Will an HDD image or clone serve as a complete OS backup?

[techSultan]

I'm having some driver issues on a Windows 8 Toshiba laptop which I downgraded to Windows 7 earlier in the year. I'm thinking about reinstalling Windows 8 to see if that will help fix anything, but I don't want go through the Windows 7 installation process all over again if Windows 8 doesn't solve anything--I had to jump through a lot of hoops to force Win 7 onto my Toshiba (explains the driver issues).

If I make an image of my laptop's HDD, can I use that image later on the same laptop to revert back to Windows 7 with all of my current programs, drivers, and settings intact?

Or should I clone the HDD? Or will that not work either?

Thanks all for your time and info.

 

[cirdecus]

Yes you can. Windows 8 may install some extra partitions that you may have to clear out afterwards but thats it. What i usually do is pick up a second cheap HD and just clone one to the other and set it aside.

 

[techSultan]

Yes you can. Windows 8 may install some extra partitions that you may have to clear out afterwards but thats it. What i usually do is pick up a second cheap HD and just clone one to the other and set it aside.

So cloning is the solution, not making an image?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes you can. Windows 8 may install some extra partitions that you may have to clear out afterwards but thats it. What i usually do is pick up a second cheap HD and just clone one to the other and set it aside.

So cloning is the solution, not making an image?

Different words for a similar operation.
Creating a clone or creating an image. Same thing.

What application are you planning on to do this with?

 

[techSultan]

Yes you can. Windows 8 may install some extra partitions that you may have to clear out afterwards but thats it. What i usually do is pick up a second cheap HD and just clone one to the other and set it aside.

So cloning is the solution, not making an image?

Different words for a similar operation.
Creating a clone or creating an image. Same thing.

What application are you planning on to do this with?

I just read this article--I see your point.

I don't know. What software do you recommend?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes you can. Windows 8 may install some extra partitions that you may have to clear out afterwards but thats it. What i usually do is pick up a second cheap HD and just clone one to the other and set it aside.

So cloning is the solution, not making an image?

Different words for a similar operation.
Creating a clone or creating an image. Same thing.

What application are you planning on to do this with?

I just read this article--I see your point.

I don't know. What software do you recommend?

CloneZilla, DriveimageXML, Macrium Reflect.

 

[techSultan]

Yes you can. Windows 8 may install some extra partitions that you may have to clear out afterwards but thats it. What i usually do is pick up a second cheap HD and just clone one to the other and set it aside.

So cloning is the solution, not making an image?

Different words for a similar operation.
Creating a clone or creating an image. Same thing.

What application are you planning on to do this with?

I just read this article--I see your point.

I don't know. What software do you recommend?

CloneZilla, DriveimageXML, Macrium Reflect.

Got it, thanks!

 

[USAFRet]

The third word you'll come across is migrate. That is when you migrate the drive contents directly to a new drive, and then use the new drive.

 

[techSultan]

The third word you'll come across is migrate. That is when you migrate the drive contents directly to a new drive, and then use the new drive.

Ahh, good to know. Gracias!

 

[techSultan]

The third word you'll come across is migrate. That is when you migrate the drive contents directly to a new drive, and then use the new drive.

One more question: Does HDD cloning, imaging, and/or migrating software copy white/empty space as well?

My laptop's HDD is ~600 GB, but I've only used up ~100 GB and my external HDD is 500 GB, so I don't have enough room to save everything.