The standard functionality of returning Windows to life in critical situations, if the system crashes, or even does not boot at all, is not very popular. Microsoft she herself involuntarily contributed to the fact that ordinary users did not find this tool in the jungle of system settings. Even in the Windows 10 version, where important system settings moved to the "Settings" application, in the "Update and Security" section you will see only the option and mode with special boot options, which allows you to restore Windows from a system image, in fact, from a backup. But the function of creating this very system image must be looked for inside the control panel, and preferably under the guidance of step-by-step instructions. This will be shown below. In this article, we will look at how to create a backup copy of Windows 10 with its regular functionality and how the system restore process works.
1. Standard Windows 10 backup functionality
Windows 10 inherited the standard backup function from Windows Vista... Like third-party backup programs, the backup created using the built-in functionality is a snapshot of the system with all its settings, the boot sector, installed programs and user files stored on the system disk.
All this can be restored from a backup if in running Windows will fail. Even if the system stops booting, you can restore it to working capacity from the recovery environment, called by the F8 key when the computer boots. In this environment, you can start the process of returning the system to the state from the backup. You can get into the recovery environment of non-starting Windows 10, if not by calling the F8 key, then in two other ways. Wednesday Windows recovery 10 is included in the system installation disc. For critical cases, you can specially prepare a Windows recovery disk, this is provided by the standard functionality of the system.
In terms of options for calling the recovery environment for non-bootable Windows, the standard functionality as a backup tool outperforms third-party backup programs. But this is his only winning moment. In all other respects, the native functionality, alas, is far from perfect.
Nevertheless, backing up Windows and restoring it using the standard functionality is the basics for those who want to master the potential of Microsoft's operating system.
2. Create a system image
In Windows itself, the term "backup", as in third-party backup programs, is not used, but the concept of "system image" is used. For the function of creating this very image, let's go to the control panel. To do this, use the context menu on the Start button.
In the "System and Security" section of the Control Panel, we need a subsection "Windows 7 Backup and Restore".
You can also get directly to this subsection - using the system search.
Click "Create a system image".
Next, the window for choosing the location for storing the image will follow. It can be a non-system partition of the disk, another HDD(internal or external) as well as network resources. There is even the option of storing the system image on multiple DVDs. In our case, the partition on the second connected hard disk is selected. This is a good choice for storing important data, such as an operating system backup. In the future, Windows can be recovered even if the main hard drive, which houses the system partition, fails. Click "Next".
Standard functionality provides not only copying system partition with Windows, copies of existing non-system disk partitions can be included in the image. Backing up non-system data through native Windows functionality is not The best way ensure the safety of this data due to inefficient use of disk space. However, to back up user data, it is better to resort to third-party software... Therefore, in our case, the composition of the image the system will enter preset configuration - Windows partition and system-reserved space. Click "Next".
In the window for confirming the parameters of archiving, click "Archive".
When the image creation process is complete, Windows 10 itself will offer to prepare a recovery disk for the future.
This offer should not be refused if we are dealing with computer device with CD / DVD drive. And, of course, if you have a blank CD or DVD disc. If you have serious problems with the system, it will be easier to boot from the recovery disc than using the F8 key when starting the computer. The response time of this key is difficult to catch due to the shortened start-up time of Windows 10. This is a feature that version 10 inherited from version 8.
After inserting a blank CD / DVD into the drive, click "Create Disc".
You can return to the Windows recovery disc creation process at any other time. In the control panel window, from which we began the process of creating a system image, there is a button "Create a system recovery disc".
Close the system image creation window.
That's it - now the system image will be safely stored for itself until the need for resuscitation of Windows 10 becomes necessary.
If you run into problems with your system, the first step is to get to its recovery environment. It is in this environment that the opportunity to apply the newly created image will appear.
3. Paths to Windows Recovery Environment
Working system
If you have problems with Windows 10, but they did not affect its ability to boot, you can get into the recovery environment using the "Settings" application. In the "Options" select "Update and Security".
