Can't get my files from system image

[acr98disc]

Hello to everyone,

I had my wife's laptop with Win 7 64bit Home Premium that we decided to sell and did, but beforehand she asked me to backup her stuff and I created a system image and saved it to my external USB HDD, thinking that because I have my second PC with Win 7 Ultimate 32 bit, I can always restore her stuff to it, but that's never happened.
I don't care about system image itself, but I thought I could extract her files to my computer using that Win 7 "backup and restore" thingie saying "select another backup to restore files from".
Yeah, right! It doesn't even recognize another backup made to this drive, which I understand is completely my fault. That's not Microsoft's fault, trust me.
Because they always made stuff work, but only half way.

So, my question is, if there any other thingie I can use to extract files from this image? It resides in directory called "WindowsImageBackup" that her laptop made into my external USB HDD...

Thank you!

P.S. Her laptop had 500 GB HDD, but my PC have 2 internal HDD's 80 and 120 GB's respectively.
That USB HDD is 1 TB.
Again, I don't need the image to be reinstalled, I just need her files in libraries, like pics and music, etc...

[ThePoor]

I don't think you can retrieve files from an image, you need to image the computer in order for you to get those files. However, I think you can just restore the image on a another computer then boot it into safe mode and from there you can retrieve the files from there.

[Nuclear Krusader]

You're pretty much SOL, the existing backup won't work unless the hardware in the second machine is identical to the one that was imaged.

Windows Backup is never to be used. The recovery process will restore the whole OS; you can't restore individual files if you used the image option.

[jdeb]

How to Recover Specific Files from a Windows System Image - How-To Geek

[Nuclear Krusader]

Ooooo! I'm glad to stand corrected.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by Nuclear Krusader Ooooo! I'm glad to stand corrected.

It doesn't always work but I have had success.

[acr98disc]

Originally Posted by jdeb How to Recover Specific Files from a Windows System Image - How-To Geek

Thank you so much, jdeb!


I tried it, and it worked!

[acr98disc]

Originally Posted by Nuclear Krusader You're pretty much SOL, the existing backup won't work unless the hardware in the second machine is identical to the one that was imaged. Windows Backup is never to be used. The recovery process will restore the whole OS; you can't restore individual files if you used the image option.

Well, like I said, it is all my own fault. I should have tested all this before giving up this laptop. Now I am sleeping on the couch, ouch!

Now I started to test this feature of Win 7. Right after install it throws a red flag saying you should create a backup. OK. But why the backup to them is the same as image? NO GOOD.

This PC was built 6 years ago, and it has totally different and outdated hardware than that 1 year old laptop that I sold.
Then, I still have another PC with identical hardware and same OS. Guess what?
If I create system image on one of them and try to load on another, its good for nothing. It doesn't even see or even offer you that system image.
So, I guess, that system image only good (maybe?) if you got dead HDD and you throw a new one in and then you could quickly restore your PC?
I haven't tried this, so it is still questionable...

Thank you all who responded.

[ThePoor]

you should use other image software than OS. I thought you had a ghost image of the system.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by ThePoor you should use other image software than OS. I thought you had a ghost image of the system.

I do not agree (respectfully). There is nothing wrong with the Windows 7 utility, heck, it is actually about time they did that. Another issue is that they do not promote it and most people do not even know about the feature. It is stable, easy, and long over-due in my opinion.

[acr98disc]

Originally Posted by jdeb I do not agree (respectfully). Another issue is that they do not promote it and most people do not even know about the feature. It is stable, easy, and long over-due in my opinion.

Strongly agree.
I am still new to Windows 7 and still learning.
But from what I already know, in my opinion, it is just what the doctor ordered.

[acr98disc]

Originally Posted by ThePoor you should use other image software than OS.

It is been like that with XP and earlier, in my opinion.
But now, it is a whole new world, it does work, I just have to experiment with it a bit.
Why pay extra for Acronis or others, if you already paid for 7 that really works?

I thought you had a ghost image of the system.

I do. But I want to find that "perfect" one that I will always use...