A really annnoying problem...

[thaumiel]

I just a few days ago accomplished a complete restore of my Windows 7 system to a backup I made about a month ago. A complete system restore like I always figured it should work.

Now I need to do the same thing I just did a few days ago and cannot get it to work. If I click on Restore my files it gives me a menu I did not see a few days ago and doesn't even show the backup from last month just one from a year ago.

If I click Select another backup to restore files from it shows me the backup from a month ago (fine so far...) then I tell it to restore in the original location and I get a screen where I tell it to replace all files.

Then it shows me the progress of a bunch of data files (which are all fine and don't need replacing) being replaced and no system files (which is all I need) never get mentioned.

When it's done nothing has changed on my system and it doesn't even ask for a restart which it surely did the time it worked. Remember, I just did this a few days ago.

Then it says some program or system files were skipped because they could not be restored to their original location. It suggests I use a different location which it does not give an option to do.

In the meantime my desktop hasn't changed and the system is still messed up.

Please don't tell me to use System Restore as I have this turned off since it hasn't worked in over 5 years. (The entire time I had Windows XP and then VISTA)

The upshot is I have a perfectly good backup of my system hidden somewhere and cannot now restore it. Which I just did mere days ago.

I am hoping someone knows a program other than Windows Restore which will access this Back up Data.

Thank you.

 

[Ztruker]

See if the instructions here area any help: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

 

[gregrocker]

Find the WindowsImageBackup file and place it in the root of the external or HD where it is stored. This should help the booted Repair CD or DVD Repair console detect it using "Recover Using a System Image."

If the backup will not be detected, see if you can mount the .vhd files inside using Disk Management, then make a Macrium Reflect Backup Image of those virtual drives to restore using that program's Boot Disk.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/566-virtual-hard-disk-create-attach-vhd.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/43219-image-your-system-free-macrium.html

An alternative to achieve this is Acronis free Premium imaging program if you have a WD or Seagate HD, from their Support Downloads webpage for your model HD/SSD. Or Paragon 11 backup imaging freeware.

From your brief description of System Restore never working, etc. I would strongly suggest a clean reinstall as soon as you're able, using these tips to get a purrfect reinstall which can be preserved by imaging forever: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729