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Unable to restore the System Image created by Backup and restore (Windows 7)

Anonymous
2024-08-10T17:48:48+00:00

Hi,

It is my habit from the many years that before installing a major update in Windows 11, I create a system image using the control panel's "Backup and restore (Windows 7)" in a different partition of my hard drive. Many times, I have restored the image through system>recovery...>Trouble shooting>restore system image.

Yesterday when I tried to do so once again, the process was stopped after selecting the image which was kept at a partition named "Recovery" on the same hard drive. A pop-up menu directed me to create a system image disk by inserting a CD in CD Disk Drive.

I have repeated the process many times, but no other option (e.g. to insert USB) was available rather than cancel as there is no CD Drive in my laptop. So, I am unable to restore required system image.

Can anyone help me why this problem is occurring and what is the solution?

Regards

Zaigham

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Recovery and backup

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  1. Ramesh Srinivasan 173.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-08-10T18:09:37+00:00

    Hi Zaigham,

    This can happen when you're booted into the native WinRE instead of a USB setup disk or a Recovery disk.

    Please boot the system from the recovery drive/USB setup disk and try again. You may need to change the boot order in the UEFI settings or access the one-time boot menu.

    If that doesn't help, copy the system image backup to an external hard drive and restore the image from that drive. When copying to an external drive, note that the system image backup folder must be in the drive's root directory. It shouldn't be moved to a subfolder.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-08-10T18:29:52+00:00

    Hi Ramesh

    As I told earlier that system image backup is copied on another partition G: named "Recovery" of the same hard drive. I have neither created a system image disk nor used to restore it. This is first time when windows asking for external system image disk to restore the image.

    However, I will try your suggestion to copy the disk image on another disk and will inform you accordingly.

    Thanks for your help.

    Regards

    Zaigham

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  3. Ramesh Srinivasan 173.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-08-10T18:38:16+00:00

    Hi Zaigham,

    On second thought, even an external drive can't help in this case unless you create an EFI partition on that drive and boot from it.

    I'd suggest creating a USB setup disk first. Then, boot from it, access WinRE, and click the System Image Recovery option.

    SIB can't reimage the WinRE partition when you access the Restore option via native WinRE. Hence, the USB setup disk/Recovery drive is required.

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