If I create a system image on a externall HDD, will everything on that hard drive be deleted?

[Guest]

So I have this 1TB external HDD. It has about 450GBs left on it. The used space is mostly just games, and photos. If I create a system image on this will it delete all the files that are on it? Windows says the system image will take 153GB of space. So there is enough space on it. So, will current files be safe?

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

A system image is just a file, allbeit a very large one, so the same principles apply as writing any other type of file.

The imaging process won't delete anything, and if there is insufficient space for the file you would have to delete stuff manually to make room for it, or buy another hard drive.