Create a copy of the operating system. How to backup your Windows system disk and restore it (if something happens)

If something happens to Windows installed on your computer, for example, it stops starting and there is no way to fix the problem, then you have to reinstall it. However, this takes too much time. Firstly, the reinstallation itself takes time, secondly, you then need to configure Windows to suit your needs, and thirdly, installing the programs needed for work and configuring them will take the most time. But all this can be avoided if you create an image of the system in advance and in case of malfunctions in Windows, you can simply restore it from this backup copy. There are many programs for creating backup copies, some of which are paid and free. The leader among paid ones is the well-known Acronis True Image program. However, in Windows, starting with Windows 7, there is a built-in tool for creating system backups and restoring them, so there is no point in using any third-party programs, especially paid ones.

A Windows recovery backup is a copy of all partitions necessary for the system to function properly. This necessarily includes the system local disk (usually the “C:” drive), as well as, as a rule, 2 more hidden partitions necessary for the correct operation of Windows.

After restoring Windows from a backup, you will have a ready-made operating system, with all installed programs and settings at the time you created the recovery image. Therefore, restoring Windows from an image is much more convenient and simpler than performing a complete reinstallation!

To store any backups, both for Windows recovery and copies of regular files, it is necessary to store them on separate hard drives, otherwise all the meaning of these backups is lost. Imagine. Your hard drive has “broken,” and the Windows recovery backup is stored on this hard drive. It turns out that if your hard drive fails, you will immediately lose both the original Windows and its copy. The same goes for backup copies of files, because if the disk fails, you will lose both the original files and their copies at once!

Backups for restoring Windows are created very simply using the tools built into it; no special skills are required.

In all versions of Windows, starting from 7, backup copies are created in a similar way.

Creating a system backup using Windows 7 as an example

Open the "Backup and Restore" section. The easiest way is to open it through Windows search by typing “archiving” (1) and the desired tool will appear in the results (2).

You can also open it through the “Control Panel” by going to the “System and Security” section and selecting the “Backup and Restore” subsection.

Click "Create a system image" on the left:

In the next window, you need to select the hard drive on which the Windows backup will be stored and click “Next”.

As I warned above, you should not store any backups on the same drive from which you are backing up data. If you have an external USB hard drive or a large flash drive on which you can place a Windows image, then insert this device into your computer and select from the list.

The next window displays the approximate size of the backup being created, as well as which hard drive partitions will be included in the archive. Click Archive.

The process of creating a system image will begin, which may take varying amounts of time depending on the amount of data stored on the backup disk.

At the very end of the backup process, you will be prompted to create a special recovery disk.

A recovery disk is a special CD/DVD or USB storage device (for example, an external hard drive or flash drive) that can be used to restore Windows if it does not boot.

Using this tool, you can only burn a recovery disc to a CD or DVD, but it’s better to burn it to a flash drive. This will be discussed in a separate article.

If you still want to burn the recovery image to a simple CD or DVD, click “Yes” in this window. Or click “No” and proceed to the final stage of archiving.

A message will appear indicating that the archiving process has completed. Click Close.

This completes the image creation process.

How to start the system image creation process in Windows 8

In Windows 8, only the path to the tool for creating a Windows image is different, and the archiving process itself is performed exactly the same as in Windows 7.

To start the archiving process, in Windows search, type “file history” (1) and launch the found application of the same name (2).

You can also access this tool through the “Control Panel”, section “System and Security”.

Going to the desired section, open “System image backup” on the left:

The first system image creation window will open.

Next, all the steps to create an image will be exactly the same as in Windows 7, as described above >>

Start creating a system image in Windows 10

In Windows 10, unlike Windows 7, only the process of transitioning to creating an image is also different, and the archiving settings themselves do not differ.

To proceed to creating an image, type “backup” (1) in the search and open the found section “Backup and recovery (Windows 7)” (2).

You can also open the desired window through the “Control Panel”, the “System and Security” section, the “Windows 7 Backup and Restore” button.

Going to the desired window, click “Create a system image”:

Conclusion

After creating such a system image, if serious problems arise in the system (especially if it does not start at all), you can easily restore it. True, if Windows does not boot at all, then to restore it you will also need a recovery disk or an installation disk / flash drive with the same version of Windows.

Periodically (about once every few months) I recommend creating a new image, because after a certain time you will change programs on your computer, something will be deleted, something new will be installed, some settings will be changed, etc. By regularly creating new images, you will have Windows that is more or less current at the moment if you need to restore it.

