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If your primary OS drive fails in Windows, it may take a while to get back up to speed, even if you have conventional backups. You will need to reinstall all apps and configure each one to your liking. To avoid that, consider backing up your system image. Here’s how to do it.
What is a system image backup?
In Windows, a system image backup is an exact copy of your entire C: drive that contains your active installation of Windows, all the applications you installed, and all configuration and data files for those applications. They stay frozen in place as if perfectly encased in ice.
After a system drive failure, you can restore this system image to a new drive and work again as if nothing had changed, without the need to reinstall Windows or applications. Of course, it captures a lot of extra data that you might not always need in a regular backup, so a system image is ideal primarily for wanting to preserve the exact state of a Windows system.
How to Backup System Image in Windows 11
To back up your system image in Windows 11, you’ll need to use a legacy tool called “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)”, which is included with all versions of Windows since Windows 7. To start it, first open Control Panel by opening the Start menu and typing “Control Panel”. Then click the “Control Panel” icon in the resulting list below.
(You can also use this same tool to create system image backups on Windows 10 PCs.)
When Control Panel opens, look in the “System and Security” section and click the “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” link.
In the Backup and Restore section, click “Create a system image” in the sidebar.
Windows will then ask you where you want to save the backup. You can choose a hard drive or external drive (different from the one you’re backing up), a DVD, or a network location. Make a selection and click “Next.”
Below is an overview of what will be backed up. Click “Start Backup”.
The backup tool will show you a progress bar as it creates the system image backup.
When the backup is complete, close the System Image tool. If you inspect the destination location, you will see a “WindowsImageBackup” folder containing the backup files. Do not move or modify this folder.
Later, when you want to restore the backup, run Backup and Restore (Windows 7) again, browse to the “Restore” section, and select the location that contains the system image you created. Windows will restore the backup, reboot your PC, and then you’re good to go. Stay safe out there!
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