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The vast majority of users (perhaps you are one of them too) are dismissive of the feature that allows you to make a backup a copy of Windows 10. By the way, very in vain.

It also provides a system backup function. Moreover, by default, the image is created for all media files, documents and SMS, calls and bookmarks in the system browser or application.

To do this, you need to go to the "Settings" application in the "Update and Security" section.

There you need to find the archiving service. You need to put the toggle switch in the “on” position under the line where it is proposed to create a backup copy of the content.

Interestingly, the user can independently choose which parameters will be backed up and which will not. You can do this using the "Other options" section.

True, if on a PC it was possible to independently determine where the system image would be written, on mobile devices everything is automatically saved to your OneDrive account.

Regular system restore

If the backup was performed in the first way, then in the event of a critical error and incorrect operation of the system, you need to go to the "Shutdown" section in the "Start" menu, select the restart item and click on it while holding the Shift button.

When rebooting, an additional options screen will open, where you need to click on "System Image Recovery". After selecting this item, the system will look for a backup copy and try to install it, so you need to consider - the media must be inserted into the PC (if we are talking flash drive, CD or external hard drive).

via DISM

In case if Windows image recorded at help DISM, you need to open command line administrator (as was done above), where you need to enter:

  1. diskpart.
  2. list volume.
  3. We remember on which disk the backup is stored (according to the “Name” column) + the disk that will contain the system.
  4. select volume 5.
  5. select volume 6.
  6. format fs-fs quick.
  7. assign last=V.
  8. exit.
  9. dism /apply-mage /imagefile:*drive where the backup is stored*:\*backup name*.wim /index:1 /ApplyDir:6:\.
  10. bcdboot:6:\Windows /s V:.
  11. diskpart.
  12. select volume 5.
  13. remove letter=V.

5 - disk number with the system.

6 - disk number where the system will be installed.

V- latin letter, which will be assigned to the system partition.

Then you will need to restart the PC, and the system will be restored.

System Restore via LiveCD Aomei Backupper Standard

To restore operating system using this utility, you need to open this program and go to the Restore section, which is located in the side menu. The program itself will find where the system image is stored and offer to install it. This is only possible if the media with the image is connected to the PC, or if it is some kind of disk inside the system.

In any case, you can specify the path to the backup yourself.

After all the settings (if any) click on Start Restore, which will be highlighted in orange.

As it turned out, to create an image Windows systems quite easy. The main thing to learn is that you should not neglect the backup function and, if necessary, it is better to use it.

Who knows what data you will need in the future. It is better to make their image so as not to lose it without a trace in the future.

All of these actions apply to mobile version operating system from Microsoft, because now users store a huge amount important information on smartphones and tablets - mobile devices that are always at hand. Yes, cloud services in Russia and the CIS are not yet so popular.

Backup operating system will be useful to the user if he decides to restore the previous state of the OS from the image, or an unforeseen situation occurs in which the computer fails. In both cases, standard utilities from Microsoft and a few third-party ones will come in handy. free programs. Let's see how to backup Windows 10.

Embedded Windows tools can be easily backed up. However, in terms of functionality and capabilities, standard operating system utilities are much inferior to third party programs, so we'll look at third-party backup and restore apps below. So, you can reserve the OS with:

Also, the article will consider instructions for restoring from a backup copy with detailed description actions.

We use the standard functionality of the OS

You can create a backup on the hard drive itself, if there is free space, or place it on external media. The second option is convenient if your hard drive turns out to be completely faulty. You can restore the operating system by simply connecting a USB flash drive / inserting a disk and performing the necessary operations.

Windows uses the concept of "system image" instead of backup. To access the Backup Wizard, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Control Panel.
  1. Select the "Category" view type and open the "Backup and Restore" subsection.
  1. Here you need to select the item "Create a system image".
  1. Now you need to specify the location of the future backup. You can choose current HDD(in the event of a complete breakdown of the hard drive, in addition to personal data, the backup will also be lost), a separate DVD drive or a network folder (saving a backup on the network will not be 100% secure). After choosing a location, click Next.
  1. On the new screen, you will see a list of those sections that will be archived. To start the procedure, click on the "Archive" button.

You can fine-tune the backup settings, enable or disable saving archives as follows:

  1. You must be in the same "Backup and Restore" window. In it, click on the "Set up backup" button.
  1. At the first stage, choose a place where all backups will be stored.
  1. By checking the second item, you can independently determine which files will be backed up.
  1. Select data files and local disk to archive all available information.
  1. On the next screen, click on the "Change Schedule" button to set the time and date for creating the archive.
  1. Finally, click on the marked button to start the automatic archiving process.

