do as I have done on another occasion, post a reply to him in the other thread, label it "Off Topic" and ask him to look at your post linking him to this thread.

In conclusion, I must say Microsoft never really abandoned anyone and has always had the solution available - it was just not well known or obvious and up front like the "Backup and Restore Center". To say it is not well known or obvious is quite an understatement since in the 5 years since the original question, no one has brought up the "wbadmin" option.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/11017/back-up-a-complete-vista-pc-across-a-network-using-wbadmin/