System Image Recovery

How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to restore your Windows 7 hard disk back to exactly how it was when you created a system image backup.

   Warning

• You can only do a system image recovery to a HDD that is the same size or larger than the one the system image was created from. You will not be able to do a system image recovery to a smaller HDD.
• When you restore your computer from a image backup, it is a complete restoration. You can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced.
• If your backup image is on a external device (ex: USB drive), then make sure it is connected before starting. If USB drive, then also make sure that you have your BIOS settings (ex: Legacy USB) set to allow USB devices at boot.
• A system image recovery will format everything on each hard drive that was included in a system image, and will only restore what is included (see steps 7-9 in STEP TWO below) in the system image back. Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose that is not included in the system image backup first.

STEP ONE

Only if You Renamed the "WindowsImageBackup" Folder

   Note

To be able to have multiple versions of system images saved on the same drive or partition, you would need to rename the older WindowsImageBackup folder from the previously created system image as described in the NOTE box at the top of this tutorial.

If you renamed the WindowsImageBackup folder for the system image version that you wanted to restore, then you will need to do the steps below before you will be able to restore that system image.

1. If you are "Able to Boot" into Windows 7 A) In Windows Explorer, navigate to the renamed (drive letter)\WindowsImageBackup folder location of the system image that you want to restore.

B) If you already have a folder named WindowsImageBackup that is not the system image version that you want to restore, then you will need to right click on it, click on Rename, and type in say WindowsImageBackup-Copy-2 as an example.

C) Now, right click on the renamed system image version (ex: WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1) that you did want to restore, click on Rename, type in WindowsImageBackup an press enter.

D) Go to the STEP TWO section below to do the System Image Recovery.
2. If you are "Not Able to Boot" into Windows 7 A) If you have the system image backup save to an external device, be sure that it is connected now.

B) Open a command prompt at boot.

C) In the command prompt, type diskpart and press enter. (see screenshot below)

D) In the command prompt, type list volume and press enter. (see screenshot below)

E) Make note of the drive letter (ex: E: ) that you have the system image backup saved to.

F) In the command prompt, type exit and press enter. (see screenshot below)

G) In the command prompt, type the E: and press enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Subsititute E: for your actual drive letter at step 2E instead.

H) If you already have a folder named "WindowsImageBackup"

NOTE: This is if you already have a folder named WindowsImageBackup that is not the system image version that you want to restore. If so, you would need to rename it to say WindowsImageBackup-Copy-2 as an example.

• In the command prompt, type the command below and press enter. (see screenshot below)
  NOTE: Substitute WindowsImageBackup-Copy-2 in the command below with any name in quotes that you would like to rename it to instead.

[B]ren WindowsImageBackup "[COLOR=red]WindowsImageBackup-Copy-2[/COLOR]"[/B]

I) In the command prompt, type the command below and press enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 in the command below with the actual name of your renamed system image folder in quotes that you want to use to restore instead.

[B]ren "[COLOR=red]WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1[/COLOR]" WindowsImageBackup[/B]

J) Close the command prompt window. (see screenshot below)

K) Continue on to step 3B in the STEP TWO section below to do the System Image Recovery.

STEP TWO

To Do the System Image Recovery

1. If you have the system image backup save to an external device, be sure that it is connected and turned on (powered up) now.
A) Start with either step 2 or step 3 below first.
2. From "Backup and Restore" in the Control Panel while in Windows 7 A) Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on Backup and Restore.

B) Click on the Recover system settings on your computer link. (see screenshot below)
C) Click on the Advanced recovery methods link. (see screenshot below)
D) Select the Use a system image you created earlier to recover your computer option. (see screenshot below)
E) Select to either create a Back up now, or to Skip it and continue the system image recovery without backing up any of your current files.
NOTE: If you select Back up now, it will take you to step 6 in this tutorial link to create a User and System File back up of your current files first before continuing to step 1F. (see screenshot below)
F) Click on Restart. (see screenshot below)



G) Select a languange to be used for your keyboard input and click on Next. (see screenshot below)
H) Go to step 4.
3. From the System Recovery Options Screen at Boot A) Boot to the System Recovery Options screen from your Windows 7 installation DVD/USB, or System Repair Disc.

B) Select the System Image Recovery option. (see screenshot below)
4. If you saved the system image backup to a set of DVDs, then insert the last DVD from the set when prompted. If not, go to step 5 for a system image backup on a hard drive. A) Go to step 7 below.
5. To Use the Latest System Image A) Select (dot) Use the latest available system image and click on Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Go to step 7.
6. To Select a System Image A) Select (dot) Select a system image, and click on Next. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: This is if the system image that you want to use is not listed here and is at another location that you wish to choose from instead.

B) Select the location of the backup image for the computer you want to restore from the list, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)

   Note

To add a image from a network location, click on the Advanced button, and on the Search for a system image on the network option.

If the drive cannot be seen to select a system image from, then you may need to use the tutorial below to load your SATA or RAID drivers before it will be seen. You would click on the Advanced button, and on the Install a driver option.

