How to Create a Disk Image in Windows 10 in 2 Different Ways

Imaging a hard drive isn't just about backing up your files – it's about saving your Windows installation, system settings, drivers, and installed programs. This kind of backup can save you a ton of time if you run into serious system problems or lose your hard drive. But do you know how to create a hard drive image in Windows 10? Don't worry – we'll show you how to create a system image in Windows 10.

What is a disk image?

A disk image is a duplicate of a disk or a partition. When you create a disk image, you capture a snapshot of the entire disk or partition. This means that the image will contain all the data on the disk and the structure of the system. The data will be identical to how it was when the image was made, which is very helpful for scenarios where you need to restore a system to a previous state.

There are many reasons to create a disk image, including forensics, backup strategies, cloud computing, and system administration. But it's often used for backups. Plus, you can use a hard drive image to create a virtual disk (for VMware or VirtualBox, for example), which runs like a real hard drive, allowing you to test or run software incompatible with your host operating system.

Create a hard drive image in Windows 10 with specialized disk imaging software

The first and easiest way to create a disk image is to use a dedicated backup program. After you make the backup, you'll have an image file with a specific file extension that identifies which program was used to create it. This means that an image created by one program can only be restored with that same program. One great tool for this is Todo Backup Home.

Todo Backup Home is a professional backup and recovery tool designed for Windows 11/10/8/7, assisting you in automatically backing up files, systems, disks, partitions, and computer applications. It also supports full backup, incremental backup, and differential backup, and enables you to create an ISO image from a hard drive. Here are some additional features of this backup utility:

* Backup to local drive, NAS, safe area, and cloud storage. * 250GB cloud storage is offered for free. * [Restore Windows 10 system image to new hard drive](/backup-utility/restore-windows-10-system-image-to-new-hard-drive.html). * Migrate Windows 10 from HDD to SSD. * [Create a recovery partition](/backup-utility/create-recovery-partition.html). * Clone hard drive in Windows 10.

Here are the detailed steps to create a disk image using a Windows PC:

**Step 1.** On the home page, click **Select what to backup**.

**Step 2:** Click on "Operating System" from the four options.

Step 3: Todo Backup will detect the system partition automatically. You just need to choose a destination to save the backup.

**Step 4:** Backup files can be stored on either your local hard drive or a NAS device.

5. After the backup is completed, you can check the status, restore, open, or delete the backup by right-clicking the backup task on the left.

Create a system image in Windows 10 using Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

Another way to create a disk image is by using a built-in Windows tool called Backup and Restore. This is Microsoft's utility for Windows users to create system images. It's still included in the latest versions of Windows, all the way up to Windows 11. Follow these steps to learn how to create a system disk image using Backup and Restore.

Step 1: Open the Control Panel and under System and Security, choose Back up and Restore (Windows 7).

<img src="/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/guide/windows-11-backup-and-restore-windows-7.png" width="700" height="423" alt="Use Built-in Tools of Windows 1">

Step 2: Choose Create a system image.

Step 3: Choose the backup location. Select an external hard drive. Connect the external hard drive to your computer.

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**Step 4** After clicking “Next,” select the drive you want to back up. The System Partition is the default option for Backup and Restore.

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5. Confirm your backup settings. Check your backup location and contents once more, then click “Start Backup” to create a system image of Windows.

When it's done, your USB drive will contain the system image file. Keep it safe and plug it into your computer when you need to restore your system.

Professional Disk Imaging Software vs. Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

Unlike a hard drive clone, a disk image is like a compressed file of your operating system that contains all the data needed to run Windows and all the files you have saved on your hard drive. Images are typically stored as ISO files. Due to their compressibility, multiple images can fit on a single hard drive if there's enough space. This allows you to create several full backups, incremental backups, and differential backups, giving you more options for protecting your data.

As mentioned above, you can create a hard drive image on your Windows 10 PC with either professional backup software or the built-in tools in Windows. However, there are significant differences between them. Now, let's delve into it:

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That's all about how to image a hard drive in Windows 10. In short, you can use tools like Todo Backup and Backup and Restore to help you create a hard drive image on your Windows 10 computer. Considering its flexibility, efficiency, and multifunctionality, Todo Backup is a better choice.

In addition to backing up your hard drive, Todo Backup Home can also help you with other tasks. For example, you can use it to back up an SSD to an image file, or even reinstall Windows without losing programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

First, does imaging equal cloning?

With cloning, you can unplug the target drive and install it in the case when you're done. An image, by contrast, is a byte-for-byte copy (still huge) of a drive compressed into a single file, which is then copied to another drive.

What does imaging a hard drive mean?

An exact copy of the contents of a storage device, such as a hard disk, DVD, or CD, is called an image. An image contains the same data and structural information as the original storage device. A virtual hard disk (VHD) is a disk image that you can use to create a virtual hard disk.

3. Should I clone or image my hard drive?

Clones are great for quick backup and restore, while images give you more backup options. You can use incremental snapshot backups to save many photos without taking up extra space.