There is a way to compress the windows installation folder?

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by nadiadsz, Mar 3, 2016.

  1. nadiadsz

    nadiadsz MDL Novice

    Nov 6, 2015
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    #1 nadiadsz, Mar 3, 2016
    FULL
    I installed windows on a USB stick, INSTALLED, is all there, is windows portable. I want to make a backup of it, for explamle compressing D:/ (D is the drive letter of the USB stick), but i cant, 7zip throws error "access denied", also windows, how can i compress this folder?? i tried to make an iso with ultraiso but also gives error and the iso is far bigger than the actual size is ocuping so someting is wrong there.

    TO THE POINT
    There is a way to compress the windows installation folder? (Like C:/)
     
  2. nexus76

    nexus76 MDL Addicted

    Jan 25, 2009
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    #2 nexus76, Mar 3, 2016
    you could use DriveImageXML for example, it's free and will compress your backup holding all ACLs, but 7-zip or ultraiso isn't an option for that.
    another recommendation was: ask siri "how to create a windows backup?"
     
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  3. son13wo33

    son13wo33 MDL Member

    Nov 24, 2011
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    #3 son13wo33, Mar 4, 2016
    or may use macrium reflect free edition
     
  4. endbase

    endbase MDL Guru

    Aug 12, 2012
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    #4 endbase, Mar 4, 2016
    All backup programs use compresion if you want personaly I use Macrium Reflect ;)
     
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  5. nadiadsz

    nadiadsz MDL Novice

    Nov 6, 2015
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    #5 nadiadsz, Mar 4, 2016 (OP)
    Thanks for the answers, i wanted to zip it because didn't want a whole super program for just a backup, since there is no way without extra software i end up using USB image Tool. PD: Imz and Img.gz are the formats to compress only the used space
     
  6. riajulzanna

    riajulzanna MDL Junior Member

    Nov 16, 2013
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    #6 riajulzanna, Mar 5, 2016
    Fot live installaion Compress OS Files:
    CMD Admin
    COMPACT.EXE /CompactOS:always
     
  7. ravioli11772200

    ravioli11772200 MDL Novice

    Mar 6, 2016
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    #7 ravioli11772200, Mar 7, 2016
    Didn't know this was possible. Thanks for the info.
     
  8. joshieecs

    joshieecs MDL Novice

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    #8 joshieecs, Mar 7, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2016
    It's because Windows is full of hardlinks, and those tools don't understand how to process them. You could use something like Link Shell Extension (google it, I cannot post links lol) and use Smart Copy to copy the entire contents of the USB drive to a mounted vhdx. Then you can compress the vhdx with normal compression tools. You will not be able to do this while booted from the USB copy of Windows.