Restore Complete Computer

Information

A Windows Complete PC Backup image contains copies of your programs, system settings, and files. It is a complete system backup that you can use to restore the contents of your computer if your hard disk or entire computer ever stops working. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Restore your computer from a system image backup

NOTE

BACKUP LOCATION: A) If you want to delete or copy the entire WindowsImageBackup folder to save it to another location to keep a copy of it, you will need to open each subfolder in the WindowsImageBackup folder and grant access permission to them first by clicking Continue twice for eace folder. You will then be able to copy this folder like any other folder. You may want to do this because when a new Complete PC Backup is made it can overwrite the previous Complete PC Backup with the differences to create the new backup. Backups are saved in this format: (backup location)\WindowsImageBackup\(computer name)\Backup (year-month-day) (time) If the backup was done on Local Disk D: at 9/7/2007 1:00:50 PM (It uses 24 hour time), then the full backup file path would be: D:\WindowsImageBackup\Computer\Backup 2007-09-07 130050 You would right click the folder Backup 2007-09-07 130050 and click Delete to delete that backup. To see what your computer name is, see: How to Change the Computer Name in Vista B) To delete all but the most recent Complete PC Backup, you can use Disk Cleanup. You will just need to select the drive that the complete PC backups are stored on and select the More Options tab. For how see step 15 here: How to Use Disk Cleanup in Vista

Tip

This only applies to Vista Enterprise, Ultimate, and Business versions. If you do not have a normal Vista installation DVD and only have a recovery partion on your OEM computer, then do option A in step 3 here to restore your backup: How to Boot Up in and Use Advanced Boot Options in Vista For SP1 news about changes to Backup, see: Technet.com: What’s new with backup and Restore on Vista SP1 When you restore your computer from a Windows Complete PC Backup image, it is a complete restoration. You can't choose individual items to restore, and everything you’ve done since that backup was created will be lost. This includes new programs, settings, and all files like pictures and music. If you dual boot with Windows XP, then everytime you start in XP the System Restore Points and all except the most recent Complete PC Backup files in Vista get deleted. For how, see: How to Stop System Restore Points from being Deleted in Vista when Dual Booting with XP You cannot restore a 32 bit Vista version complete pc backup on a 64 bit Vista version, or the other way around.

• How to Create a Complete Computer Backup and Restore Image in Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista
• How to Restore Backup Files in Vista
• How to Restore Previous Versions of a File and Folder in Vista
• How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc
• How to Reset the Last Backup Listing for Vista Complete PC Backup
• How to Reset the Last Backup Listing for Vista Back Up Files

Restore_Computer.jpg

1. Boot the computer from your Vista Express or Retail installation DVD. (This will not work from a Vista Recovery DVD)
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD is listed first in the boot order in your BIOS settings. If your backup is on a external device (EX: USB), then make sure it is plugged in before starting.

2. When prompted, press any key to start Vista from the installation DVD. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will only have about 8 seconds to press this key.

boot-from-cd-prompt.jpg

3. Set up your language preferences and click Next. (See screeshot below).

Select_Language.jpg

4. Click on Repair your computer. (See screenshot below)

Repair_Computer.jpg

5. Select which operating system you want to restore and the click on Next. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If Vista is not listed here, or it is blank, then it is ok. Click on Next anyway.

Select_OS.jpg

6. Click Windows Complete PC Restore. (See screenshot below)

Complete_Restore.jpg

7. If you saved the backup image on a set of multiple DVDs, then insert the last DVD from the backup set when prompted. If not, go to step 8.

A) Go to step 9 below.

8. If you have a saved backup image on a connected hard drive or another partition, then you will see this screenshot
below.

A) If you want to restore the latest backup, then click Next.
NOTE: The Restore the following backup is normally the last backup made.

B) To restore a different backup image, dot Restore a different backup and then press Next.
NOTE: This is if the backup you want to use is not listed here and you have made other complete PC backups in this same location that you wish to choose from instead. If you have a backup from another location that you want to choose from, then it will need to be connected to the computer before step 1.

Restore_From.jpg

C) Select which backup to restore from the list and then click Next. (see screenshot below)
D) Click Finish.

Another_Restore_From.jpg

9. Check the confirm box and click OK. (See screenshot below)

Confirm.jpg

10. You will now see this screenshot below.
NOTE: If you have the backup image on DVDs, have them ready. See step 7 above.

Restoring.jpg

11. When done, click Restart Now to finish. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Your computer will restart and the restore will be done.

Success.jpg