Ways to create an iso image on windows. Ways to create an iso image on windows How to create a copy of windows 10 system

Today, many are interested in how to create an ISO disk image of the Windows 10 operating system. Let's make it clear right away that this is quite simple, but to create an image, you will need a special utility developed by Microsoft. Moreover, this program allows you not only to update the current system, but also to record it on removable media (CD or USB flash drive).

You should start by preparing a removable drive - it is important that its volume is at least 8 gigabytes; the creation of such a drive is available for the following versions of the described OS:

Windows 10 Pro;
Windows 10 Home.

Now we proceed directly to the process. Below is the algorithm of the required actions.

Step-by-step guide to create an ISO disk in Windows 10 using the installer

First, connect a disc to the computer (it is quite obvious that it should be a DVD-R) or removable storage, and then check whether the storage medium has the required amount of memory. Then follow the instructions.

Step one. Click on the "Program" icon Windows installation ten". Then a window will appear in which you need to select the second item ("Create installation media ..."), as shown in the image below. After that, click the "Next" button.

step two. In the next window, this utility will prompt you to set the required parameters, including architecture, language, and so on. After selecting everything you need, click the "Next" button again.

Note! It is extremely important that the chosen architecture of the ISO image matches the parameters of the computer itself where it is planned to be installed. Tellingly, the program allows you to choose not only a 32/64-core system, but also both options at once.

If you chose the first option, then you will have two options:

burn to DVD;
create a disk first.

In the second option, respectively, recording is possible only immediately to a removable drive.

Step Four. When you select the appropriate item, click "Next". If the recording will take place immediately on a USB flash drive, the operating system will demonstrate the available media.

Note! Who does not know, during the recording, all information on the flash drive will be deleted.

Step five. When you click the "Next" button again, the installation or recording will continue.

Step Six. In the first option, that is, when it comes to choosing the “ISO file” item, several folders will be attached at once, where the image will be saved, or the drive. It is quite obvious that there should already be DVD-R disc, which has the required amount of memory. After saving, you can later burn it to any convenient medium.

Note! Such operations are possible only on those computers on which the Windows 7 operating system or higher.

Features of installing Windows 10 from an image

Installing the operating system is quite simple, it does not require any special skills or skills. To start the installation, insert a USB flash drive or disk, and then, when the computer restarts, press any button after the appropriate message appears (“Press any button to boot ...” or something similar, it all depends on the specific type of system). Before that, you need to click in the BIOS settings to boot from a disk or flash drive.

The next step is that the system will require you to enter a product key. You will find this key on the package or, if you are just updating the OS, select the "I don't have a key" item.

Accept the user agreement and decide on the type of installation. If you are not among the "advanced" users, then it is better not to use custom installation.

Then you will find yourself in the window for selecting the partition where the operating system will be installed.

When all the required actions are completed, the system will be installed, after which it will ask you to configure it “for yourself”. More specifically, these settings include:

installation/configuration of standard programs;
creating your account.

Here you can decide for yourself whether to leave basic settings or reconfigure the settings. That's all, now you know how to create an ISO image of Windows 10. For more detailed information, we recommend watching the thematic video below. Good luck!

Create an image of windows 10 OS

Creating an image for installation and burning it to a USB flash drive or disk is not so difficult. Moreover, this can be done (in some cases) even with the help of standard features operating system. Of course, you can use third-party software, but Windows will cope with this task much better, since the OS itself knows how to burn the image correctly so that there are no problems with installation in the future. There are several ways to create a Windows 10 image. Some of them are even approved by Microsoft itself. However, to install the OS in an official way, you will need a license key.

Ways to create an image

Read also:

The vast majority of users are accustomed to downloading various OS builds from torrent trackers and burning them to a drive or disk using third party programs. But this way is by no means the only one.

