How to make a copy of a windows 10 hard drive. System backup

The date: 19.01.2022

Good afternoon friends. In one of the previous articles, we discussed how to roll back the system using the program. Now we will analyze how to create a recovery image Windows systems 10 to a flash drive and an external hard drive using the utilities of this operating system. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to spend money on buying new software, since the system method is free.

This program is configured so that only folders and files of the system drive C will be copied. But, you can configure the program so that other PC drives that you want to save will be added to the copy area. When rolling back, programs and files will be restored in the form in which they were at the time of copying. Also, you can only copy the entire disc, not individual files.

Create a Windows 10 system image

Enter the phrase "Control Panel" in the search bar. Click on the found file.

File history command.

In the window that opens, select " Backup copy system image.

Then select "Create a system image".

Windows starts looking for a place on the GR for our backup. I advise you to choose a storage location on a flash card with a size of 32 GB or more. Also, you can choose to record the system with an external hard drive, or another physical hard drive.

Why on a flash drive or another disk? Because if all the data from your drive where Windows 10 is installed disappears, or the drive fails, you can restore the system from another drive.

If you install the data on the disk where your system is located, but on a different partition, you will receive a warning about this next to the yellow triangle. If you do not have a flash drive with a capacity of 32 GB or more, the system can also be installed on the system hard drive (but not on the system partition of this hard drive).

In this case, you can roll back the entire system if everything is in order with the hard drive and the computer can be started. Also, you can roll back the system if Windows is heavily cluttered with all sorts of system debris.

Let's say you chose a flash drive, then the system will issue a warning.

In this case, we need to format the flash drive in NTFS format. To do this, select your flash drive in the "Explorer", then, in context menu"Format".

Select NTFS from the File System menu and click Start. Our flash drive will be formatted in the right way to create Windows image format.

Back to archiving. We see that the system has determined the disk from which the information will be copied, and the approximate amount of data. In my case, it's 11 GB. Click "Archive".

We are archiving. On my computer, it lasted 30 minutes. You may have more. See how much information you have.

A folder will now appear on the drive that you assigned to store the system image. Windows Image Backup. Under no circumstances should you rename it.

If you copied not to a USB flash drive, but to system disk, the program will prompt you to create a .

How to start a system rollback

When the system is running

If your system is working, go to the settings through Start, then click on the "Update and Security" shortcut,

In addition, to enter the Extra options" you can just press Shift and "Restart your computer".

After the reboot, click on the "Troubleshooting" item,

We enter the "Advanced Options" and "Restore the System Image".

Then we show which disk you need to start recovery from.

After recovery, the program will ask you to restart your computer.

When the system is not working

We start the computer by connecting the USB flash drive (do not forget to check the "Start from a USB flash drive" item in the BIOS). Then we go through the path as if the system was running.

As you can see, creating an OS image is quite simple. Let me remind you that you need to carry it out after reinstalling Windows and preferably once every two / three months (more often). Good luck!

The backup is exactly the same system as yours. It includes exactly the same drivers, settings and all other elements of a functioning system. A backup differs from restore points in that restore points contain only information about changes to the system, while a backup is the entire system.

First of all, a copy will be needed for quick recovery if there are any problems with the system. Restoring a system from a copy is much easier and faster than reinstalling Windows and all the software that is required. In addition, after reinstalling the system, absolutely all personalization parameters will fail. Therefore, it will be very smart and thoughtful to keep any means of storing information with an image, in case of any unforeseen problems. This is especially true for those who especially value files and applications on their personal computer.

Consider the best ways to create a copy for two OS - Windows 7 and 10

Windows 10 has a handy tool called Backup and Restore. To use this tool you need:

Important! It is not at all necessary to save the system image only on the computer itself, because if it breaks, then you will not be able to fix anything, therefore, the whole point of backing up is lost. Use more reliable data storage methods.

Installing from a Created Disk

There are two main situations when you need the disk we created earlier. In the first case, your working machine will be unstable or work incorrectly, but it will still be in service. Another case - you can not even start the computer. The created disk will definitely help us fix the problem in both situations.

In the first case, adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

Open the "Start" menu, select the "Settings" tab. It looks like a gear.
Select the "Update and Security" section, and in it click on "Recovery".
We get to the tab "Special boot options" and click on the reboot button in this window.
Next, we get to where you need to install the old system. To get started, select the "Troubleshooting" item.
Then "Advanced options", in the window that opens, click on.
This program will independently search for the image and, if it finds it, will begin to return the system to its state. If this does not happen, then you yourself will have to specify where the copy of your Windows is located.
The next step is to confirm the recovery procedure, it will begin.

