What specific drive will allow for a successful Win7 System Image?

[MichaelBanning]

In the not too distant future I will be upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I've backed up everything but I know I need a system image as well.

I have two Seagate backup drives (the 3tb one that never worked and the 1tb slim backup plus portable that used to work), and while the Seagate Backup Plus Portable drive used to allow system images because I CAN SEE SOME IN THERE, neither one will work with Windows 7's system image.

I've looked this up before, and just did again, and I know it's because of the 4K vs 512 thing, or whatever.

I don't want to spend 3 hours with Macrium, and I don't want to use Seagate's Disc Wizard or whatever. I just want a system image, and if I have to buy a thumb drive, or another external/backup hard drive that isn't seagate or something, then fine.

Therefore, unless there is something I've missed that can fix my problem with my seagate drives, if someone could be so kind and PLEASE link me to something on Amazon that will DEFINITELY WORK and I'll just get it and move on. Apologies for the tone, this forum has saved my *** on multiple occasions and I mean no disrespect, but in addition to the anxiety over any problems happening when I upgrade to 10, I'm tired of wasting time figuring out why I can't put system images on a drive that has older system images on it. I kinda feel like this guy

 

[MichaelBanning]

UPDATE: I don't even know what to say. After posting I tried to just use the slim drive to backup the pc without a system image. But then the backup wouldn't work - something about the volume can't be part of what's getting backed up, error 80780040. This resulted in an hour or so of backup and restore freezing, trying to change the settings freezing, finally changing the backup settings - the system image option was greyed out, but it listed the seagate drive as one of the drives to system image?!?!?!, restarting my pc multiple times, plugging the drive into each of the 3 usb ports I have - 2 usb 3.0s and one 2.0 - more freezing, more task manager ending processes, more restarts....

Until after the most recent restart, I plugged my drive into the second 3.0 drive, and NOW I can not only include the system image in the regular backup process, I am at this very moment using just the create a system image option to save one to the slim drive. Why it works in one 3.0 port and not the other, let alone the 2.0 port, is beyond me.

I'm beyond words. And sanity.

 

[j1sh]

Macrium reflect is a good free way to go even though you seem against it in your post. I wouldn't personally use any built in methods in Windows to create a master backup image of your system. You want a nice bit for bit cloned-disk style image you can just put back on if you wish to.

 

[dozer167a]

I had the same issue with windows 7, whereas I couldn't create a full system image to my Seagate 2tb 4k sectors external hard drive. Eventually I choose to purchase Paragon drive copy pro 15, which allowed me to do the process very easily with out any issues. I recently received an update from Paragon which made the software fully compatible with windows 10. Now after updating to windows 10, I was checking out the functions of windows 10, and came about the backup and restore, and create a system image. I clicked on create system image, and my 4k sector / Seagate 2tb external drive connected to my usb 3.0 port was found. I followed the instructions and the system image was created with out any issues whatsoever. So Windows 10 supports my Seagate 4k sector / 2tb usb 3.0 external hard drive, where it didn't with windows 7 unless I used the paragon software.

 

[AndyCalling]

Not sure if this is your issue, but W7 (&8) will only restore an image to a GPT drive (so all UEFI boot drives) from an MBR drive. If your external drive is GPT (so all with a partition over 2TB) it will make an image but that image will fail to restore unless moved to an MBR drive.

W10 no longer has this restriction.

 

[MichaelBanning]

UPDATE: As I mentioned in my last update, I was able to successfully do a system image on my 1tb slim backup plus portable one or whatever it's called - the one I have previously been able to save system images to. Afterwards, I immediately attempted a backup, which I think was completely successful, except for another system image. In other words, in the course of an hour it went from "system imageable" to NOT. I tried the solo system image tool again and it was back to not recognizing it.

So I thought perhaps it was a cable issue. I tried the cable from my 4tb drive on my slim 1tb drive, but change. Is it a problem with my usb ports? According to device manager all the drivers are up to date. This is infuriating, but at least I have a system image now, a mostly complete backup, and then a seagate backup on my 4tb drive.

That said, I'm a torn between trying to fix this issue with my current win7 setup and my backup drives and/or any hardware issues (I have complete dell prosupport and all that stuff) before I do this clean install, and just going ahead and doing the clean install. Thoughts?

 

[MichaelBanning]

UPDATE: I just tried it again with the slim 1tb drive, and for whatever reason, it showed up in the system image tool but while it was working I did the full backup with system image again and this time it worked successfully. So whatever. That said, while I consider myself an above average user in terms of technical prowess, after reading the recent "14 reasons not to upgrade yet", I think I'll wait at least until the updates this fall if not next year before finally pulling the trigger just to avoid any unnecessary anxiety since the clean install will take forever anyway.