How to create a backup system image, repair boot disk, and recover the system in Windows 10 and 11

Steps and instructions to create a backup system image/repair boot disk and recover the system in Windows 10 & 11

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Steps and instructions to create a backup system image/repair boot disk and recover the system in Windows 10 & 11

Description

Creating a system image provides a full snapshot of your current system, including the Windows operating system, installed programs, and all personal data on the C drive. This comprehensive backup ensures that you can restore your entire system to its exact state at the time the image was created. This article will walk you through creating a system image, repairing your boot disk, and recovering your system across various Windows versions.

Applicable Brands

  • ThinkPad
  • ideapad
  • ideacentre
  • ThinkCentre
  • ThinkStation

Operating Systems

  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11

Solution

Launching/Opening System Image

Window 10

  1. Open the search box. Type control panel, and then select Control Panel (View by: Large icons).
  2. Click File History.
  3. While in File History, click the System Image Backup link in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

    Click link

Window 11

  1. Open the search box. Type control panel, and then select Control Panel (View by: Large icons).
    Control Panel
  2. Click Backup and Restore under System and Security.
  3. In the next page, select Create a system image.
    back up and restore
    Create a system image

If you are running on an earlier build of Windows 11:

  1. Click Start, then click Settings.
  2. Select System in the left column and look for Storage on the right.
  3. Click Storage options > Backup options, then click Go to Backup and Restore.
    more options
    backup options
    create image

Creating A System Image Backup Windows 10 & 11

1. Decide where to back up the image, such an external drive, multiple DVD’s, or stored on a network location.

Note: If choosing to back up to an external hard disk or DVD make sure the device is connected to the computer in order for it to show in the options below. Make sure the device has sufficient space as well to back up the entire system. This will be compressed, but it is still a large file.

Check space

Important Note:

Note

2. The next screen will offer to back up any other volumes you might want to include in the process. The main system partition and the small 100MB boot partition, if present, will be automatically selected and cannot be touched.

3. Other drives can be included as well, but that will add to the size of the final image.

Drives

4. At the final confirmation window, the Backup and Restore tool will list how much space it could take to create the backup. Clicking the Start backup button will start the process.

Start backup

5. This could take several minutes or hours, depending on the amount of data and the speed of the computer.

6. Click OK > Format > Start backup.

OK

Start backup

backup

7. The option to create a system repair disc is available after the process is complete. Choosing this option is recommended. If the computer ever crashes, insert the system repair disc into the computer. The computer will then load from the system repair disc instead of the computer’s hard drive.

Option

8. Insert a new DVD. Click Create disc.

Create disc

9. Click Close and OK. The backup is complete.

OK

  • Backup to network is not available in Windows 7 Home Premium or Home Basic.
  • Only NTFS formatted partitions can be backed up. If saving to USB sticks or portable hard drives, make sure they are NTFS formatted.
  • It is recommended to save the drive to an external hard disk or DVD.
  • Selecting another partition on the same physical hard disk you are backing up from will cause a warning to occur, because if this drive fails, both the operating system and the backup could be lost.

Recovering the system

1. Turn on the computer, wait for the Lenovo logo, then press the F12 key to enter the Boot Menu. Insert the boot disk (the first disc) into the optical drive and select the optical drive startup.

Select drive

2. Under System Recovery Options, click Next.

Next

3. Use Recovery tools to repair the system. Click Next.

Next

4. Click OK.

OK

5. Click System Image Recovery.

System Image Recovery

6. Insert DVD or disk, click Retry.

Retry

7. Select Use the latest available system image. Click Next.

Next

8. You can select Format and repartition disks or select Only restore system drives. Click Next.

Next

9. Click Finish.

Finish

10. Click Yes.

Yes

11. Wait until the recovery is complete.

Wait


Document ID:HT117672
Original Publish Date:11/29/2016
Last Modified Date:11/14/2024