Guide for restoring a system image from a disk

Copy of the "seven"

Computer owners with not the most latest version the system also needs to take care of its data and save it in some kind of reliable storage.

A window will display a message stating that data archiving is not configured. We have to set it up. We click "Set up backup", and the computer starts searching for suitable recording media.
Select the disk where the backup will be stored.
Next, the system will want to know what to archive. You can trust it to automatically select files, or do it manually. Windows itself will back up the entire drive if there is enough space on the media.

Interesting! It is most convenient and reliable to save to an external hard drive. Not everyone will have flash drives of the required volume, and ordinary disks are extremely unstable to scratches and mechanical damage.

Backup using special programs

For backup, you can also use the old and reliable program - Acronis True Image. Its main advantages are a simple and intuitive interface and compatibility. The application gives a huge selection of settings for faster, more convenient and comfortable booking. This is a great alternative to standard tools.

Let's see how to use the program.

We download it. It is free only for the first 30 days of use, so we will activate the trial period.

Now we need what the program will reserve for us. That is, those disks and partitions that are needed to restore the system. By clicking on the computer icon, you can change the copy source that the utility has automatically selected "Entire Computer". At your discretion, you can add to the backup what you may need.
Choose a save location.
Click on "Create a copy" and wait.

livecd aomei backupper

For backup, you can also use a reliable program designed for this purpose - AOMEI Backupper. This program is the main competitor of the famous Acronis True Image, it is not inferior in functionality, but at the same time it is free.

Its main advantages are a simple and intuitive interface and compatibility with all known operating systems. Can create boot disk or a flash drive with the program, if you suddenly need to urgently restore the system without access to a working computer.

Let's see how to work with the program.

We download it. The program is completely free.
Installing the program is simple, you just need to click "Next" several times. None unnecessary programs together with AOMEI Backupper Standard will not be installed. Initially, it works in English, it is possible to Russify it, but we do not need to do this. You need to download the crack separately.
Open the program and click "Create a new copy". The only button you will see in front of you.
Click "Back up your system". You can also make copies of files by section.
We select a pre-inserted external hard drive, or a partition on your drive.
We press "Start". After a few minutes, a copy will be created.

Recovery via AOMEI

Backup with dism

Backup can be done through the command line. For this:

Important! Note that "D:" is where the copy is stored. example.wim is its name. The main thing is not to change the extension. "C:" - the place where the files for copying will be taken from.

If you choose one of these methods and create a system backup in the near future, then you and your files will be reliably protected from unplanned problems with the operating system.

Read the easiest and best ways to delete the old folder in the new article -

Video - Windows 10 Backup

One day Windows 10 may not start. Fortunately, system recovery 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 the contents of the disk

Backup is creating a C drive image with all installed programs, drivers, components and settings.

A backup copy of the operating system with drivers already installed is created in the following cases:

you need to effectively restore a Windows system that has undergone a sudden crash, with minimal or no loss of personal data, without spending too much time on it;
it is necessary to restore the Windows system without re-search for drivers for the PC hardware and OS components found, installed and configured after a lot of searching and experimenting.

How to create a copy of Windows 10 and restore the system with it

You can use the Windows 10 Backup Wizard, built-in Command Prompt tools, or third-party apps.

Backing up Windows 10 with DISM

The DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) utility works using the Windows Command Prompt.

Before restarting Windows 10, press and hold the Shift key. Restart your PC.
Give the command "Troubleshooting" - "Advanced Options" - "Command Prompt" in the Windows 10 Recovery Environment.
Windows Recovery Environment has a full arsenal of startup fixes
In the Windows command prompt that opens, type diskpart.
The slightest mistake Windows commands 10 will cause them to be re-entered
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.
Type the command dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\Win10Image.wim /CaptureDir:E:\ /Name:”Windows 10”, where E is the disk with installed Windows 10, and D is the disk to which the OS backup will be written. Wait for the copy of Windows to complete.
Wait for the Windows disk to finish copying

Windows 10 and the contents of the drive are now written to another drive.

Create a copy of Windows 10 using the Backup Wizard

Work with " command line"- the most professional, from the point of view of users, way. But if it doesn't suit you, try the built-in backup wizard in Windows 10.