Using the Windows 10 Installation Media Creation Tool. This is an official utility from Microsoft that helps you create a bootable media with "ten" on board. The company's experts recommend using this method.
Easy copy (if UEFI mode is available in BIOS). This option is suitable for new PCs and laptops. If there is a UEFI mode and the partition table is of type GPT, then the user will not need any special utilities to create an installation image
Use of third party programs. To date, many utilities can create "correct" flash drives or disks with Windows installation images. As a rule, this option is much easier than all the previous ones.
Create an image using the backup wizard. This utility helps you create an image of an already running operating system and burn it to media. A sort of "lifeline" in case the OS suddenly refuses to boot

You can also just update your Windows version to current. But it is worth considering that in this case, system failures are possible. They can be so severe that the user may lose all their data. Therefore, it is better to install from scratch.

1. We use the utility from Microsoft

Read also:How to speed up Windows 10? TOP 6 Main ways to overclock the operating system

This is the same "official" method approved by Microsoft. Its essence is that the user downloads the image of the operating system itself and the utility for creating bootable media from the official website of the company.

It is worth noting that the download speed from the company's servers is quite decent, so the whole process is quite fast. To complete the process, the user will need a USB drive with 8 or 10 gigabytes of free space. It can't be less.

DOWNLOAD

After the download process is complete, open "Windows Explorer", go to the downloads directory and run the file "MediaCreationToolexe".

The installation wizard will immediately launch and ask you to accept the terms. license agreement. Click on the button "To accept".

At the next stage, we mark the item "Create Installation Media" and press the button "Further".

Now we select the OS language, edition and architecture (32 bit or 64). After that, click on the button "Further".

The next step is to create a bootable drive right away or create an ISO image for later writing to flash driveorDVD. It is better to choose the first option, since the installation image will require at least 8 gigabytes of space. This is a double layer DVD. So choose the first option and click "Further". But before that, you need to insert the USB flash drive into the appropriate port.

The recording process will start immediately. It is worth considering that the wizard downloads the necessary files from Microsoft servers and writes them to the drive. Therefore, the operation can take quite a long time. Will have to wait. Progress will be displayed as a percentage.

After the media creation process is complete, the wizard will run an image integrity check. You must wait for it to complete.

As soon as the check is completed, the program will display a corresponding message stating that the creation of the image is completed. All you have to do is press the button "Ready".

This method allows you to be sure that the installation process will go as expected. Creating an image of Windows 10 using the official utility from Microsoft is the most preferred option.

Before starting the image creation process using the official utility, you need to close all programs. Otherwise, the recording may be aborted due to an unknown error. Some utilities may block the actions of the Image Creation Wizard. So it's better not to risk it.

2. Copy the necessary data to a USB flash drive

Read also:3 ways to install Windows XP from a flash drive

As mentioned above, this method is available to owners of new PCs and laptops that have UEFI mode enabled and the partition table on the hard drive is of the GPT type. Other users should not even try this method.

A similar method is sometimes used in the Linux OS family. There you can simply unpack the image and copy all the files to a USB flash drive, after making it bootable in the partition editor. However, in Windows latest not required.

Let's assume that the official image of Windows 10 has already been downloaded from Microsoft servers. Now you need to mount the image using some program. Utilities such as Daemon Tools or Alcohol 120% are capable of this. But even the usual Total Commander can open the ISO. We will use it. Open the program, find the desired image and simply double-click on it.

Now in the second panel, switch to the flash drive.

Now select all the files that are in the Windows 10 image and press the copy button (or hold down "F5").

The copy process will start immediately. As soon as it is completed, it will be possible to restart the computer or laptop and select bootable media in UEFI. Everything should work. But only in UEFI on a GPT table.

3. We use third-party programs

Read also:9 Easy Ways to Open Command Prompt in Windows 7-10

Now there are many utilities that allow you to burn a high-quality Windows 10 image to a USB drive or DVD. As a rule, these programs are easy to use and have a Russian language in the interface. Let's analyze the most popular.

Rufus

A small utility from independent developers. It is completely free and does not require installation. You can download it on the official website. And it's very easy to use. The program easily copes with recording Windows and Linux distributions.

DOWNLOAD

We go to the directory with the downloaded program and run the executable file with EXE permission.

