How can I restore my system after wiping it, have backups

[cperez21]

Hey forum, I just wiped my computer after it crashed. I backed everything up (it was in a system restore loop and I was able to back it up from there.) So I have all the files and folders, I was wondering if there was a way to put it back into the computer to make it how it was before. (Have the multiple user login, all my games and pictures restored, everything back onto the desktop) Thanks! Chris~

 

[AddRAM]

Did you create a system image ?

If not you`ll have to do it manually.

I would keep the data where you backed it up.

Keep windows as lite as possible.

 

[cperez21]

Did you create a system image ?

If not you`ll have to do it manually.

I would keep the data where you backed it up.

Keep windows as lite as possible.

:S excuse me for not being good with this type of stuff but I don't think I did? How would I know if I did for not. All I know of what I did was, made a backup of everything onto an external and it turned the files into .wim files, extracted them and put them back onto my hdd

 

[AddRAM]

Surely you would know if you did

 

[cperez21]

Surely you would know if you did

xD I guess thats a no then haha. Damn

 

[Tews]

If you still have your installation key, you can download windows 7 from Crystal River, then copy your files over to your new installation.

Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

 

[cperez21]

If you still have your installation key, you can download windows 7 from Crystal River, then copy your files over to your new installation.

Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

How would this be different from just copying my files onto my computer now? I wiped it and have windows 7 on it. Wouldnt it be the same?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You can't just "copy" Windows files from one location to another and expect to end up with a working computer.

You say you "wiped" your computer and "backed up everything" in your first post.

In your last post you say "I wiped it and have windows 7 on it".

So you've left us confused.

Right now, is the drive wiped or not wiped?

How, exactly, did you do this backup of "everything"? Drag with the mouse? Use a program? What program?

The method Tews mentions will mean downloading a legal ISO file of Windows, burning it to a disk, which creates a Windows installation disc. You then boot from that disc, install Windows, and activate with your existing Product Key. Then re-copy your backed up stuff to where it was before. You'd have a "clean install" and would have to re-install programs.

You need to be clearer about what you've done.

 

[cperez21]

You can't just "copy" Windows files from one location to another and expect to end up with a working computer.

You say you "wiped" your computer and "backed up everything" in your first post.

In your last post you say "I wiped it and have windows 7 on it".

So you've left us confused.

Right now, is the drive wiped or not wiped?

How, exactly, did you do this backup of "everything"? Drag with the mouse? Use a program? What program?

The method Tews mentions will mean downloading a legal ISO file of Windows, burning it to a disk, which creates a Windows installation disc. You then boot from that disc, install Windows, and activate with your existing Product Key. Then re-copy your backed up stuff to where it was before. You'd have a "clean install" and would have to re-install programs.

You need to be clearer about what you've done.

Sorry for the confusion, im not the best with 7 programming and backing up and stuff.

I had recovery disks made for my desktop. My pc went into a system recovery loop. I tried every method to fix it but none of them worked. I decided to restore it to factory settings (this I might have confused with wipe?) Before I did that a screen popped up and asked if i wanted to backup files. This is the screen that came up I backed the files up onto an external hard drive. I saw that it only backed up everything but .exe files. So my game files are there, not the actual games. Within the backup folder is a folder named "D-OS" within that folder is where everything is "$Recycle.bin" "Desktop" "hp" "program files" "program files (x86)" "Program Data" "Riot Games" "swsetup" "SYSTEM.SAV" "Users" "Windows"

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Referring to that screen that came up--I assume you said yes, backup my files. Did you then complete the restore to factory settings and do you now have a working PC that appears to be as it was when you bought it?

 

[cperez21]

Referring to that screen that came up--I assume you said yes, backup my files. Did you then complete the restore to factory settings and do you now have a working PC that appears to be as it was when you bought it?

Yes sir. then my initial question was if any of those folders could restore most of my computer to its previous state. (Eg: Copy the old "Windows" folder into the new one and have my previous mulitple users window )

 

[mjf]

Referring to that screen that came up--I assume you said yes, backup my files. Did you then complete the restore to factory settings and do you now have a working PC that appears to be as it was when you bought it?

Yes sir. then my initial question was if any of those folders could restore most of my computer to its previous state. (Eg: Copy the old "Windows" folder into the new one and have my previous mulitple users window )

The short answer is no. "Windows" and other folders are part of the operating system which you have reset to factory condition (like the day you first turned on the PC).
You will need to reinstall your applications including games. It does look like you've backed up data like document,photos etc and maybe game settings if that's useful (I'm not a game player).

I would recommend you play around with making what is called a system image then you can do what you really want in the future without going all the way back to the factory condition. Free Macrium Reflect is a very good and quite easy program to do this. Have a look at this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html