[SOLVED] Can I restore a Windows 10 boot system image to a drive with a new Windows 10 on it?

[laurencewithau]

Hi . My PC crashed when the Windows 10 boot SSD drive failed to boot. A computer technician installed a new Windows 10 on the drive, which now boots. But I've lost all my files and programs from the drive. Fortunately I'd created a system image on a separate hard drive. Not sure why the computer person did not restore it, but can I attempt it as it is or do I have to remove the new Windows 10 first? I'd prefer not to in case the attempted restore fails. I'd be grateful for any advice.

 

[clutchc]

The only way to end up with a working W10 installation and and have it recognize your old files programs is to use the system image to restore it to the way it was when you made the image. That will of course over-write the existing data on the disk.

If you want to have a way to go back to the tech's W10 installation just in case, make another image of the PC as it is now first.

 

[CountMike]

Hi . My PC crashed when the Windows 10 boot SSD drive failed to boot. A computer technician installed a new Windows 10 on the drive, which now boots. But I've lost all my files and programs from the drive. Fortunately I'd created a system image on a separate hard drive. Not sure why the computer person did not restore it, but can I attempt it as it is or do I have to remove the new Windows 10 first? I'd prefer not to in case the attempted restore fails. I'd be grateful for any advice.

What did you make that system image with ? Which program did you use ?

 

[laurencewithau]

The only way to end up with a working W10 installation and and have it recognize your old files programs is to use the system image to restore it to the way it was when you made the image. That will of course over-write the existing data on the disk.

If you want to have a way to go back to the tech's W10 installation just in case, make another image of the PC as it is now first.

Hi. Thanks very much for the advice. I'll do as you say. As things are, it's taking too long to reinstall all the programs. Thanks again.

 

[laurencewithau]

The only way to end up with a working W10 installation and and have it recognize your old files programs is to use the system image to restore it to the way it was when you made the image. That will of course over-write the existing data on the disk.

If you want to have a way to go back to the tech's W10 installation just in case, make another image of the PC as it is now first.

Hi. Thanks for your reply. The system image on the hard drive is from Macrium Reflect, I think, but I have a Microsoft system image on a DVD, so I think I'll use that. Thanks again.

 

[CountMike]

Hi. Thanks for your reply. The system image on the hard drive is from Macrium Reflect, I think, but I have a Microsoft system image on a DVD, so I think I'll use that. Thanks again.

MR is what I use all the time. When you restore the image it will revert to time it was made and overwrite what's on disk now. Should have done that first instead going to service.

 

[laurencewithau]

MR is what I use all the time. When you restore the image it will revert to time it was made and overwrite what's on disk now. Should have done that first instead going to service.

Hi. Thanks for your reply. Yes, I should have used the system image and Macrium Reflect.
But the computer had crashed and I called the tech in.
He spent a lot of time trying to install Windows 10 on the new Crucial NVMe SSD drive, as I had been doing for more than a week.
But he had to admit defeat and set the NVMe up as a storage drive instead.
He installed Windows 10 on the original SSD, so at least I had that, but I'd lost everything else from that drive.
Except, of course, for the fact that I had a system image on a spare hard drive.
I spent today trying to reinstall all the programs I used, but I had no product key for MS Word, so I ordered a replacement from eBay.
Then, because I was re-creating a link to this site, I checked this thread and read your post.
Heart in mouth and head in hands I followed the Macrium instructions and, praise be, I now have my old drive back.
I've just cancelled the Word 2010 order and asked for a refund.
So, thanks very much for your help and for saving me £47.
Thanks again. Laurence

 

[CountMike]

That' how I transferred system from SATA SSD to M.2 Samsung 960 evo using MR backup. Keep that backup updated all the time, you never know when system might go down. MR rescue disk/USB has option to fix BOOT problem even if there's problem with MBR/GPT or legacy/UEFI bios.

 

[laurencewithau]

That' how I transferred system from SATA SSD to M.2 Samsung 960 evo using MR backup. Keep that backup updated all the time, you never know when system might go down. MR rescue disk/USB has option to fix BOOT problem even if there's problem with MBR/GPT or legacy/UEFI bios.

Hi CountMike. Thanks for your reply.
As I understand it the MR fix and rescue functions are available only with the paid, not the free, versions.
I had used the MR system image to migrate the SSD, including windows 10, to the NVMe and it worked.
But I couldn't boot from it.Neither could the tech. He went online and discovered, he said, that the NVMe as a boot drive is incompatible with my Asus Z97-AR motherboard. Something to do, it appears, with the fact that the NVMe on the M.2 port or socket or whatever it's called, would run at times 2, not times 4.
I don't know whether the MR paid version could have fixed that.
In fact a contributor to that thread on this site said that the problem could be fixed only by causing another problem with the PCle .
I do have another question, so perhaps I could ask you before opening a new thread.
My NVMe now functions as a storage drive on M.2 and has, I take it, a speed advantage over the other drives.
The question is whether Word 2010, which I use all the time, would be faster if I transferred it to the NVMe, even without its being a Windows 10 boot drive.
Or am I getting confused again?

 

[CountMike]

Hi CountMike. Thanks for your reply.
As I understand it the MR fix and rescue functions are available only with the paid, not the free, versions.
I had used the MR system image to migrate the SSD, including windows 10, to the NVMe and it worked.
But I couldn't boot from it.Neither could the tech. He went online and discovered, he said, that the NVMe as a boot drive is incompatible with my Asus Z97-AR motherboard. Something to do, it appears, with the fact that the NVMe on the M.2 port or socket or whatever it's called, would run at times 2, not times 4.
I don't know whether the MR paid version could have fixed that.
In fact a contributor to that thread on this site said that the problem could be fixed only by causing another problem with the PCle .
I do have another question, so perhaps I could ask you before opening a new thread.
My NVMe now functions as a storage drive on M.2 and has, I take it, a speed advantage over the other drives.
The question is whether Word 2010, which I use all the time, would be faster if I transferred it to the NVMe, even without its being a Windows 10 boot drive.
Or am I getting confused again?

Even free MR has options/ability to fix BOOT problems. It's best to make rescue USB and update it every time MR updates to have it current.
For M.2 NVMe disk to work properly, it has to be formatted to GPT and to be on UEFI system, some may also require own driver and PCIe drivers usually found in chipset drivers.
Programs installed on secondary drive will start up faster but even when installed like that they place some of it's parts on system drive so you don't get full benefits of disk's speed. Word as well as other MS Office programs make extensive use of scratch/temporary and backup files which are by default on system drive.

 

[laurencewithau]

Even free MR has options/ability to fix BOOT problems. It's best to make rescue USB and update it every time MR updates to have it current.
For M.2 NVMe disk to work properly, it has to be formatted to GPT and to be on UEFI system, some may also require own driver and PCIe drivers usually found in chipset drivers.
Programs installed on secondary drive will start up faster but even when installed like that they place some of it's parts on system drive so you don't get full benefits of disk's speed. Word as well as other MS Office programs make extensive use of scratch/temporary and backup files which are by default on system drive.

Hi. Sorry for delay. Just noticed.At least I have the NVMe in place for when I do a motherboard upgrade. Thanks again.