Creating a backup image of XP ... ?

[Wayne Smith]

Applies to: Windows XP Professional

On average I reinstall Windows XP probably about 8-10 times a year, I'm
forever downloading new software and trying out different things, only to
clog my system up over a period of a few weeks and then cleaning everything
out again with a fresh Windows install.

I've been looking at ways of simplifying this task .. ideally by creating a
backup image of fresh Windows XP installation with all the Windows Update
Service Packs and Hotfixes installed, plus a few bits of essential software
and drivers for the hardware I always have connected. This led me to quite
an in-depth search through Microsoft's Technet and support pages.

I've looked at the proceadure that OEM system builders use for distrubuting
Windows software onto new desktops and wondered if I could follow the same
path, but from reading the help files and loads of support web pages, it
looks like the only way to achieve this would be to set up a Windows Server
and use a peice of software built-in to the Server software for creating a
backup image of a new Windows installation and then distributing it over the
network to a PXE enabled PC ... this is far too complicated a task for what
I'm trying to do, despite the fact that if I've read everything correctly, I
should be able to install a fresh copy of Windows within about 6 minutes as
opposed to the standard 45-60 minutes it currently takes.

I then found some information regarding some tools availavle on the Windows
XP installation CD (support\tools\deploy.cab). By unpacking this cab file, I
have some fairly powerful tools at my disposal for pretty much the purpose I
have in mind. Again I've read all of the help files and followed the
instructions for creating a fresh install of Windows, along with all the
drivers and software unique to my system, under what's called the 'Factory'
preperation tool, but now I've come to a bit of a dead end.

Using the System Preperation Tool I can indeed create a 'new' Windows
install, with all the software unique to my own system, and then 'Reseal' it
so when its run for the first time, it acts just like a brand new desktop
booting up for the first time. But I can't find an way of backing up this
'New' system to an image file, and I'm curious to find out if anyone else
has had any luck using these tools.

Am I following a red herring here, are these tools useless for what I'm
trying to do, or should I configure something or follow a very specific
proceadure to acomplish the task in hand. The help files haven't been very
helpful so far so I'm turning to the Microsoft News groups in the hope
someone out there can offer a way for me to get my sanity back.

Any help, pointers or suggestions would as always be incredibly greatful.

Kind Regards,
Wayne

 

[HEMI-Powered]

Wayne Smith added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

Applies to: Windows XP Professional

On average I reinstall Windows XP probably about 8-10 times a
year, I'm forever downloading new software and trying out
different things, only to clog my system up over a period of a
few weeks and then cleaning everything out again with a fresh
Windows install.

Why on Earth are you doing this?! What does "clog your system"
mean exactly?

I've been looking at ways of simplifying this task .. ideally
by creating a backup image of fresh Windows XP installation
with all the Windows Update Service Packs and Hotfixes
installed, plus a few bits of essential software and drivers
for the hardware I always have connected. This led me to quite
an in-depth search through Microsoft's Technet and support
pages.

I've looked at the proceadure that OEM system builders use for
distrubuting Windows software onto new desktops and wondered
if I could follow the same path, but from reading the help
files and loads of support web pages, it looks like the only
way to achieve this would be to set up a Windows Server and
use a peice of software built-in to the Server software for
creating a backup image of a new Windows installation and then
distributing it over the network to a PXE enabled PC ... this
is far too complicated a task for what I'm trying to do,
despite the fact that if I've read everything correctly, I
should be able to install a fresh copy of Windows within about
6 minutes as opposed to the standard 45-60 minutes it
currently takes.

I then found some information regarding some tools availavle
on the Windows XP installation CD (support\tools\deploy.cab).
By unpacking this cab file, I have some fairly powerful tools
at my disposal for pretty much the purpose I have in mind.
Again I've read all of the help files and followed the
instructions for creating a fresh install of Windows, along
with all the drivers and software unique to my system, under
what's called the 'Factory' preperation tool, but now I've
come to a bit of a dead end.

Using the System Preperation Tool I can indeed create a 'new'
Windows install, with all the software unique to my own
system, and then 'Reseal' it so when its run for the first
time, it acts just like a brand new desktop booting up for the
first time. But I can't find an way of backing up this 'New'
system to an image file, and I'm curious to find out if anyone
else has had any luck using these tools.

Am I following a red herring here, are these tools useless for
what I'm trying to do, or should I configure something or
follow a very specific proceadure to acomplish the task in
hand. The help files haven't been very helpful so far so I'm
turning to the Microsoft News groups in the hope someone out
there can offer a way for me to get my sanity back.

Any help, pointers or suggestions would as always be
incredibly greatful.

How about a good HD imager like Acronis True Image? You can
capture an entire partition or just incrementally capture
selected folders. Besides doing what you want, TI is also a very
powerful backup tool. I do a full image backup of my C:\
partition about every month or two, but for precisely the
opposite reason from you: since I do not perceive any clogging of
my system, I do NOT want to do a reinstall of Windows ever again
on this PC, if I can possibly help it. The thought of getting
every SP, critical update, et al is too terrible a thought to
entertain. And then, there are all of my apps, customization of
the Windows GUI, etc. that would need to be reinstalled along
with their updates.

I don't know if you're following a red herring or not, but my bet
would be that you are wasting a whole LOT of your time and energy
on what is in all likelihood a non-problem. Or, if there are real
problems, they should be diagnosed and fixed whether it be a
malware infection, bad drivers, errant updates, whatever.

Good luck!

 

[DL]

I too use Acronis TI, saves a whole lot of hassle

 

[Timothy Daniels]

How about a good HD imager like Acronis True Image? You can
capture an entire partition or just incrementally capture
selected folders....

Acronis True Image will clone *all* the partitions on a HD,
but not single partitions. Among the Big Three, only
Ghost and Casper will clone single partitions (and then also
put them among other partitions on the destination HD).
If you want to clone just the partition that contains the OS,
and there are other partitions on the same HD, Ghost or
Casper are the way to go.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

And you can do it for free using BootIt NG.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

And you can do it for free using BootIt NG.

Does that mean that the downloaded file can be installed
and activated without paying $35 for it? (See:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/purchase.html )

*TimDaniels*

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

No, it means you can run what you need to from the bootable floppy without
installing.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

More: You don't install the download. You use it to create a bootable floppy
or CD disk that you boot to. You can then cancel the installation and use
the included tools. Really only need to purchase it to use it as a boot
manager. Of course, if you're going to use the tools on a regular basis,
it's worth the $35, anyway.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

OK, thanks for the tip. The partition manipulating ability
and the BCD editor (for Vista) look handy enough, though,
that I'd spring for the $35.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Have fun!