[SOLVED] Restoring Only Programs From A System Image, Not System Files ?

Yeah I've done that, and it's restored everything aside from the programs in my C: Drive. When I reset windows it deleted all of them, I knew this.

I have a system image from before the reset, and I wonder can I use that to restore just the C: Drive, not any system files ?

Basically I'm asking:

I) if a system image recovery will restore system files too ?

If it does, then I'll have network problems again.

II) Is there any way to open the system image file and pick what parts I recover ?

If not, I'll have to restore the whole image, delete the image backup, manually copy over the contents of my C: Drive that I want to keep, and then reset windows like I've just done.

Then I'll have to manually copy all of the C: Drive files back into my C: Drive from the external hard drive. I think. 

Thanks for the help.

Edit:

[SOLVED]

I'm using this guide to mount the Virtual Hard Drive from the image backup, How to access a system image and restore individual files using Windows 10's native VHD support | TechRepublic,

It seems to work. I'm now manually copying over the folders I'm missing.

Hello Celeborn

Luckily I had the same problem just last month, what I did was simply windows taskbar>control panel>backup and restore (it says windows seven but it works fine on windows 10 and 11 too), press create a system image, and then choose where you want to save a backup (make sure it's formatted using NTFS in order to store the image) then you click next. Next, create a system repair disc You’ll then want to create a system repair disc to use if Windows is ever incapable of booting up on its own. You’ll need a disk drive as this option still doesn’t support USB drives for booting up your PC. If your computer doesn’t have the right drive, you can always buy and connect to an external DVD drive. Insert a CD or DVD into your drive. Click the create a system repair disc link at the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) window. Confirm that your DVD drive appears and then click the create disc button. Okay, now let's say you're in a jam one day because Windows is misbehaving. Restoring it from the image file may be your only option. Make sure your backup media is available. If you still can, boot up your PC.

In Windows 10, go to settings > update and security recovery. In the Advanced startup section on the right, click the restart now button under Advanced startup. Windows 11 users should open settings > system > recovery and then click the restart****now button next to Advanced startup.At the Choose an option window, go to troubleshoot > advanced options > system image recovery > see more recovery options.Select system image recover. From there, follow the prompts to restore your image file.

If Windows won't boot, start up your PC with the system repair disc. You should be taken to the choice an option window, where you can follow the same steps to restore Windows to a previous and (hopefully healthy) state.