Best way to backup and restore a Boot Camp partition?

[maflynn]

I haven't tested it, but you can shrink/grow the winclone image so it will then fit a newly re-created bootcamp partition. I think there's a whole process to get this done successfully documented on the winclone site.

 

[hfg]

I haven't tested it, but you can shrink/grow the winclone image so it will then fit a newly re-created bootcamp partition. I think there's a whole process to get this done successfully documented on the winclone site.

I have tested the shrink/grow process within WinClone ... in fact just 2 days ago! I had Windows 8.1 running on a 512 GB M4 SSD and wanted to move it to a 500 GB 840EVO SSD ... it would not fit of course.

I used WinClone to "shrink" my original image down to minimum size which was 80 GB or so. I then saved it with WinClone and restored it to the new SSD, which expanded it to the full size available. I then used WinClone to restore the original image, just shrunk, back to the full size of that SSD. Both images worked perfectly after all that.

I have also used WinClone to change the Windows partition size on internal BootCamp installations. Same process as above if you are shrinking your Windows partition, otherwise simply save the image. Then, use BootCamp Assistant to remove your BC partition, and then recreate it at the new size desired, then restore the saved image with WinClone. That works great as well.

 

[Mais78]

Thanks guys.

Apple on their site advise against using apps that change the partion size of bootcamp.

In any case would Option 2 also work? Reinstall Windows from the DVD iso image and then restore the system image from there? I guess it will take a bit longer but don't have to buy winclone.

 

[hfg]

Thanks guys.

Apple on their site advise against using apps that change the partion size of bootcamp.

In any case would Option 2 also work? Reinstall Windows from the DVD iso image and then restore the system image from there? I guess it will take a bit longer but don't have to buy winclone.

To be clear ... you are not using the WinClone app to change the partition size of bootcamp ... you are only changing the size of the Windows image within that partition to eliminate the "free space" for a smaller saved clone image. You use OS X BootCamp Assistant to actually alter the disk partition itself. And ... it is all done under OS X so there is no worry about a Windows utility screwing up your OS X disk.

WinClone simply eliminates the tedious process of re-installing Windows, the endless updates and reboots, re-installing all your Windows applications, the endless updates and reboots, and then re-activating everything again. Plus, you can keep periodic snapshot backups of the complete Windows environment using WinClone in the event you need to reinstall.

 

[Mais78]

To be clear ... you are not using the WinClone app to change the partition size of bootcamp ... you are only changing the size of the Windows image within that partition to eliminate the "free space" for a smaller saved clone image. You use OS X BootCamp Assistant to actually alter the disk partition itself. And ... it is all done under OS X so there is no worry about a Windows utility screwing up your OS X disk.

WinClone simply eliminates the tedious process of re-installing Windows, the endless updates and reboots, re-installing all your Windows applications, the endless updates and reboots, and then re-activating everything again. Plus, you can keep periodic snapshot backups of the complete Windows environment using WinClone in the event you need to reinstall.

Got it. Will Option 2 work as well to avoid Windows Update?

 

[hfg]

Got it. Will Option 2 work as well to avoid Windows Update?

Although I have used Windows "System Image" (your Option 2) to restore my PC after a disk change, I have always been reluctant to use it on a BootCamp install over concerns that it might alter the OS X install on the same disk. If your Windows is on a separate disk, I might try it ... but if it shares the OS X boot disk, make sure you have a good clone (CCC or other) of your disk before trying it.

 

[Mais78]

Although I have used Windows "System Image" (your Option 2) to restore my PC after a disk change, I have always been reluctant to use it on a BootCamp install over concerns that it might alter the OS X install on the same disk. If your Windows is on a separate disk, I might try it ... but if it shares the OS X boot disk, make sure you have a good clone (CCC or other) of your disk before trying it.

Ok, interesting.

Did anyone try Option 2 (restore Windows using Windows System Image within Bootcamp partion on shared disk)?

 

[viorelgn]

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/ap...-to-back-up-and-restore-boot-camp-partitions/