How to Use a Windows Software Mirror

1. Open the 'Backup and Restore' function. Click 'Start,' and in the search box type 'backup.' Options will appear automatically, select 'Backup and Restore.' In the blue column on the left choose the third option down called, 'Create an image backup.'
2. Decide where to install your mirror. Options will appear for any drive associated with your system. Since you will be creating an exact replica of your operating system, including preferences and installed applications, the drive you select must be of substantial size, but since the disk image being created will be compressed, it need not be as large as the original system itself. A mirror can also be stored onto DVDs, or to an attached network location. Each of these are presented as a separate option.
3. Choose what you want to include in your backup. You will be prompted to choose whether you want to mirror your entire system or just certain files. The 'Let Windows Choose' option will save all user data, desktop data, default Windows folders, and create a complete system image. The other option is 'Let me choose,' where you will be prompted to select exactly which files you want to mirror, as well as being given the option to create a complete system image.
4. Mirror the volume. Click 'Next,' and the mirroring process will begin. Depending on the size of your system, this process can be rather time consuming.
5. Create a system repair disk. This step is not necessary, but recommended. A system repair disk utility will create a new boot disk that will allow you to re-boot your exact system should you misplace the original operating system disk. Insert a blank DVD, and choose your DVD-RW drive.
6. Locate your system mirror. Open the drive you saved your system image to, and find a file called 'WindowsImageBackup.'
7. Create an automatic backup schedule. The last thing to decide is whether or not you want the system to automatically mirror itself at a given time. You can choose the frequency of the backups, the day and time when the backup will occur. You can also decide how much space on the chosen drive to devote to your system images.