Windows 10: System Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10

Discus and support System Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10 in Windows 10 Backup and Restore to solve the problem; Hi, A few days ago I discovered I had some corruptive files preventing me from Updating successfully. So, after much hair-pulling I did a Windows 10... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Backup and Restore' started by 2harts4ever, Mar 25, 2017.

  1. System Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10


    Hi,

    A few days ago I discovered I had some corruptive files preventing me from Updating successfully. So, after much hair-pulling I did a Windows 10 reinstall via a USB Flash Drive while Windows was running and it was successful thanks to some talented folks on this forum. Now everything is back to normal according to 'sfc /scannow' and 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth'.

    I back up my computer monthly using Acronis TI. But what I am after is something I can do to access 'good' files to replace corrupted ones should they ever rear their ugly heads again without having to do a reinstall like I just did or use Acronis TI.

    I have never paid any attention to the Backup and Restore option which comes as part of Win 10. That being said, I just did a System Image from it a few hours ago. But now it is my understanding that in order to use that Image I would have to use the entire Image and I wouldn't be able to replace individual files.

    Now I notice that on the same Backup and Restore page I also have the option to Backup my files and the like, which includes a System Image.

    Does this mean:

    (1) I really only need one or the other -- system image or backup?

    (2) If I use the Backup option does that mean if I ever have corrupted files in the future that I would be able to point DISM at that backup to try to get ones that are not corrupted to replace my bad ones? Because it is my understanding I wouldn't be able to do that with the System Image I have saved on an External Drive.

    (3) In a nutshell I am trying to ask if I would be able to try to replace corrupted files from good ones that I know would be on the Windows backup if I ran it right now?

    Thanks and regards,


    :)
     
    2harts4ever, Mar 25, 2017
    #1

  2. System Image in Backup and Restore

    Dear Ganie,

    Thank you again for your reply. Part of my confusion lies with the check boxes shown under Let Me Choose instead of Let Windows Choose. Under Let Me Choose are 4 check boxes available: Under the Data Files label, 1 check box is for Backup Data for Newly
    Created Users, 1 is for DBADMIN Libraries (me). Under the Computer label within the same box is one called OS ( CSystem Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10 :) and then below the entire box for these 3 choices is a 4th check box which if checked, creates a System Image. What is the difference in the
    resultant Backup if you check the box labeled OS (CSystem Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10 :) or the System Image check box or both?

    Always the best, don bartel
     
    wingatebeacon, Mar 25, 2017
    #2
  3. Ganie_B Win User
    System Image in Backup and Restore

    Hi Sorry for late reply.

    Yes you can use the system image to restore your PC whenever you had a problem or when it becomes unbootable.

    There are many options in making an image backup like you mentioned. You can just make an image of you files/data or the entire OS with all your installed programs (the CSystem Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10 :).

    I do create image backups all the time but I use the Macrium Reflect FREE Edition where I have an option to create a bootable USB to restore the PC from image. It is always recommended to store your image backups on external drives.

    Regards,

    ganie
     
    Ganie_B, Mar 25, 2017
    #3
  4. Bree New Member

    System Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10

    This is not as straightforward as you may think. You may want to replace a .dll in C:\Windows\System32, but actually it isn't really there. Well, it is (obviously) but it's a hard link. The file is also listed in a subfolder of the updates store WinSxS. There is just the one file, but hard links are used to make it appear in multiple folders. Now what happens if you delete the hard link in System32 and replace it with an actual file? Are there now two different versions of the file in different locations? And what would be the effect of this on the system?

    I don't know the answer, but I'm not prepared to risk it.

    In answer to your other questions, Backup and Restore can back up your user files (and other folders if you choose). These file can be restored individually from the backups. It also has a quite separate function of making a system image which can restore your system partitions in the event of catastrophe. Ticking the 'include a system image' just means that it runs these two separate function one after the other.

