Creating a system image backup consists of copying your system partition (usually the C drive) into a remote storage location, which can be a USB flash drive or a network drive. You also have the option to create a system image on a local partition as well, but people do not usually opt for this in case the hard drive gets corrupted or the entire computer is destroyed during a natural disaster. The backed-up data can then later be used by your computer to recover and restore the items to their original state. Additionally, you can select more partitions to be backed up if needed. This is an excellent technique for sysadmins when they want to replicate a system onto multiple computers – all they need to do is create a system image for a single machine (that they want to replicate) and then restore it on other computers. Let us now show you how to create a complete system image on a Windows 11 computer, and then learn how to store it completely, or, only back up your files and folders from it.
Create System Image Backup on Windows
Note: The following methods are also valid for Windows 7 and Windows 10.
Create System Image Backup on Windows Restore Image Backup Restore Files and Folders from System Image Takeaway
Use the following steps to create a full backup of your Windows 11 computer. Before you do, make sure that you have ample free space on the backup USB/drive. Now that the system image backup is created, you can keep it safe and secure until the time that you may need it. Choose “On a hard disk” if you want to create the system image on a local hard disk or a USB flash drive, and then select it from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, select “On a network location” if you want to create the system image on a remote location. Once selected, click Next. The tool will now begin backing up your system drive as well as any additional partitions that you may have selected. This step can take a while depending on the size of the data being backed up. The backup will now be completed. Close the backup tool. Let us now show you how to store a backup on a Windows 11 PC.
Restore Image Backup
When you have a complete system image backup, you can use it to restore your PC in case it is experiencing problems, not boring up anymore, or simply to revert your files and folders to an earlier state. Follow the given steps below to restore the system image completely: The system image will now begin restoring to the computer. This can take a moment depending on the size of the backup image. When the process is completed, the Windows will restart. You may then continue to see that the image has been restored successfully. This will take you to the Windows Recovery Environment (WindowsRE or WinRE). In the case you have more than one system image backed up, you can select “Select a system image” and then select the image from which you want to recover from. Only check this option if you want to delete all existing partitions and format all disks on the computer to match that of the system image. This is usually selected if the image is being restored on a new hard drive or a new computer. Alternatively, you can skip it and only click Next. [Conditional] You may also see an option “Only restore system drives” if the system image includes other partitions. You may or may not check this option before proceeding.
Restore Files and Folders from System Image
If you have previously created a complete system image, it does not necessarily mean that you have to perform a complete image restoration in order to get your files and folders back. You can simply extract/copy it from the system image onto your local hard drive. Here is how: This concludes the process of restoring only your files and folders from a system image backup. The largest VHD is usually the primary system partition. If your files and folders are located in another partition, then you will need to adapt the hit-and-trial error by mounting each of the VHDs one by one.
Takeaway
The system image backups need to be created manually. Unlike File History and Backup and Restore (Windows 7), this process cannot be automated. Do not confuse complete system image backups with either File History or Backup and Restore – these are three different things. File History is used to maintain an older version of files and folders in case they need to be reverted, whereas Backup and Restore simply create restore points to which your complete system can be reverted if needed. A complete system image backup takes a snapshot of all Windows files and any selected personal files and stores them in a separate location. These can then be used to replicate the exact data, as well as the system partitions, onto other computers, as well as the original computer which the backup was created from.
