Windows 10: Cannot take a system image from my SSD

I've been trying to take a system image from my laptop (which is a 256 GB SSD, used only till 45%) to an external hard drive (on a partition of about 256 GB).

Every time I try, I get this error message "Windows could not find backup devices on this computer. The following information might explain why this problem occurred: Incorrect function. (0x80070001). Close Windows Backup and try again".

I can view the external HDD through Windows Explorer and there is no problem either reading or writing to the external HDD in the usual course of operation. I checked if TRIM was working and it is, so I cannot understand the problem.

The only explanation I could come up with was that since the system image makes an EXACT sector by sector copy, and the storage framework of the SSD being vastly different from that of the HDD (?), the system image function would not work in this particular combination.

I wonder if anyone else had this very same problem, and what, if anything they did about it. Do you think an SSD to an external SSD combination would work? Doesn't Windows 10 come with a "SSD-HDD-SSD sector translator" (aka driver)?

:)

 

Can I take a system backup image from laptop #2 and use that to restore laptop #1

Hello,

Thank you for posting the query on Microsoft Community. I am glad to assist you on this.

Please be informed that, system image backup contains a copy of Windows and system settings which differs between each systems. If we have taken a backup of any system we can only use this for that particular system, it won't work on other systems. Also,
each system has its own product key which can't be used on different systems.

So, it is not possible to use a backup of laptop #2 on laptop #1.

I hope this information helps. Please do let us know if you need any further assistance.

Thank You.

 

Can I take a system backup image from laptop #2 and use that to restore laptop #1

Original Title: system backup image restore

I have two identical mini-laptops -- little lenovo flex 3 things. these have only 32gb internal flash memory type 'hard drives', and shipped with windows 10 pre-installed.

during the recent windows update, laptop #1 said it needed more space, and allowed me to use an sd card for that space. update had taken several hours so I left it overnight. in the morning it was in a boot loop and none of the repair/rollback options
work. It appears to have gotten to some point where it is trying to roll back anyway. So I don't know if it went into sleep mode and hosed the update, or if the SD card (64gb) is not really viable for the extra space or some other reason.

my question is can I take a system backup image from laptop #2, which has not yet had this windows updated applied, and use that to restore laptop #1? My understanding now is that license keys are stored in BIOS so maybe this will work??? I'm going to
try clean install from usb first but am wondering about the restore from another identical device option. Then I would just need to fix the user account, etc.

If nothing else works, my last option is Lenovo warranty support I think.

 

Hi, what you're trying to do is a perfectly reasonable procedure.

However, sometimes Windows' Backup isn't so reliable ((some have found).
I have a SSD and HDD external storage, and it works for me (just tried it for the first time).

I would recommend (as others have) you explore e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + boot medium + external storage.
Many more features, more reliable, incremental imaging, control of backups created.

There is a good scattering of threads about problems with connecting external disks on this forum, but normally they are cases where the disk is not accessible.

 

System images backups are not a direct sector by sector copy. The backup file is basically a file like any other. Something else is wrong.

Try using Macrium Reflect Free to make an image backup.

 

That was excellent advice. I'm sorry I took so long to reply, but I've just used Macrium Reflect (as you and cereberus suggested), on two of my Windows 10 SSD machines which had this problem, and I'm happy to report that I'm all rescue protected and imaged twice over. Even tried a mock restore (without actually doing the restore), so that I could familiarize myself with the situation. It's a great program, and thanks to you both for recommending it.

 

That was excellent advice. I'm sorry I took so long to reply, but I've just used Macrium Reflect (as you and cereberus suggested), on two of my Windows 10 SSD machines which had this problem, and I'm happy to report that I'm all rescue protected and imaged twice over. Even tried a mock restore (without actually doing the restore), so that I could familiarize myself with the situation. It's a great program, and thanks to you both for recommending it.

 

Glad to hear it got solved, I'm going to check out Macrium Reflect (free) myself ...