Here check this link:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/248980/how_to_format_your_hard_drive_in_windows.html

 

then scroll down to where it says:

 

Formatting for a Fresh Windows Installation and look at step 2b.

 

I'm assuming you know how to make your computer boot from your cd/dvd drive...if not you'll have to boot into your BIOS and look for the boot order settings so you can set the dvd drive to be first in the boot order. If you don't know how do a google search for changing the bios boot order.

Thanks for the link.  I've checked it out.

 

I'm ok to go into the bios, thanks.  I've changed the boot order before.

 

I've been checking, listing, and backing up.  I think I'm ready for the reformat now.

 

I'll report in due course.  I do have a second computer, luckily!

 

Regards, Jim

Hi Dave,

 

I'm back in business again.  No Acronis, and no extra drive!

 

I've got the basics installed in my C drive (FSX drive still to sort out afresh).  I've installed EaseUS Todo, and made a boot disc.

 

Since I'm starting afresh with backup/restore, could you recommend a "best" procedure for safeguarding C (Windows and non-FSX related software), and my separate FSX drive?

 

Thanks, Jim

Good deal, JIm...glad to see you back up and running with everything sorted out.

 

Well the first thing I would do is to turn off the Windows Restore feature on all my drives (you can set it for each drive indiviudally so i leave mine off for all of them). Then just use your new backup software (easeus) to make an image of your system drive (c:\) I do NOT use "sector by sector"...you can but it may make things more difficult later on if you need to restore to different hardware so I leave that off in easeus.

 

After you finish backing up the c:\ drive, you can then do the same thing with any of your other drives/partitions. Personally I prefer to backup all my partitions and other data files to an external drive that I use. I use the drive as basically a mirror of all my internal partitions, but I dont leave it connected. I leave it unplugged, tucked safely away in my desk and only use it to re-do the backups once a month or so.

Your backups?  Are they full or incremental?

 

I've always made individual, full backups.

Well, I use both actually, depending upon what I'm backing up. I like to use FULL backups for the partitions and drives...and then for individual folders/files I prefer to use incremental.

Thanks, Dave.

 

I'll try your regime.

 

Yesterday, I had installed most of the basic essentials.  I decided to install my two printers, then Easeus, and do the first backup.  Bad idea!

 

I installed the drivers for my Canon MX895, then MP Navigator, followed by a restart.  First off Windows froze when the "flag" appeared on screen.  I tried a restart, mains off, pause, restart, but no result, and of course no backup.

 

Today I formatted, installed Windows and installed up to where I was yesterday, but have a backup of Windows and drivers, and another full backup to date.

 

I hope I'm REALLY safe now, and on my way.  :rolleyes:

 

Thanks again, Jim

ok, just make sure that whatever you install says its specifically for Windows 7...last thing you want now is to install old or outdated software that wasn't intended for Win7.

 

...sounds like you're learning though...and that's a good thing!

I sure am learning!

 

An old friend once said to me, "When you learn the hard way you never forget"

 

Thanks once again, Jim

Hi Dave,

 

One more question?

 

I've now made an Easeus backup of my C drive, as it was before my problems, but of course, without any relation to FSX. That's still to do.

 

I decided to do a small "restore" test, restoring a small file from my latest C_Drive and Partition full backup.

 

I selected file recovery, opened the backup file, unticked all but the target file, chose to restore to the original location, clicked Proceed, and got the following message:

 

"The current operating system will be overwritten, do you want to continue?

 

At that point I chickened out, since I only wanted to restore a single file (a template for Excel), not risk restoring the operating system.

 

I did successfully restore the file by choosing to restore to a new location.

 

If I had proceeded to restore the file to its original location would Easeus have carried out its warning, and restored the whole operation system, although I had unticked everything else?

 

Thanks, Jim

I've never seen this myself or heard of that happening before so you might want to post the issue on the Easeus forum for an answer.

Just to round off this thread.

 

I've been to the Easeus forum.  I was pointed to Easeus info on the ability to open an Easeus backup file with Windows Explorer, navigate through it as with any other series of folders, right click your target, and choose to resore to original or new location.  No strange messages! 

 

So far I like the simpicity of this program.

 

Cheers, Jim

yes, once you get to know it a little, it becomes more straight forward and reliable than acronis IMO. It's important that backup applications have a relatively simple restoring process, most especially for full system restores from a boot disk....if it is too complicated or unreliable to complete a full restore after not having tried it for 6 months then there is no point in having the backup to begin with.

 

Simpler is always better, especially for those of us who don't do frequent system restores.