F8 key
If Windows does not start, you can try to get into the recovery environment using the above method using the F8 key. The key must be pressed before the Windows logo appears.
Windows 10 installation disc
The recovery environment for the current system is included in its installation disc. Naturally, we are talking about the official Windows 10 installation disc. Installation discs with "homemade" Windows builds may only be intended for clean installs new system and does not contain the functionality of restoring the current system. Having booted from a USB flash drive or DVD with the Windows 10 distribution kit, we go through the welcome window.
Recovery disk
failure to Windows boot 10 is a case of using the above recovery disc. Boot from it and press any key to continue booting from the CD / DVD.
Choosing a keyboard layout
4. Windows Recovery
Using any of the methods discussed above, we will get the action selection menu. In this menu, select the "Diagnostics" section, and in it - "Additional parameters".
The next step is "System Image Restore". This is the standard Windows 10 recovery tool from a backup.
The system is preparing for the recovery process.
This will launch a step-by-step Windows Recovery Wizard from a system image. The last created image will be selected by default. But if the system needs to be restored from an earlier image, you must manually specify the path to it. Click "Next".
Now we press "Finish".
We confirm the start of the Windows recovery process and wait for its completion.
After successful completion, restart the computer.
All - Windows 10 will revert to the state it was in when the image was created. The system will have the same settings, the same installed programs, the same user files on the C drive.
Have a great day!
This article will describe the ways on how to create ISO from files and folders. For this, free programs will be used, which can be easily found in the search.
Creating an ISO file, which is basically Windows software files, is a very simple procedure. It is enough to have the program and the files themselves.
Creating an image on Windows 10/8/7 / xp
There is convenient program Ashampoo Burning Studio Free. With it, you can burn images, create images from files. This software works on all modern Windows operating systems.
Ashampoo Burning has a convenient and simple user interface in Russian.
If you click on the "Disk Image" item, then three items appear:
- Burn the image (you can write an existing iso file).
- Create an image (you can take and create an image from an existing disc).
- Create image from files (future ISO files are selected and created).
We need to choose the third item. The following window will appear.
Choose the iso format. Next comes the direct addition of folders and files for the future ISO file. 
You can choose the path to save and you can clearly see how much folders and files weigh. Everything is simple and this is not all the functions of this software.
You can download it from the official website: https://www.ashampoo.com/ru/rub/fdl
Another good CDBurnerXP program
It can run on Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 Server / Vista / 2008 / Win7 / Win8 / Win10 (x86 / x64).
It has a Russian language and a user-friendly interface, and is also supported by the old Windows XP OS.
Several steps to create an image.
Thus, the project will be saved and the ICO file will be created.
You can download it from the official website: https://cdburnerxp.se/ru/download
I must say right away that install the programs carefully, because you can install various unnecessary toolbars and others along with the program ... To do this, you need to select items such as "Additional parameters", "More download options" when installing or downloading. These actions are for everyone free software... The same Adobe Flash player, when updating or downloading, there is a check mark on the installation google chrome, which is why it is updated so often. Of course, you can install additional toolbars, browsers and other elements, this is your right, but how many times I have not installed, practical application I didn’t find them, they just clog up the computer.
How to create an ISO image in UltraISO
It is also a good software, it is the most popular for working with images. The actions are as follows:
- After starting, at the bottom, select the files you want and by clicking right click mouse, you can select "Add".
- Once selected from the File menu, click Save
In the search, you can easily find it, unfortunately I did not find the official site.
That's all, I think these programs are enough for ISO creation image.
Too much backups never happens. If you can create a backup, then be sure to do so. Fortunately, Microsoft makes it much easier to create a complete copy of your entire computer with its built-in System Imaging tool.
Never used this utility? We'll explain in detail how to use it to your advantage.
What is a system image?
The system image is in Windows 8.1 and includes full copy 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 function is that it allows you to completely restore the system in case critical error with software or hardware failure.
The disadvantage of this method is that you cannot recover 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.
In addition, if you do not often back up, then in the event of a system failure, you may lose valuable documents, settings or programs, because you can only restore the data at the time of the last backup.