Click "Start" and type in search line main windows menu 10 the word "reserve". Select "Backup and Windows recovery ten".
Launch the Windows Backup Tool via the Start Menu
In the Windows 10 log window, click the System Image Backup button.
Confirm your choice by opening the "Create a system image" link.
Select the option to save the Windows image you are creating.
Choose, for example, to save the Windows image on an external drive
Confirm saving the Windows 10 disk image by selecting the partition to save (for example, C). Click the start archiving button.
Confirm the backup of the 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 in the OS Rescue Disk Burning 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 DVDs is the most irrational way: we will inevitably consume 10 “blanks” with a “weight” of 4.7 GB with a C drive size of 47 GB. A modern user, creating a partition C of tens of gigabytes, installs 100 large and small programs. Especially "gluttonous" to disk space games. It is not known what prompted the developers of Windows 10 to such recklessness: CDs began to be actively squeezed out already in the days of Windows 7, because then sales of terabyte external hard drives, and an 8-32 GB flash drive was the best solution. Burning to DVD from Windows 8/8.1/10 would do well to exclude.

Video: How to create a Windows 10 image using the backup wizard and restore the system using it

Creating a backup copy of Windows 10 through Aomei Backup Standard and restoring the OS from it

To create a copy of a Windows 10 disc, do the following:

The application also helps to create not just an archive image, but a disk clone. It makes it easy to transfer all content from one PC drive to another, including Windows boot loaders. This feature is useful when there is significant wear and tear on the old media, and it is necessary 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 Standard

But to restore Windows in Aomei Backup, you will need another tool. As an example, let's take the Russian version of Aomei Backupper Standart:

Give the command "Utilities" - "Create bootable media."
Select entry in Aomei Backupper boot drive
Select the Windows boot media entry.
Windows PE bootloader will allow you to boot into Aomei Backupper
Select media entry with UEFI firmware support motherboard PC.
Assign PC support with UEFI firmware to writable media
The Aomei Backupper application will check the ability to write a disk with UEFI and allow you to burn it.
In case of possible burning of a disc with UEFI, press the continue button
Specify your media type and click the continue button.
Specify your device and media for burning a disc with Windows

Restoring Windows from a USB flash drive Windows 10 Aomei Backupper

Do the following:

Boot the PC from the flash drive you just burned.
Wait for the PC to load the Aomei Backupper recovery program into memory
Choose to roll back Windows 10.
Enter Aomei Windows 10 Rollback Tool
Specify the path to the archive image file. External drive, on which the Windows 10 image was saved, must be mounted, as it must be removed before restarting Windows 10 so that it does not interfere with the work of the Aomei bootloader.
Tell Aomei where to get Windows 10 rollback data
Confirm that this is the exact image you need to restore Windows.
Confirm Aomei's request that the Windows 10 archive is correct
Select the operation to be prepared with the mouse and click the OK button.
Highlight this line and press the "OK" button in Aomei Backupper
Click the Start Windows Rollback button.
Confirm Windows 10 Rollback in Aomei Backupper

Windows 10 will be restored to the way you backed it up with the same apps, settings, and documents on the C drive.

Wait for the Windows 10 rollback to finish, it will take up to several hours

After clicking the "Finish" button, restart the restored OS.

Video: How to create a Windows 10 image with Aomei Backupper and restore the system with it

Working on Windows 10 Recovery in Macrium Reflect

The Macrium Reflect application is a good tool that allows you to quickly restore Windows 10 from a previously recorded backup image. All commands are translated into Russian due to difficulties with the availability of the Russian version.

To copy data from the drive where Windows 10 is installed, do the following:

Download, install and launch the Macrium Reflect app.
Give the command "Save" - "Create a system image".
Open Windows 10 Backup Tool in Macrium
Select the Create Image Partitions Required for Windows Recovery tool.
Go to the selection of logical drives important for Windows 10 backup
The Macrium Reflect Free application will automatically select the necessary 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 saving the Windows 10 image. Macrium Reflect saves the image by default without giving it a filename.
Macrium also suggests creating a new folder
Press the "Finish" key.
Press the finish key in Macrium
Leave both "Start copy now" and "Save backup information to a separate XML file" checked.
Click "OK" to start saving a backup copy of Windows
Wait for the Windows 10 backup to finish.
Macrium will help you copy Windows 10 and all programs with settings into an image

The Macrium app saves images in MRIMG format, not ISO or IMG, unlike most other programs, including Windows 10's built-in backup tools.

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 burning bootable media. For the speed of the process, the commands have been translated into Russian and popularized.

