I use to take an image after every software install. I don't bother now. I take an image or two after a complete reinstall of windows and my software so I know the image is completely clean of any junk I don't want. From that point on I keep a record of what I install after that. So if I get a virus I just return the clean image, install all the stuff that I installed after then I take another double image and once again I keep a record of any software I install (I have a way to ensure I don't forget). This way I know for sure that the 2nd pair of images are free of any junk. I repeat this process any time I need to do an image restore due to a virus or whatever. This process eliminates the need for the MS updates because I can very quickly fix things. Of course data gets backed up very often (often several times a day). So again. It is not good policy for MS to force updates upon people. I would not trust MS to protect me from viruses etc. The people who write viruses, root-kits and ransomware are always trying to outsmart Microsoft. There is no way we can predict when they find another hole to sneak through.

I returned 3 restores on my Win7 machine because it was not acting correctly (virus, driver went bad, whatever, it does not matter). I had to do a complete rebuild after I replaced a drive. It was after this rebuild I started the new procedure. Doing an image backup after each software install often means you are backing up junk that is slowing your machine or waiting to bite you such as a root-kit or maybe even ransomware. It is a good idea to turn off your backup disk or have some rotation where the backup disk is turned off as a way to protect against ransomware because it will compact things across the home network. This includes compacting your images. Keep your images on an external USB drive that you very rarely plug in (like only when doing the above procedure). The big concern these days is ransomware compacting critical data and how long ransomware sits on your machine before it bites you. The bigger your drive removed from the machines rotation the greater your protection from ransomware.

Last edited by bowlesj; 06/08/18 04:36 AM.
John Bowles
My playing in my 20s:
https://www.reverbnation.com/johnbowles