The system image can be used to create a basic computer backup that includes the Windows installation itself, all Latest updates, personalized configurations and programs. You can use File History or Protect Important Files to back up your files. OneDrive service... This backup recipe will avoid duplicate 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 when changes have been made to the system that may disrupt the operation. In this case, the restoration of the initial state will take an acceptable time.
The instructions provided are for backing up a system image on Windows 10, but they work fine on Windows 8.1 as well.
How to back up a system image on 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 a portable hard drive (USB stick), USB stick or SD card with sufficient free space.
Note... The medium must be formatted in file system NTFS so that it can be used to store a system image.
- Select from the left menu.
- The System Image Wizard will ask you to choose one of three options for placing the backup: on a hard disk, on DVDs, or in a network folder. The fastest procedure will pass when choosing hard disk... Click on Further.
- Select the drives you want to include in the archive 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 - it all depends on the amount of data being backed up. While archiving is in progress, you can continue to do other tasks as you would normally using your computer.
- After the Create System Image utility completes the task, you can create. You can use a 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 to restore your computer from an image using a system image.
Place your portable system image drive and system recovery disc in a safe place.
Restoring a computer from a backup
If your system stops starting or you decide to change the primary hard drive on your device, then you can use next steps to restore the 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.
- Reboot your computer.
Advice: if the master Windows installations does not start automatically, then you should change the system BIOS settings... 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 manufacturer's official website.
- On the page, click the Next button.
- Select the link in the lower-left corner.
- On the next screen, select an option.
- On the Advanced Options page, select an option.
- Select as target operating system.
- In the "Restoring your computer from an image" window, select the "Use the last 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 the older copy.
- Click "Next".
- If you are restoring a full system image to your hard drive, you can also select the "Format and Partition Disks" option before restoring the backup.
- Click "Next".
- Click the Finish 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 being recovered and the characteristics of your hardware. Any interruptions in the process can disrupt your computer and prevent it from booting further, 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 network source nutrition.
Since a long time may have passed since the creation of the backup, it is recommended to go to Settings> Update & Security> Center windows updates and select the "Check for Updates" option to download and install the latest security patches.
System Imaging 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 create a copy of the system to make it easier to roll back to the previous version in case of serious errors and crashes after the upgrade. In addition, it is recommended that you make regular backups in case you need to quickly recover your system after a hardware or system failure, malware infection, or other problems.
However, you need to keep in mind the limitations and peculiarities of this recovery method. For example, the user must take the initiative when creating backups on their own, since the state of the system and files can be restored only at the time of the full backup. 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 completely, and not to restore individual files, settings and applications. If you want to keep an up-to-date copy of your files, you should consider using additional features or Protecting Important Files on OneDrive.
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 be removed in future versions.
How often do you make a full backup of your computer? Which software you're using? Share your backup experience in the discussion below.
One day Windows 10 may not start. Fortunately, a system restore will take a maximum of a day if you use backups and the right arsenal of programs.
Why you need to back up Windows 10 with disk contents
A backup is creating an image of the C drive with all installed programs, drivers, components, and settings.
Operating system backup with already installed drivers created in the following cases:
- it is necessary to effectively restore a Windows system that has undergone a sudden crash, with minimal or no loss of personal data, without wasting extra time on it;
- it is necessary to restore the Windows system without re-searching for drivers for the hardware of the PC and OS components, found, installed and configured after long searches and experiments.
How to create a copy of Windows 10 and restore the system using it
You can use the Windows 10 Backup Wizard, built-in Command Prompt tools, or third-party applications.
Backing up Windows 10 using DISM
The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) utility works through the Windows Command Prompt.
- Press and hold the Shift key before restarting Windows 10. Restart your PC.
- Give the command "Troubleshoot" - "Advanced Options" - "Command Prompt" in Windows 10 Recovery Environment.
Windows Recovery Environment has a full arsenal of startup fixes
- In the opened command Windows prompt enter the command diskpart.
The slightest mistake Windows commands 10 will lead to re-entering them
- Enter the list volume command, select the label and parameters of the partition on which Windows 10 is installed from the list of disks, enter the exit command.
