How big usb?
- Thread starter JohnBoyII
- Start date
According to google around 12gb is required.
Thanks I've already tried a 16GB usb and it failed. Google suggested anything from 4GB upwards. The Windows folder is around 18GB, in total about 24GB is being used on the HD. So I'm going to play it safe and try with a 32GB usb.
Have you considered storing the image on a USB hard disk? Plenty of room for a few images then without the possibility of running out of space. The drive can also be used for storing downloads, file/folder backups of music and photos etc.
Not too expensive these days. A compact 1TB USB 3.0 hard disk can be bought for around 40 - 50 Pounds. No external power supply necessary because they power via the USB socket they are plugged into.
A handy device to own for the storage of all data. Plugged in for making disk images, general back-ups and then unplugged, files are safe from malware (ransomware) or anything else that might affect the OS or software.
Not too expensive these days. A compact 1TB USB 3.0 hard disk can be bought for around 40 - 50 Pounds. No external power supply necessary because they power via the USB socket they are plugged into.
A handy device to own for the storage of all data. Plugged in for making disk images, general back-ups and then unplugged, files are safe from malware (ransomware) or anything else that might affect the OS or software.
Yes I think in time I'll probably end up having to do that. But its a new PC so for the time being (for the next year at least) I'm just thinking of getting it back to "factory state". A thought though, can you have multiple images stored on the same device? I saw a video in Youtube where someone used an external HDD to create the image, but it had a generic/default name. Can you for example, date name it so you know when it was done.
Multiple disk images can be stored on the same drive. Are you going to use a third-party imaging program for making disk images, or the function included in Windows 10? If using a third-party program such as 'Macrium Reflect' or 'EaseUS ToDo', then naming using different names is done within the programs. They will give an image a default name (usually including the date and time the image was made) but the names can be changed if desired.
If you use Windows' own disk imaging function by going to: 'Control Panel > Back up and Restore (Windows 7)' the finished image is stored on the external USB device as a folder called 'WindowsImageBackup'. If a second image is made, this folder (and the image stored within it) will get overwritten by the new image. This can be overcome by renaming the WindowsImageBackup folder. For instance, call it: 'WindowsImageBackup-march27'. Then windows will make another image called 'WindowsImageBackup' without overwriting the image in the renamed folder. This can be done for storing several images.
The only important thing to remember is to rename the image you want to use for restoring to WindowsImageBackup otherwise the Windows restore procedure won't be able to find it. Always have one that's called this name so that, should disaster strike, the system repair disk (or Windows installation disk) can find a WindowsImageBackup folder to restore from.
Obviously Windows' own imaging function is a bit inconvenient in some ways but it's what I use and I've never had an image let me down. It is possible to rescue individual files from an image if necessary. A bit involved but it can be done.
If you use Windows' own disk imaging function by going to: 'Control Panel > Back up and Restore (Windows 7)' the finished image is stored on the external USB device as a folder called 'WindowsImageBackup'. If a second image is made, this folder (and the image stored within it) will get overwritten by the new image. This can be overcome by renaming the WindowsImageBackup folder. For instance, call it: 'WindowsImageBackup-march27'. Then windows will make another image called 'WindowsImageBackup' without overwriting the image in the renamed folder. This can be done for storing several images.
The only important thing to remember is to rename the image you want to use for restoring to WindowsImageBackup otherwise the Windows restore procedure won't be able to find it. Always have one that's called this name so that, should disaster strike, the system repair disk (or Windows installation disk) can find a WindowsImageBackup folder to restore from.
Obviously Windows' own imaging function is a bit inconvenient in some ways but it's what I use and I've never had an image let me down. It is possible to rescue individual files from an image if necessary. A bit involved but it can be done.
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If you purchase the likes of this :-
https://www.startech.com/uk/HDD/Adapters/USB-3-SATA-adapter-cable-with-UASP~USB3S2SAT3CB
You could then purchase a suitable internal HDD or SSD which could actually replace your current drive but also serve as a backup device through using it as an external drive with the connection shown above.
Don't purchase 'just enough' it almost never is. I would suggest 250 GB to 2 TB.
If using such as Macrium Reflect freeby imaging software, one would plug in the external drive holding the previously saved image, boot from, for example, in my instance an 8 GB USB flash (pen etc) drive which has been prepared as 'Rescue media' via the Macrium Reflect program. The image can now be restored from the external drive to the internal drive - I have been using for years, it has the best 'Rescue Media' creation I have used (not to say I have used that many but have endured problems with other software).
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Macrium+Reflect+v6+User+Guide
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https://www.startech.com/uk/HDD/Adapters/USB-3-SATA-adapter-cable-with-UASP~USB3S2SAT3CB
You could then purchase a suitable internal HDD or SSD which could actually replace your current drive but also serve as a backup device through using it as an external drive with the connection shown above.
Don't purchase 'just enough' it almost never is. I would suggest 250 GB to 2 TB.
If using such as Macrium Reflect freeby imaging software, one would plug in the external drive holding the previously saved image, boot from, for example, in my instance an 8 GB USB flash (pen etc) drive which has been prepared as 'Rescue media' via the Macrium Reflect program. The image can now be restored from the external drive to the internal drive - I have been using for years, it has the best 'Rescue Media' creation I have used (not to say I have used that many but have endured problems with other software).
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Macrium+Reflect+v6+User+Guide
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