How to retrieve an overwritten image

[jiuulop]

Hello,
I have been searching online for ways to get myself of a bad situation and I found this forum. I would like to know if there is any way for me to undo and image overwrite. Here is my situation (4 questions):
I did an image backup of my laptop which is win7. Then I immediately followed with an image backup of my desktop which is vista. Both on ext hard drive.
The next day I found myself needing the image of my laptop. But when I tried to restore my win7 laptop I got messages saying that I couldn’t restore without vista install cd’s. This leads me to believe my win7 laptop image was overwritten by the more recent vista image; also there is only one image backup file on the hdd even though I backed up two cpu’s.
Another tidbit is that my laptop and desktop have the same name (laptop=eagle and desktop=Eagle).
1. CAN I EVER RECOVER THIS OLD IMAGE? I haven’t used the ext hdd since the incident occurred.
2. I know windows tells of overwriting If space is compromised, but I have way more than enough space on the ext hdd. Why overwrite when there is 200gb of space available?
3. For future reference, would you recommend keeping two images on the same ext hdd?
4. Also, what is the best way to save multiple incremental images on the same ext hdd
win7 ultimate 64bit sp1

Thanks

 

[kado897]

Hi ihsan125 and Welcome to Seven Forums.

1. I suspect you are correct and that the image has been overwritten. Unfortunately I can't see a way you can get the old image back.
2. It is probably because it uses the same folder name each time. WindowsImageBackup.
3. Not with Windows Backup. You could do it with a third party solution as they generally allow you to chose where the image is located in a separate folder.
4. Again a third party solution. Macrium Reflect is the solution of choice for many on this forum. Unfortunately the free version does not do incremental backups. I think Easus ToDo does. EaseUS Todo Backup Free - The First Fully-functional Free Backup Software for Home and Business Users

 

[jiuulop]

not sure if this makes a difference but i checked the ext hdd and the only image is labeled "eagle" with a lowercase "e". IT IS THE ONE I NEED. Now i really dont understand why I cant restore.

in regards to multiple images could i just:
use another ext hdd and make a folder named "july5 image" then copy the image to that folder and reapeat for future dates.

not sure if this would mess up a restore.

 

[C-11]

in regards to multiple images could i just:
use another ext hdd and make a folder named "july5 image" then copy the image to that folder and reapeat for future dates.

not sure if this would mess up a restore.

I do that all the time. Not one time has it messed up restoring from an image.

I keep 3 recent images just in case.

One visible and the other ones in there own folder.

I leave the most recent image visible(WindowsImageBackup)in case I need to restore from it.

 

[jiuulop]

im gonna have to give that a try once i exhaust all options on getting this old image back. im still not 100% sold on it being gone.

here is where i am now:

i just tried again to connect my ext hdd to my laptop and restore the image that i cant get.

i got the same message: cant be restored in this environment. to restore: use repair disk (gives me the choices of mentions xp/vista but not win7), boot from disk, try restore again.

even tho it didnt mention win7, what do u think about me trying to follow these above directions with the win7 disk.

im gonna do my current image on a seperate ext hdd then try this boot from cd process so that i dont make my situation worse and loose everything.

the reason im not sold is:
the only backup on the ext hdd is "eagle" the one i need.
just before i tried to make anothe image today, windows b&r says most recent backup is one dated right around the time for the image im trying to recover.

 

[C-11]

I agree with kado897, that the image has been overwritten.

I just clicked on Create a system image and got this


Then I moved my image into a different named folder and got this

 

[RicardoBohner]

Windows 7 is capable of storing more than one image in the WindowsImageBackup folder. I guess the trouble here is because the other image backup is form a vista PC and not another Windows 7...

When you try to restore the image try not using the default option of restoring the most recent backup, instead choose another image backup.

I don't remember the options correctly when you boot from the Windows 7 DVD and choose Restore an Image Backup but I'm sure there are options to bypass the default which is to restore the most recent ( In your case the vista image backup).

 

[kado897]

The image will not be called eagle unless you have renamed it from WindowsImageBackup. If your PC is called eagle then this folder may be a Windows File and Folder backup. You can rename an image (not move it) but you must rename it back to WindowsImageBackup and be in the root of the drive before Restore will recognize it.

 

[jiuulop]

Thanks everyone 4 the replies. I tried again with the win7 repair disk and it flopped. I got the same “cant retore in this environment” message.
From your replies Im getting the following:
OVERALL: Im fu----ed on getting that image back
Kado: I should consider an alternative backup software
Flatiron: I know what to do next time
Is it fair to say that I have exhausted all my options.

 

[kado897]

I think so ihsan. Shame really because not many people think to make backups at all.

A warning about Flatirons reply. We have had cases where moving the image to another folder has caused problems, even if the image is moved back into the root before restore. Renaming the image seems problem free if you remember to rename it back before the restore and chose the single copy option in space management. Windows imaging can be tricky if you mess with it, which is why many prefer a third party solution.

 

[whs]

1. Why don't you mount the image you have and look what it is.

2. I wonder what you used to image Vista since the imaging facility a la Win7 does not exist.

3. You can put as many different images on a single HDD as long as you create seperate folders for the images. Unfortunately that is not possible with the native Win7 imaging which always images to the root.

4. The native Windows 7 imaging is completely useless. As recommended you should use free Macrium which is miles superior. Here is a tutorial to get you started: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

5. I would forget about incremental images. They are difficult to manage and you run a high risk of losing the whole image if you lose one increment in the chain. Full images are the preferred solution.

 

[jiuulop]

thanks guys. kado point taken

whs= i meant multiple full images not bits and pieces. i will be comparing acronis and macrium soon.