Windows 7: Restore System Image BackUp In case of System or Boot Failure
We have already seen in my earlier post, how to create a system image. In case there is a system failure or boot failure, we can restore the system image. This will bring back all the system to its original, re-writing whatever settings and file system you had before. This is like a final solution for your system failure.
Warning:
- When you restore your computer from a image backup, it is a complete restoration. You can’t choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced.
- If your backup image is on a external device (ex: USB drive), then make sure it is connected before starting.
- A system image recovery will format everything on your hard drive and restore only what is included in the system image backup. Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose that is not included in the system image backup that you are restoring first.
There three ways in which you can recover the Windows 7 hard disk partition and other partitions they are:
- Using the advanced recovery options that can be accessed from control panel.
- Using the system repair disc or original Windows 7 DVD.
- Using the boot options of Windows 7.
For recovering a Windows 7 partition or any other hard disk partition using system image we can use any of the above three methods. All the three methods lead you to the system recovery program of Windows 7.
Method 1: How to use the advanced recovery options from Control Panel
1. Go to Start Menu >> Control Panel >> System & Security >> Backup and Restore >> Recover System Settings on your Computer
2. In the window that comes choose the ‘Advanced recovery methods’
3. Now Windows 7 offers two options one is to restore the computer from the system image and the other is reinstallation of Windows 7. In this case we will choose ‘Use a system image you created earlier to recover your computer’ option.
4. Click the restart button to restart the computer and to start the recovery or restoration process.
Now the computer will reboot into recovery mode you can start the recovery process, for further detailed information refer to the instructions below.
Method 2: How to Restore / Recover / Repair Windows 7 using System Repair Disc
The system can be recovered from the system image using the system repair disc also. Refer to our earlier post on how to create a Windows 7 system repair disc. To use the system repair disc, set your computer to boot from CD or DVD and then insert the system repair disc and start the computer. The computer will now boot into recovery mode and the recovery process can be started, detailed instructions for recovering the system from image is provided towards the end of the post.
Method 3: How to Restore / Recover / Repair Windows 7 using boot options
Restart the your computer and using the F8 key access the Windows 7 advanced boot options choose the ‘Repair Your Computer’ option and the system will boot into the recover mode. The detailed instructions for recovering from system image is given below.
Instructions for recovering or restoring a Windows 7 partition from system image:
1. As mentioned above you can access the recovery mode using any of the above three methods. Once you are in recovery mode the system will first ask you to choose the layout of your keyboard, choose the keyboard layout that you are asking. In this case we have used US keyboard layout.
2. The system presents two options they are ‘Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows’ and ‘Restore your computer using a system image that you created earlier’. You have to choose the second option of restoring the computer from a system image.
3. The system provides two options here and it by default it selects the latest image that was last taken but if you wish to select the system image of your choice then you can use the second option which allows you to manually select the system image.
4. In this example we are using the first option which uses the system recommended image. Now select the option ‘Format and repartition disks’ as the data in the entire partition will be deleted and the hard disk will repartitioned as it was during the time when the system image was taken.
When you had taken the system image you may have taken the image of additional partitions of a different hard disk along with Windows 7 partition. If you would like to exclude any of them then you have to exclude them in this step.
5. After you have
made your choices hit the next button to start the system image restoration process but before that system displays what tasks it is going to perform as a summary and also warns again that the data will deleted choose yes to continue.
Now the restoration process begins and may take a couple of minutes to few hours based on your disk size. Once the restore process is completed the system will automatically restart.
That’s it now Windows 7 has been successfully restored from the system image.
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Courtesy: www.shivaranjan.com
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