SATA Drivers - Load in Windows 8 System Image Recovery

C) Select the date and time of the system image to restore, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)
7. To Do a Full System Image Recovery
NOTE: This option will format everything on each hard disk drive that was included in the system image, then restore them as they were when the system image was created.

   Note

Format and repartition disks box:
NOTE: Special thanks to MJF for this addition. 1) Grayed out and selected
You are forced to have the whole disk formatted and repartitioned to match the partition structure of the disk the image was made from. This can occur when restoring an image to a new disk or the original disk with a modified partition structure. Data on other partitions on the disk you are restoring to will be lost.

2) Grayed out and unselected
You are not given the option to format and repartition the disk. This will occur if you are restoring Windows from a partition on the same disk.

3) Not grayed out and unselected
Here you have the option to select format the whole disk and repartition or not. In this case the disk the image was taken from has a matching partition structure to the disk you are restoring the image to. By not selecting the format and repartition option your image will be restored and other partitions untouched such as valuable data partitions.

A) Check the Format and repartition disks box (if not grayed out) and uncheck Only restore system drives box (if available), and click on Next. (see screenshots below)


B) Go to step 10.
8. To Only Restore System Drives in System Image Recovery
NOTE: When restoring to the same disk containing data partitions, the Format and repartition disks option may format the data partitions as well. If this is the case and you have the option to leave the Format and repartition disks box unchecked, then initially attempt your image recovery with the Format and repartition disks box unchecked. If recovery is unsuccessful, repeat the process with the format box ticked. A) If available, check the Only restore system drives box, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Go to step 10.
9. To Exclude Restoring Specific Drives in System Image Recovery
NOTE: Since a system image recovery will format everything on each hard disk drive that was included in a system image, this will allow you to exclude specific disks so that specific disk will not be formated or restored. A) Check the Format and repartition disks box , and click on the Exclude disks button (if not grayed out). (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the Exclude disks button is grayed out, then the HDD that you are restoring to is empty, or you do not have any disks in the system image that are able to be excluded from being restored.
B) Unselect the drives that you want to exclude from being restored.

C) Click on Next.
10. Click on Finish. (see screenshot below)
11. Click on Yes. (See screenshot below)
12. You will now see this screenshot below.
NOTE: If you have the backup image on DVDs, have them ready. See step 4 above.
13. When it is through, click on Restart Now to finish. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Your computer will restart and the backup image restoration will be done.
14. If you created a backup in step 1E, then you will now see this option to Restore my files after the computer restarts. (see screenshot below)
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7
• How to Create a "Create a System Image" Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Restore Backup User and System Files in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc
• How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7
• How to Backup and Restore the Windows 7 Registry
• How to Enable or Disable the Ability to Create a System Image in Windows 7
• How to Extract Files from Windows 7 System Image using Virtual PC
• How to Extract Windows 7 System Image Files Using Disk Management
• How to Restore your System with a Broken Windows 7 System Image
• How to Manually Extract Files from a Backup in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Create a System Recovery Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 Backup and Restore Shortcut
• How to Restore a Partition Image From a HDD to a SSD
• How to Delete Windows 7 User Data and System Image Backup Files
• How to Load SATA Drivers in Windows System Image Recovery
• New Installation: How to Create a General System Image in Audit Mode

 

[desdevil]

but that options doesn't make any changes my laptop still cant boot into windows.. erm i'm not sure wad type of harddisk mine is, but thats the only one i had in my laptop.

 

[bigfire45]

Hi,

As a newbie to this forum, I was hoping to get some help on this thread.

About 2 weeks ago, Win7 warned me that my OS Drive was about to fail (As acursed WD Caviar Black IT drive only 6 mths old) and suggested that I make an image back up of my OS om C: drive.

I did so on an external drive connected to my PC via USB cable. At this time, the failing drive could still run Win 7

A few days later when I purchased a new hard drive, I copied all the partions from the failing drive onto the new healthy drive. However, the C: partition which contained Win7 must have been corrupted on the bad drive and the copied Win7 would not boot from the new drive.

I deleted the bad C: partition and made a clean install of Win7 on the new HD hoping that I could restore the Win 7 image backup from the external USB drive.

However, when I connected the external drive tried the image recovery from Win7 control panel, Win7 could not find the saved image backup on the external drive.

How can I get Win7 to recognize the saved image and restore it?

Please advise and thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Bigfire, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Just to double check, is this what you did to create a system image backup?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
Did you try step 6 in STEP TWO to see if you may be able to manually select the image backup from the external HDD?

If so, you might try step 3 in STEP TWO to see if you may be able to at boot instead of from within Windows.

In addition, you might also try a different USB port in case that may be the issue.

 

[Brink]

but that options doesn't make any changes my laptop still cant boot into windows.. erm i'm not sure wad type of harddisk mine is, but thats the only one i had in my laptop.

What happens when you click on "Next" to continue with the system image recovery?

 

[mjf]

but that options doesn't make any changes my laptop still cant boot into windows.. erm i'm not sure wad type of harddisk mine is, but thats the only one i had in my laptop.