The main window of the program will immediately launch. If a USB drive is already inserted into the port, the utility will detect it. Next, you need to select the desired image for recording by clicking on the button "Choose".

Now select the previously downloaded Windows 10 image and click "Open".

The next step is to select recording options. You must set the UEFI or BIOS options, and also select the type of partition table (MBR or GPT).

All is ready. It remains only to press the button "Start" and wait for the operation to complete.

The image is now written to the USB drive. You can restart your PC or laptop and start installing the operating system on your hard drive. It should be noted that for the correct notation "tens" required latest version Rufus.

Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool

Another very popular program for writing an image to a USB drive. It was originally created to be written to a Windows 7 flash drive. But even with "ten" The utility works great. And you can download it on the official Microsoft website.

DOWNLOAD

Download and install the application. Then we launch using the appropriate shortcut and get to the main window. First you need to select an image using the button Browse.

Select the desired ISO image and click "Open".

Now we press the button Next.

Now the wizard will prompt you to choose where to write the image. If you planned to write to a USB flash drive, then click USB device. If you need to write to disk, then select "DVD".

Select the desired flash drive and click the button Begin copying.

One day Windows 10 may not start. Fortunately, system recovery will take a maximum of a day if you use backups and the right arsenal of programs.

Why you need to back up Windows 10 with the contents of the disk

Backup is the creation of an image of the C drive with all installed programs, drivers, components and settings.

Operating system backup with already installed drivers created in the following cases:

you need to effectively restore a Windows system that has undergone a sudden crash, with minimal or no loss of personal data, without spending too much time on it;
it is necessary to restore the Windows system without re-search for drivers for the PC hardware and OS components found, installed and configured after a lot of searching and experimenting.

How to create a copy of Windows 10 and restore the system with it

You can use the wizard Windows Backup 10, built-in command line tools or third-party applications.

Backing up Windows 10 with DISM

The DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) utility works using the Windows Command Prompt.

Before restarting Windows 10, press and hold the Shift key. Restart your PC.
Give the command "Troubleshooting" - "Advanced Options" - "Command Prompt" in the Windows 10 Recovery Environment.
Windows Recovery Environment has a full arsenal of startup fixes
In the opened command Windows line enter the diskpart command.
The slightest mistake in Windows 10 commands will lead to their re-typing
Enter the list volume command, select the label and parameters of the partition on which Windows 10 is installed from the list of disks, enter the exit command.
Type the command dism /Capture-Image /ImageFile:D:\Win10Image.wim /CaptureDir:E:\ /Name:”Windows 10”, where E is the disk with installed Windows 10, and D is the disk to which the OS backup will be written. Wait for the copy of Windows to complete.
Wait for the Windows disk to finish copying

Windows 10 and the contents of the drive are now written to another drive.

Create a copy of Windows 10 using the Backup Wizard

Work with " command line"- the most professional, from the point of view of users, way. But if it doesn't suit you, try the built-in backup wizard in Windows 10.

Click "Start" and enter the word "reserve" in the search bar of the main menu of Windows 10. Select "Backup and Windows recovery ten".
Run the tool Reserve copy Windows via the start menu
In the Windows 10 log window, click the System Image Backup button.
Confirm your choice by opening the "Create a system image" link.
Select the option to save the Windows image you are creating.
Choose, for example, to save the Windows image on an external drive
Confirm saving the Windows 10 disk image by selecting the partition to save (for example, C). Click the start archiving button.
Confirm the backup of the image by selecting a disk from the list of partitions
Wait until the copy of the disk is written to the image. If you need an emergency Windows disk 10, confirm the request and follow the prompts of the OS recovery disk burning wizard.
Windows 10 Rescue Disk can make OS recovery easier and faster

You can start restoring Windows 10 from the captured image.

