New
#11
Win 7 image restore breaks ability to see Win 10 image backups
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New #12
As I said earlier, MS are deprecating this which means it will not get actively supported and eventually dropped. Their own advice is to use 3rd party tools. TBH the third party tools are faster, more flexible, smaller images, with host of other features - check out Rapid Delta Restore in paid version for example.
Many here have found the Windows tool to be less reliable anyway.
The Windows tool has not really been modified since Windows 7 and MS have finally admitted what we all know, ie they have no intent of keeping it. They tried to drop it in Windows 8, relegating it to an obscure link on backup page.
Frankly, I will not trust a tool MS obviously do not care about. Companies like Macrium do care as it is their lifeblood.
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New #13
What you say is true. Even I as one who uses it regularly has found it unreliable. But in my experience the unreliability is almost entirely in finding and recognising an image that can be restored, not in the actual restore itself.
As this thread demonstrates only too clearly, you'll break it if you try to be 'too clever' and do things outside its design function of imaging a single system to a single backup drive (eg trying to keep multiple images by renaming them, mixing images from different OS on the same backup drive, moving/copying the images to another drive - the list of 'don'ts' is endless).
It is limited in its scope, but learn to stay within the limits and the restore is reliable enough. Deprecated now, so likely to be removed eventually, but not yet (not in the Fall Creators Update at least). Before jumping ship I'd like to see what Microsoft would recommend using, so far it's just a vague 'use something else'.
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New #14
I doubt MS will recommend a particular 3rd party product.
MS system image works well. The problems are almost always between the chair and the keyboard.
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New #15
Agreed. It works well if you stay within its design limits. Problem is, those limits aren't documented anywhere. I had to learn them the hard way. Apparently innocuous changes can break it.
Still, it works reliably for me (now). I've lost count of the number of successful restores I've done.
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New #16
I never got it to work successfully on any of my 32bit uefi tablets (had 3 so far) whereas Macrium worked everytime.Agreed. It works well if you stay within its design limits. Problem is, those limits aren't documented anywhere. I had to learn them the hard way. Apparently innocuous changes can break it.
Still, it works reliably for me (now). I've lost count of the number of successful restores I've done.
Also had restore failures on my old (now in bit heaven) Sony.
In the end, I found it not to be reliable.
Re. recommendation of tool, Macrium was way ahead in the poll @Kari did a year or so ago, so I cannot think of a better endorsement than the informed opinion of regulars here.
I admit I am biased but that is simply based on fact it has never let me down on any device and that is the only tool I can say that about. I did find it was the only tool that could handle 32bit uefi installs. Ok I accept that was about three years ago and have not reverified but in the end, I just have utmost confidence.
I always say it is a good plan is to image backup with two different tools, then immediately ignore my own advice by only ever using Macrium - LOL!
I went for the paid version mostly to use Rapid Delta Restore which is brilliant. I screwed up my OS other day doing stupid stuff and because RDR only restores stuff that has changed (bit like uup updates), I git back to state of previous days backup in less than five minutes!
Actually, I do not see how MS could endorse a specific product as others would cry foul.
However, I could see MS entering a partnership ?
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New #17
The Windows image UI is only intended to perform basic tasks - i.e. for the average user. I have used the command prompt to restore volumes from system images to different drives.
Agreed. It works well if you stay within its design limits. Problem is, those limits aren't documented anywhere. I had to learn them the hard way. Apparently innocuous changes can break it.
Still, it works reliably for me (now). I've lost count of the number of successful restores I've done.
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