I don't know whose response you are referring to. The format option provided by the repair disk (not Windows) was your question. Inputs from 2 people are confusing you - I'll leave it to Brink.

 

[bigfire45]

No image access yet.

Hello Bigfire, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Just to double check, is this what you did to create a system image backup?http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
Did you try step 6 in STEP TWO to see if you may be able to manually select the image backup from the external HDD?

If so, you might try step 3 in STEP TWO to see if you may be able to at boot instead of from within Windows.

In addition, you might also try a different USB port in case that may be the issue.

Thank you Brink for your help.

I tried retrieving the image as described in step 3 of STEP TWO, but Win7 still can't "see" the image on the external drive.

Could this be because the new Win7 install did not actually create the system image stored on the external drive?

I noticed that there is a command line option on the recovery console.

Is there a text command that can direct WIN 7 where to look for the image I want to recover?

Thanks again.

Bigfire

 

[Brink]

Bigfire,

While in Windows 7, if you open the external drive, do you see the WindowsImageBackup folder there?

The NOTE box at the top of the tutorial below can give you more details about this folder. Plus, if you are unable to do a image recovery, the tutorial below will allow you to manually extract files that you may want from the image if there.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24771-system-image-extract-files-using-disk-management.html

 

[mjf]

The post above should allow you to easily recover files.

However,
1) If you changed the name of the PC to say "JONES-PC" then the second folder in from "WindowsImageBackup" should also have that name (change if it hasn't).

2) I believe the command line actions still assumes the same folder structure as the GUI.
But it is -
wbadmin get versions -backupTarget:d:

here I search for an image on my d: partition and it finds it.


NOTE: When booting from the system repair DVD or install DVD the partition letters will generally change. Make sure you using the appropriate letter. In the example above it could be e:

 

[SeptimusFry]

Hi Bigfire, I am just a sometime observer here, and not one of the experts... that having been said, have you tried the most simple of things and booted from a recovery disc, or the original W7 disc, to do your recovery from there? Your post earlier seemed to suggest you were trying to to everything from a new W7 instal which, for my money, seems more difficult. I may have the wrong end of the stick, if so... but sometimes, even the experts can overlook the trivial.

Good luck.

 

[bigfire45]

Thank you for the suggestion

But, I've tried it from the Win7 installation disk with the same result.

My next step is to try restoring the image using a command line.

 

[nasha]

System Image not found

I just restored my computer to factory settings and was looking to use a System Image I had made before to recover the data on my drive.

However, the System Restore program on my computer could not find any System image backups when I tried to work it.

I have 2 images currently saved. One in drive C: and another in and external HDD (E. Neither one is being picked up.

Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Nasha,

A system image is not a data backup, but a complete drive clone instead. It will wipe your drive and restore Windows 7 back to how it was when the image was created.

However, you could use the tutorial below to extract files from the system image if it's still on your E drive.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24771-system-image-extract-files-using-disk-management.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Teerex]

Well, what can I say? It took a wee bit longer to get the replacement computer, but as for the restoration process & result - complete satisfaction.

 

[Brink]

Hello Tomislav,

That's great news.

 

[Roo Boy]

Hi Brink,
I sent you a PM as i wasnt sure how often you check here as this thread hasnt been used for a while.

Ive been reading through your Windows Back up and Restore threads which are fantastic by the way.

Was wondering how i go about this:

My current C Drive is a 500GB WD HDD

I have made an image of this on my 1TB Samsung HDD F drive

I want to take replace the existing C drive with a Samsung 500GB HDD due to issues ive had with the WD drive.

The new 500GB Samsung is currently my G drive.

I want to restore the system image from the 1TB F drive to the 500GB G drive and then make this the new C drive.

The existing C drive will be used as an external drive only.

Can you tell me how i restore to the G Drive as it seems if i follow the steps it will restore image back to the current C drive unless i missed something?

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Rod,

Yes, if you created a system image of your old WD C: drive to your F drive, you should be able to do a system image recovery with the image on the F drive to your new Samsung drive using the steps in the tutorial.

I would recommend to remove your WD drive, connect the G drive, and do the system image recovery this way though. This way if something should go worng, you could just pop the old C drive back in, remove the G drive (now new C drive), and be back to where you were on the next restart.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Roo Boy]

Hi Shawn,

Firstly thanks for your prompt reply.

What i'm confused about is, if i take out the current c drive and replace it with the current G drive i wont be able to boot to windows right? So would i have to use
option 2. If you are "Not Able to Boot" into Windows 7 - from the tutorial?

Thanks

 

[Brink]

You would use step 3 in STEP TWO.

STEP ONE is only if you had renamed or moved the WindowsImageBackup folder.

 

[Roo Boy]

I have a Win7 Disc but its an OEM Version - i dont think this has a repair section in its menu does it. I think i looked at that once before and the only option (from memory) was installation. I will look at it again though.

 

[Brink]

Is a retail OEM copy that you purchased, or is it a factory recovery type OEM disc that came with the computer?