I agree with Andrew, Windows Backup works quite well for image creation. I even use it on the server to create daily image of a server. So far have had to restore once, and it worked like a charm. Anatoliy -----Original Message----- From: Blind-sysadmins [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Hodgson Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2015 11:14 AM To: Blind sysadmins list <blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Subject: Re: [Blind-sysadmins] Windows imaging. Hi, If it's Windows 7 I would investigate the Windows backup tool and do a backup to an external hard drive. It's not a byte for byte image, but can be restored easily from a Windows install disk. The running order I tend to use with this type of stuff is as follows: 1. Investigate if recovery media is created, create it if it hasn't already been created; 2. Do image backup using Windows backup to external drive; 3. Get all data off onto external drive, I tend to copy the full profile just in case even though it takes longer. Andrew. -----Original Message----- From: Blind-sysadmins [mailto:blind-sysadmins-bounces@lists.hodgsonfamily.org] On Behalf Of Darragh Ó Héiligh Sent: 17 October 2015 19:05 To: Blind sysadmins list <blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Windows imaging. Hello, I know this topic has come up a few times but I generally don't follow it. I'm therefore very sorry for asking a question that has come up before. I generally don't need to go near this kind of thing but I've a laptop that needs quite a bit of work that I need to have finished by tomorrow. Therefore, what free tool do you recommend to image a laptop running Windows 7? I really need to fully image this with 100% certainty that I'll be able to restore it if something goes wrong. Here are the hoops I'm going to have to jump through. 1. Image the laptop. 2. Separately update the user data. 3. Update it to Windows 10 4. Swap out the hard drive with a solid state drive. 5. Install Windows 10 again. 6. Install Office 2016 7. Install Jaws. The user doesn't need it, but I'll want it for admin and configuration work. 8. Restore the user data. 9. Install all other needed applications. The reason that I'm going to do a fresh install of Windows 10 is this machine has been used every single day by a non-computer user for the past 4 years. He hasn't had admin access but for some reason it's running very slowly. I need to do an upgrade to Windows 10 first so that it recognises the upgrade and activates on the fresh install. The threshold 2 update due to be released soon will remove the need to upgrade as it will do a fresh install and activate using a Windows 7 product key. Unfortunately the user needs this by tomorrow night. Any ideas? Darragh _______________________________________________ Blind-sysadmins mailing list Blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org https://lists.hodgsonfamily.org/listinfo/blind-sysadmins _______________________________________________ Blind-sysadmins mailing list Blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org https://lists.hodgsonfamily.org/listinfo/blind-sysadmins ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2015.0.6172 / Virus Database: 4447/10845 - Release Date: 10/18/15