- Run the command dism / Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\Win10Image.wim / CaptureDir: E: \ / Name: "Windows 10", where E is the drive with already installed Windows 10, and D is the disk to which the OS backup will be written. Wait for the copy of Windows to finish recording.
Wait for the Windows disc copying to finish
Windows 10 and the contents of the disc are now written to a different disc.
Create a copy of Windows 10 using the backup wizard
Working with the "Command Line" is the most professional way from the point of view of users. But if it doesn't work for you, try Windows 10's built-in backup wizard.
- Click Start and type in search bar the main windows menu 10 the word "reserve". Select Windows 10 Backup and Restore.
Run Windows Backup from the Start Menu
- In the Windows 10 Log File window, click the System Image Backup button.
- Confirm your choice by opening the "Create a system image" link.
- Select the option to save the created Windows image.
Choose for example to save the Windows image to an external drive
- Confirm saving the Windows 10 disk image by selecting the partition to save (for example, C). Click the start backup button.
Confirm the backup image by selecting a disk from the list of partitions
- Wait until the copy of the disk is written to the image. If you need a Windows 10 rescue disk, confirm the request and follow the prompts from the OS Rescue Disk Burn Wizard.
Windows 10 rescue disk can make OS recovery easier and faster
You can start restoring Windows 10 from the captured image.
By the way, saving on DVD discs is the most irrational way: you will inevitably consume 10 “discs” with a “weight” of 4.7 GB when the size of the C drive is 47 GB. A modern user, creating a section C of tens of gigabytes, installs 100 large and small programs. The games are especially "gluttonous" to disk space. It is unknown what pushed Windows Developers 10 to such recklessness: CDs began to be actively supplanted already in the days of Windows 7, because then sales of terabyte external hard drives, and a flash drive for 8-32 GB became the best solution... Burning to DVD from Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 would not hurt to exclude.
Video: how to create a Windows 10 image using the backup wizard and restore the system using it
Creating a Windows 10 backup via Aomei Backup Standart and restoring the OS from it
To create a copy of your Windows 10 disc, do the following:
The application also helps to create not just an archive image, but a clone of the disk. It makes it easy to transfer all content from one PC drive to another, including Windows bootloaders. This function is useful when there is significant wear on the old media, and you need to transfer all its contents to the new one as soon as possible, without resorting to reinstalling Windows 10 and separate, selective copying of folders and files.
Creating a bootable USB flash drive Aomei Backupper Standart
But to restore Windows in Aomei Backup, you need a different tool. Let's take the Russian-language version of Aomei Backupper Standard as an example:
- Give the command "Utilities" - "Create bootable media".
Select the entry in the Aomei Backupper boot disk
- Select the Windows bootable media entry.
Windows PE Boot Loader Will Boot Aomei Backupper
- Select to write media with UEFI firmware support motherboard PC.
Assign PC support with UEFI firmware to recordable media
- The Aomei Backupper application will check the writeability of the UEFI disc and allow it to be written.
When possible recording disk with UEFI press the continue button
- Specify your media type and click the continue button.
Specify your device and media for recording the Windows disc
Recover Windows from a Windows 10 Aomei Backupper flash drive
Do the following:
- Boot your PC from the USB stick you just burned.
Wait while the PC loads the Aomei Backupper recovery program into memory
- Select Rollback Windows 10.
Enter the Windows 10 Aomei Rollback Tool
- Specify the path to the archived image file. External drive, on which the Windows 10 image was saved, must be connected, since it must be extracted before restarting Windows 10 so that it does not interfere with the Aomei bootloader.
Tell Aomei where to get the data for Windows rollback 10
- Confirm that this is the exact image you need to restore Windows.
Confirm Aomei's Allegiance Request Windows archive 10
- Select the operation to be prepared with the mouse and click the "OK" button.
Select this line and press the "OK" button in the Aomei Backupper
- Click the Windows Rollback Launch Button.