By the way, saving on DVDs is the most irrational way: we will inevitably consume 10 “blanks” with a “weight” of 4.7 GB with a C drive size of 47 GB. A modern user, creating a partition C of tens of gigabytes, installs 100 large and small programs. Especially "gluttonous" to disk space games. It is not known what prompted the developers of Windows 10 to such recklessness: CDs began to be actively squeezed out already in the days of Windows 7, because then sales of terabyte external hard drives, and an 8-32 GB flash drive was the best solution. Burning to DVD from Windows 8/8.1/10 would do well to exclude.

Video: How to create an image of Windows 10 using the backup wizard and restore the system using it

Creating a backup copy of Windows 10 through Aomei Backup Standard and restoring the OS from it

To create a copy of a Windows 10 disc, do the following:

The application also helps to create not just an archive image, but a disk clone. It makes it easy to transfer all content from one PC drive to another, including Windows boot loaders. This feature is useful when there is significant wear and tear on the old media, and it is necessary to transfer all its contents to the new one as soon as possible, without resorting to reinstalling Windows 10 and separate, selective copying of folders and files.

Creating a bootable USB flash drive Aomei Backupper Standard

But to restore Windows in Aomei Backup, you will need another tool. As an example, let's take the Russian version of Aomei Backupper Standart:

Give the command "Utilities" - "Create bootable media."
Select entry in Aomei Backupper boot drive
Select the Windows boot media entry.
Windows PE bootloader will allow you to boot into Aomei Backupper
Select media entry with UEFI firmware support motherboard PC.
Assign PC support with UEFI firmware to writable media
The Aomei Backupper application will check the ability to write a disk with UEFI and allow you to burn it.
In case of possible burning of a disc with UEFI, press the continue button
Specify your media type and click the continue button.
Specify your device and media for burning a disc with Windows

Restoring Windows from a USB flash drive Windows 10 Aomei Backupper

Do the following:

Boot the PC from the flash drive you just burned.
Wait for the PC to load the Aomei Backupper recovery program into memory
Choose to roll back Windows 10.
Enter Aomei Windows 10 Rollback Tool
Specify the path to the archive image file. The external drive on which the Windows 10 image was saved must be connected, as it must be removed before restarting Windows 10 so that it does not interfere with the work of the Aomei bootloader.
Tell Aomei where to get Windows 10 rollback data
Confirm that this is the exact image you need to restore Windows.
Confirm Aomei's request that the Windows 10 archive is correct
Select the operation to be prepared with the mouse and click the OK button.
Highlight this line and press the "OK" button in Aomei Backupper
Click the Start Windows Rollback button.
Confirm Windows 10 Rollback in Aomei Backupper

Windows 10 will be restored to the way you backed it up with the same apps, settings, and documents on the C drive.

Wait for the Windows 10 rollback to finish, it will take up to several hours

After clicking the "Finish" button, restart the restored OS.

Video: How to create a Windows 10 image with Aomei Backupper and restore the system with it

Working on Windows 10 Recovery in Macrium Reflect

Macrium Reflect is a good tool that allows you to quickly restore Windows 10 from a previously recorded backup image. All commands are translated into Russian due to difficulties with the availability of the Russian version.

To copy data from the drive where Windows 10 is installed, do the following:

Download, install and launch the Macrium Reflect app.
Give the command "Save" - "Create a system image".
Open Windows 10 Backup Tool in Macrium
Select the Create Image Partitions Required for Windows Recovery tool.
Go to the selection of logical drives important for Windows 10 backup
The Macrium Reflect Free application will automatically select the necessary logical drives, including the system one. Give the command "Folder" - "Browse".
Click the browse button for files and folders on your PC in Macrium Reflect
Confirm saving the Windows 10 image. Macrium Reflect saves the image by default without giving it a filename.
Macrium also suggests creating a new folder
Press the "Finish" key.
Press the finish key in Macrium
Leave both "Start copy now" and "Save backup information to a separate XML file" checked.
Click "OK" to start saving a backup copy of Windows
Wait for the Windows 10 backup to finish.
Macrium will help you copy Windows 10 and all programs with settings into an image

The Macrium app saves images in MRIMG format, not ISO or IMG, unlike most other programs, including Windows 10's built-in backup tools.

