Creating a good backup image

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When I create a base image of my system, I usually defrag it first, since any subsequent defrags will affect any incrementals created. I usually also make a full image with just the operating system, and a few images with some software installed. That way, if there are any major problems, I can get a nice clean base. Does anyone else have any best practices they have for creating images?

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Tony_Weiss wrote:
When I create a base image of my system, I usually defrag it first, since any subsequent defrags will affect any incrementals created. I usually also make a full image with just the operating system, and a few images with some software installed. That way, if there are any major problems, I can get a nice clean base. Does anyone else have any best practices they have for creating images?
I do pretty much the same.  By this time, I've collected a small library of Ghost images involving both XP and Vista, each set including the "barefoot" operating system and also the operating systems with selected applications installed.  When I get some spare time or have to use any of these library images, I update the operating system and the apps to keep them current.  I also maintain two Ghost 14 progressive weekly backup sets of base with daily increments for my live (working) system as well as two progressive weekly (more or less) full backups for my laptop.  Before each full backup, I cleanup and defrag the subject disk.  Since the Ghost incremental backups will interpret all defrag modifications as incremental changes and thus get very large, I try to defrag disks only immediately before each full or baseline backup.  Also, after having been burned a few years ago with a corrupt critical image, I have all backup jobs now set to verify each image.  The backups may then take a little longer, but so far I've had no further unexpected corrupt image problems.  For added redundancy, I also schedule a weekly critical data file backup (to a different external drive) after the weekly baseline full image.  That way, if I ever have to recover to one of my clean images, I then can also restore my critical data.
 
-- Jim 
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I have a couple of critical file sets that I backup to a flash drive every time they are changed - normally twice a month since they are primarily financial.  Otherwise I only do a complete backup every other month and have developed an instruction sheet to detail all the steps.  Many of these are taken from the recommendation at www.pcstats.com which had a lot of helpful advice on clean-up and speed-up and keeping the computer healthy.

 

 1. Check for updates on all major programs

 2. Double check Windows for non-critical updates

 3. Cleanout C:\windows\prefetch

 4. Cleanout the recent documents list

 5. Cleanout temp files that are located all over the place, especially CD write images

 6. Run a registry clean-up program

 7. Go to IE, Tools, Internet Options, Browsing History and delete everything

 8. Do disk cleanup and delete the recycle bin and other temp files

 9. Defrag even if windows says it is not necessary.

10.  Backup to an external HD with the image in 4480MB blocks which will just fit on my DVD.  I actually have 2 external drives and alternate backups so I have a current, 2 months before, plus the clean image of just windows and the original programs on both drives.  Actually I don't delete images until the HD is full and nothing else fits.  If I need to delete an image set, I also defrag the backup drive.  My computer has dual HDs so I have setup all the programs on the primary drive and all the data on the secondary drive.  Unfortunately many programs insist on keeping data under their folder in Program Files so the system is not completely clean. 

 

-John