Detecting image backup Windows 10

Hi all,

I have a question regarding the requirements for Windows 10 to detecting an image backup to restore from. I have created separate system images using the windows 10 tool and the directory system seems to be different for the two. When I try to restore, windows only detects the old image, which has the directory system like this

WindowsImageBackup > ComputerName > BackupDateNumber, Catalog, Logs, SPPMetadataCache

Whereas my more recent backup is completely different:

ComputerName > Several different folders of: Backup SetDateNumber with No Catalog folder, and inside the Backup Set folders, there is a "Catalogs" folder

Essentially I'm asking why the structure is so different, why it's not detecting my most recent backup, what is required to detect a backup etc.

This is a pretty big potential data loss for me, so it would be really really useful to restore from the latest backup

Thanks in advance

WindowsImageBackup contains windows system image. I have used the excellent windows system image image function for many years. Images will be of partitions or disks including the operating system and whatever data you had on the partition/disk at the time it was imaged.

ComputerName is for file backups. Inside that are various backup sets of files, not system images. I have never used windows file backup.

If you have made 2 images and specified the same destination, the most recent version should be visible as a .vhdx file .

Older blocks in the earlier image are moved into shadow storage.

So to restore from the earlier date, the older blocks are retrieved from shadow storage, and the unchanged blocks are from the newer ( visible) vhdx file.

If you have made 2 images, are you sure you specified the same destination for both of them?

However, it sounds like you only made one image and then later did a file backup.

They are different things.

Hi,

Thanks for getting back to me. I believed both were system images, but one could potentially be a file backup. How can I access the files from the file backup?

Thanks!

Usually just dble click on Computername and a window pops up asking if you want to restore files.

Another way is to look inside the folders until you find .zip files. They can be opened in windows explorer.

SIW2 said:

Another way is to look inside the folders until you find .zip files. They can be opened in windows explorer.

That works, but is of limited usefulness. The .zip files are a multi-part zip and although opening any particular zip may show the full index, the actual data could be any of the other .zips.

Usually just dble click on Computername and a window pops up asking if you want to restore files.

That is the only practical way to extract files. Backup & Restore will read the catalog, so it knows which .zip(s) hold your data.

npb27 said:

Essentially I'm asking why the structure is so different, why it's not detecting my most recent backup, what is required to detect a backup etc.

When you 'Create a System image' it will be in WindowsImageBackup. When you create a files and folders backup it will be in the ComputerName folder. These two types of backup are completely independent.


There is an option in the files backup to include a system image. When ticked it will create backups in both locations, first the files and folders, then it will call the system imaging backup.


Microsoft deprecated their built in system imaging over two years ago, recommending that you use something (anything) else.

Microsoft said:

System Image Backup (SIB) Solution
We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors.

Features removed or Deprecated in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

The 'other vendor' I use is Macrium Reflect Free.

I have just copied some stuff out of one of those zip files. Easy enough.

Now I have copied a lot of stuff out. I am unable to find any "multi part" zip files.

Bree said:

That works, but is of limited usefulness. The .zip files are a multi-part zip and although opening any particular zip may show the full index, the actual data could be any of the other .zips.

That is the only practical way to extract files. Backup & Restore will read the catalog, so it knows which .zip(s) hold your data.