You can delete archived files manually from the WindowsImageBackup folder using an administrator account.

You can do all the described actions through DISM.exe on the command line. This method is less convenient, but it may be useful to you.

Creating a backup via DISM

Run standard utility you can through the recovery mode of Windows 10. To open the recovery environment, follow the described algorithm:

  1. Open Options.
  1. Next, go to Update & Security.
  1. In a new window, open the "Recovery" section. Click on the "Restart now" button.

You can also go to the OS recovery environment using the screen windows lock 10. Click on the power icon while holding down the Shift key.

After the reboot, you will see a menu in front of you. In it, you need to go to "Troubleshooting" - "Advanced options" - "Command line".

The usual cmd window will appear in front of you. You must enter the following in it:

  1. Commands "diskpart", "list volume". By the name label, determine which of the disks is the system disk and which one is for saving the backup. For example, system disk marked with the letter E, and for backup - with the letter D.
  1. Now use the "exit" command to exit from the previous menu. Next, enter “dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\Win10Image.wim /CaptureDir:E:\ /Name:”Windows 10” and execute the action with the Enter key.
  1. After some time, you will see a message that the operation was completed successfully.

Restoring the OS from a backup

You can also use the created restore point through GUI or DISM. Let's consider the first option first:

  1. First of all, you need to open the Windows Recovery Environment. Read above for how to do this. Then open the "System Image Recovery" section, which is located in the advanced options. In this case, a drive with a backup must be connected to the computer.
  1. You will see the window shown on the screen. You can entrust the procedure to the recovery wizard (1) or select the OS image manually (2).
  1. Select the partitions to overwrite and wait for the installation to complete, then restart your computer.

Consider the same operation through the command line in the recovery environment. Open DISM again as described above. If your hard drive is healthy and the entire partition structure is preserved, then use the following method:

  1. Enter the commands "diskpart" and "list volume" in turn. After the second command, remember the section numbers from the list (take a picture or write it down).
  1. Now type "select volume N". Instead of the letter "N" you must substitute the number system partition(column "Tom"). Next, use "format fs=ntfs quick" to format the operating system volume. Exit the menu with "exit".
  2. Now enter the line "dism /apply-mage /imagefile:D:\Win10Image.wim /index:1 /ApplyDir:E:\" if the saved OS image is called "Win10Image.wim" and is located on drive D, and the recovery partition is marked with the letter E. Modify the line according to this analogy to match the specifics of your situation and start the process with the Enter key.
  1. Restart your PC after the message "Operation completed successfully" appears.

Third Party Programs

Let's move on to the description of the functionality of third-party applications. The following popular options for creating and restoring backups will be discussed below:

  • Macrium Reflect Free;
  • Aomei Backupper Standard.

Similar software is used to restore the OS on mobile devices with Windows Device Recovery Tool.

Macrium Reflect Free

This utility is free and can be downloaded from the creator's website. To create a backup, use the following guide:

  1. On the main screen of the program, select the necessary sections and click on the "Actions" button. Select "Image this partition only" from the menu.
  1. To restore files, go to the "Restore" tab. Click on the "Path" button and specify the path to the directory with the image. To start the operation, click on "Start Restore".

You can start the system image recovery process using the presented programs. But if your OS is damaged and won't start, you'll have to use the Windows 10 LiveCD (an operating system that you can download via external media without installation). Through it, you can connect the drive with the OS image and restore the PC with one of the programs presented.

Outcome

Choose carefully where to save your Windows 10 backups. It is not recommended to leave backups on the main hard drive, as you risk losing everything beyond recovery in the event of a hardware failure.

Video

With the help of the video, you can learn more about the procedure for creating Windows 10 backups and understand those points that were not understood while reading the article.

There is never too many backups. If you can back up a backup, then by all means do so. Luckily, Microsoft makes it a lot easier to create a complete copy of your entire computer with the built-in System Image Capture tool.

Never used this utility? We will explain in detail how to use it to your advantage.

What is a system image?

A system image in Windows 8.1 and includes a complete copy of the entire system. This backup includes a complete assembly of the operating system, settings, installed programs, Windows applications and all personal files.

The main advantage of this feature is that it allows you to completely restore the system in the event of a critical software error or hardware failure.

Flaw this method is that you will not be able to restore individual files, i.e. all files on the hard drive. Although you will have access to the copied files in the Documents, Pictures, Music, etc.

Also, if you don't back up often, then in the event of a system failure, you may lose valuable documents, settings, or programs because you can only restore data to the time of the last backup.