Confirm Windows 10 rollback in Aomei Backupper
Windows 10 will be restored in the form in which you copied it to the archived image, with the same applications, settings and documents on drive C.
Wait until the end of the rollback of Windows 10, it will take up to several hours
After clicking Finish, restart the recovered OS.
Video: how to create a Windows 10 image with Aomei Backupper and restore the system using it
Working on Windows 10 recovery in Macrium Reflect
Macrium Reflect is a good tool for quickly restoring Windows 10 from a previously recorded backup image. All teams have been translated into Russian due to difficulties with the availability of a Russian-language version.
To copy data from a disk where Windows 10 is installed, do the following:
- Download, install and run Macrium Reflect application.
- Give the command "Save" - "Create a system image".
Open Windows 10 Archive Tool in Macrium
- Select the Create Image of Partitions Required for Windows Recovery tool.
Go to the selection of logical drives important for Windows 10 backup
- Macrium Reflect Free will select the required logical drives, including the system one. Give the command "Folder" - "Browse".
Click the browse button for files and folders on your PC in Macrium Reflect
- Confirm to save the Windows 10 image. Macrium Reflect saves the image by default without giving it a filename.
Macrium also suggests creating a new folder
- Click the Finish button.
Press the end key in Macrium
- Leave both "Start Copy Now" and "Save Archive Information to Separate XML File" checked.
Click "OK" to start saving a backup copy of Windows
- Wait until the end of recording the archive from Windows 10.
Macrium will help to copy Windows 10 and all programs with settings into an image
Macrium saves images in MRIMG format, not ISO or IMG, unlike most other programs, including built-in Windows 10 backups.
Creating bootable media in Macrium Reflect
In case the system cannot start without external media, you should take care of a bootable USB flash drive or DVD in advance. The Macrium application is also adapted for writing bootable media. To speed up the process, the teams have been translated into Russian and popularized.
- Start Macrium Reflect and give the command "Media" - "Disk Image" - "Create Boot Image".
Go to Macrium Reflect Rescue Media Creator
- Start Macrium Rescue Media Wizard.
Select the media type in the Rescue Disk Wizard window
- Select Windows PE 5.0 (versions based on the Windows 8.1 kernel that include Windows 10).
Version 5.0 is compatible with Windows 10
- Click the Next button to continue.
Click the go to further Macrium settings
- After creating the list of drivers, click Next again.
Confirm the action by clicking the same button in Macrium
- After defining bitness Windows 10 click Next again.
Press the continue button again to proceed to further actions in Macrium
- Macrium will offer to download the necessary boot files from the Microsoft website (preferably).
USB disk support must be enabled for Macrium to start recording
- Click the Finish button. The Windows 10 bootloader will be written to the USB stick.
Recover Windows 10 using a USB flash drive with Macrium Reflect
As in the previous instructions for Aomei, boot the PC from the USB stick and wait until Windows bootloader will boot into the RAM of the PC or tablet.
Windows 10 startup will be fixed. After that, you can continue to work with Windows.
Video: how to create a Windows image using Macrium Reflect and restore the system using it
Why and how to delete Windows 10 backups
The decision to remove unnecessary copies of Windows accepted in the following cases:
- lack of space on the media for storing these copies (storage disks, flash drives, memory cards are full);
- irrelevance of these copies after the release of new programs for work and entertainment, games, etc., deletion of "spent" documents from the C drive;
- the need for confidentiality. You do not leave behind secret data, not wanting them to fall into the hands of competitors, and promptly get rid of unnecessary "tails".
The last point requires clarification. If you work in law enforcement, in a military plant, in a hospital, etc., storing Windows disk images and personal data of employees may be prohibited by regulations.
If Windows 10 archived images were saved separately, image deletion is performed in the same way as deleting any files on a properly working system. It doesn't matter what disk they are stored on.
Don't make yourself difficult. If the image files have been deleted, recovery from bootable USB will not work anyway: there will be nothing to roll back Windows 10 in this way. Use other methods, such as fixing Windows startup problems, or new installation"Dozens" by means of a copy-image downloaded from the Microsoft website or from torrent trackers. Here you need not a bootable (LiveDVD bootloader), but an installation USB flash drive for Windows 10.
