Almost every PC user is aware of the importance of keeping up-to-date backups. This is especially true when downloading and installing new softwares, drivers, and updates. Although developing a strict backup regime will ensure that should something go wrong with your PC, that your data and documents will be safeguarded, it will not save you from needing to completely reinstall and rebuild your PC should the worst happen and your hard drive become corrupted. However, there is an extremely effective way of ensuring that the reinstallation your PC is simple, fast and straightforward. The concept of disk imaging allows a PC user to take a snapshot of their entire hard drive, which can be used at a later date to reinstall the operating system and application suite.

      By using a disk image in this fashion you will not need to reinstall Windows or any of your other applications, you will simply copy the disk image you have recorded directly on to a new hard drive, your PC will be ready to boot with a minimum of fuss and in a very short time. The most well-known commercial disk imaging software is Norton Ghost, this veritable grandfather of disk imaging suites is fully featured and is suitable for ise in a commercial environment. Disk images can be recorded and deployed remotely, scheduled disk images can be set up, and disk images can be edited and accessed directly.
     
     For those people who prefer a free solution then the popular Driveimage XML would be a good option. Although this software application is nowhere near as feature rich as Norton Ghost, it is entirely capable of creating and maintaining a disk image for the average home PC user. Driveimage XML uses the popular XML file format to store a full disk image of the PC hard drive. A simple standalone application can be copied onto floppy disk and used to boot up the PC, and enable the user to transfer the XML disk image onto a new hard drive.
     
     All in all, disk imaging is a fantastic way of ensuring that once a PC is up and running to your satisfaction that you will never need to do a fresh install of Windows and your application suite again. It is advisable to create new disk image regularly, especially if you have recently updated the operating system or any of your usual software. Disk imaging takes over where regular backups stop, an effective way of storing the state your PC any time you wish.