To EVERYONE who are reserving Windows 10. PLAN B

[Blackberry-Prince]

As I have been through the forums. I have been told to backup my windows 8.1 before upgrading to windows 10. So everyone REMEMBER to create a system image backup before you upgrade to windows 10. If there are more members like me who dont know how to create a system image and also dont know how to restore from it, this video will help you learn. If anything goes wrong you will always have PLAN B to go back to your previous windows.
Create System Image Backups of Windows 8.1 and Restore from it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEvoVcB2cXQ

Peace

 

[luniboy26]

Thanks for the video. Hopefully Microsoft puts out a guide to send people through the upgrade process seamlessly as possible.

 

[Blackberry-Prince]

Thanks for the video. Hopefully Microsoft puts out a guide to send people through the upgrade process seamlessly as possible.

No Problemo!

 

[Blackberry-Prince]

Come on guys SPREAD THE WORD! Let everyone here know!

 

[Noman Shaam]

hmm

 

[AndyCalling]

Not sure if the vid mentions this, but there is a consideration when creating a Windows system image that is almost always overlooked. If you are backing up a GPT drive (so all UEFI booting PCs) to another GPT drive (so all external drives with a partition over 2TB on it) it will be created fine. If you attempt to restore it however, all you will get is an obscure error.

The backup image is fine though. To restore a Windows system image to a GPT drive you will need to copy it over to an MBR drive first. Then restore it to the GPT boot drive from there.

Please spread this tip too, as it is very hard to come by and is the cause of many a heart palpitation and abandoned image believed falsely to be corrupt.

I've just watched the vid. The easiest way of making a system image is to open File History, then click the system image utility link in the bottom left hand corner and Windows will guide you through the process. The vid takes a command line approach and is not ideal. Remember my tip, and use the wizard method built in to Windows. Much better.

 

[Don Geronimo]

Instead of relying on the system image backup as suggested by @Blackberry-Prince and @AndyCalling, I prefer the usage of the Windows Recovery Image tools to create a recovery image of my system to restore it to a clean state.

Now, the caveat is this method wasn't exactly designed for a full backup like @BlackBerry-Prince and @AndyCalling's methods; it wasn't meant as a means of a full backup including your files. It was meant to be used in a method like this that I did: clean install Windows 8/8.1/10, install requisite drivers/updates, install your preferred applications, create recovery image. The advantage is, coupled with a backup method for your personal files or User directory (something that I would use File History or System Backup for), reinstalling Windows to the state of your recovery image is as simple as using the Settings->Update and Recovery->Refresh/Reset. It'll leave you in a clean state of Windows with all the drivers you need and all your desired apps preinstalled. It's like having your own recovery image.

I don't think it's any better or worse than what's provided; it's simply a different option. Since I already have a most of my files on OneDrive or backed up on CrashPlan or my local NAS, I don't need to create a full image of everything, so the recovery method works for me to quickly get a clean system.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I don't have an external hard drive with me, and won't for a long time, so I have no way to do a backup or I would've already

 

[DavidinCT]

I don't have an external hard drive with me, and won't for a long time, so I have no way to do a backup or I would've already

If you have a large amount of free space on your hard drive, you can shrink it and create a new partition, then you should be able to back up to that partition.

Just remember it needs to be as large as the OS space. for example, you have a 2tb drive, only 150gb is being used, I would shrink by 200gb and create a 200gb partition, this should allow you to backup to this drive and restore as needed.

Personally, I use an Acronis ISO, boot off it, create a backup with the system off (so no problems backing up files or changes during the backup), create an image of the HD watching to make sure I get the proper partitions (don't forget the MBR and the 100gb hidden partition). Sometimes to an External USB drive (as long as you have the space, a 120gb USB drive can do it with compression) or another partition in the system (as long as it's not the one your backing up)

Many ways to create a system image before installing Windows 10. I setup a few VMs to take the upgrade on, when done, I will take a Key from the VM, delete the VM and do a clean install of Windows 10. I don't screw up my current OS and I get Windows 10 RTM with one of my extra licenses...

 

[EL620]

I used AMOEI Backupper for saving my Windows 8.1 partition to compressed adi image before deleting and merging unallocated space to windows 10 partition.

 

[Blackberry-Prince]

instead of relying on the system image backup as suggested by @blackberry-prince and @andycalling, i prefer the usage of the windows recovery image tools to create a recovery image of my system to restore it to a clean state.

Now, the caveat is this method wasn't exactly designed for a full backup like @blackberry-prince and @andycalling's methods; it wasn't meant as a means of a full backup including your files. It was meant to be used in a method like this that i did: Clean install windows 8/8.1/10, install requisite drivers/updates, install your preferred applications, create recovery image. The advantage is, coupled with a backup method for your personal files or user directory (something that i would use file history or system backup for), reinstalling windows to the state of your recovery image is as simple as using the settings->update and recovery->refresh/reset. It'll leave you in a clean state of windows with all the drivers you need and all your desired apps preinstalled. It's like having your own recovery image.

I don't think it's any better or worse than what's provided; it's simply a different option. Since i already have a most of my files on onedrive or backed up on crashplan or my local nas, i don't need to create a full image of everything, so the recovery method works for me to quickly get a clean system.

sweet!

 

[AndyCalling]

Creating a recovery image using Don G's method can be useful, but can get pretty complex when dealing with a Wimboot device (many tablets will be Wimbooted). I've done it and it's not too hard, but you will need to research well and learn alot. I suggest you try, but make an image using another method first just in case.