Last Updated on May 6, 2026
Backing up your computer is an essential task that all of us should be performing on a regular basis. It doesn’t matter if you are running Windows, Linux, or macOS, you can still experience unexpected hardware or software failures that lead to permanent data loss.
While regular file backups are great, a corrupted operating system will leave you with your files but no programs, OS, or settings. This is where a complete system image backup can really save you a massive amount of time and frustration.
System image backups capture a perfect point-in-time snapshot of your entire computer, including the operating system, installed programs, and personal files. It is important to keep in mind that these types of backups are not exactly the same as fully cloning a hard drive.
If you are a Windows user, there are countless backup programs you can use to accomplish this task. However, if you happen to run Linux on your PC, you will quickly notice that you do not have nearly as many software options.
In this article, we will be showing you how to easily create and restore Linux OS system image backups for free using the RedoRescue software.
Preparing to Create a Linux System Image Backup
Our current backup computer is configured with a 60GB OS drive and a 100GB secondary backup drive. We will be creating and storing our backup images directly onto the 100GB drive.
Before you begin, this destination drive will need to be properly partitioned and formatted so it is ready to receive the image files.
You will first need to create a bootable USB flash drive or CD-ROM containing the RedoRescue software. You can easily download the required ISO file directly from their official website.
Booting into RedoRescue and Starting the Backup
Once your media is ready, you will need to boot your computer directly from the RedoRescue flash drive. When the menu appears, simply press the Enter key to launch into the Redo Rescue environment.
Now that the software has loaded, you should be able to use your mouse to navigate the graphical interface. Go ahead and click on the large Backup button to begin the OS system image backup process.
You will then need to choose a source drive, which is the specific drive that currently contains your Linux operating system. For our example, we will select the 60GB drive and click the Next button.
Selecting Partitions and Destination Folders
We will then be shown all the available partitions located on the OS system drive. These should all be selected by default, so we will just click the Next button again to proceed.
Next, we will choose our 100GB secondary drive as the destination location for the saved files. You can click on the Select button to choose a specific backup folder, or even create a brand new one right there if necessary.
We will then name our new backup image something simple like OS Backup. You can also add a brief note or description here if you want to remember specific details about this backup job.
Completing the Image Backup Process
Once you click the Next button, the actual backup process will begin immediately. You will be able to monitor the live status on your screen as the system image is actively being created.
Once the backup finishes, you will see a popup message confirming the job was completely successful. This screen will also display the exact amount of time it took to finish the entire backup process.
Locating Your Saved Backup Files
If you ever encounter a serious computer issue where you need to restore your system image, the recovery process is very similar to the one we just used.
The image below shows what the raw backup image files actually look like when browsing our backup drive. As you can see, there are several individual files generated that all share the name of the backup job at the beginning.
Restoring a Linux OS System Image Backup
To begin a system restore, you will need to reboot your computer using the RedoRescue media just like we did earlier. However, this time you will click on the red Restore button rather than the Backup button.
For this step, we will select our 100GB drive because it is the one that currently contains our saved backup image.
Then, we will navigate through the file browser to locate the exact folder that holds our specific backup image.
Next, we need to choose the target drive where we actually want to restore the image to. This will typically be the primary hard drive that currently has the corrupted or failing operating system installed on it.
Finalizing the System Restore
On the next screen, RedoRescue should automatically select all the necessary partitions to be restored by default.
Once you click the Next button, you will receive a very strict warning that all existing data on the OS drive is about to be overwritten. It is highly critical to realize that your computer will be completely reverted to the exact date and time that the backup was originally made.
Because of this, anything that has been changed, added, or installed since that specific backup was created will be permanently lost. If you fully agree with this and are ready to proceed, you can click the “Yes, I’m sure” button.
You will then be able to sit back and watch the visual progress bar as the restore process goes along.
Rebooting Your Recovered Linux System
Once the restore operation is finally complete, we will click the OK button to head back out to the main software screen.
From the main menu, we will then click on the Exit button to safely restart the computer. Your machine will reboot and load up the exact Linux operating system that has now been successfully restored.
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