How To Create Windows 8 System Image

After yous ready your new Windows viii.ane calculator, it's a good idea to create a system image so you can revert back to it if disaster strikes — hither'due south how.

After you ready up your new Windows 8.1 reckoner, it's a expert idea to create a organization epitome so you can revert to it if disaster strikes or you want to do a clean install. We covered how to create a organization paradigm in Windows 8, simply in the new viii.ane update, the characteristic's location has changed.

Before starting, brand sure you take an external drive connected, network location, or become old school with a bare DVD bachelor.

Create a Windows eight.i Arrangement Prototype

Now Arrangement Epitome is located in File History. So open the Control Panel on the desktop – not the metro version – and click File History. Go to File History control panel, lower-left corner click "Arrangement Image Back Up."

If you want to use the modern interface, hit Windows Fundamental + West to ready Setting search and type in file history, and select information technology nether the results.

Side by side, click on System Image Backup, located in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Now, just like in previous versions of Windows, follow the wizard to create the arrangement image. In this case, I'm backing up to my Windows Dwelling Server.

Later on selecting the fill-in location, verify the drives and/or partitions you desire to include.

After that, confirm your backup settings.

At present wait while the System Image is created and backed upwards, and yous're washed!

Summing Up

I find that the all-time time to create a system image is after a clean install or after you get everything set up how you like information technology on a new computer. Then when you desire to exercise a clean install, yous'll be able to revert everything to how yous like information technology.

Remember, Windows eight has two new PC Reset and PC Refresh features that allow you to recover your arrangement if something goes awry. Both of those features are still available in eight.ane. But if y'all can't get to those features for some reason, you'll be set.

Too, while you're at it, you lot might likewise create a USB Recovery Drive. That will allow y'all to boot from the flash drive. And restore a system image if you have a hard bulldoze crash.

If yous're non on Windows 8 yet, check out our commodity on how to create a Windows 7 Arrangement Image.

Windows eight.1 will exist a free upgrade to existing Windows 8 users through the Windows Store. Microsoft confirmed it would be released on October 18th.