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Is your Windows10 not working well?
Is it suddenly all buggy? There might be a time where your mail app won't open because of bugs. Maybe your WindowsStore app won't open because of bugs. Maybe your WindowsOS is corrupted to the point that it's broken some of the programs you're using. Maybe you got a VIRUS!? What if I told you that YOU CAN FIX ALL YOUR PROBLEMS with a simple push of a button? Gone of the days where we needed some special IT guy to fix our little problems when now it's just as simple as pushing a button to rid all our own problems! This guide is to help you solve all software issues you'll encounter on Windows10 however, it will ONLY WORK if it's planned in advanced so follow this guide to learn how to prepare for when Windows goes to crap!

The first thing you want to do when you have a new Windows10 PC is to make SURE the new PC has 2 hard drives in it. The Main Drive should be where Windows and all other programs get installed. The 2nd Drive should be where you store all your Music, Videos, Documents, Pictures, Project files and everything else. Check to see if Windows10 is working 100%. Now make sure all your programs are working 100%. Setup your Start Menu the way you want it. Setup your shortcut on the taskbar the way you want it. Organize your Windows10 until you're 100% Happy and in working condition! Great, now you want an external hard drive with the same storage capacity as your Main Drive. This 3rd Drive is going to be your (Windows10 Restore) drive. What you'll want to do is create an Image of your Main Drive into your Windows10 Restore drive so that for whatever reason, Windows10 goes to crap and nothing works... You can Restore it to this point, in the Happy Working condition you wanted as before. No need to re-install Windows. No need to re-install your programs, no need to re-enter your serial codes. No need to re-organize your Start menu, or taskbar or desktop. Everything gets restored right back the way you had it setup, how you wanted it with everything in working condition. The reason why you don't want to keep any of your media files, project files or documents on your Main Drive is because you'll lose them if you restore that drive to a previous state assuming you keep downloading new files and shit later on. This is where your 2nd drive comes in. By keeping all your important files on your 2nd drive, you're important crap won't be affected during this process.

So what is an image? Well, an image is a copy of your hard drive in compressed format that you can restore from. It's that simple! I recomend using Macrium Reflect (Free version) to create the image of your Main Drive for your Windows10 Restore drive. It's straight forward, easy to use, and doesn't take long. Down below is the link to the site:

(TBA) - The forum rules won't let me post link until I meet certain requirements.
So Google: Macrium Reflect (Free Version)

Now once you install this software, and run it, Macrium Reflect will ask if you want to make a bootable hard drive. You'll want to make your bootable hard drive the Windows10 Restore Drive. This way you can boot from Windows10 Restore drive to restore windows on your Main drive. You can also restore windows to a New hard drive in case your Main drive fails.

Once Macrium Reflect has your Windows10 Restore drive set as a bootable drive, what you want to do next is in the program make sure only the Main Drive is checked, select the Main Drive in the program, and click on "Create an Image". Make sure the source of the image is being made from the Main Drive and the destination is going to your Windows Restore Drive. Click "Next, Next, Next" until the software creates the image. This will take a few minutes from 10-15min or so.

Once the Image has been made successfully, exit the program, go to "ThisPC" and click on your 3rd drive (Windows10 Restore) drive and rename the image "Windows Restore Image" so you know what it is...

There you're DONE!
Now if Windows10 ever goes to crap... or if your Main Hard Drive suddenly dies off without warning, you can now boot from your Windows10 Restore drive, and select the Image, and click "Restore" button and all will be back the way it was! Without the need to redo anything! A Simple BUTTON That Fixes ALL PROBLEMS! =D

My advice is if you ever decide to install NEW programs, be sure to make a new image for your main drive so it's up-to-date... Remember Main Drive should only have windows and all your programs, nothing else. No files,documents, music or videos. Keep those on the 2nd drive instead. Also keep your Windows10 Restore drive safe and never use it for anything else other than restoring your main drive if all goes to crap. The Restore process only take 10-15 minutes so if something simple suddenly doesnt work on Windows, just restore and it will be back to normal again the way it was. No need to waist time with IT guys or spend hours on end just to figure out how to fix something that once worked. Just hit that Restore button and all will be solved in a matter of minutes. Seriously. This crap saves time!
 


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Hi @DreamyAbaddon If you do a search for Macrium Reflect, You will find all kinds of information about this soft ware. It is a favorite image software program here on the forum!!
Welcome to the forum!!;)
 


Way ahead of you Dreamy!;) As holdum mentions we've been pushing this backup software (Macrium) for nearly 2 years now!
We (at least me) are involved with delivering Educational Technology to the community, and as such I've personally done several Backup workshops that include this great product! ;) We've got videos, step-by-steps, and Powerpoint presentations galore, if anyone else reads this thread. Just ask!!:D

<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>:cool:
 


My backup solution is a 30TB Z3 raid on a Dell poweredge server. :)
 


Love my PowerEdge 2950 server!:D Wish I could revive it; waiting to buy a new PSU.:sosad: Just hope the Mobo's not fried. I got 6GB RAID storage on their filled with Customer backups.

BBJ
 


Hey I'm new to the forums, I had no idea you guys already knew about Macrium Reflect. I just thought I'd give some newbies advice on how to fix all problems using this wonderful peice of software since it saved me so much headache when something goes wrong. I rather Restore to a previous image instead of having to go through hell figuring out how to fix something that has once worked before. Macrium Reflect is and was the first imaging software / cloning software I have ever used so it's really all I know so I thought I'd share. "The One Button to Fix all problems solution!"
 


HI @DreamyAbaddon N/P. Thanks for sharing. Always nice to have another Macrium Fan aboard. Macrium is a great program.
I've been using it for 12 years. The best friend you can have in the computer world. Click on my signature. I preach back ups all the time.
 


Just another example of a piece of malware that you don't have to click on. Then name eludes me, but the only way to analyse it was in a Linux computer with no GUI. The malware had embedded code in the icon, so that the very act of Windows rendering the icon would cause the malware to infect your system. Kind of scary stuff.
 


I believe we should vote for MACRIUM for President!! That's how good it is. And yes, there are many of us devoted fans here.;)
Echoing Holdum's sentiment; thanks for sharing!:up:

BBJ
 


HI @DreamyAbaddon N/P. Thanks for sharing. Always nice to have another Macrium Fan aboard. Macrium is a great program.
I've been using it for 12 years. The best friend you can have in the computer world. Click on my signature. I preach back ups all the time.

I think Macrium Reflect is great for non-tech savy people who want an easy solution to fix future PC / Windows problems in the software side. The fact that it's free for cloning and making image and how user friendly it is makes it perfect for everyone to use. Sad thing is, not a lot of people know about it.
 


Hi @DreamyAbaddon They will know about Macrium if they spend any time here my friend. You and myself, BBJ and others will make sure they know about Macrium.
Glad to have someone aboard that uses Macrium and can help members learn how to use this software.
Please help me preach about Macrium and why you need to create a image of your OS on a regular basis my friend!
 


Of course I agree and have been making image files since the days of "Drive Image" and Windows 98. I like your idea of secluding all files to a second hard drive and the fact that drive does not boot gives it much longer lifespan. I sure hope you also back up that second drive as well as the files and data that change is as important if not more important than the OS.
 


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