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How to Backup and Restore Files for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1

Summary: How to Backup and Restore Files using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1

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Article Content


Symptoms

There are several ways to back up your computer.

Using Backup and Restore

  1. Select the Start button
  2. Select Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.
  • If you've never used Windows Backup before, or recently upgraded your version of Windows, select Set up backup, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
  • If you've created a backup before, you can wait for your regularly scheduled backup to occur, or you can manually create a new backup by selecting Back up now.
  • If you’ve created a backup before, but want to make a new, full backup rather than updating the old one, select Create new, full backup, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
SLN284363_en_US__1icon Caution: Do not back up files to the same hard disk that Windows is installed on. For example, do not back up files to a recovery partition. Always store media used for backups (external hard disks, DVDs, or CDs) in a secure place to prevent unauthorized people from having access to your files; a fireproof location separate from your computer is recommended. You might also consider encrypting the data on your backup.

Creating a System Image

System images contain all of the info on your computer at a particular state

  1. Right-click the Start button.
  2. Select Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.
  3. In the left pane, choose Create a system image, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
SLN284363_en_US__2icon Note: To create a system image of a drive, it must be formatted to use the NTFS file system. If you save the system image on a hard drive or USB drive, it must be formatted to use NTFS file system.

Creating a Restore Point

You can use a restore point to restore your computer's system files to an earlier point in time. Restore points are automatically created each week by System Restore and when your computer detects change, like when you install an application or driver.

Here's how to create a restore point.

  1. Right-click the Start button, then select Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System.
  2. In the left pane, select System protection.
  3. Select the System Protection tab, and then select Create.
  4. In the System Protection dialog box, type a description, and then select Create.

Cause

Using Restore feature

  1. Right-click the Start button
  2. Select Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.

Do one of the following:

  • To restore your files, choose Restore my files.
  • To restore the files of all users, choose Restore all users' files.

Do one of the following:

  • To look through the contents of the backup, select Browse for files or Browse for folders. When you're browsing for folders, you won't be able to see the individual files in a folder. To view individual files, use the Browse for files option.
  • To search the contents of the backup, select Search, type all or part of a file name, and then select Search.
SLN284363_en_US__2icon Note: If you're searching for files or folders associated with a specific user account, you can improve search results by typing the location of the file or folder in the Search for box. For example, to search for all JPG files that were backed up, type JPG in the Search for box. To only search for JPG files associated with the user Bill, type C:\Users\Bill\JPG in the Search for box. You can use wildcard characters such as *.jpg to search for all JPG files that were backed up.

Restore a backup made on another computer

You can restore files from a backup that was created on another computer running Windows Vista or Windows 7.

  1. Select the Start button
  2. Select Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.
  3. Choose Select another backup to restore files from, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
SLN284363_en_US__2icon Note: The restored files, when restored to a different computer, will be placed into a folder with the user name from the system the backup was created from

Perform PC Restore if System is unable to go into F8/Advanced Boot

In the scenario where you have to perform a PC restore and the system is not able to go into F8/Advanced Boot Menu and the system is booting to Windows , you can try the below steps to perform PC restore.

  1. Click Start.
    SLN284363_en_US__51382338445728.1
 
  • In the search programs and files, type CMD.
 
  • Right-click on the CMD and click Run as administrator.
    SLN284363_en_US__61382338726202.2
 
  • In UAC (User Account Control) windows, click Continue.
    SLN284363_en_US__71382338932113.3
 
  • The CMD (Command Prompt) window will come up.
    SLN284363_en_US__81382339021896.4
 
  • In the CMD (command prompt) windows, type REAGENTC /BOOTTORE (note: there is a space before the /) and press Enter key.
 
  • It must say Operation Successful.
 
  • Close the CMD (Command Prompt) window and then restart the computer.
 
  • Windows will load files.
    SLN284363_en_US__91382339827677.5
 
  • In System Recovery Options windows, click Next.
    SLN284363_en_US__101382340068369.6
 
  • Select User Account Name in the drop down menu, enter the Account Login Password and click OK.
    SLN284363_en_US__111382341001668.7
 
  • Under Choose a recovery tool, click Dell Factory Image Restore and then follow the steps to restore the computer.
    SLN284363_en_US__121382341255985.8
 

Resolution

Informational videos


Article Properties


Last Published Date

01 May 2021

Version

4

Article Type

Solution