Thanks to raybbr for the ping!
Posted on 03/11/2018 10:08:19 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
I like to reinstall Windows from scratch periodically as a means of making sure I have no embedded malware that I am unaware of.
I decided it would be handy to make an image of a fresh install and restore that rather than do it from scratch next time.
Computers with EUFI boot managers make it more difficult because you can't boot into third party software.
I did some research and found AOEMI One Key Recovery, tried it and it works great.
When your computer is booting up you can press the F11 key and choose to restore the image. Do nothing and it boots into Windows.
This is really handy when you suffer a malware attack. Rather than deal with it you can just revert to your recovery install.
I also created a separate partition on my hard drive where I store all my documents and files. That way the recovery doesn't disturb them and they are right where you left them after the recovery.
Just thought somebody else might find this useful.
You would want to use a good, complete install with all your applications including updates and antivirus, etc. installed, but if you restore several months from now you’re still going to have to check for updates and install them.
Using the recovery partition is a lot faster than installing from scratch. Either way you are going to have to add recent updates.
It didn’t come with a factory recovery partition. Only 1 partition on the C: drive.
So you are absolutely certain there is no malware embedded in your system because you practice prophylactic computing?
Most new computers nowadays do come with a recovery partition and the manufactures don’t seem to be worried that the partition will be infected.
Sounds like you have an old computer with standard BIOS instead of EUFI. Aren’t you worried about a boot sector virus which EUFI was designed to thwart?
tech ping
the main point is that you would do as many updates as possible for the backup- so that if you ever have to restore to it you won’t have to do those particular updates over again- so you’ll be ahead of the game- saving hours of work- you’ll still need to get recent updates- but at least you won’t have to start from scratch- lots of updates will be already backed up and ready to restore
Bought this computer when Win 7 came out and came with a free upgrade to Vista when that became available, and have since upgraded to WIN 10.. I keep up with all updates so that cuts down on vulnerability aspects considerably. So far the only problems I have encountered are adware, which I take out relatively quickly when I get them. Puter still works good, and since I go very few places anymore on the internet (compared to my past online activity profile) I am not that concerned. On top of that I do very little in the way of online banking & purchases nowadays. So my exposure is at a minimum. Also don’t have Facebook or any other social media type accounts that I am involved with. I checked and I am still running with BIOS (BIOS mode - Legacy), though I am sure I could switch to UEFI since I have a 64 bit system (system type - x64-based pc), but honestly do not know what that might involve to make that switch.
I was just pointing out that no matter what you do you could always do more.
I like having an easy-to-use backup, and I like to restore to a fresh install periodically. Part of it is I like to mess with computers and figure out how to do things. What I do is legitmate. What you do is legitmate.
The most important thing, as you pointed out, is to minimize your vulnerability, which you seem to be doing just fine.
One of the things I do to minimize my vulnerability is to never use a cell phone for anything involving a critical login to email or banking or online purchases. I do everything from my computer, and I never type in a password, I always copy and paste from KeePass.
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>> “looksl iek the vettign worked and discovered problems huh?
Looks also like you’re just itching for a fight- got5 a bug up yer butt or something?” <<
Who ‘vettigned’ the above post?
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Typo nitpicking. The last refuge of the clueless.
I was also just giving the age of my computer. Probably 5 years old now. 8>)
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Not ‘typo,’ but his own emotion overcoming his paws!
(and in a post where he accused you of having a bug up your butt)
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Doing a little research I found another product that sounds similar but I can’t vouch for it.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree
Free version has these features:
Create live images of a running Windows OS
Browse backup contents in Windows Explorer.
Differential Images Restore non-booting Systems
Direct disk cloning
Boot your backups instantly in a Hyper-V VM
Schedule your backups with flexible templates
I have the paid-for version and love it! Windows also enables the creation of ISOs. After each update proves to be stable, I make an ISO. I also have a standalone drive for all data, or in a separate folder on a single system drive.
Thanks to raybbr for the ping!
I just use Rufus and make a recovery thumb drive from the Win 10 ISO.
Thank you
you feel better about yourself now?
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Your post gave me a good laugh, so maybe yes.
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