Boot windows 7 copy from an external hard drive

[paulmackie]

Hi,
I have a touchsmart 520 desktop WINDOWS 7 HOME and ASUS notebook laptop WINDOWS 10, I do not have windows installation discs for either of them; what I would like to do is create a complete c drive copy of both computers and reinstall from a single external hard drive; is this possible and if so, how would i do that?
I have AOMEI Backupper on both computers and can make a disc backup copy of both computers.
If either computer crashes and I cannot resolve the issues, then I would like to restore computer windows and programs to normal using the backup copy, booted or installed from the external hard drive; if it can be done?

Both computers are currently working OK and I have made restore points for both.

Thanks for any help with this.
Paul

[SpywareDr]

Macrium Reflect Free can do what you want: https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

[jmarket]

Seeing you have Aomei already you can use that to make a system image on an external drive. That way you don’t have a library of backup files from different brands. You should also create a rescue boot disc from within Aomei so if windows crashes or you lose your computer for any reason you will be able to restore your system (or files) by booting to the pe disc on a pc. Whilst Macrium and Aomei are both great free backup suites Aomei does have the advantage when it comes to making rescue discs because it does not require the huge download of Windows files necessary to create the boot disc.

[paulmackie]

Seeing you have Aomei already you can use that to make a system image on an external drive. That way you don’t have a library of backup files from different brands. You should also create a rescue boot disc from within Aomei so if windows crashes or you lose your computer for any reason you will be able to restore your system (or files) by booting to the pe disc on a pc. Whilst Macrium and Aomei are both great free backup suites Aomei does have the advantage when it comes to making rescue discs because it does not require the huge download of Windows files necessary to create the boot disc.

Thanks for your reply. I do have a recovery disc, so could boot from that and then add the system image from the external hard drive?

Is there a video showing how to create the rescue disc and is that a separate disc or is it on the external hard drive with the system image?

Can I add two system images (one for my laptop and one for my desktop computers) to the same external hard drive, or do I need separate external drives?

Thanks again for your reply.
Paul

[jmarket]

Please do not quote previous posts, it is unnecessary.

The rescue boot cd’s or usb are created from within Aomei (or Macrium) and allow you to boot FROM THAT MEDIA and restore files or images from your backups.

System images should be on external drives for security.

You can add as many images to an external drive as you want, drive space permitting of course. Just be sure to name them well so you dont mix the backups to the wrong PC.

If you look on the aomei site you will learn about their apps.

https://www.backup-utility.com/features/create-bootable-disc.html

[paulmackie]

I am using reply in the bottom right corner, which says “Reply , quoting this message” I do not see an option to reply without a quote; I manually deleted the quote.

I will check out the AOMEI site for instructions to create the boot disc.

Thanks for your time and answers; just what I need.

Have a great day.
Paul

[jmarket]

To respond type in the empty box under the last post, next to you avatar and click “post reply”

Do not use the reply button.

There are lots of good tutorials on Aomei’s site if you look around.

https://www.backup-utility.com/videos.html

Do you consider this solved?

[paulmackie]

I am checking out the AOMEI site; and using your advice should be able to produce the system image and the recovery disc.

I consider this issue to be resolved.

Thanks again for all your help.
Paul

[jmarket]

You are welcome

Will mark as solved

Any questions later please pm a staff member who can reopen this or else start a new thread

[jmarket]

BTW here’s a guide I made some time back

https://pchelpforum.net/resources/how-to-make-a-system-image-backup-with-aomei-backupper.134/