Creating bootable media in Macrium Reflect

In case the system cannot start without external media, you should take care of a bootable USB flash drive or DVD in advance. The Macrium application is also adapted for burning bootable media. For the speed of the process, the commands have been translated into Russian and popularized.

Run Macrium Reflect and give the command "Media" - "Disk Image" - "Create Boot Image".
Go to Macrium Reflect Recovery Media Builder
Launch the Macrium Recovery Media Wizard.
Select the media type in the Rescue Disk Wizard window
Select Windows PE 5.0 (versions based on the Windows 8.1 kernel, which includes Windows 10).
Version 5.0 compatible with Windows 10
Click the "Next" button to continue.
Click the button to go to further Macrium settings
After creating the list of drivers, click the "Next" button again.
Confirm the action by clicking the same button in Macrium
After determining the bitness of Windows 10, click "Next" again.
Press the continue button again to proceed to further actions in Macrium
Macrium will offer to download the necessary boot files from the Microsoft website (optional).
USB disk support must be enabled for Macrium to start recording
Click the "Finish" button. The Windows 10 bootloader will be written to the flash drive.

Restoring Windows 10 using Macrium Reflect flash drive

As in the previous instructions for Aomei, boot the PC from the flash drive and wait for the Windows bootloader to load into the RAM of the PC or tablet.

Starting Windows 10 will fix it. After that, you will be able to continue working with Windows.

Video: How to create a Windows image with Macrium Reflect and restore the system with it

Why and how to delete Windows 10 backups

The decision to remove extra copies of Windows is made in the following cases:

lack of space on media for storing these copies (storage disks, flash drives, memory cards are full);
the irrelevance of these copies after the release of new programs for work and entertainment, games, etc., the deletion of “used” documents from the C drive;
the need for privacy. You do not leave secret data behind you, not wanting it to fall into the hands of competitors, and get rid of unnecessary “tails” in a timely manner.

The last point requires clarification. If you work in law enforcement, at a military plant, in a hospital, etc., storage of disk images with Windows and personal data of employees may be prohibited by regulation.

If Windows 10 backup images were saved separately, deleting the images is the same as deleting any files on a working system. It doesn't matter which disk they are stored on.

Don't make things difficult for yourself. If the image files have been deleted, recovery from a bootable flash drive will not work anyway: there will be nothing to roll back Windows 10 in this way. Use other methods, such as troubleshooting Windows startup problems, or new installation"dozens" through a copy-image downloaded from the Microsoft website or from torrent trackers. Here you need not a bootable one (LiveDVD bootloader), but a Windows 10 installation flash drive.

Backing up and restoring Windows 10 Mobile

Windows 10 Mobile is a version of Windows adapted for smartphones. In some cases, it can also be installed on a tablet, if the latter does not differ in impeccable performance and speed. Windows 10 Mobile has replaced Windows phone 7/8.

Features of copying and restoring personal data in Windows 10 Mobile

In addition to working documents, multimedia data and games, Windows 10 Mobile archives contacts, call lists, SMS / MMS messages, diary entries and an organizer - all this is a mandatory attribute of modern smartphones.

To restore and transfer data to an image from the Windows 10 Mobile command console, it is more convenient to use any external keyboard and mouse than to type long commands with numerous parameters from the sensor for 15 minutes: as you know, one wrong character or an extra space, and the CMD command interpreter (or PowerShell ) will throw an error.

However, not all smartphones with Windows Mobile (as in the case of Android) will allow you to connect an external keyboard: you will need to install additional system libraries and, possibly, compile the OS code in the hope of seeing the cherished cursor and mouse pointer on the smartphone screen. These methods also do not guarantee a 100% result. If there are no problems with tablets, then with smartphones, due to the too small display, you will have to tinker.

How to back up Windows 10 Mobile data

Windows 10 Mobile, thankfully, bears a huge resemblance to Windows 10 "desktop": it's about as similar as the iPhone and iPad versions of Apple's iOS.