In Vista, it was necessary to set a schedule in the Task Scheduler to automate the creation of additional backups, and even worse, full backups were not available in the Vista Home version. Windows 7 provides the ability to create an entire disk backup for customers of all versions. Let's try this feature.

Windows 7 brings us vastly improved full-disk backup as well as disaster recovery for customers of all (retail) versions, including those who simply upgraded the system and those who did a full installation.

In Vista, only Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise users could make full-disk OS copies and data backups. Users of more limited versions of Vista received a more limited version of Windows Backup. With its help, it was possible to create backup copies of user data, but not executable files and not the system itself. This version did not allow the creation of a "full disk" image of the hard drive and was generally rarely used.

Everything changed in Windows 7. Buyers of all versions have the opportunity to create copies of the entire disk and the OS, and save to external and built-in media, as well as to CD/DVD. Professional and Ultimate users still have the benefit of being able to save and restore over the network.

Since local archives (in Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional) are more widely used, we will consider them.

Setting up your first backup

The best object for storing backups is an external hard drive, especially since they have dropped significantly in price recently. It is best to take a disk of either the same capacity as the built-in one, or even larger.

To start Windows 7 Backup Settings, click the Windows icon button (Start button). Enter “recovery” in the line and “Backup and recovery” should appear in the window at the top of the list. Please note that the search will also offer “System Restore”, “Recovery”, “Restore the computer to a previous state” and “Restore system files and settings from a restore point”. This is the result of improved functionality by our friends at Microsoft.

The System Backup and Restore window will open, in which you will see a message that “Data backup is not configured” and “Windows could not find an archive for this computer.”

Click “Set up backup” and the process of creating data archiving will begin. After it scans the computer for media connected to the PC, the request “Select where to store the created archives” will appear, and the most suitable options will be highlighted.

In order of preference, Windows Backup will select the built-in hard drive, external hard drive, CD/DVD, and flash media. A complete copy of a Windows installation is called an "image". Not everyone has flash drives with enough space to store the image.

Windows Backup will then ask you what you want to back up. There are 2 choices – “Give Windows a choice” and “Give me a choice”. The Windows selection automatically enables full disk backup (if there is enough space on the selected media), but it can also be selected through user selection.

Creating a system repair disc

Before you continue, it's a good idea to create a bootable recovery disk, just in case you ever need a disk image to recover your computer.

This feature was sorely lacking in Vista, leaving many scratching their heads wondering how to create a boot disk to actually use the backup they had created. Strangely, this feature was removed from Vista during the beta period. It was brought back in Windows 7.

To create a boot disk, go back to Backup and Recovery and click Create a system repair disk in the left column. Make sure the drive contains a recordable CD or DVD, then make sure the drive is visible and click Create.

The standard installation of Windows 7, by the way, already comes with a boot disk image for emergency system recovery on the hard drive. If Windows Backup finds it, it will use it during the recording process and the process itself will be quite fast. If there is no image, it will ask for a Windows 7 installation disc. Be careful.

Running System Restore for the first time in Windows 7

Return to the Backup and Restore window, it's time to run the backup. In the “Set up backup” window, click “Save settings and start archiving.”

It will switch to the Archive Progress window. Click on the "Show Details" button if you want to know what exactly is being archived.

It is best to leave the computer in standby mode while it archives data. I also take measures to prevent the computer from turning off.

After some time, archiving will be completed.

Windows Backup will create a schedule for saving backups. In my case, he chose Sunday, 7 pm. It's also better than Vista. Vista chose Sunday, 3 am.

If you have saved copies on more or less permanent media, it won’t hurt to set a schedule. However, if you decide to use your own schedule instead of the one that Windows offers you, you will have to start the archiving process again, at least in order to get into the settings.

In the Backup and Restore window, after the first backup is complete, scroll down and click Change Settings.

Archiving will open from the point “What do you want to save?”. Click Next 2 times and you will see the “View your backup options” window. At the bottom end of the window, click “Change Schedule.”

Here you can select the time interval, time and day of the week when to run the backup.

Setting up automatic additional backups

If you want Backup to save daily or weekly additional copies, it's very easy to do. In fact, it's easy enough to set up a schedule for creating copies, as shown above, and let Windows 7 save them.

