Top 2 Ways to Create a Disk Image in Windows 10/11

What is a disk image and why is it important?

A disk image is an exact copy of a disk including all the files and the file system, boot sector, other metadata, etc. Creating a disk image makes a full backup of the hard drive with Windows 10/11 installed, and saves it as a single file that can be stored on internal/external drives or network locations.

There are some specific reasons why you might want to create a disk image:

✔ Data backup and recovery: Creating an image ensures that the original data on the disk is preserved. With a bit-by-bit copy, you can extract the desired data from the disk image anytime you need.

✔ Reducing downtime: A disk image serves as a backup in case of hardware failure or disaster recovery scenarios. By regularly creating disk images, you can restore computer to earlier state even after a severe failure.

✔ System deployment and cloning: Disk images are often used to deploy or clone a pre-configured OS and APP setup across hard drives or even computers/servers. For example, when you want to upgrade HDD to SSD, you can directly restore the disk image to the new drive without reinstalling.

How to create a disk image in Windows 10/11

In this part, you will learn how to make a disk image in Windows 10/11 with 2 free tools.

Way 1: Using a free disk image creator

To image the entire disk including Windows OS, settings, etc., you need to use specified disk imaging utilities.

AOMEI Backupper Standard, the best free Windows disk imaging software, can image hard disk in Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP including hidden partitions effortlessly. AOMEI Backupper supports:

📁Many file systems	NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, EXT2, EXT3, etc.
💾Various storage devices	External hard disks, solid state drives (SSD), USB flash drives, thumb drives, network attached storage (NAS), hardware RAID, dynamic disks, discs (CD/DVD), etc.
🔰Complete backup options	It is not only a disk image creator of Windows 10, but also an effective backup tool for files/folders, partitions and operating system.
💿Bootable media creation	It enables you to create a bootable media which can boot your computer into WinPE and perform offline system restore.

Hit the button below to download the free disk image creator:

For the concise design of AOMEI Backupper, even a computer novice can create a hard disk image in Windows 10 without needing any help. And this is a guarantee for data security in Windows 10 or when you want to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11 without losing files. Let’s see how it works:

1. To create image backup from a disk, launch the main interface and select Disk Backup under Backup tab.

Note: If you want to create a system image (only OS) in Windows 10, then System Backup is what you need.

2. Click Add Disk. In the pop-up window, choose the disk to be backed up and click Add.

3. Select a location to store the disk image file by clicking the second column. Although it supports backing up to critical volume, it’s recommended to keep the backup offsite.

4. View the backup settings. If no problems, click Start Backup to execute the backup. The process won’t affect your current operation.

▪ Options: Email notification, compression level, intelligent sector or sector-by-sector backup, etc.
▪ Schedule Backup: Set the backup task to run automatically based on Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event triggers, and USB plug in.
▪ Backup Scheme: Choose full/incremental/differential backup, and create a retention policy for automatic backup cleanup (you need to upgrade to advanced editions to enjoy this feature).

Way 2: Using Windows built-in utility

The built-in Backup and Restore, which is inherited from Windows 7, can also help you create a disk image in Windows 10/11. Learn how to use it as follows:

1. Search for "backup" and open Backup settings from the result, then click Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

2. In the pop-up window, click Create a system image to get started. 

3. Choose a destination for the disk image, such as external hard drive.

4. It will auto select all the drives required by Windows 10 to run. If you want to create an image of the entire hard disk, just tick all the drives displayed and click Next.

5. Click Start backup to create the disk image.

The operation is not complicated. However, due to the longevity of this tool, you may receive errors during disk image creation, such as:

• The drive is not a valid backup location
• There is not enough disk space to create the volume shadow copy of the storage location
• No disk that can be used for recovering the system disk can be found

Therefore, it's recommended to use robust and up-to-date disk imaging program for better efficiency.

FAQs about Windows creating disk image

1. Is ISO the same as disk image? No, ISO file and disk image are not exactly the same, although they are related. An ISO file is a digital representation of the contents of an optical disc, such as a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disc. It contains all the files and folders that would be found on the physical disc, including the file system and data. A disk image is a broader term that can refer to various types of digital representations of a disk or storage media. It can include not only optical discs (ISO files) but also other formats like disk images of hard drives, floppy disks, USB drives, and more. Disk images can be used for various purposes, including backup, storage, and virtualization. So while an ISO file is a specific type of disk image, not all disk images are ISO files. Other disk image formats include IMG, DMG (used on macOS), VHD (Virtual Hard Disk), and many more, depending on the specific disk or storage media being represented.

2. What is the difference between disk image and disk clone? A disk image and a disk clone are 2 different methods of creating a backup or exact copy of a computer's hard disk. Disk Image: A disk image is a file that contains an exact replica of an entire disk or a specific partition. It includes not only the files and folders stored on the disk but also the file system, boot sector, and other metadata. Disk imaging captures the entire contents of the disk and saves it as a single file, which can be stored on external storage devices such as an external hard drive or network storage. Disk Clone: A disk clone, on the other hand, is an exact replica of a disk created by directly copying the data from one disk to another. It involves duplicating the entire disk sector by sector, including the file system, partition table, boot sector, and all data. The cloned disk is an independent copy that can be used as a bootable drive.

Summary

You have learned two ways to create a disk image in Windows 10/11. Compared with Backup and Restore, AOMEI Backupper offers easier steps and more comprehensive backup features. You can use it to run automatic computer backup to external hard drive. Why not try it now?

 ✍ You May Also Like

Guide: Windows 10 System Image Restore to Different Computer

Best Free Backup Software for Windows 11 (Auto Backup)