Member Avatar for Andrew44

There isn’t a category for Backup/Restore and this seemed like the most logical place for this and if it isn’t then please accept my sincerest apologies.
So basically, I upgraded Windows 7 to Ultimate x64bit and I want to make a recovery disk of the entire system, much like Acer’s “Factory Default” in their Acer eRecovery Management program to disks, but I don’t think if I simply made one of those out of that program that it would carry over the 7 Ultimate upgrade and all relevant information (e.g. activation key and applicable registry entries) as that isn’t the same OS version it came preloaded with. So, how can I achieve this by alternative means?
What I really want this for, is in case I ever needed to restore the system for whatever reason, that the 7 Ultimate will be there already and not need to be reactivated. I don’t want to have to do this more than once, and it’s not required to have to reactivate off of a “Factory Default” disk restore.

As always, any help and information is greatly appreciated!

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— short answer: make a full, bootable image of the working, activated machine and a separate bootable recovery medium. That image is the only reliable way to restore the exact Windows 7 Ultimate build, registry state and activation tokens without re-running upgrades or vendor factory tools. and pointed at rescue/built-in options; those are useful, but they are complements rather than a substitute for a verified disk image of the current system.

Checklist to follow:

  • Image everything needed to boot Windows: the boot partition (System Reserved or EFI), the Windows partition(s) and any hidden/recovery partitions the installer uses.
  • Create a bootable recovery USB/DVD from the imaging tool so you can restore even on an unbootable PC.
  • Verify the backup: mount the image or perform a test restore to a spare disk or a virtual machine. A verified image is worth the extra time.
  • Keep at least two copies (external HDD and offsite/secondary drive) and label the date/contents.

Notes about activation and keys:

  • A sector-level image of an activated installation restored to the same hardware normally preserves activation and avoids reactivation. If you change major hardware (motherboard) or if the machine used special OEM BIOS-based activation, you may still need to reactivate. Record your Windows key and any OEM info now (save to a text file or use a key-retrieval utility) so you have it if needed.

Final tips:

  • Update the image after major OS changes or driver installs.
  • Test the recovery process once so you know the steps under pressure.
  • If uncertain which imaging tool to use, pick a mainstream disk-imaging product that supports Windows 7, creates a bootable rescue medium, and offers image verification.

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Member Avatar for rch1231

Look into BartPE. It will let you make a windows installation using your current configuration.

Member Avatar for caperjack

you can do it with win7,go to start /control panel ,then click on back up and restore ,you get 2 option make repair disk or restore disk

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