By default, Backup will not create system images larger than can fit on 30% of the total capacity of the media you select. You can find out how much space Backup will use for older system images by opening “Manage Capacity” in the “Backup and Restore” menu, and then clicking “Change Settings” under System Image. If the number suits you, then everything is fine. You have set automatic backups. It was terrible in Vista, and just a fairy tale in Windows 7.

(Of course, if your external storage is used to run on other computers, you can choose to save only the latest images.)

Recovery operation – files, folders and full recovery

Although saved copies of content are not accessible through File Explorer, they can be opened through the same Backup and Restore menu. Of course, these are different things, but I would compare Windows 7 Backup with my favorite backup utility, Acronis True Image. With Acronis, you store files and OS images as “containers.” This container can then be accessed directly through File Explorer, and unzipping the file is as easy as simply dragging it onto your desktop.

But back to Windows 7. If you click "Recover My Files" in the Backup and Restore window, the Recover Files window will open.

Conclusion

Of course, I needed to check at least one additional backup. It started up and ran in the background with minimal PC input and only one long hard drive check. If I hadn't been watching, I wouldn't have noticed it, and the process was completed in less than 10 minutes.

In general, that's all. Windows 7 has made it much easier to back up your PC and restore files, folders, or your entire computer. It takes full advantage of what was there before (shadow copies and restore points), but now it's all much simpler and cleaner than in any previous version of Windows. Even better, these features are now combined with creating a bootable system recovery disc on CD or DVD.

Nowadays, any computer user is primarily concerned about the safety of their data. There are a huge number of factors that during operation can lead to damage or deletion of any files. These include malware, system and hardware failures, incompetent or accidental user intervention. Not only personal data is at risk, but also the performance of the operating system, which, following the law of meanness, “crashes” at the moment when it is most needed.

Data backup is literally a panacea that solves 100% of problems with lost or damaged files (of course, provided that the backup copy is created according to all the rules). This article will present several options for creating a full backup of the current operating system with all its settings and data stored on the system partition.

You can copy documents in the old fashioned way for safekeeping onto flash drives or parallel hard drive partitions, worry about the darkness of settings in the operating system, fiddle with each system file while installing third-party themes and icons. But manual labor is now a thing of the past - there is enough software on the network that has proven itself to be a reliable tool for complete backup of the entire system. A little bit wrong after the next experiments - you can return to the saved version at any time.

The Windows 7 operating system also has a built-in function for creating a copy of itself, and we will also talk about that in this article.

Method 1: AOMEI Backupper

It is rightfully considered one of the best backup programs. It has only one drawback - the lack of a Russian interface, only English. However, with the instructions below, even a novice user can create a backup.

The program has a free and a paid version, but for the needs of the average user the first one is sufficient. It contains all the necessary tools to create, compress and verify a backup copy of the system partition. The number of copies is limited only by the free space on your computer.

1. Go to the official website of the developer using the link above, download the installation package to your computer, double-click it and follow the simple Installation Wizard.
2. Once the program is integrated into the system, launch it using the desktop shortcut. Once launched, AOMEI Backupper is ready to work immediately, but it is advisable to make a few important settings that will improve the quality of the backup. Open settings by clicking the button "Menu" at the top of the window, select the item in the drop-down box "Settings".



3. In the first tab of the settings that open, there are parameters responsible for compressing the created copy to save space on the computer.
   • "None"— copying will be performed without compression. The size of the resulting file will be equal to the size of the data that will be written to it.
   • "Normal" is the default selected option. The copy will be compressed approximately 1.5-2 times the original file size.
   • "High"— the copy is compressed 2.5-3 times. This mode greatly saves space on your computer when creating multiple copies of the system, but requires more time and system resources to create a copy.

   Select the option you need, then immediately go to the tab "Intelligent Sector"



4. The tab that opens contains parameters responsible for the partition sectors that the program will copy.
   • "Intelligent Sector Backup"— the program will save a copy of the data of those sectors that are most often used. The entire file system and recently used sectors (emptied recycle bin and freed space) fall into this category. Recommended for creating intermediate points before experimenting with the system.
   • "Make an Exact Backup"— absolutely all sectors that are in the section will be included in the copy. Recommended for hard drives that have been in use for a long time; unused sectors can store information that can be restored using special programs. If the copy is restored after the working system has been infected by a virus, the program will overwrite absolutely the entire disk down to the last sector, leaving the virus no chance to recover.

   Having selected the required item, go to the last tab "Other".



5. Here you need to check the first box. It is responsible for automatically checking the backup after it is created. This setting is the key to successful recovery. This will almost double the copying time, but the user will definitely be confident in the safety of the data. Save the settings by pressing the button "OK", the program setup is completed.



