Restoring a backup from a system image on a new laptop

feartheclaw

Hi, my laptop was stolen but I have a recent system image of it created in Windows 7. I am replacing the laptop and want to know if I can restore it on one running Windows 8 without any problem, or even on any new laptop. Unfortunately I do not have a recent backup - long story, just have a system image. I fear the worst however

Appreciate any feedback thanks

B

yoyo

feartheclaw wrote: »

Hi, my laptop was stolen but I have a recent system image of it created in Windows 7. I am replacing the laptop and want to know if I can restore it on one running Windows 8 without any problem, or even on any new laptop. Unfortunately I do not have a recent backup - long story, just have a system image. I fear the worst however

Appreciate any feedback thanks

B

Windows 8 should be able to restore the windows 7 system image automatically. Is it a vhd image?

Nick

feartheclaw

Hi Nick

Yes, its a VHD image.

Because this system image is of a previous laptop will it not wipe the OS of the new laptop replacing it with a new OS? Somebody told me the it will only work on identical hardware as the image including the OS is tied to the previous laptop. I'm a bit lost and don't know either way but any advice you might have is appreciated

Thanks
Brian

whizbang

You should create a new virtual machine on your win8 laptop. then load the VHD image to the new virtual machine. That way you dont muck up your new machines OS, and you still have all your old programs running in a window.

http://www.petri.co.il/physical-to-virtual-with-disk2vhd.htm

feartheclaw

Thanks whizbang...seems complicated - I'm not a techie. Reckon this is the only way?

Thanks
Brian

whizbang

I didnt think of it before, but i'm sure there are programs, something like magicdisk, to mount the backup as if it were a dvd drive.
Too late for me to google...

riclad

SAY image is from dell 500l, if you restore image to say a sony vaio ,Windows wont load as different motherboards ,chipsets use different drivers.WHAT MODEL is the stolen laptop, maybe you could borrow same model
laptop, restore image,then backup up files to a usb drive.
IT MAY be possible to run win7 in a virtual box,
see http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7-on-virtualbox/

Then perhaps open image file from win7.
Or buy an older compatible,laptop on adverts.ie ,restore data, then sell laptop.
See http://www.askvg.com/how-to-mount-iso-vhd-and-other-image-files-in-windows-similar-to-windows-8/
it seems win8 can mount vhd files,
I don,t know if it can acess or copy individual files or folders in a vhd file.

Tow

I would do a fresh install of any apps you want on the Win8 machine, mount the VHD as a drive and copy any data you want off it, and then unmount the VHD.