You can use a system image to create a master backup of your computer that includes the Windows installation itself, everything Latest updates, personalized configurations and programs. You can use File History or the Protect Important Files feature of OneDrive to back up your files. This backup recipe will avoid duplication of files, and you will always have an up-to-date copy of all personal documents.

If the computer is working correctly, then the system backup function will help in all situations where changes have been made to the system that could disrupt performance. In this case, the restoration of the initial state will take an acceptable time.

The instructions provided allow you to create a backup system image in Windows 10, but they work fine in Windows 8.1 as well.

How to back up a system image in Windows 10 or 8.1

  • Type in the search menu Start and follow the link found.

  • Turn on view mode Large icons or small icons and select a section.

  • Select the link in the lower-left corner of the window.

  • Connect portable hard disk (USB flash drive), USB flash drive, or SD card with enough free space.

Note. The media must be formatted in file format. NTFS system so that it can be used to store a system image.

  • Select from the left menu.

  • The system imaging wizard will ask you to choose one of three options for placing the backup: on a hard drive, on DVDs, or in network folder. The fastest procedure will be when choosing hard drive. Click Further.
  • Select the drives you want to include in the backup and click Further.

  • Confirm the start of the backup by clicking the button Archive.

  • The backup process can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the amount of data being backed up. While the backup is in progress, you can continue to do other tasks as if you were using your computer normally.

  • After the System Image Capture utility completes the task, you can create a . You can use the system recovery disc to boot your computer. It also contains Windows System Restore tools that you can use to restore your Windows system in the event of a serious error, or restore your computer from an image using a system image.

Put the portable drive with the system image and the system recovery disc in a safe place.

Restoring a computer from a backup

If your system has stopped starting or you decide to change the primary hard drive on your device, then you can use the following steps to restore your system from a backup:

  • Connect your system recovery disc or Windows 10 installation media to your computer.
  • Connect the media containing the system recovery files (system image) to your device.
  • Restart your computer.

Advice: If the Windows Setup Wizard does not start automatically, then you should change system settings BIOS. Usually, to enter the BIOS, you need to press one of the function keys (F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12) or the ESC and Delete keys. Hotkeys depend on the device manufacturer and even on specific model. The exact information can be found in the support section on the official website of the manufacturer.

  • On the page, click the "Next" button.

  • Select the link in the lower-left corner.

  • On the next screen, select the option.

  • On the Advanced Options page, select the option.

  • Select as the target operating system.

  • In the "Restore your computer from an image" window, select the "Use the latest available system image" option.

Advice: You can select the "Select a system image" option if you have created multiple system backups. In this case, you can restore an older copy.

  • Click "Next".
  • If you are restoring a full system image to a hard drive, you can also select the "Format and Partition Drives" option before restoring the backup.
  • Click "Next".
  • Click the Done button.
  • In the confirmation window that appears, select Yes.

After completing these steps, the system recovery process will begin. The time it takes to complete the operation depends on the amount of data to be restored and the characteristics of your hardware. Any process interruptions can disrupt the computer and prevent it from booting up, so make sure your computer is connected to a UPS. In the case of a laptop, before starting the recovery, make sure that the device is connected to the mains power source.

Since a long time may have passed since the backup was created, it is recommended to go to the Settings > Update & Security > Center windows updates and select the "Check for Updates" option to download and install the latest security patches.

System Image Creation is a useful tool in many scenarios

A system backup image can be very useful in many cases. For example, if you are going to upgrade to new version Windows 10, be sure to back up your system to make it easier to roll back to a previous version in case of major bugs and crashes after the upgrade. In addition, it is recommended to regularly create backups in case you need to quickly restore the system after a hardware or system failure, malware infection or other problems.

However, you need to be aware of the limitations and features this method recovery. For example, the user must take the initiative when creating backups, since the system state and files can only be restored to the time a full backup was created. Any data, settings, and applications created, modified, or installed after the backup will not be restored during this process.

This function is designed to restore the entire system, not to restore individual files, settings and applications. If you want to keep an up-to-date copy of your files, you should consider additional use features or OneDrive Protecting Important Files.

System imaging is a deprecated feature in Windows 10. This means that while you can still create backups, the feature may suddenly stop working or may be removed in future versions.

How often do you make a full backup of your computer? Which software you are using? Share your backup experience in the discussion below.