Run Macrium Reflect and give the command "Media" - "Disk Image" - "Create Boot Image".
Go to Macrium Reflect Recovery Media Builder
Launch the Macrium Recovery 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, which includes Windows 10).
Version 5.0 compatible with Windows 10
Click the "Next" button to continue.
Click the button to go to further Macrium settings
After creating the list of drivers, click the "Next" button again.
Confirm the action by clicking the same button in Macrium
After defining Windows bit depth 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 flash drive.

Restoring Windows 10 using Macrium Reflect flash drive

As in the previous instructions for Aomei, boot the PC from the flash drive and wait for the Windows bootloader to load into the RAM of the PC or tablet.

Starting Windows 10 will fix it. After that, you will be able to continue working with Windows.

Video: How to create a Windows image with Macrium Reflect and restore the system with it

Why and how to delete Windows 10 backups

The decision to remove extra copies of Windows is made in the following cases:

lack of space on media for storing these copies (storage disks, flash drives, memory cards are full);
the irrelevance of these copies after the release of new programs for work and entertainment, games, etc., the deletion of “used” documents from the C drive;
the need for privacy. You do not leave behind secret data, not wanting it to fall into the hands of competitors, and get rid of unnecessary "tails" in a timely manner.

The last point requires clarification. If you work in law enforcement, at a military plant, in a hospital, etc., storage of disk images with Windows and personal data of employees may be prohibited by regulation.

If Windows 10 backup images were saved separately, deleting the images is the same as deleting any files on a working system. It doesn't matter which disk they are stored on.

Don't make things difficult for yourself. If the image files have been deleted, restoring from bootable flash drive in any way will not work: there will be nothing to roll back Windows 10 in this way. Use other methods, such as troubleshooting when Windows startup or a new installation of "dozens" by means of a copy-image downloaded from the Microsoft website or from torrent trackers. Here you need not a bootable one (LiveDVD bootloader), but a Windows 10 installation flash drive.

Backing up and restoring Windows 10 Mobile

Windows 10 Mobile is a version of Windows adapted for smartphones. In some cases, it can also be installed on a tablet, if the latter does not differ in impeccable performance and speed. Windows 10 Mobile has 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 a mandatory attribute of modern smartphones.

To restore and transfer data to an image from the Windows 10 Mobile command console, it is more convenient to use any external keyboard and mouse than to type long commands with numerous parameters from the sensor for 15 minutes: as you know, one wrong character or an extra space, and the CMD command interpreter (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 a 100% result. If there are no problems with tablets, then with smartphones, due to the too small display, you will have to tinker.

How to back up Windows 10 Mobile data

Windows 10 Mobile, thankfully, bears a huge resemblance to Windows 10 "desktop": it's about as similar as the iPhone and iPad versions of Apple's iOS.

Almost all the actions of Windows 10 have something in common with Windows Phone 8. Most of them in Windows 10 Mobile are borrowed from the usual “tens”.

Give the command "Start" - "Settings" - "Update and Security".
Select the Windows Mobile 10 Update and Security Tool
Start the Windows 10 Mobile Backup service.
Select Windows 10 Mobile Backup Service
Turn it on (there is a software toggle switch). Settings can include both copying personal data and settings already installed apps and the OS itself.
Turn on copying data and settings to OneDrive
Set up an automatic backup schedule. If you want your smartphone to sync with OneDrive immediately, click the "Backup data now" button.
Enable scheduling and define app-specific personal data to migrate to OneDrive

Since the C and D drives are often not as large on a smartphone as they are on a PC, you will need a cloud storage account such as OneDrive. The data will be copied to the network "cloud" One Drive with its help. All this is like a job. Apple service 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" and to the second device.

Video: How to back up everything on your Windows 10 Mobile smartphone

Create a Windows 10 Mobile Image

So Windows smartphones 10 Mobile is not as easy as it was with the regular version of Windows 10. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not yet provided a working tool for creating pure Windows 10 Mobile backups. Alas, everything is limited only to transferring 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.

Reinstalling Windows 10 on a smartphone is possible mainly via 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 was running Windows Phone 8, you need official Windows 10 Mobile support for your model.

Backing up and restoring Windows 10 from archived copies is no more difficult than working with previous ones Windows versions in the same vein. There are many more disaster recovery tools built into the OS itself, as well as third-party programs for the same task.

Friends, hello everyone! In this article, we will continue the topic of computer security and saving data. Therefore, now I will tell you about creating an image of the Windows 10 system using standard tools. And let's try to copy it even to a USB flash drive.

By the way, the method described below is quite suitable for Win 7, since the whole procedure is done in full analogy. Now a few words about the essence of the created image. Its difference from is that it can contain a complete copy of a PC disk.

