How to make a bootable disc for Windows 7
Hi, I've never had to do it but am wondering how you would go about making a bootable disc for my PC. And, if I were to use it, would it fix whatever problem(s) were created and bring me back to the last time the system was working properly? Would be good to know. Thanks
SOLUTION
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Hi,
I think you didn't well explain your need!! I guess you wan to make a backup of your disk image that you can restore if you any problem occur on your laptop.
If this is the case, there is many tools that let you clone you disk, you can use CloneZilla.
Best Regards.
Salah
I think you didn't well explain your need!! I guess you wan to make a backup of your disk image that you can restore if you any problem occur on your laptop.
If this is the case, there is many tools that let you clone you disk, you can use CloneZilla.
Best Regards.
Salah
camtz --
Not sure what you mean by bootable disk.
If you mean a disk allowing you to boot, when you cannot atart Windows 7, your Windows installation disk is a bootable disk. That will allow you to reach the System Recovery window, which offers several tools to repair the PC and allow full boot.
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows/what-are-system-recovery-options#what-are-system-recovery-options=windows-7
If successful, you should be back to where you were when the problem started. But it all depends on the nature of the problem. It is not a function of the disk.
You can also make a repair disk from Control Panel|Backup and Restore|Create a System Repair Disk (upper left corner.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/create-a-system-repair-disc
Not sure what you mean by bootable disk.
If you mean a disk allowing you to boot, when you cannot atart Windows 7, your Windows installation disk is a bootable disk. That will allow you to reach the System Recovery window, which offers several tools to repair the PC and allow full boot.
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows/what-are-system-recovery-options#what-are-system-recovery-options=windows-7
If successful, you should be back to where you were when the problem started. But it all depends on the nature of the problem. It is not a function of the disk.
You can also make a repair disk from Control Panel|Backup and Restore|Create a System Repair Disk (upper left corner.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/create-a-system-repair-disc
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ASKER
selmrabet, You are right. I didn't make myself very clear. But what you suggested is exactly what I want to do. In the event my notebook crashes, I would like to have an exact image of everything that is on my computer and bring it back to a state before it crashed if that is possible. I have external drives, so that won't be a problem. I will look at CloneZila and also at what Joetech suggested "acronis". Would I be correct in thinking that in the event of a crash, you would just connect your external drive to the computer and it would bootup on it's own? When we say "image", does that include everything that's on my computer?
camtz--
You would have to set the BIOS to boot from the external drive.
You would have to set the BIOS to boot from the external drive.
ASKER
Joeteck, Is this software you download and use on your own or is it connected to a server in the cloud? Would have the same question for Clonezilla. I just want to be able to back it up to a local drive and not store it in the cloud. As far as changing the BIOS, I wouldn't know where to begin on that. Which of these two would be easiest to use for a novice? Thanks
SOLUTION
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Hi,
As I have confirmed your needs, I'll explain how to deal with this:
You will download the disk image backup tool and burn the CD that you will boot from, then you can make a backup to your external hard drive.
To restore you will do it the same way, boot from the CD and restore the image backup file to your internal hard disk.
There is many tools that can do this:
Acronis
HD Clone Pro
Norton Ghost
CloneZIlla
...
Personally I usually use HD Clone Pro and suggested CloneZIlla since it's free:
Here is a how to guide: How to back up hard drives for disaster recovery with Clonezilla
Regarding your question "does that include everything that's on my computer?", yes It wil include every thing that exist at the backup time, for example if you make your laptop in hibernate instead of shutdown you will have all running programs and files.
Best Regards.
Salah
As I have confirmed your needs, I'll explain how to deal with this:
You will download the disk image backup tool and burn the CD that you will boot from, then you can make a backup to your external hard drive.
To restore you will do it the same way, boot from the CD and restore the image backup file to your internal hard disk.
There is many tools that can do this:
Acronis
HD Clone Pro
Norton Ghost
CloneZIlla
...
Personally I usually use HD Clone Pro and suggested CloneZIlla since it's free:
Here is a how to guide: How to back up hard drives for disaster recovery with Clonezilla
Regarding your question "does that include everything that's on my computer?", yes It wil include every thing that exist at the backup time, for example if you make your laptop in hibernate instead of shutdown you will have all running programs and files.
Best Regards.
Salah
ASKER
I looked at Clonezilla and frankly it looks to be above my level. I'm sorry but am still not clear on the use of the disk image backup tool. When I went to the page, it refereed to downloading Windows but I already have Windows 7 installed. What I have done so far is; I first went to Backup and Restore and created a System Repair Disc. I then created a System Image on an external drive which used up 159 GB. I am concerned because the file it created reads as follows;
WindowsImageBackup>Home-HP
Also, if this works, why would people use the various programs that have been mentioned? Are they easier and/or more reliable? My preference would be to have a complete image that would be self booting if there is such a thing. Thanks for all your input.
WindowsImageBackup>Home-HP
Also, if this works, why would people use the various programs that have been mentioned? Are they easier and/or more reliable? My preference would be to have a complete image that would be self booting if there is such a thing. Thanks for all your input.
Its all local.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Many thanks to all of you
ASKER
For the time being, I have a repair disc and a Windows backup. I'm going to look into buying a program like Acronis or Ghost. Thanks again.
camtz--
Well, you have done much of what I suggested in http:#a40640505
"1) how do I physically use these if I ever need them? Do I use the Repair disc first and if that doesn't work, do I then connect the external drive and try to execute the System Image?"
Now reread the latter part of the post:
"Now, if you ever need to restore that image, and the PC is still able to be booted, go back to Backup and Restore and use one of the options in the Restore section at the bottom of the window.
If you cannot boot, use a System Repair disk or your Windows installation disk as mentioned earlier. (Ideally a System Repair disk should be created before you cannot boot, but if you have not you can create one from another PC.
One of the options you should have is to "Recover your computer using the System Image you created earlier" . See
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows/what-are-system-recovery-options#what-are-system-recovery-options=windows-7
as posted earlier. "
Well, you have done much of what I suggested in http:#a40640505
"1) how do I physically use these if I ever need them? Do I use the Repair disc first and if that doesn't work, do I then connect the external drive and try to execute the System Image?"
Now reread the latter part of the post:
"Now, if you ever need to restore that image, and the PC is still able to be booted, go back to Backup and Restore and use one of the options in the Restore section at the bottom of the window.
If you cannot boot, use a System Repair disk or your Windows installation disk as mentioned earlier. (Ideally a System Repair disk should be created before you cannot boot, but if you have not you can create one from another PC.
One of the options you should have is to "Recover your computer using the System Image you created earlier" . See
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows/what-are-system-recovery-options#what-are-system-recovery-options=windows-7
as posted earlier. "
You may want to look at this link:
Windows USB/DVD Download Tool
You will see how you can use this tool to create a USB or DC boot dics: Windows USB/DVD Download Tool
You should look at the option of using USB booting. I use it today and it work great, knowing more and more Laptops don't have inner DVD players. But they all have USB connections.