6. After this, you can proceed directly to copying. Click on the big button in the middle of the program window "Create New Backup".



7. Select the first item "System Backup"— he is the one responsible for copying the system partition.



8. In the next window you need to set the final backup parameters.
   • In the field we indicate the name of the backup copy. It is advisable to use only Latin characters to avoid problems with associations during recovery.
   • You need to specify the folder where the final file will be saved. You must use a partition other than the system partition to protect against a file being deleted from the partition during an operating system failure. The path must also contain only Latin characters in its name.

   Start copying by clicking the button "Start Backup".



9. The program will begin copying the system, which can take from 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the selected settings and the size of the data that needs to be saved.



10. First, all specified data will be copied according to the configured algorithm, then a check will be performed. Once the operation is complete, the copy is ready to be restored at any time.

AOMEI Backupper has a number of minor settings that will definitely come in handy for a user who is seriously concerned about their system. Here you can find setting up deferred and periodic backup tasks, splitting the created file into pieces of a certain size for uploading to cloud storage and recording to removable media, encrypting a copy with a password for confidentiality, as well as copying individual folders and files (perfect for saving critical system objects ).

Method 2: Restore Point

Now let's move on to the built-in functions of the operating system itself. The most popular and fastest way to create a system backup is a restore point. It takes up relatively little space and is created almost instantly. Restore Point has the ability to return a computer to a checkpoint, restoring critical system files without affecting user data.

Method 3: Data Archiving

Windows 7 has another way to create backup copies of data from the system disk - archiving. When configured correctly, this tool will save all system files for later recovery. There is one global drawback - it is impossible to archive those executable files and some drivers that are currently in use. However, this is an option from the developers themselves, so it also needs to be taken into account.

Despite the fact that the operating system has built-in functionality for creating backup copies, it does not inspire sufficient trust. While recovery points very often help out experimental users, problems often arise with restoring archived data. The use of third-party software significantly increases the reliability of copying, eliminates manual labor by automating the process, and provides sufficiently precise settings for maximum convenience.

It is advisable to store backup copies on other partitions, ideally on third-party physically disconnected media. Upload backups to cloud services only encrypted with a strong password for safe storage of personal data. Regularly create new copies of the system to avoid losing valuable data and settings.

Due to our own erroneous actions on the computer or a virus attack, it is not possible to download Windows 7 by any means?! Or the operating system boots, but working in it is simply unbearable?! If you are familiar with these situations and would like to correct the situation within a minimum time, you need to prepare in advance for such problems and sometimes (once a month/every two months) make an image of the system and, if necessary, restore the operating system by rolling back to the created image. Windows 7 has a built-in system archiver, which is very simple and intuitive; you don’t need to install additional programs to create an image of your system, much less spend money on these programs.

How to make a system image of Windows 7? There are several ways to launch System Archiving, here is one of them. Come along the way
In the window that opens, you will see on the left "Creating a system image"- this tool will allow you to create a system archive once, if you look at the right side of the window, you will see a button, i.e. It is possible to configure archiving automatically.

It is up to you to choose which method suits you; in this article I will describe both of these methods.

Creating a system image

Click "Creating a system image", in the window that opens, select the location where the system backup will be stored, the ideal option is an external hard drive, you can use a CD/DVD, but keep in mind that you will need a lot of them. It is also better not to use a local disk, since in the event of a virus attack, recovery from the local disk is not always possible.

After choosing a location to save the backup, you need to choose what to archive. If you have enough space, save all local drives. In this example, I will only save drive C.

In the next window, confirm our choice and click "Archive".

Next comes the archiving process/creating a system image; it can last for quite a long time, it all depends on the amount of space being archived and the power of the computer.

At the end of archiving, the system will offer to write the data to disk, since I’m archiving to an external hard drive, I don’t need this, click “no”, besides, I don’t really want to write 32 GB :)

This completes the process of creating a system image, the backup is located on a removable disk, the folder name is WindowsImageBackup.

Setting up automatic system image creation

I remind you that we originally came along the way “Start-Control Panel-Backup and Restore”,press "Set up backup", in the window that opens, select the location where the system backup will be stored, please note that the specified backup location must be available when it is launched according to a schedule. The ideal option is an external hard drive; CD/DVD is not entirely suitable, since it will not be very practical to spend several disks on each backup. It is also better not to use a local disk, since in the event of a virus attack, recovery from the local disk is not always possible.

