Windows 8.1 System Backup - how big ?

[astronobob (Bob)]

Hi & hope all well -

just bought a new Lappy - nothing special but my other one keeps crashing every approx 10 times I use it, frustating i guess the mother board is faulty !
So have new Acer Aspire E 15, quad core 1.8hz, & Windows 8.1 64bit Operating System - all a bit new ?

Want to 'back up System' as you do, and would like to know how big a stick would be needed to fit it all on ? 4g 8g 16g ? ??

Thanx for help on this

[Akwestland (Andrew and Kim)]

Bob,

This may/may not help you. I cannot remember how big my system back up is. But I do get a lot of info from this site. http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials...ndows-8-a.html

If you need any info you can probably find it here.

Cheers,
Andrew.

[BeanerSA (Paul)]

I did one on a new laptop, and it was 11Gb without the restore partition.

[TechnoViking (James)]

A typical image for windows 8.1 (using file history) is 16gb. If its the Acer recovery console I strongly suggest making DVD images (Normally 3 DVD's) then create an ISO file and copy it to a usb drive, you can never have too many backups

[astronobob (Bob)]

Thank you very much Andrew Paul & James, appreciate all input there
Guess Ill go DVD 1st as I have a 30 pack here and number them !
Not sure what an ISO file is tho James, Can you ellaberate what ISO stands for or means ?
Thanx again gentlemen ..

[sil (Steve)]

an iso file is a disc image basically, so you can use a tool like poweriso to mount it as a virtual drive or you burn it back to a disc to access it.

[astronobob (Bob)]

I see, Thanx for that Sil, sounds handy - I guess one could have the option there after to choose which Op System they prefer to use for different applications ?
Maybe have windows 'on the side' of a Mac system i think i heard somewhere !
Thanx for your input

[astronobob (Bob)]

Oh my, spare me days, I have a 1Terabyte external HDrive here I havent used yet, bought it about 2yrs ago, Lol. ..

[astronobob (Bob)]

ok, for any one info, Windows 8.1 image is approx 23gig, which only took 13 mins to the ex hard drive through USB3, cool.
Am still having probs with PHD1 & 2, have found the qhy5L II but crashes during callibration ...
Grrrrr
Have uninstalled all astro progs off and all drivers aswell as every other possible related files in other places uploaded zip files etc etc

Am to try with just phd and drivers and ascom , nothing else incase of conflick ? ?

[BeanerSA (Paul)]

If it's 23GB, then you have probably taken a whole System Image, which is different to recovery media. Just in case you thought they were the same.

[astronobob (Bob)]

Probably right Paul, Thanx was talking last night about it, more to learn