Windows 10 to 7 image restore question

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  1. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 64 Ultimate
       #1

    Windows 10 to 7 image restore question


    Hi everyone!

    With the deadline coming up, I finally decided to start some prep work to update my laptop to Windows 10. However, before I do, I want to make sure I'm prepared to restore to Win 7 in case anything goes wrong. I plan to do a full wipe and clean install of Win 10 to avoid any potential driver/incompatibility issues.

    My system currently does Windows Image backups to my Synology DS1512+ on my network. So my question is, if I run into issues with Win 10, how quick/easy is it to restore my last Win 7 image and be up an running again? What's the actual process for going back to Win 7 using this method?

    Images are a couple of hundred GBs, so the restore itself might take some time, but I'm concerned about compatibility stuff with Win 10 not "finding" the images or something of that sort.

    Thanks!!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #2

    Hello and welcome seltzer mate my best advice is to clone your 7 drive now to a new drive and use the clone to install 10 because there are so many people who are doing this and then not liking 10 try to get back and have issues plus. If the 10 "experience" for want of a better term is not to your liking then slip the original drive back in the machine and you have 7 back in an instant. You can then clean all the new drive and have it as a spare.

    I don't advise you to just upgrade on the original drive for reasons I have just outlined and because I have been there and done that and it was a nightmare as 10 is really a mish mash of 7 and 8 plus there is still a lot of bugs to be sorted out with 10.

    Having said that you might like 10 but I would just hate to see you posting back in a while saying you are having trouble reverting back to 7.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 31,242
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #3

    I would advise the use of a third party backup system that comes with a bootable restore system, (will run from CD/DVD or USB Pen Drive), so the installed OS if a restore is needed is not an issue.

    The current favourite amongst the members here is Macrium Reflect which is fully Windows 10 compatible anyway, and free :)

    As you are looking at a clean install the state of the updates on your Win7 is not an issue, (any install must be fully patched for an upgrade to Windows Ten).

    If you do decide that Windows Ten is not for you you have a 30 trial period built into the install, but as always the clean recovery is usually best :)
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #4

    Yep Nigel thats ok but I still think my method is a lot "safer" and yes I use Macrium for the clone too.

    With drives really not being that expensive it saves all that hassle that folks get trying to get back to 7 from 10 as there seems to be numerous posts/threads that have folks having real problems getting back and especially those who use a machine with a pre installed system.

    But each to his own I guess and I for one wouldn't do it any other way.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 31,242
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #5

    The backup, (not Clone), could be made to the existing Synology DS1512+ NAS system although this could have issues with Windows Ten, (not sure if the issue here has been addressed yet by Synology), so a separate HDD internal or External would be more secure

    What you may want to do is a trial restore from your existing data, or Macrium, if you have the resources (space), just to be sure.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #6

    Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
    Yep Macrium Reflect is good,
    Create a system image to a totally separate hdd and be sure to create the rescue cd/ flash drive media when you first open Reflect it is what you would boot too to restore the system image,
    Imaging with free Macrium

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQA7NlLvxg8
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 21,004
    Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
       #7

    Well I still maintain that the best method is to clone the orignal drive and use the clone to try 10 because I reckon that upgrading to 10 then restoring back to 7 using whatever method causes more problems than it is worth - one only has to look at the number of members who post threads with restoration issues.

    Or am I just being a little too simple or uncomplicated??
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 31,242
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #8

    In my experience ...

    The best method is to make an image backup, store this on one side

    Clear the existing drive completely

    Install Windows 10, or any other new OS fresh on the existing drive, so you can trial the new OS without any upgrade baggage.

    If you decide the New OS is not for you you then wipe the drive and restore the original OS from your Image backup
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #9

    Yea I believe system images take a lot less space than a clone would.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 64 Ultimate
    Thread Starter
       #10

    ICIT2LOL said:
    Well I still maintain that the best method is to clone the orignal drive and use the clone to try 10 because I reckon that upgrading to 10 then restoring back to 7 using whatever method causes more problems than it is worth - one only has to look at the number of members who post threads with restoration issues.

    Or am I just being a little too simple or uncomplicated??
    I guess from a simplicity point of view, having a separate HDD with Win 7 which I can just swap back to is definitely the best option. However, I'm not sure I want to spend $150 on another 500GB SSD.

    I've never used Macrium (or heard of it to be honest. I've used EaseUS for 2 simple HDD to SSD migrations), but I'll look into it. I do have a lot of 750GB USB drives from my pre-NAS days, so I can defintely use those to store any kind of image.

    I'll look into Macrium and the video guides about it posted here (can't right now since I'm at work), but lemme just ask this now since it seems you guys may have the answer. I've interpreted that I can do the following:
    1) Install Macrium on my Win 7 laptopand create an image which I store on an external USB drive.
    2) Clean install Win 10 on my laptop
    3) Decide I wan't to revert to Win 7.
    4) Install Macrium on Win 10 laptop, and choose restore from the image on the USB drive. This will restore my system to exactly how it was, as if Win 10 had never happened.

    Is this interpretation accurate, or does it not work that way?

    Thanks for the help!
      My Computer


 
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