How do I make a complete Backup?

[ßeta]

What I am trying to acomplish is having a full and bootable exact copy of my current hard drive on my second hard drive. I cant seem to find any articles on what i want to do. Can you please help me.

Thank you,
ßeta

 

[WilliamMGeorge]

Your best bet would probably be to use imaging-based backup software of some sort - I like Macrium Reflect, which offers both paid and free versions - to create a full backup of your main drive. Then you should be able to restore that image to the second drive, assuming that it is the same size or larger.

With that done, you should be able to change the boot order in the BIOS on your motherboard to select with hard drive to boot to. If you want to have the bootloader on the primary hard drive prompt you each time the system turns on instead it can be done - but I don't know how off the top of my head, and it will differ depending on what OS you are using.

 

[DeaconFrost]

That isn't really a good backup strategy, because you'd need to update it frequently. What you probably want is an external drive, and some image-based backup software. You can do a clean, fresh install of the OS, and then create an image of it on the external drive. Then use something like SyncToy to keep your data backed up. Then, if you ever need to restore, just lay down the image, run SyncToy, and restore your data.

 

[SBB]

Norton Ghost can make incremental complete backups

 

[vischo]

DriveXML

 

[WilliamMGeorge]

That isn't really a good backup strategy

That is a good point, and something I probably should have mentioned. The answer I posted above is aimed at giving the OP exactly what he asked for, but if you want a real backup solution, Beta, then Deacon's recommendation of an external drive for storing your data is indeed much safer than having the backup inside the computer. If you have it internally and something drastic happens - hit by lightning, a fire, a virus, etc - you risk losing both the original and your backup. An external drive would let you store it off-site, or have it ready to take with you in an emergency.

 

[ßeta]

basicly what i want to do is make an exact copy of my hard drive so when i install windows 7 on my second hard drive it will have all my programs or will it work the same if i run them from hdd 1?

 

[MrF]

basicly what i want to do is make an exact copy of my hard drive ....

You don't need to.
You can create an image of the drive. Later, you can restore the image and it will be exactly as it was when you created the image. So, if was bootable, it will be bootable after restore also.

This is a basic article on drive imaging.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_image

This is the current most popular tool.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

 

[djgizmo]

If you only need to make this back up once awhile, I'd recommend Hirens Boot CD. Includes a bootable version of Acronis True Image. However, you SHOULD invest in buying the software if you're going to use it long term. I swear by it.

 

[rgratto2]

Dude, vista has built-in backup imaging.

Start Menu -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup...

Do a complete PC backup. Insert windows disc, go to repair options or whatever (not install), select restore from backup and proceed. No 3rd party software needed.