So let's go. Remember, our task is to copy system partition to a USB stick. To do this, first of all, go to the Control Panel and follow the path "Small icons-backup copy and restore (Windows 7)":

And look, it says here that this recovery archive can be used even if the hard drive or computer breaks down. Interestingly, is it really possible to raise the system on new hardware with regular means? If so, then the guys from Microsoft respect and respect. But to be honest, I highly doubt it. Although...

Now about saving to a USB flash drive. As you can see in the picture below, it is available in the device selection list. But there is one caveat - it must be formatted in NTFS:

And one moment. In this way, only standard system directories are copied that are necessary to restore the health of Windows and programs. Arbitrary custom folders and files are not taken into account. At least that's how I understand it. But a little lower we will still consider the option of a full backup.

So, since such requirements for file system I did not know, we will copy the archive to the second partition of the hard drive. In my case it's called Multimedia:

Well, click the "Archive" button and wait for the creation of the Windows 10 image to complete. I must say that everything here depends on the amount of information being saved, but in any case, you will have to wait a decent amount.

Upon completion of the process, a folder will appear on the drive we specified Windows Image Backup with backup image:

Now a few words about how such an archive can be used in practice, for example, in a critical situation. Very easy. If the system is skewed, but loaded, use the "Restore" function of the Win 7 backup partition:

Now let's look at another section of this panel, which is called "Set up backup":

Please note that copying to a USB flash drive is not available at all here. You can only select an external or internal hard drive:

But the user is given a choice. It is possible to archive not only the system partition, but absolutely any user data. By the way, about the last one. note on the one highlighted in the picture below snippet.

It says that the program will back up only those files that are saved in the user's libraries (Pictures, Music, Videos folders, etc.), desktop and standard system directories:

Therefore, by clicking "Give me a choice" you should specify either the entire C drive, so to speak, with all the available good, or only the necessary directories:

Hope you can see the difference now? But keep in mind one more thing. If yours is divided into only two sections, for example, as I have now, then the second one will not be copied in this way, since it will be selected as the save location.

Move on. The next step is another nice option. You can configure the creation of images on a schedule. Agree, it is very convenient. Therefore, it remains only to click on the button "Save settings and start archiving":

That's all friends, now you all know about creating a Windows 10 system image on a USB flash drive using standard tools. Do you think this function is conveniently implemented in the top ten?

Share your opinion in the comments, and also ask questions if you have any. And finally, as always, I suggest watching another interesting video.

Losing valuable files and programs stored on your computer is unpleasant. Especially after you find out that Windows has many ways to save a backup. We will talk about the most popular of them today. Windows 10 keeps file history, allows you to create system backups on external media, and can copy valuable files to the cloud.

File history

File History first appeared in Windows 8, but it is also available in Windows 10. You can configure it through system application Settings: Update & Security > Backup Service. Click on the "Add disk" button and select an external drive - all files from standard libraries (Music, Video, Photos, Documents, etc.) will be automatically copied to it. If the system disk breaks or something happens to the files on it, files copied to the media can be restored. This feature also allows you to restore deleted files and rollback to their older versions.

Backing up and restoring the entire system

In the same “Settings” section, the “Backup and Restore” function is available, which was transferred to Windows 10 from Windows 7. It allows you to configure archiving of the operating system and all files stored on the computer, periodically copying them to external media or to a remote server on the network . The backup will require as much space as Windows and all your files take up. The backup is made invisibly in background, and you can restore the last saved point at any time, even after reinstalling the operating system.

OneDrive

OneDrive is built into Windows 10 and is used to store operating system settings, as well as apps and games installed through the Windows Store. In addition, it allows you to save valuable files to the cloud. Similarly, other archives can be used to archive files. cloud services like Dropxbox or Google Drive, but they don't store Windows settings.

Recovery disk

You can periodically create an image or disk to restore the system. With this function, you can create an ISO image or burn discs that will allow you to roll back to a point when the operating system was working normally. Such a backup will come in handy if Windows at some point becomes capricious and refuses to boot. The image or disks will store the operating system, its settings, applications, and some files. The more files you have, the larger the backup will be.

Best way

The easiest and most reliable way to back up and restore data is to start cloud storage about the same size as a hard disk, and set up automatic copying of all desired files and programs. In case of any failure, you will be able to restore this data, in addition, you will have a cloud recycle bin, with which you can return mistakenly deleted files. Recovery Windows settings and Modern apps can be trusted operating system- it does a great job with it after a reinstall or a factory reset.