Computer Hardware Help → backing up malfunctioning Win7 computer with DriveClone?

This is a continuation of the following thread:

»HDD going bad!?! What do I do?

because the mods asked me to move the discussion here.

I'd like to backup some computer programs to an external USB3 drive and then repair windows. I have an iso file on a USB flash drive.

I downloaded DriveClone onto a CD and tried booting to that CD (I: drive) from BIOS but DriveClone did not run. But now something called "CD Drive (D:) DriveClone10 - 0 bytes free of 20.0 MB - CDFS" shows up as removable storage. How do I finish my backup with DriveClone (I was advised not to use the backup option in Windows)?

I will start by saying that I've not used that program.

My first question would be, what are you "backing up"? Program wise, you can't simply "make a backup" and restore the program to how it is currently running.

Sounds like you will be reinstalling the OS. Which means that you will also need to reinstall ALL of the software that you use. You can't "restore" software that isn't installed.

There are two basic types and uses for a "backup". First, you create a full image or backup of the installed OS and all programs. You can then use the image/backup to restore the computer to it's exact configuration as of the time of the backup. This works best with a system that is functioning properly, as any problems that are present (ie: OS issues, drivers, software, etc.) when the image is created will be there if/when the image is used to restore the PC. The second type of backup, would simply be a copy of important documents/files. You can do this with backup software or simply by copying/burning the files to a storage media. This type of backup would include most of the items in the "My Documents" folder, photos/images, music files, movie files, email backups, bookmarks/browser backups, etc. Any and all of these type files are not dependant upon the OS or any installed software and can be backed up and/or restored at any time.

You might want to consider using a clone software (Ghost/whatever) so you get the image onto a good HD and then boot it up if windows still runs and then do a "repair installation"

If you are not familiar with a repair install... just say so and I will give more specific instructions.

The benefit of the repair install is that your programs/data/etc is all as usual/before but you have "repaired" windows with a fresh installation of the MS files and all you need to do is reinstall updates.

I'm backing program files for some games and other things, and I hope those files won't be corrupted even though there are windows registry errors. A lot of our games are on Steam so I will just download and install them again, but some games were installed from a DVD which we no longer have.

I am not familiar with a repair install, and I need specific instructions. I have clone software (DriveClone) which I can launch but which crashes as soon as I get to the point where you start to identify the drive to be cloned. I also tried to build a bootable USB flash drive with a windows iso, but when I change the boot sequence to start with USB during bios startup (Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R motherboard) it doesn't seem to take and it continues to launch corrupted HDD.

Hiren's boot CD has several drive imaging programs (I have not used any of them , though)
»www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd
If the CD boots but none of the Backup Tools work with your HD, then it is probably toast.

Start up computer
Insert Windows OS DVD
When it ask, tell it to run
when it gets to the point, tell it "upgrade"

Read this first!

»www.sevenforums.com/tuto ··· all.html

Couldn't backup so I did a fresh reinstall. Ran HDTune and hdd seems to be OK. reinstalling ServicePack 1 via Windows Update after after having to first download and run System Readiness Update Tool...