Windows 10: Win 10 clean install question

If you can, use an external HDD rather that DVDs for the image, much faster to save/restore the image.

The ISO contains the source files in compressed format, so it will be much smaller.

 

The image is everything on your PC. Windows 10 says 20GB needed for installing. Adding in other programs and software, including preinstalled HP stuff, along with a hibernation file the size of your RAM and a page file. It adds up fast.

In another mind boggler, how is it a Windows 10 dvd/usb is 4GB but when installed is 20+ GB. I know the files are compressed and what not, but wow LOL.

 

That makes sense. I've got Office too . . .
That's some serious compression on that single DVD.

 

My external HDD died silently in bed the other day. *cry

 

The systems vary with use, Mine is currently 103 GB but that includes 32GB for a Hibernation file, a full install of Office 2016 Pro, Photoshop & Lightroom and a shed load of other Pro Software

AS soon as a system runs for the first time all the system variables take effect and temp locations are populated system logs are built the registry is filled in which causes more space usage, and you have to remember that installs do not run just from the install media but form the internet to collect drivers and required modules for the hardware

 

I never back up. It is a waste of time, and disk space for me. If I did back up, I would make multiple copies, and buy GBs in the cloud also. Even if the hard drive died, it would still be in the cloud.

No, I wrote a little program which does everything I need. Actually two programs. One modifies the install.wim, the other I run after first boot, and all my programs are installed. All my important stuff I keep on separate drives, and in the cloud so there is no need to waste space backing up.

 

Do you at least create images ?

 

Nope. I have everything I need to save, really save in the cloud, and on other disks. I am booting like, at least 4 different OSes right now, so I can boot into any one of them. I really don't see any point in creating an image of something that I can install in a few minutes.

 

For those who wonder if the Backup image also stores pagefile.sys/hiber.sys/swapfile.sys
The answer is: it does not even though when mounting the image, it shows the size of those files but in fact they have 0 byte size.
The screen shot below shows the pagefile.sys is set at 20GB but the backup image is only ~11.3 GB

 

The clean installed footprint of windows 10 is only around 12GB on 64bit (less on 32bit) with a few gb being temporary files. This makes the compression ratio of an iso roughly 2.5 times which is in normal file compression range.

 

I know Macrium doesn't (another reason to use it) but I seem to remember the built in System Image includes them. Could be wrong as I've not used it for years.

 

OK.- I burned an image of the original system and burned it to DVD's.
I've downloaded Win10 from Microsoft and burned it to DVD.
Before clean installing I downloaded HP PC Hardware Diagnostics and did an extensive test which passed. No hardware problems. Clean install went OK as far as I can tell.
However, I am still getting screen blackouts every 3 seconds, freezing cursor, partially unresponsive start-menu and blue screen telling me windows has problems and needs to restart. Fan blows full speed most of the time.
In short, the HP is worse than ever.
When burning the install DVD I let it check the intergrity of the install files. It passed.

I'm downloading updates as we speak. Let's see how it goes.
Updates from microsoft installed and computer restarted. No change.

Downloaded HP Support Assistant, searched for updates. No updates available.
I thought that HP update assistant would download and install HP drivers into the clean install,-or does it not?
Also let it scan for problems,-no problems found, which is almost funny since the condition of this HP/Win 10 is so severly problematic that it's a miracle that the support assistant will run at all. And still, after scanning the system, it finds no problems . . . wow!

Win10 is now restored from the image to it's original state, I have no intention of diagnosting the clean install.
I'll bring the HP in for service under warranty and claim to have a new HP. If the store refuses I'll file a written complaint to the HP head office in Norway.
I did not pay a 1000$ to do service for free . . . period!

 

I use it regularly and can confirm that the built in System Image does indeed store pagefile.sys/hiberfil.sys in their entirety. I have to turn both off before making an image to save on image size.

 

@topgundcp

I didn't say that Macrium backed up his pagefile and hiberfile. He asked about the 64GB which fit on to 5 DVD which would at 4.7GB (i think) be major compression. I was saying that the 64GB was including the pagefile and hiberfile which made it so much to appear that size. He could have 24GB of page and hiber easily, which when not backed up with Macrium would make it easier to compress that drive onto 5 DVD.

*Group hug

 

As I said, I use the built-in system image regularly (someone has to *Smile) so I can comment on that. While there are no user controls for the level of compression it uses, it does automatically switch to high compression when making an image on DVDs. Having imaged the same system to both DVD and HDD I can confirm the DVD image is significantly smaller. It's also significantly slower to make/restore the image due to the extra compression.