In the next window, we select what we will archive or present the choice to the system, i.e. leave it as default, in this example I will leave it as default. Click "Further".

In the next window, select the schedule for executing the system image, I recommend once a month, although this is individual, it all depends on how often you make changes to the system.

After clicking "Save settings and start archiving", the archiving process will begin. System archiving can take a long time, up to several hours, it all depends on the amount of data and the speed of the computer.

I hope you will never need a system backup, but situations are different and to be on the safe side, I strongly recommend making an archived image of the system.

The Windows 10 operating system has a backup function that allows you to create a complete image of the system so that you can later use it to restore your computer to a working state, for example, in the event of a failure. The backup copy includes information about the system itself, drivers, settings, and computer user programs. In other words, by restoring the computer from a backup copy when problems arise, the user has the opportunity to return it to the state in which this copy was created.

Unlike Windows restore points, a backup allows you not only to undo information about changes to system files, but also to completely restore the system to its normal state.

Since the number of programs on it regularly increases during the operation of Windows, it is recommended to create a backup copy immediately after installing and configuring a new operating system. Such a backup file will take up less space and can be placed, for example, on an external drive so that the system can be restored from it.

You can create a backup copy of Windows 10 using the built-in tools of the operating system or using third-party applications. Let's consider both options.

How to create a backup of Windows 10 using the built-in utility

Windows 10 provides a utility for creating a backup that will be supported by the system without the need to install additional applications to read data from it. To create a backup on Windows 10 you need to:

At the end of archiving, the Windows 10 operating system will prompt you to create, which may be required if problems arise with the system.

Restoring Windows 10 from a backup

To restore the operating system from a previously created backup copy, you must use the appropriate tool. It is in a recovery environment that can be booted from a third-party drive or from the Windows interface. You can start the recovery environment in one of the following ways:

• Boot the computer from a recovery disk - these can be DVDs, external flash drives or hard drives;
• Using a Windows 10 installation disk or an installation flash drive. After booting from such a drive, you will need to select “System Restore” to open an environment with the necessary tools;
• Through the Windows system, performing the appropriate reboot. To do this, you need to log out and select the option to turn off the computer on the lock screen. A list of three options will open - turn off, restart or put the PC into sleep mode. You need to click on the “Restart” button, but at the same time hold Shift on the keyboard, thereby giving the command to the computer that it needs to boot into recovery mode.

When the recovery environment loads, you will need to go to the “System image recovery” item. After this, you need to select an account and enter a password for it, if one is set on it.

Next, the Windows utility will launch, with which you can restore your computer from a previously created image. The Windows operating system will automatically detect the image on your hard drive, if there is one. If the backup is located on an external drive, you can specify the path to it manually.

By clicking “Next”, a window will open in which you can configure additional recovery options - install additional drivers immediately or format partitions. If you want to save all the data on your computer, we recommend not changing anything and clicking “Next”;

The final step of the recovery environment will then appear, where you can specify a new computer name, set the time, and make sure that the disk being restored is configured correctly. After clicking “Finish”, an operation confirmation window will open, which will indicate that all information from the disk whose image is being restored from the backup copy will be deleted. You need to confirm your actions.

The process of restoring the operating system from the image will begin, which can last from a couple of tens of minutes to several hours, depending on the speed of the disks in the computer, the amount of information in the backup copy and other parameters.

At the end of the recovery process, the computer will return to the state it was in at the time the backup was created.

Backup Windows 10 using AOMEI Backupper

A convenient program for creating a backup copy and restoring Windows from it is AOMEI Backupper. It includes all the necessary functionality and is distributed free of charge on the developers' website in a standard version, which is sufficient for home use.

Creating a Backup

To create a Windows backup using AOMEI Backupper, you need to do the following:

When the Windows Backup process is completed, the backup copy will appear in the previously defined location, and it can be used to restore the system if necessary.

Restoring from a backup

You can restore Windows from a backup created in the AOMEI Backupper application only using this program. It can be launched from the Windows environment or from a boot disk. It can be created on the basis of a DVD or flash drive. A bootable version of the AOMEI Backupper program is created as follows:

If the Windows operating system fails and there is no way to run the AOMEI Backupper program in standard mode for recovery, the created flash drive/disk will allow you to load the application when you start the PC. To do this, you will first need to set the disk/flash drive as bootable in the BIOS settings. The program interface will not differ when loading the recovery tool in this way.