How do I make a copy of Windows 7?

Backup - mandatory procedurefor those who want to keep their data safe. About how to restore the operating system from a backup, we told in the article How to restore a backup, and now we'll talk about how, in fact, make a copy of Windows 7.

Copy by means of Windows 7

The easiest way to make a backupWindows 7 - use the built-in operating system tools to create a disk image. The image retains a complete copy of the OS at the time of its creation, including all settings and programs, as well as personal files of the user.

To create an image of the system, open the Panelfrom the "Start" menu and select the "System and its maintenance" item in it, and there - the item "Backup and Restore". In the window that opens, click on the link "Creating a system image". Choose where you will store the image - on a hard disk, DVD or in a network folder on another computer. It's best to keep backups on external media or on the network so that you can recover data even if the hard disk of the computer fails.

In the next step, select which partitions you wantTo save, mark them with check boxes, and click "Next". On the last page, click the Archive button. Start the process of archiving, which can take quite a long time. If you are creating an image for the first time, upon completion, you will also be prompted to create a recovery disk that you can use to troubleshoot problems if the system does not boot. If you want, you can not do this, especially if you have a Windows 7 installation disk.

The image of the system can be created regularly bytimetable. To do this, click the "Configure backup" button in the already familiar "Backup and Restore" window. On the following pages, select where the image will be stored and what it should include. At the end, click the "Change Schedule" link and specify how often and at what time you want to automatically create a system image. When you are finished, click the "Save settings and start archiving" button.

How to make a copy: third-party programs

There are also third-party programs for creatingbackup of Windows 7. This, for example, paid applications Acronis True Image or Paragon Home Expert. There are also free utilities for backup - EaseUS Todo Backup Free, COMODO Backup, Macrium Reflect and many others. True, it is worth noting that most of them use their own archive formats, which can only be opened with the help of this particular program. On the other hand, you can restore the system from a backup created by the built-in tools of Windows 7, using the tools built in to the system, which is much more convenient.