I have been using windows 8.1 genuine for last 6 months. Now i want to backup my system to some DVDs. When i start backup it estimates the backup size as 55 GB or something. Which means it is going to backup not only the system but also the soft-wares i have installed to the PC. Is there any solution to backup only my system. (i can remember one of my friends did it and it took about 16 GB. I'm using a lenovo G510 PC).
How to backup windows 8.1 system?
Guest
If you have your Windows 8 on a laptop originally purchased from a computer store, it is highty probable that your system is backed up in a hidden partitions to do factory restore.
Of course, the hidden restore is a fine resource but in case of a Hard Drive failure it won't give you any help, so to clone your system, backup your data and keep it on an external Hard Drive might be a very convenient procedure.
I used an application to CLONE my system drive and generated an ISO imgage of it. Once I had it in iso format, opened it and checked all the files and decided that I actually don't need to have backed up some of the software installed. So I edited the ISO file and carefully removed all unwanted files. I left in this cloned image some of my fundamental applicacions like Microsoft Office and other applications I might need as soon as I restat my recovered system.
JMK Just My Knowledge
You should have done it BEFORE you went and installed all the other programs. There are plenty of 3rd party software that will backup only an OS but Windows itself doesn't. So Microsoft can make you pay for a disc.
Troubleshooter-Trev