Windows 10 Mobile Backup & Restore
Windows 10 Mobile is a version of Windows adapted for smartphones. In some cases, it can be installed on a tablet, if the latter does not differ in impeccable performance and speed. Windows 10 Mobile replaced Windows Phone 7/8.
Features of copying and restoring personal data in Windows 10 Mobile
In addition to working documents, multimedia data and games, Windows 10 Mobile archives contacts, call lists, SMS / MMS messages, diary entries and an organizer - all this is an obligatory attribute of modern smartphones.
To restore and transfer data to an image from the Windows 10 Mobile Management Shell, it is more convenient to use any external keyboard and mouse than typing long commands with numerous parameters from the sensor for 15 minutes: as you know, one wrong character or extra space, and the CMD (or PowerShell ) will throw an error.
However, not all smartphones with Windows Mobile (as in the case of Android) will allow you to connect an external keyboard: you will need to install additional system libraries and, possibly, compile the OS code in the hope of seeing the cherished cursor and mouse pointer on the smartphone screen. These methods also do not guarantee 100% results. If there are no problems with tablets, then with smartphones, due to a too small display, you will have to tinker.
How to back up Windows 10 Mobile data
Windows 10 Mobile, fortunately, bears a huge resemblance to the "desktop" Windows 10: it is about the same as the versions Apple iOS for iPhone and iPad.
Almost all actions in Windows 10 have something in common with Windows Phone 8. Most of them in Windows 10 Mobile are borrowed from the usual “ten”.
- Give the command "Start" - "Settings" - "Update and Security".
Select Windows Mobile 10 Update and Security Tool
- Start Windows 10 Mobile Backup Service.
Select Windows 10 Mobile Backup Service
- Turn it on (there is a software toggle switch). Settings may include both copying personal data and settings already installed applications and the OS itself.
Turn on copying data and settings to OneDrive
- Set up an automatic backup schedule. If you want to sync your smartphone with OneDrive immediately, click the "Back up my data now" button.
Turn on a schedule and define app-specific personal information to transfer to OneDrive
Since the size of the C and D drives on a smartphone is often not as huge as on a PC, you will need an account. cloud storage such as OneDrive. The data will be copied to the network "cloud" One Drive with its help. All this resembles the work of the service. Apple iCloud on iOS or Google Drive on Android.
To transfer data to another smartphone, you also need to log in under your account OneDrive. Perform the same settings on it, the Windows 10 Mobile backup service will download all personal files from the cloud to the second device.
Video: How to Back Up All Data from Your Windows 10 Mobile Smartphone
Create a Windows 10 Mobile image
With Windows smartphones 10 Mobile is not as simple as it was with the regular version of Windows 10. Unfortunately, Microsoft never provided a working tool for creating backups for pure Windows 10 Mobile. Alas, everything is limited only to the transfer of personal data, settings and applications installed on a smartphone to another smartphone. The stumbling block here is the difficulty of connecting Windows smartphones to external hard drives and flash drives, despite the MicroUSB interface in many smartphones and OTG connections to it.
Reinstallation of Windows 10 on a smartphone is possible mainly by cable using a PC or laptop and a third-party program installed on the latter, for example, Microsoft Visual Studio. If you are using a smartphone that had Windows Phone 8, you need an official Windows support 10 Mobile of your model.
Archiving and restoring Windows 10 from backups is no more difficult than working with previous versions Windows in the same vein. There are many more tools for disaster recovery built into the OS itself, as well as third-party programs for the same task.
Backing up the 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, you will need standard utilities from Microsoft and several third-party freeware programs. Let's see how to back up Windows 10.
Built-in Windows tools you can easily create a backup. However, in terms of functionality and capabilities, the standard utilities of the operating system are much inferior third-party programs therefore, below will be reviewed third-party backup and restore applications. So, you can reserve the OS using:
- built Windows wizards 10;
- third-party programs.
Also, the article will discuss instructions for restoring from a backup with detailed description action.
