How to Extract Files from Windows 7 System Image using Virtual PC
InformationWhen you create a system image using Windows 7 Backup and Restore, it creates a virtual hard drive vhd-file which contains all your files and folders, and some xml-files which contain the information needed to restore your system using this image. See the image:
Notice that in this case there are two vhd-files; If your OS is not located on the first partition of the first hard drive, System Image Backup needs to save the boot information on a separate vhd. This also occurs when making a system image of a virtual machine. If this happens, the bigger vhd is your actual system backup.
Installing this system image as a second hard drive makes it possible to pick up and extract a single file or folder. It is a very practical tool if you make a system image often enough; it allows you i.e. to restore a file or folder you accidentally deleted, without the need to do a complete restore. Please notice Virtual PC has a 127 GB sizr limit for virtual hard disks. If your system image vhd-file is bigger, use Disk Management to mount image and extract files as told here.
Here's how:
Easy and fast!
- Download and install Virtual PC here (You need Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate or Enterprise for Virtual PC to work)
- Open the Virtual Machines folder (C:\Your_Username\Virtual Machines)
- Choose the virtual machine you want to use to extract files from your system image and click settings
- From the left pane, choose Hard Disk 2, then Virtual hard disk in the right pane and click Browse
- Find the drive where you stored your system image and backups, open the folder WindowsImageBackup and open the system image you want to use, click OPEN
- Close the settings, boot your virtual machine. After boot, you'll notice there are now two hard drives on the virtual machine
- Opening the second hard drive, you'll find all your files and folders. Choose what you need and transfer back to your host system
Please remember that a Virtual PC vhd can be max 127 GB. If you need to mount bigger vhd's, use Sun VirtualBox or Disk Management as told in this Brink's tutorial..
Kari
EDIT: Once again, thank you Brink for "polishing" this tutorial and making it look better.
Related Tutorials
- How to Extract Windows 7 System Image Files Using Disk Management
- How to Extract Files from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
- How to Manually Extract Files from a Backup in Vista and Windows 7
- How to Restore your System with a Broken Windows 7 System Image
- How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7
- How to Backup User and System Files in Windows 7
- How to Do a System Image Recovery 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 Create a Virtual Machine in Windows Virtual PC
- How to Install, Enable, and Disable Windows Virtual PC Integration Features
- How to Delete Windows 7 User Data and System Image Backup Files
- How to Extract Files and Folders from System Restore Points in Windows 7 and Vista