Windows 10: How to create multiple System Images on a single external USB drive in Windows 10

It is recommended that you create a System Image of your computer periodically as a part of your backup plan. If you have an existing system image for a computer and try creating a new one for the same computer, the new system image will overwrite the existing one. In this post, we will show you how to create and keep multiple system image versions on the same external drive and avoid having a large number of frequent restore points on your PC.



Create multiple System Images on a single external drive


Keep in mind that you can only include drives formatted with the NTFS file system in a system image. Also, you cannot restore a 64-bit system image on a 32-bit system and you cannot restore a 64-bit system image with a 32-bit Windows 10 installation DVD/USB or System Repair Disc, and vice-versa. A system image that was created on a computer using UEFI can only be restored on a computer using UEFI and cannot be restored on a computer using legacy BIOS.

To create multiple system images on a single external drive, do the following:

1. Power on your Windows 10 computer.
2. Plug in the external USB drive.
3. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
4. Navigate to the backup location for where you saved a system image that you want to keep before creating a new system image.

System Images are saved in the format below:

drive letter:\WindowsImageBackup\computer name\Backup YYYY-MM-DD HHMMSS

• Right-click the WindowsImageBackup folder, and click Rename.
• Rename it to something like WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 and hit Enter.
• Click Yes if prompted by UAC.

You now have a different system image version that you can leave at this location to be able to keep multiple versions – just easily change the 1 to 2, 3, 4, and so on for each new system image that you make a copy of.

At any time, when you want to restore a system image in a renamed WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 folder in the future, then you must rename the current WindowsImageBackup folder first, then rename the WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 folder back to WindowsImageBackup in order to be able to restore it. The WindowsImageBackup folder must be in the root directory of the drive, and not within another folder.

Read: Windows cannot find a system image on this computer.

Hope you find this post helpful enough!


This article How to create multiple System Images on a single external USB drive in Windows 10 first appeared on TheWindowsClub.com.

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Can I create multiple system images on a single external drive?


"How to Create a System Image in Windows 8 and 8.1" at System Image - Create in Windows 8

includes the following approach for create multiple system images on a single external drive. Will this approach work in Windows 10?
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METHOD TWO:

1. Navigate to the backup location above for where you saved a system image that you want to keep before creating a new system image.

2. Right click, or press and hold, on the WindowsImageBackup folder, and click/tap on Rename.

3. Rename it to something like WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1, press Enter, and click//tap on Yes if prompted by UAC.
NOTE: This way you can just easily change the 1 an the end of the name to 2, 3, 4, etc... for each new system image that you make a copy of.

4. You now have a different system image version that you can leave at this location to be able to keep multiple versions.
NOTE: When you want to restore a system image in a renamed WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 folder in the future, then you must rename the current WindowsImageBackup folder first, then rename the WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 folder back to WindowsImageBackup in order to be able to restore it. The WindowsImageBackup folder must be in the root directory of the drive, and not within another folder.

 

Unable to Create system image on external USB Drive

It appears since one of the recent updates I can no longer create system images to external USB drives. This is a critical issues for me as my surface book only has one internal drive and external USB backups is the best option for system images. I have
been using the Windows 7 backup application for years now and want that option back.

 

Multi-bootable USB

Hey guys from TPU, couldn't find any specific thread pertaining to the question asked on title. As mentioned, I'm trying to create a bootable USB, but with many specifics boots available.

I've been trying to create one with multiple boot device including one that enables me to run Windows 10 directly on the USB Thumb Drive but to no avail.

The list of bootable images i'm trying to create are

1. Windows 10 (A full OS running from thumb drive)
2. Windows 10 ISO (Bootable disk image for fresh install)
3. MemTest86+

Have tried YUMI or UUI from the website USB PenDrive Linux but as this is my first time, i don't know how am i screwing up or am doing it right.. Anyone got a rough idea on a step by step guide? Thanks!