Windows 7, among its best additional functions, provides an excellent integrated backup tool that allows you to create an exact copy of Windows and all the files and configurations present. As seen in the general article on the best fast Windows backup and restore program, creating a system image is a great way to save the working state of Windows in order to create a backup copy to restore when the computer is not start more for serious errors.
By system image we mean that, on a DVD or on another hard disk, an identical mirror copy of everything that is in the computer is made at a given moment.
A system image can be created each time new programs or applications are added to ensure that everything is saved.
READ ALSO: Create a backup image of Windows 10 and 8.1
In order not to get confused, it is better to understand the difference between the system image and the system restore.
The restore creates a small backup, only of some important and recently modified files, within the current Windows installation.
As seen in the related article, it is very useful in case you delete files by mistake or if you make a mistake in a configuration and something is wrong (for example, you no longer hear the audio).
Instead, when you create a system image, you are proceeding to an exact duplicate of Windows, to be used for backup purposes.
The system image file is usually stored on an external disk (hard disk, DVD or flash memory) so that even if the PC or hard disk breaks completely and needs to be changed, you can still reload Windows from the backup point created.
Creating a system image in Windows 7 is very simple.
From the Windows control panel, look for the backup and restore item .
On the right side of the window an item appears with the writing " Create a system image " and it is the one to click.
The first step is the choice of how to backup your data: whether to use an external disk, a blank DVD or a network resource, or another computer connected to your home or company.
By default, Windows searches for storage media connected to your computer and lists them in a drop-down menu; it is not recommended to use the same disk on which Windows is located for the reason mentioned above (if the pc breaks ...).
The next screen offers an estimate of how much space it takes to make the complete copy of the disk image.
This is an important point because it is also an estimate of the time it will take to create the backup.
Generally speaking, a backup can take up to 15 GB of space which are transferred via USB in about 20 minutes.
If the choice was to make the disc image on a DVD, calculate that a normal DVD can contain 4.7 GB of data, therefore, if the backup requires 15, it is necessary to burn 3 DVDs.
On the next screen, the creation of the disk image begins, which may take quite some time, depending on how many files you have on your computer.
In this regard, I highly recommend deleting everything that is useless and saving disk space, especially if you intend to use the DVD (one will never be enough, however, I would avoid using more than 10 DVDs).
After the backup is complete, when the system image has been created, you are also prompted to create a system recovery disc .
This is essential because, in case the PC does not start anymore, you can use, when you turn on the computer, the starting programs to restore data or to correct errors if possible.
This recovery disc occupies 142 MB of space and must be created in Windows 7 using a CD or DVD, even if no backup is planned.
It allows, in case of accidents, to restart the PC from the CD or DVD to use the recovery tools.
Among the options on the recovery disc are: Repair the Windows boot, restore from an automatic point, reload the backup possibly created with the image disc, check for any errors on the memory, start the command console.
The recovery of the disk image is a triviality even for the less experienced because the wizard is very clear and, in fact, it is only a matter of pressing the Next button until the PC is restarted with Windows 7 working.
For further explanations, you can consult the excellent guide in Italian directly from the Microsoft site
Another guide in another article instead explains the restoration of missing or lost files from the system image .
