Get Acronis True Image, it can backup a whole HD, followed by incremental changes if you so desire.
Re-installing a taken image takes only a few minutes.
For it to work best, either get an extra internal hard disk (preferred method) for these images, or get a good external harddisk (USB2.0 or Firewire).
Or if you can find it, get the last DriveImage version before Symantec bought it and ballsed it up.