Many users suggested I do this through the years and only now am I finally getting around to it.
Kindly asking for links or advice for how to get started. I have spare ssd drive I don't use that much. But it has a good amount of space on it , it can be for backup or restore etc.
The best option would be to use 3rd party backup software like Macrium Reflect or AOMEI Backupper. Both have free and paid versions.
Each of these programs will allow you to make backups, do restores and create a bootable version of the software, which allows you to access your backups even if Windows won't boot.
It would be easier to recommend a solution if you would post a screenshot of Disk Management.
How to Post a Screenshot of Disk Management
hmm noted. ill have to remember this. so windows gets messed up, and how does it fix it?
A backup is a compressed copy of your Windows installation at the time the backup is made.
Then... say a week or a month later... Windows goes insane, you just run the backup software and tell it to restore the image you made previously.
And after the restore... you will be right where you were when you made the backup.
All your programs, settings, etc., will be there as well.
It can even save you if your Windows drive... dies.
In that situation you would just buy a new drive and "restore" the backup you made previously... to the new drive.
Then you're up and running again.
You can use backup software when testing iffy programs. Make a backup, test whatever you want... programs, risky settings, etc., and if anything breaks... just restore from your backup.
These are just the basic things it can do. Modern backup software can do many more things.
Just the Macrium Reflect User Guide is ridiculously huge, because of all the things you can use the program for.
Windows 10 already has backup software built in. It just doesn't work very well.
Even Microsoft recommends using 3rd party backup software.
I see you have a DELL. A lot of DELL computers have the ability to do a "Factory Restore". Backup software is sort of like that except that you only go back in time to the last (newest) backup you made.
Here's a quickie picture guide I made for Macrium Reflect... just to help people get started.
Macrium Reflect and Bootable Rescue Media, pictures... | Windows 11 Forum
Short version...
1. Install the program.
2. Make the bootable Rescue Media USB stick.
3. Make a backup of your Windows installation.
4. Then do whatever you want, and if anything breaks... just restore from the backup you made.
Macrium Notes:
1. A full OS image backup will be approx. 1/2 the size of the total "used space" on the C:\ drive.
2. Backing up takes about 75 seconds for every 20GB of "used space" on the C:\ drive.
Last edited by Ghot; 02 Dec 2022 at 06:46.
Not sure I understand the meaning of the question.
1. If you mean "how do I delete the main OS during a restore"? Macrium will "overwrite" the main OS with the backup.
2. If you mean "how do I delete the main OS so I can restore the backup to clean metal"?, you can do that with the Windows install media, or with 3rd party bootable partition software.... and other ways.
3. Or if you mean you want to delete the main OS so you can reinstall Windows... the Windows install media will do that for you.
It would help to know WHY you are trying to delete the main OS.
I got to delete a OS again on a different pc. So just need more ways to go about this. Yes the window install can do it. probably will go for that. but curious if there was another way. Is Macrium good? better than AOMEI Backupper ?Not sure I understand the meaning of the question.
1. If you mean "how do I delete the main OS during a restore"? Macrium will "overwrite" the main OS with the backup.
2. If you mean "how do I delete the main OS so I can restore the backup to clean metal"?, you can do that with the Windows install media, or with 3rd party bootable partition software.... and other ways.
3. Or if you mean you want to delete the main OS so you can reinstall Windows... the Windows install media will do that for you.
It would help to know WHY you are trying to delete the main OS.
Macrium can do a LOT more things. AOMEI is a bit simpler.
I assume both can delete the Windows partition(s), because they operate outside of Windows... just like the Windows install media.
I know you can open a command prompt in Macrium's bootable media.
Me... I'm old school... I just use Partition Wizard. Here is the ISO, you can burn it to a CD or use RUFUS to make a bootable USB stick with it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9a8z7xxk9x...free9.zip?dl=0
It's an old free version of Minitool Partition Wizard's bootable version.
The newer free versions of Minitool Partition Wizard... don't allow you to create the bootable version anymore. :/
Minitool Partition Wizard is a... partitioning tool. It can pretty much do anything with any kind of partition on a drive.
The one I linked (dropbox) is version 9. It's the last free version of the bootable Minitool Partition Wizard.
This is the newest version. Free for within Windows, but it won't allow you to create the bootable version for free.
Best Free Partition Manager Software Tool for Windows (Sep 2019)
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