Replace my C: drive with .vhd

[mmc501]

the hard drive failed on my laptop so have got a new one and I had 2 system image back ups.
When I tried to reinstall the most recent one it did not find it from the external hard drive.
So I installed the old system image.

In the new one I am able to mount the .vhd file in Disk Management and see it is the exact same size as my c: drive.

Is it possible to replace the contents of of my c: drive with the .vhd contents?

 

[gregrocker]

Are these WIn7 backup images? Is it possible the one you want to use is named something other than exactly WindowsImageBackup and placed somewhere other than the root of the external? If not it won't be detected. You'll need to put the older image in a folder and place the newer one in the root.

If it's just a matter of the files then you can mount the image to copy out the newer ones to replace in each User folder: Virtual Hard Disk - Create and Attach VHD

In the future consider syncing your files to a backup HD or external, or to the cloud - MS Skydrive offers free 7gb with each WIndows Live ID. This way they are kept current in backup.

 

[mmc501]

Yes they were both Windows 7 Backup Images.
No it was named exactly that, and I had the old one removed.

Specificially it is to replace programs, IIS settings etc, as opposed to files.

 

[gregrocker]

Unfortunately you must either re-image or reinstall the programs.

Did you move the newer image from where the imaging utility saved it? Try putting it there.

What I would do is convert an uncooperative image to Acronis .tib which has much more flexibility, but to do this you must own Acronis True Image as that feature isn't in their premium free WD or Seagate app. But I'd use that freeware going forward if you have either brand HD in the mix.

 

[mmc501]

Is it possible to reimage the .vhd file to my c drive?

Try putting it the newer image where?

 

[gregrocker]

You might be able to image the mounted vhd like you would another drive. It would have to be with a more flexible app like Macrium where you can choose the drive to image, and where to put it.

Our experts SIW2 and whs might know if it's possible to do what you ask.