Restoring a System Image - UEFI/BIOS question

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  1. derma
    Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
       New #1

    Restoring a System Image - UEFI/BIOS question


    Windows 7 Pro 64-bit - HP laptop - 500GB hard drive.

    I logged into Boot menu at startup and it says UEFI with Legacy BIOS enabled and secure boot disabled. I checked the hard drive using diskmgmt.msc and it's partitioned using MBR with 4 volumes listed:

    - (C:) - NTFS
    - HP_TOOLS - FAT32
    - Recovery (D:) - NTFS
    - SYSTEM - NTFS

    If I create a system image now (using the software on windows) and need to restore it, will I come across that ''Windows cannot restore a system image to a computer that has different firmware" error because it's UEFI (even though legacy BIOS is enabled).

    What would I have to do when restoring the image to ensure I don't come accross any errors (on this HD or a new HD). I created a system repair disc some time ago but I don't have the original windows media.

    Thanks
    Last edited by derma; 17 Apr 2018 at 02:36.
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  3. samuria
    Posts : 3,788
    win 8 32 bit
       New #2

    You need to do an image with a free imaging software which creates a bootable CD windows images don't work very well
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  4. SIW2
    Posts : 16,160
    7 X64
       New #3

    If you boot the recovery media in bios mode, and you are using MBR partition style you shouldn't have that problem.

    Did you try it?


    Fix System Image Restore Fails Because of EFI/BIOS

    derma said:
    Windows 7 Pro 64-bit - HP laptop - 500GB hard drive.

    I logged into Boot menu at startup and it says UEFI with Legacy BIOS enabled and secure boot disabled. I checked the hard drive using diskmgmt.msc and it's partitioned using MBR with 4 volumes listed:

    - (C:) - NTFS
    - HP_TOOLS - FAT32
    - Recovery (D:) - NTFS
    - SYSTEM - NTFS

    If I create a system image now (using the software on windows) and need to restore it, will I come across that ''Windows cannot restore a system image to a computer that has different firmware" error because it's UEFI (even though legacy BIOS is enabled).

    What would I have to do when restoring the image to ensure I don't come accross any errors (on this HD or a new HD). I created a system repair disc some time ago but I don't have the original windows media.

    Thanks
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  6. derma
    Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    samuria said:
    You need to do an image with a free imaging software which creates a bootable CD windows images don't work very well
    I have used windows system images on other computers and not had a problem, but I will use other free imaging software as you suggest as a backup, as you can't be too careful.
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  7. derma
    Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    SIW2 said:
    If you boot the recovery media in bios mode, and you are using MBR partition style you shouldn't have that problem.

    Did you try it?


    Fix System Image Restore Fails Because of EFI/BIOS
    When you say 'boot recovery media in bios mode', what do you mean?

    I haven't done any of this yet. My laptop HD makes a weird ticking noise sometimes, not often and not loud, but when it does, it's 10 seconds, slight tick, 10 seconds, slight tick, etc.

    I'm prepping for having to replace the HD and restore a system image.

    I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't run into the problems I've been reading about with regards to "windows cannot restore ... different firmware" issues.
    Last edited by derma; 19 Apr 2018 at 00:50.
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  8. mehdibleu
    Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       New #6

    are you sure that your windows 7 pro was installed in MBR disk ? because you said in your first post that your bios is configured in UEFI with Legacy Bios enabled which would mean if it's the case that your win7 version was installed using GPT disk as when you choose win7 to be installed in UEFI/Legacy bios, it is usually installed in GPT disk.

    so you should check to see if your hard drive is in MBR or not , to do that, proceed this way :

    type "diskmgmt.msc" then go on your current disk (probably it's "disk 0") then right click "Properties" then go to "volumes" tab and if you see 'GPT" to appear, that means your win7 was installed using GPT disk, if you see nothing, that means win7 was installed in MBR disk.

    Regarding your question, if your image disk has been created in the same computer and you restore it in the same computer, you won't have any problem.
    if you use the image disk and try to restore it in another computer the restoration will fail if the bios setup is not the same as the one of your first machine.
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  10. derma
    Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    mehdibleu said:
    are you sure that your windows 7 pro was installed in MBR disk ? because you said in your first post that your bios is configured in UEFI with Legacy Bios enabled which would mean if it's the case that your win7 version was installed using GPT disk as when you choose win7 to be installed in UEFI/Legacy bios, it is usually installed in GPT disk.

    so you should check to see if your hard drive is in MBR or not , to do that, proceed this way :

    type "diskmgmt.msc" then go on your current disk (probably it's "disk 0") then right click "Properties" then go to "volumes" tab and if you see 'GPT" to appear, that means your win7 was installed using GPT disk, if you see nothing, that means win7 was installed in MBR disk.
    Did as you said and right clicked disk 0 and it says - Partition style: Master Boot Record (MBR).


    mehdibleu said:
    Regarding your question, if your image disk has been created in the same computer and you restore it in the same computer, you won't have any problem.
    So that goes for restoring image to existing HD and a newly installed HD?
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  11. mehdibleu
    Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       New #8

    derma said:
    So that goes for restoring image to existing HD and a newly installed HD?
    yes, if you didn't change any setting in the bios since you have created a disk image of windows 7 on your machine, there should be no problem, you will be able to restore your image disk on the exsting HD and the new hard drive successfully.
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  12. derma
    Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    This bit about recovering into BIOS mode, is there anything special I would need to do?
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  13. MeOnMine
    Posts : 379
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 OEM
       New #10

    Hi derma, Ok what it means is that you create a third party software bootable usb or disk that you run at boot up.
    This means that Windows is not running and can be Imaged or Cloned.
    Macrium Reflect free is used or recommended here. You will need to install it on a computer to create the boot method of your choice.
    First, if your 500 Gig HDD is big enough for you I would purchase an SSD of the same size and Clone the old drive to the new.
    This means you are copying as is from one drive to the next and the SSD will increase your laptop's performance.
    One method to do this.
    Purchase an SSD and a external drive cover, install the SSD into the drive cover.
    Boot into you software and clone to the external drive.
    Remove HDD from laptop and install SSD from external case.
    Boot Laptop and check all is good, in 6 or 8 weeks install old HDD into external case and format to use as (not important) backup drive.
    If this all sounds to complicated then take it to a Tech.
    Also it is quite normal for a HDD to make ticking noises as that is how they work, perhaps download your HDD's tool box and check it.

    Good luck.
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