Almost all the actions of Windows 10 have something in common with Windows Phone 8. Most of them in Windows 10 Mobile are borrowed from the usual “tens”.

Give the command "Start" - "Settings" - "Update and Security".
Select the Windows Mobile 10 Update and Security Tool
Start the Windows 10 Mobile Backup service.
Select Windows 10 Mobile Backup Service
Turn it on (there is a software toggle switch). Settings can include both copying personal data and settings already installed applications and the OS itself.
Turn on copying data and settings to OneDrive
Set up an automatic backup schedule. If you want your smartphone to sync with OneDrive immediately, click the "Backup data now" button.
Enable scheduling and define app-specific personal data to migrate to OneDrive

Since the C and D drives are often not as large on a smartphone as on a PC, you will need a cloud storage account such as OneDrive. The data will be copied to the network "cloud" One Drive with its help. All this is reminiscent of the work of the Apple iCloud service on iOS or Google Drive on Android.

To transfer data to another smartphone, you also need to sign in with your OneDrive account. Perform the same settings on it, the Windows 10 Mobile backup service will download all personal files from the "cloud" and to the second device.

Video: How to back up everything on your Windows 10 Mobile smartphone

Create a Windows 10 Mobile Image

So Windows smartphones 10 Mobile is not as easy as it was with the regular version of Windows 10. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not yet provided a working tool for creating pure Windows 10 Mobile backups. Alas, everything is limited only to transferring personal data, settings and applications installed on a smartphone to another smartphone. The stumbling block here is the difficulty of connecting Windows smartphones to external hard drives and flash drives, despite the MicroUSB interface in many smartphones and OTG connections to it.

Reinstalling Windows 10 on a smartphone is possible mainly via cable using a PC or laptop and a third-party program installed on the latter, for example, Microsoft Visual Studio. If you are using a smartphone that was running Windows Phone 8, you need official Windows 10 Mobile support for your model.

Backing up and restoring Windows 10 from archived copies is no more difficult than working with previous versions of Windows in the same vein. There are many more disaster recovery tools built into the OS itself, as well as third-party programs for the same task.

There is never too many backups. If you can back up a backup, then by all means do so. Luckily, Microsoft makes it a lot easier to create a complete copy of your entire computer with the built-in System Image Capture tool.

Never used this utility? We will explain in detail how to use it to your advantage.

What is a system image?

A system image in Windows 8.1 and includes a complete copy of the entire system. This backup includes a complete assembly of the operating system, settings, installed programs, Windows applications, and all personal files.

The main advantage of this feature is that it allows you to completely restore the system in the event of a critical software error or hardware failure.

The disadvantage of this method is that you will not be able to restore individual files, i.e. all files on the hard drive. Although you will have access to the copied files in the Documents, Pictures, Music, etc.

Also, if you don't back up often, in the event of a system failure, you may lose valuable documents, settings, or programs because you can only restore data to the time of the last backup.

You can use a system image to create a master backup of your computer that includes the Windows installation itself, all the latest updates, custom configurations, and programs. You can use File History or the Protect Important Files feature of OneDrive to back up your files. This backup recipe will avoid duplication of files, and you will always have an up-to-date copy of all personal documents.

If the computer is working correctly, then the system backup function will help in all situations where changes have been made to the system that could disrupt performance. In this case, the restoration of the initial state will take an acceptable time.

The following instructions allow you to create backup image systems in Windows 10, but they work fine in Windows 8.1 as well.

How to back up a system image in Windows 10 or 8.1

Type in the search menu Start and follow the link found.

Turn on view mode Large icons or small icons and select a section.

Select the link in the lower-left corner of the window.

Connect a portable hard drive (USB flash drive), USB flash drive or SD card with enough free space.

Note. The media must be formatted in file system NTFS so that it can be used to store a system image.

Select from the left menu.

The system imaging wizard will ask you to choose one of three options for placing the backup: on a hard drive, on DVDs, or on a network folder. The fastest procedure will be when choosing hard drive. Click Further.
Select the drives you want to include in the backup and click Further.