We use standard OS functionality
You can create a backup on the hard disk itself if there is free space, or place it on an external drive. 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 term "system image" instead of backing up. To access the backup wizard, you need to do the following:
- Open "Control Panel".
- Select the Category view type and open the Backup and Restore subsection.
- Here you need to select the item "Create a system image".
- Now you need to specify the location of the future backup. You can choose the current hard drive (if the hard drive completely breaks down, in addition to personal data, the backup will also be lost), a separate DVD or network folder(saving the backup on the network will not be 100% secure). After choosing a location, click Next.
- On a new screen, you will see a list of those partitions 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:
- You must be in the same "Backup and Restore" window. In it, click on the "Configure backup" button.
- In the first step, choose a location where all backups will be stored.
- By checking the second point, you will be able to independently determine which files will be backed up.
- Select data files and local disk to archive all available information.
- On the next screen, click on the "Change Schedule" button to set the time and date for creating the archive.
- Finally, click on the marked button to run automatic process archiving.
You can manually delete archived files from the WindowsImageBackup folder using an administrator account.
All the described actions can be done through DISM.exe in the command line. This method is less convenient, but it may be useful to you.
Creating a backup via DISM
You can run the standard utility through the Windows 10 recovery mode. To open the recovery environment, follow the described algorithm:
- Open Options.
- Next, go to "Update and Security".
- 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 Windows 10 lock screen. Shift-click on the power icon.
After rebooting, you will see a menu in front of you. In it, you need to go to "Troubleshooting" - "Advanced options" - "Command line".
The familiar cmd window will appear in front of you. In it, you must enter the following:
- "Diskpart", "list volume" commands. From the name label, determine which of the drives is the system drive and which is for saving the backup. For instance, system disk marked with an E and for backups with a D.
- Now use the "exit" command to exit from the previous menu. Then enter “dism / Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\Win10Image.wim / CaptureDir: E: \ / Name:” Windows 10 ”and press Enter.
- After some time, you will see a message stating that the operation was completed successfully.
Restoring the OS from a backup
You can also use the created restore point through the graphical interface or DISM. Let's consider the first option first:
- The first step is to open the Windows Recovery Environment. Read about how to do this above. Then open the "System Image Recovery" section, which is located in additional parameters... In this case, a drive with a backup must be connected to the computer.
- You will see the presented window on the screen. You can entrust the procedure to the recovery wizard (1) or select the OS image manually (2).
- Select the partitions to overwrite and wait for the installation to complete, then restart your computer.
Consider the same operation via command line in the recovery environment. Open DISM again as described above. If your hard drive is working properly, and the entire partition structure is preserved, then use the following method:
- Enter the commands "diskpart" and "list volume" in turn. After the second command, remember the numbers of the sections from the list (take a photo or write it down).
- Now enter "select volume N". Instead of the letter "N", you must substitute the number of the system partition (column "Volume"). Next, use "format fs = ntfs quick" to format the operating system volume. Exit the menu with "exit".
- 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 marked with the letter E. Modify the line in this analogy to suit your situation and start the process with the Enter key.
- Reboot your PC after the "Operation completed successfully" message appears.
Third Party Programs
Let's move on to describing the functionality of third-party applications. Below we will consider the following popular options for creating and restoring backups:
- Macrium Reflect Free;
- Aomei Backupper Standard.
Similar software is used for OS recovery on mobile devices using 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:
- On the main screen of the program, select the required sections and click on the "Actions" button. Select "Image this partition only" from the menu.
- 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 provided programs. But if your OS is damaged and won't start, then you will have to use Windows 10 LiveCD (an operating system that boots via external media without installation). Through it, you can connect the drive with the OS image and restore the PC with one of the presented programs.
Outcome
Carefully choose a place to save your Windows 10 backups. It is not recommended to leave backups on your main hard drive, as you risk losing everything beyond recovery in the event of hardware failure.
Video
With the help of the video, you can learn more about the procedure for creating backups of Windows 10 and understand those points that remained unclear while reading the article.