Windows 7: where to put backup system image?

hi, i've backup hdd image using built-in backup & restore utility and moved the backup image to usb hdd. just so happened that Windows 7 Ult 64-bit got corrupted last night and i've been trying to re-image since, without success.



the issue is the restore utilit couldn't find my backup image file. and the odd thing is it doesn't allow me to browse to the image file but instead having to connect to "network". where should i copy the backup image file to so that the restore utility can have access to it and re-image the hdd?

i've chosen advance recoery options, and asked to reboot. have tried all that i can find on the web on how to re-image and they all seems pretty easy but somehow it doesn't work for me.

if reboot, it will load recovery console and says windows cannot find a system image on this computer. attach the backup hard disk or insert the final dvd from a backup set and click retry. alternatively, close this dialog for more options.

i've re-installed Windows 7 and trying to restore to the image i created but still having same issue.

any pointers?

tia

Hello Foxxkat,

The problem happened when you moved the saved backup from it's original location to another location. When you do this, the backup will no longer be able to be restored from.

You might see if you may be able to manually extract any needed files from the system image backup using the tutorial below though.

System Image - Extract Files Using Disk Management

Hope this helps,
Shawn

If you used Backup and Restore from Windows 7, your system image will be stored in the WindowsImageBackup folder of your selected backup media.

You have moved the backup image to your usb stick. How did you do this?
What file did you move to your usb device?

You can try to find the WindowsImageBackup folder, and move the image backup file back to there, it might work.

zx81

Thanks Shawn for your quick response.

That's a bummer, didn't know moving the backup file would result in this. No wonder I tried all sorts of restore/recovery methods and all cannot see the backup file on the usb hdd and on internal partition. I've tried the tutorial, but it doesn't work because i'm trying to copy from mounted VHD to C: which is active and a lot of instances it does not allow me to copy.

looks like I have to reinstall from scratch

Yes i used B&R from Windows 7, and it's stored in WindowsImageBackup folder. Now that i think of it, i think i didn't move it after all BUT when i create an image backup, i specify to save it to (western digital ext hdd) MyBook directly. and it's showing as MyBook:\Backup\WindowsImageBackup\...

there 2 files with .VHD ext and one of them is 12gig in size, so i'm pretty sure that's my backed up C: image. and a bunch of other files with .XML

the original install of Windows 7 no longer worked (cannot boot at all) so i tried to boot from Repair Disc created from Windows 7 to try re-image the C: but everytime it couldn't find the backup file.

So i re-installed Windows 7, boot into desktop and use the restore/recovery to try the same but again cannot find the image file, even after i've copied the .VHD and .XML to D: and E: (partition and 2nd internal hdd)

You might try this method to extract needed files to see if you may be able to.

System Image - Extracting Files from using Virtual PC

Hi

Have you tried selecting the option 'Select another backup to restore files from' in the backup and restore centre and then browser network location?

Next option. Have you tried double clicking on the backup file within windows explorer? This will normally start the restore.

Regards
UKMedia

Nope, have spent the last hour trying this method but am not able to. Maybe i got something wrong in using virtual PC, i installed XP virtual pc and have only 1 option (XP), unlike the screenshot which has many others.

Yes, i've practically tried every options available from Windows 7 restore/recovery features, including requiring booting into "DOS" kind of console. Browsing network location doesn't point to other partition or ext usb hdd that's holding the image file. it points to network, which has nothing.

i also tried clicking on the backup file, but it does nothing. i did another "create backup" as a test, and it created a folder with a special icon. clicking on that will start restoring. i then thought i can copy the real image file (12gig size) into that folder can try again but alas it doesn't work. it doesn't restore my C:

i found a solution by use of Acronis (something which i've been using since XP days and stopped since Windows 7 comes with recovery which i thought has matured enough)

it simply allows you to browse to the image file!
i'm actually restoring now and don't know how it will go because it involves System Reserved Partition which i not sure to assign a drive letter or not and also all the drive letters are mixed up.

i downloaded a trial from here

I had a similar problem in Vista sometime back, whereby the backup log file got corrupted. At that time there was a Microsoft article on how to rebuild this file but I've run a couple of searches and can't find a Win 7 version.

I assume that the file '<username>ID.bin' is the equivilant log file within 7. Have you still got the original bin file?

Sorry, I can't be of more help.

Regards
UKMedia