Windows 10: Is there really no way to restore an x86 image over an x64 install?

I've had success removing usable drives from 64-bit installations then using GPARTED [or Linux Mint with GPARTED in it] to wipe all partitions from the drives [make them like they came out of the factory] then installing Windows letting it choose whether MBR or UEFI according to what the BIOS was set up for.

 

It would also work with windows imaging in that case. Same with all imaging programs.

 

By the way, this computer has Legacy BIOS, not UEFI, and I read here that "Windows can only boot from GPT on UEFI-based computers running 64-bit versions of Windows 10" so I going to say that my x64 installation was MBR not GPT.

So I'm still not sure why Windows refused to let me restore my x86 image over my existing x64 installation. Either I'm doing something wrong, or Microsoft just chose to create its tool in a way that's unable to do this.

 

If that is the case, then 32 bit winre should have been able to restore 32 bit windows image.

Seems like it.

 

Right. So, if anyone here knows the proper way to accomplish this, I am hoping to be educated!

 

32 bit Recovery USB refused to start; said it was incompatible with the x64 installation on the computer. So I guess this is the thing that I need to figure out; how do you get a 32-bit recovery environment running on a computer that has x64 installed?

 

OK back to basics.

Run 64 bit version and open a command prompt and run

diskpart

list disk

and post image.

 

Can't do that anymore; as I described in my original post, I ended up doing a full disk clean-install of x86 windows, and then I was able to start x86 Recovery USB and restore the x86 image. So I accomplished my goal, and now I'm hoping to learn how to do it more simply next time.

How about if I put it this way:
(1) Can you launch a 32 bit recovery environment on a computer that has x64 Windows installed?
(2) When running in a 64 bit recovery environment, can you restore a 32 bit image?

 

As is mentioned on sites where downloads of updates for Windows can be had it is always stated to get the proper version as what is installed, either 32-bit or 64-bit. Basically it all comes down to those two can't be mixed in any way, shape or form.

32-bit programs can be installed in 64-bit Windows but not the other way around.

 

ok

As we have tried to explain, it depends on if original OS was UEFI or legacy bios.

You have to run Recovery from flash drive.
You cannot run recovery to an OS drive from within windows

So if pc was using legacy bios originally

1) 64bit over 32bit - yes

2) 32bit over 64bit - yes

If PC was using UEFI

3) 32bit over 64 bit - no as pc will not support both 32bit and 64bit in UEFI. Normally only 64bit UEFI is supported. You have to wipe drive and install as legacy bios.

4) 64bit over 32bit - not even an option as (apart from some special case tablets) 32bit UEFI does not exist.

So to restore 32bit over 64bit

Put pc in legacy bios mode

Boot from Macrium usb drive.

Click on c prompt in bottom left corner

Run:-

diskpart

list disk

select disk n (n is number of drive, usually 0 - be sure to select right disk)

clean

exit

exit

Now restore 32bit version.

That's it.