Mixed terminology in Windows 10

[Externet]

Hello all.
Trying to re-learn Windows operating system after 18 years; would like to do it with caution as just acquired a Win 10pro 64 bit laptop, empty of files and applications at the moment
My first intention is to create a recovery disc. To create the CD, I find terminology 'recovery' ; 'repair' ; 'system image' ; 'setup' ; 'installation media' ; 'restore' ; 'reinstall' ; 'backup'

Which terms are the same thing and which are not ? I would like to have all the tools (CDs) in case something goes wrong. (Murphy lives with me, the flag bearer of compfuser dumbs)

How many CDs containing what would make all the tools ? Can all fit in one disc and be useable ? Are the created CDs valid only for that laptop that created it ?

 

[BradtheRad]

My Dell laptop came (second-hand) with Win 7 Pro edition (not Home edition). I found it had an option to store a disk image. I put it on a spare 40 GB external USB hard drive. It's the next best thing to a set of installation disks.

One day I decided to re-install all of it. Onscreen messages indicated the laptop recognized the backup specific to itself (and vice versa). Later with a different laptop they did not recognize each other.

A spare startup disk is an essential tool. There are boot CD's containing utilities (Emergency boot CD, Ultimate boot CD, PC wizard). Some are available on Ebay. Some are available as a free download, in ISO format burnable to CD.

Or obtain an external hd enclosure (USB etc.) (or cable with hd connector). Install a Linux OS on it.

You'll need to enter the BIOS as it powers up, so you can choose a startup disk.

 

[betwixt]

My suggestion is to attach a second hard disk or USB stick to store the image. If you have two USB sockets all the better but you can manage with one by swapping sticks. Load a copy of Linux on the second USB stick, its free and easy to install on USB. Boot from the Linux stick and either use a GUI application or terminal window to make an exact copy of your Windows copy to the USB used for storage.
Doing it in a terminal window:
Type 'lsblk' (without the quotes, it will list block storage devices)
Look for the one that matches the USB you want to store the image on, it will be something like 'sdc' or 'sdd'.
Look for the one that has Windows on it, probably 'sda' or 'sdb', the size should make it obvious.
Copy by typing this: 'dd /dev/<the windows drive> /dev/<the destination drive> status=progress'
That will give you a byte by byte copy of the original disk to the attached drive. Swapping the device names will reverse the process and overwrite the original with the copy.

I believe the installed copy of Windows will contain registration data specific to that machine, I don't think it can be copied to a different machine, at least without an intimate knowledge of editing the registry files. One of the reasons I gave up on Microsoft products a long time ago!

Brian.

 

[Externet]

Thanks, gentlemen.
I believe I do not need the complication of an external hard drive to have the tools, nor I will use a USB stick for them. (The once expensive used old laptop has a DVD burner in it, side-removable hard drive, ethernet... and other features that made me buy it when found -Lenovo T430s- I was not after any other- )
Followed Microsoft instructions and ended with a CD named "Repair disc" :

What I need to know by rephrasing the original post is if :
Is this 'repair disc' I do have now, the same CD tool sometimes named as 'image' or 'recovery' or 'restore' or what ? Or I have to burn those with other names too ?
Or, will this single 'repair disc' suffice to fix the typical failures from Windows ? Been into Linux 17 years and unfamiliar with Microsoft convolutions. Behind spider webs I also have a Hiram's several tools CD and Spinrite.

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

how big (MBytes) is your HDD?

The problem with "repair" CD is, that on HDD crash you need to install windows and all your appluications, then hopefully the "repair" just repairs all your setup.

I guess the windows repair is more for the case if you accidentally "kill" your windows, then the repair can restor the setup you saved.

****
An image - in opposite - is a 1:1 copy of your HDD. So in best case after a system crash you can just "switch" to the image drive and your system works exactly as before, without new installation of Windows or any other application.

An image usually uses the same amount of data as the size of your HDD.(mind: the complete size! not the size of data in it). So a DVD is likely much too small for a true HDD image.

****
It´s sad that Windows ... since decades ... misses to provide that easy-to-use and solid backup tools.
I´m an absolute newbie with LINUX, but those 1:1 images I´d do with LINUX.

Klaus

 

[Externet]

Thanks.
HDD is 500GB. Only a small fraction of it is used, for the OS. Mostly blank. All data is kept in an external hard drive. Correction on post #4: Hiram's should say Hiren's.
And found yet another term: Rescue CD.
Do I need instead, a Windows 10 installation DVD ? ---> Created from, or based on the existing installed OS instead of a brutally large and mostly blank HDD 'image' ?

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

Only a small fraction of it is used

Again: it dies not matter how much is used ... for an image.

Klaus

 

[Liya Khan]

My suggestion is to attach a second hard disk or USB stick to store the image. If you have two USB sockets all the better but you can manage with one by swapping sticks. Load a copy of Linux on the second USB stick, its free and easy to install on USB. Boot from the Linux stick and either use a GUI application or terminal window to make an exact copy of your Windows copy to the USB used for storage.
Doing it in a terminal window:
Type 'lsblk' (without the quotes, it will list block storage devices)
Look for the one that matches the USB you want to store the image on, it will be something like 'sdc' or 'sdd'.
Look for the one that has Windows on it, probably 'sda' or 'sdb', the size should make it obvious.
Copy by typing this: 'dd /dev/<the windows drive> /dev/<the destination drive> status=progress'
That will give you a byte by byte copy of the original disk to the attached drive. Swapping the device names will reverse the process and overwrite the original with the copy.

I believe the installed copy of Windows will contain registration data specific to that machine, I don't think it can be copied to a different machine, at least without an intimate knowledge of editing the registry files. One of the reasons I gave up on Microsoft products a long time ago!

This method of creating a backup image using Linux and the 'dd' command seems feasible and could work for cloning a Windows installation to an external drive.

 

[infowave]

1. System Image Backup:
   • Creating a system image backup is an excellent practice, and it's great that you stored it on an external USB hard drive. This allows you to restore your system to a specific state in case of issues.
2. Compatibility of System Image:
   • System images are typically tied to the specific hardware and configuration of the system they were created on. Using the backup on a different laptop might not work seamlessly due to hardware differences. It's generally recommended to create separate backups for each system.
3. Bootable Utilities:
   • Having a bootable utility CD or USB drive is indeed a valuable tool. Emergency boot CDs or tools like Ultimate Boot CD can help with diagnostics, repairs, or recovery tasks.
4. External Hard Drive Enclosure:
   • Using an external hard drive enclosure or cable is a good way to access the data on a removed hard drive. Installing a Linux OS on it is an interesting suggestion, but keep in mind that it might not be necessary for basic backup and recovery tasks in a Windows environment.
5. Entering BIOS for Boot Options:
   • Entering the BIOS to choose a startup disk is essential, especially when dealing with recovery or diagnostic tools. This allows you to specify the boot order and select the device from which the computer should boot.