    Officially that is correct. Backup and Restore's 'system image' make images of all the partitions require to run your system and it can only restore a complete partition. Unofficially the partitions are stored as .vhdx files. These can be mounted as a virtual drive and explored like any other. But it's fiddly and there are all sorts of ownership and permissions problems to overcome. Not something I'd advise trying unless you really need those files.

    Backup & Restore is fairly basic and there are better solutions, Macrium Reflect for example can restore individual files from its system images, I'm told.
     
  5. cereberus Win User
    This might be possible with Macrium Reflect version 7 with its new Rapid Delta Restore which does what you want ie it only restores things that have changed. This assumes the file was not corrupted originally. You would lose stuff since last backup - you could do daily differential or incremental backups.

    The free version is not available but will be out soon.
     
    cereberus, Mar 25, 2017
    #5
  6. Hi Bree and cereberus ,

    I appreciate both your replies and information.

    I will check into both of them.

    Thanks and regards,
     
    2harts4ever, Apr 5, 2018
    #6
Thema:

System Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10

Loading...
  1. System Image or Backup and Restore Files in Win10 - Similar Threads - System Image Backup

  2. Restoring Win10 with an Image file from a backup

    in Windows 10 Gaming
    Restoring Win10 with an Image file from a backup: I have an old Dell pc with Windows 10including updates installed on it. I'm using the pc only to educate myself on different admin type processes like restoring, repairing, etc. I want to restore a Windows 10 from an Image File, among other processes, because I want to know...
  3. Restoring Win10 with an Image file from a backup

    in Windows 10 Software and Apps
    Restoring Win10 with an Image file from a backup: I have an old Dell pc with Windows 10including updates installed on it. I'm using the pc only to educate myself on different admin type processes like restoring, repairing, etc. I want to restore a Windows 10 from an Image File, among other processes, because I want to know...
  4. Restoring Win10 with an Image file from a backup

    in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade
    Restoring Win10 with an Image file from a backup: I have an old Dell pc with Windows 10including updates installed on it. I'm using the pc only to educate myself on different admin type processes like restoring, repairing, etc. I want to restore a Windows 10 from an Image File, among other processes, because I want to know...
  5. Can't restore files in File History after restoring system with an image backup

    in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade
    Can't restore files in File History after restoring system with an image backup: After a recent win 10 update completely immobilized my hard drive, I was forced to backup the drive from a saved image. The system restored fine, but when I try to restore my files backed up through File History, I get into an endless loop of identifying the drive with the...
  6. backup and restore system image fails

    in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade
    backup and restore system image fails: I am having a problem with backup and restore not completing a system image backup. I've researched this problem in this forum and have not found an answer that works. I have an Acer machine running windows 10 Home. It has a 1 TB internal hard drive and a 1TB external hard...
  7. Restoring from system image backup

    in Windows 10 Ask Insider
    Restoring from system image backup: submitted by /u/SgtJackVisback [link] [comments] https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/lk0h04/restoring_from_system_image_backup/
  8. Combinte backup and restore system images

    in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade
    Combinte backup and restore system images: I have been testing different backup programs, and periodically I manually created a system image using backup and restore. However, I did not always use the same external drive for these images. As a result, I have a WindowsImageBackup folder on two different drives. Is...
  9. How to restore system image backup

    in Windows 10 Backup and Restore
    How to restore system image backup: Hi guys, i made a system image backup of the window 10 running on my toshiba laptop via control panel on a external harddrive. And i am trying to restore it by going to window recovery, then system image recovery in advanced options. But the problem i am facing it that when i...
  10. Win10 System Image Restore unable to detect backup

    in Windows 10 Backup and Restore
    Win10 System Image Restore unable to detect backup: Good Afternoon, I have been having a bit of difficulty with restoring a Windows System Image backup from my external Hard Drive. While it wrote to the hard drive fine, the windows doesn't seem like it wants to detect it in order to restore. So far I have tried using another...