Read how to use the built-in tools and functions in Windows to create and restore a backup copy of files and folders, a disk or a system. Windows 10 is equipped with many different backup tools. In addition to bringing back the old System Restore tool (Windows Backup), which was removed from Windows 8.1, Microsoft also has a File History tool. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The latest version of Windows also has the ability to back up a system image (System Image Backup feature), reset your computer to default settings, save files online, and create recovery discs that you can use in case of an emergency.

Content:

File history

File History, which was introduced in Windows 8, hasn't gone away in Windows 10 either. It's still the recommended recovery method. That's why File History is integrated into both the new Settings app and the old Control Panel. While the recovery and backup tools in Windows 7 are present only in the Control Panel. This feature is more limited and only backs up files in your user account's library. If you need to recover documents that were stored in other folders, then you will need to create these folders in Explorer and add them to libraries or create new libraries.

After this is done, Windows will be able to automatically back up files. This feature can be used to recover all files ever lost, recover a single file, or roll back a file to an older version.


System backup and restore

This tool will help you restore any Windows 7 backup to your Windows 10. But it can also be used to restore a Windows 10 computer. Unlike File History, Windows Backup makes it much easier to back up almost everything on your hard drive.

This tool can be found in the Control Panel under Recovery. However, backup does not provide 100% protection against data loss.


OneDrive

In the traditional sense, OneDrive is not a true recovery tool, but on this moment it is fully integrated into Windows. Files saved to OneDrive will be saved to your OneDrive user account, and you can use these files from any of your other devices.

Even if you reinstall Windows or use Windows on a different device, you just need to sign in to your Microsoft account and all your files that were previously saved to OneDrive will be available to you.


Instead of relying on a System Image Backup, most people prefer to use the Reset PC feature to restore the system to factory settings. It also makes it possible to forget about such a phenomenon as Windows installation using boot disk or USB devices- just put Windows task return the computer to its original state, and it returns to the "factory" settings.

Windows 8 had two features: Refresh your PC and Reset your PC. Windows 10 only has the Reset this PC option.

Open the Settings app, select Update & Security, then select Recovery and click Get Started, under the Reset this PC section.


And in this case the choice of action must be approached with full responsibility, because if you select the Delete everything function, then along with your programs and settings, they will also be deleted Accounts users and, most importantly, files.

Of course, this only applies to the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive C). But on drive C there are files from the desktop, as well as folders Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Music, etc.


Retrieve deleted files standard means Windows already will not work. Although it is quite possible with the help of specialized programs for data recovery.

One such program is Hetman. Partition Recovery is a universal tool used by data recovery specialists. It analyzes the hard drive for signatures of files and parts file system. Such pieces will be detected and added to the list of volumes available for recovery.

First and foremost, turn off your computer and remove the drive. You don't need to run Windows on the same drive that you want to recover files from. This disk must be connected to another computer as an additional one and scanned using the program.

Microsoft has removed the system image backup feature in initial Windows versions 8.1, but about the numerous requests of users this function returned. It is also present in Windows 10.

It can be found in the Backup and Restore panel (Windows 7). Simply click "Create System Image" on the left side of the window, or open the File History panel and select "System Image".

Unlike other solutions, this feature allows you to create a complete image of your current Windows system, including the operating system, installed programs, settings, and user files. This backup can be saved to an external hard drive, multiple DVDs, or network resource. And if you ever need to restore your computer, you can do it by deploying a previously saved backup.

In reality, most people do not use this feature. You can also restore the operating system to its original state using the Reset your computer and restore individual files feature by manually reinstalling all programs. In this case, the backups will be much smaller in size and you can set them up to be created automatically on a regular basis.

But such a function exists and is popular. And if you need to create a system image, then there is no need to use third-party applications.

Special Options Windows boot 10 work in the same way as in Windows 8. To access them, open the Settings application, select Update and security, then Recovery, and in the Special boot options submenu, click Restart now. You can also use this function by pressing "Restart" while holding the Shift key in the Start menu.



You can create a USB recovery drive that will give you access to special options boot even if the installation of Windows 10 is completely damaged and you do not have access to this menu.

To create it, open the Control Panel and select "Recovery". Click on the "Restore" icon and you will see a list of recovery tools.

To create a USB recovery drive, click Create Recovery Drive. To access this tool directly, you can open the Start menu, type RecoveryDrive.exe and press Enter.

Windows 10 no longer has a separate recovery partition, therefore this tool will no longer allow you to remove the recovery partition from your computer. It is no longer needed, by default we use free disk space.


Windows 10 includes other troubleshooting features that were provided in previous versions Windows. If your computer is unstable, you can use System Restore to return it to a healthy state. For those users who have not used the standard Windows features will be useful

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