Restore from Windows Image Backup
Restore Windows image from backup, to return full functionality of a system, when a need will emerge. What to do to restore Windows system image? The answer is simple: all you need is a good utility such as Handy Backup, to automate all related operations!
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Version 8.6.2 , built on April 17, 2025. 118 MB
30-day full-featured trial period
Restore from Windows Image Backup: The Basics
Before attempting restoring image Windows, you must have an appropriate backup file. Handy Backup allows you making Microsoft Windows backup directly from a program by some plug-ins in the "Disk Clone" group, or to use the dedicated Disaster Recovery that can save a copy of Windows from a USB drive. You can use Disaster Recovery utility to restore Windows image backup taken by Handy Backup on bare metal computer (e.g. onto a new disk or even to a brand new machine).
You can also restore Windows image from Handy Backup itself, but this option is available for non-system drives only, meaning that a drive selected for recovery must not be the same drive that contains a copy of Windows running currently, with Handy Backup started under it.
Recommended Solution
$89 per license
Handy Backup Professional
The expert-level Professional solution contains dedicated plug-ins for restoring Windows from image and a built-in USB utility just out of the box!
Special Cases to Restore Windows from Image
Restore Windows Image Backup to New Hard Drive on the Same Computer
It is the simplest way to restore Windows image backup. Just use the same plug-in in Handy Backup to backup and restore Windows image, and select a non-system drive or partition as restoration target.
Restore Windows Image Backup to New Hard Drive
This is another word to describe bare-metal Windows image restore mentioned before. You can use the dedicated USB-driven utility to restore from Windows image backup on a new or bare metal PC.
Restore Windows Image Backup to Virtual Machine
Besides using Handy Backup to restore Windows image to some virtual machine instance, you can simply utilize the "System Recovery" plug-in to make a VHD Windows image file and use it as a VM disk.
Restore from Image Windows 7
Note that since January 1,2020, Windows 7 is completely obsolete and you can expect many troubles when attempting restoring system image in Windows 7. Upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible.
Important Issues
Always take in account some considerations about restoring from Windows image backup. Samples of these considerations are the next issues (on examples of Windows 10 image):
Disk size
When you attempt to restore Windows 10 image to smaller drive than a backup copy, you will definitely receive an error message. Always check drive capacity before restoring!
Drive availability
When you try to restore Windows 10 image from external hard drive by using a USB utility, a target drive must be directly connected to a PC, due to unavailability of network.
You can learn in details how to restore windows image backup from external hard drive by reading the User Manual or from dedicated article on this website.
Download for Free
Version 8.6.2 , built on April 17, 2025. 118 MB
30-day full-featured trial period
Experience Handy Backup as a powerful tool to backup and restore Windows image! Download a 30-day free trial version with all functions and plug-ins available!