How to Restore Files From a Windows Image
Windows offers a fail-safe way to recover an entire hard disk from a system image, and we’ll find out how you can use it for recovering specific files. Windows 10 OS provides ample opportunities for data backup which include tracking file history and functionality that allows creating an image of the entire system. The concept of the system developers is that the functions of File History are required for convenient and rapid everyday recovery of user data, while a system image is created not so often and allows complete recovery of a partition (including system files) to a certain operable OS.
- Overview of the Problem
- Connecting a VHD Disk Containing a Backup System Image Copy
- Questions and answers
- Comments
Overview of the Problem
It is recommended to create a backup system image copy before modifying the hardware configuration of a computer, when updating the system, installing new drivers and so on. If something goes wrong, a backup system image copy will allow you restoring the system to the operable condition of Windows. However, when restoring from such image all the information on the system disk is erased by the image files. What should we do if we need only some files to be restored from the system image?
Fortunately, this task is rather easy. The matter is that the standard system of creating a backup system image copy in Windows 10 is based on the concept of virtual disks (Virtual Hard Drive). That is, images are recorded and stored as virtual drive files in the format vhdx (Virtual Hard Drive). Such virtual drives can be easily mounted with standard features of Windows 10 and be operated as ordinary drives within the system. Attaching such disk to the system, a user can restore from the backup system image separate files and directories.
Connecting a VHD Disk Containing a Backup System Image Copy
System image is usually backed up to a separate physical disk or a network folder. That is why the first thing to do is to connect to the computer a media containing a backup copy of Windows 10 image (or connect a network folder).
Open the computer management console Computer Management and go to disk manager Storage->Disk Management (this console can be launched from the menu WinX by pressing the key combination Win+X and selecting the item Disk Management). In order to mount a vhd virtual disk select the item Attach VHD in the Action menu.
In the window that appears click Browse and specify the path to vhdx file. This file is usually stored on a drive that contains a backup system image copy in the directory with a name in the following format [Backup_Drive]:\WindowsImageBackup\[PC_Name]\Backup xxxx-xx-xx xxxxxx. In our example, complete path to the vhdx file is as follows: \\[PC_Name]\VHD\08_01_2016.vhd.
After the virtual drive has been mounted it has to be assigned a drive letter. To do it, click the right mouse button on the drive and select the menu item “Change Drive Letters and Path”.
In the window that opens click Add and assign any letter to the drive, for example, E:
After this operation, a new drive will appear in the system, to which letter E:\ is assigned. Open in with Windows Explorer or any file manager and find the files that need to be restored.
Advice. User documents (photos, videos, music and other documents are usually saved to user’s profile in the directory E:\Users\{user_name}.
After you have found and copied the necessary files, the external disk can be disconnected and as a result, the virtual vhd disk will also disappear from the system. Separate files from the system image can be recovered in the same way in Windows 7 and 8 as well.
If suddenly happened the lost of VHD image of Windows (for example, accidentally or intentionally deleted) it can be recovered by Hetman Partition Recovery. After recovering it with data recovery software you can restore individual files by stated above algorithm.
I use Windows 7 at the moment... So as I understand if I follow all these steps written above I will get the same result as if I used Windows 10? It looks rather complicated to me because I have never done anything like this before. And if I use Hetman Partition Recovery program at once to restore all the files I need should I still create a backup system image copy? Sorry for stupid questions but I`m not into it really :)
As it can be seen from the article above, the procedure of restoring files from a system image is the same for Windows 10, 8 and 7. Everything is explained in detail there. So, in general, Lee, you are right. As for your question about Hetman Partition Recovery, you can restore VHD system image, in case it had been lost, with help of this software. And then, after restoring it, you can recover any file. As far as I’ve understood, it’s possible to restore separate files without any program, you can do it from VHD disk containing a backup system image copy. But if you suddenly lose such VHD system image, it’s easy to restore with help of Hetman Partition Recovery.
What precautions should you take to avoid data loss in Windows Image files?
Can all file types be recovered from a Windows Image file?
No, not all file types can be recovered from a Windows Image file. Depending on the type of image file, some file types may not be able to be recovered. For example, a Windows Image File (.wim) can only recover files that are supported by the Windows Imaging Format (WIM).
How long does the file recovery process take?
The time it takes to recover a file depends on several factors, including the type of file, the size of the file, and the complexity of the recovery process. In general, a basic file recovery process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, while more complex recovery processes may take days or even weeks to complete.
What are the key features to look for in a good file recovery software?
Read how to restore files from a Windows image. If you do have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our technical support service - we will be happy to help you.