Hard Disk Backup on vista

[snake]

Is there a free software for making a complete copy or backup of my hard disk (which has 2 partitons - sort of a sector by sector clone or image) of my system(Vista) just the way it is right now( with all the programs, documents, etc...), so if I run into some trouble I can just put the Dvds and reistall everything the way it was?

By the way, I also run XP on Virtual Machine.



Thanks

 

[synergy]

You can use Windows backup utility. It's definitely not the best, but it's already there and will do what you need.

Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Backup (I think it's the same for Vista...)

 

[Lexluethar]

Vista comes with a complete backup utility which will make an image of your hard disk on a removable media - which flavor of vista do you have?

 

[snake]

I have Vista Ultimate on the PC, and Home Premium on my laptop.
By the way, I opened the backup utility but it just gives me the option to restore files and folders etc, not the entire drive.

 

[KSoD]

CloneZilla will be your only answer then. Cause you want a image not a backup. They are 2 different things.

Even if you could get a backup done of the entire drive what good would it do you if the system was crashed and you couldnt load the software to restore the backup?

You want a Image. Backups are dependent on their software. If the system is crashed with no way to access the software there is no way to restore. Some come with CD's that you can use to boot but you must also have the backup on CD's. Very few have the option for a CD with the backup being on a hard drive. No free ones offer it at all.

 

[snake]

Thanks for the explanation man! Ill download the software and try it out.

Thanks again!

 

[KSoD]

Sure thing mate. It's what i am here for.