Confirm the start of the backup by clicking the button Archive.

The backup process can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the amount of data being backed up. While the backup is in progress, you can continue to do other tasks as if you were using your computer normally.

After the System Image Capture utility completes the task, you can create a . You can use the system recovery disc to boot your computer. It also contains Windows System Restore tools that you can use to restore your Windows system in the event of a serious error, or restore your computer from an image using a system image.

Put the portable drive with the system image and the system recovery disc in a safe place.

Restoring a computer from a backup

If your system has stopped starting or you decide to change the primary hard drive on your device, then you can use the following steps to restore your system from a backup:

Connect your system recovery disc or Windows 10 installation media to your computer.
Connect the media containing the system recovery files (system image) to your device.
Restart your computer.

Advice: If the Windows Setup Wizard does not start automatically, then you should change the system BIOS settings. Usually, to enter the BIOS, you need to press one of the function keys (F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12) or the ESC and Delete keys. Hotkeys depend on the manufacturer of the device and even on the specific model. The exact information can be found in the support section on the official website of the manufacturer.

On the page, click the "Next" button.

Select the link in the lower-left corner.

On the next screen, select the option.

On the Advanced Options page, select the option.

Select as the target operating system.

In the "Restore your computer from an image" window, select the "Use the latest available system image" option.

Advice: You can select the "Select a system image" option if you have created multiple system backups. In this case, you can restore an older copy.

Press "Next".
If you are restoring a full system image to a hard drive, you can also select the "Format and Partition Drives" option before restoring the backup.
Press "Next".
Click the Done button.
In the confirmation window that appears, select Yes.

After completing these steps, the system recovery process will begin. The time it takes to complete the operation depends on the amount of data to be restored and the characteristics of your hardware. Any process interruptions can disrupt the computer and prevent it from booting up, so make sure your computer is connected to a UPS. In the case of a laptop, before starting the recovery, make sure that the device is connected to the mains power source.

Since a long time may have passed since the backup was created, it is recommended to go to the Settings > Update & Security > Center windows updates and select the "Check for Updates" option to download and install the latest security patches.

System Image Creation is a useful tool in many scenarios

A system backup image can be very useful in many cases. For example, if you are going to upgrade to new version Windows 10, be sure to create a copy of the system to simplify the process of rolling back to previous version in case of serious errors and failures after the update. In addition, it is recommended to create regular backups in case you need to quickly restore your system after a hardware or system failure, malware infection, or other problems.

However, you need to be aware of the limitations and features of this recovery method. For example, the user must take the initiative when creating backups, since the state of the system and files can only be restored to the time the full backup was created. Any data, settings, and applications created, modified, or installed after the backup will not be restored during this process.

This feature is designed to restore the entire system, and not to restore individual files, settings and applications. If you want to keep an up-to-date copy of your files, you should consider using additional features or OneDrive's Protecting Important Files.

System imaging is a deprecated feature in Windows 10. This means that while you can still create backups, the feature may suddenly stop working or may be removed in future versions.

How often do you make a full backup of your computer? Which software you are using? Share your backup experience in the discussion below.

Want to optimize Windows 10? Then you need to create a custom system installer that will install a clean OS without unnecessary applications and add-ons. See how to create an ISO image of Windows 10.

Windows 10 has a number of add-ons that many users never use. Along with the system, Modern programs such as Skype for Windows 10, Weather, Mail, Contacts and Maps are installed. Not to mention games like Candy Crush Soda Saga from the Windows Store. Added to all this are features that annoy many users, including Microsoft telemetry (data collection), the built-in OneDrive cloud, and many other additions that were not in the widely popular version of Windows 7.

Many are looking for ways to remove these unnecessary applications and features preinstalled in the system. But you can approach this problem from the other side and make changes to the system installation image itself so that these additions are not added at all during the installation of Windows 10.

Thus, you can create a custom image of Windows 10 that will immediately install a clean system without unnecessary add-ons.

What do you need to create your own Windows 10 installer?

You can make changes to the ISO image with Windows 10 using the MSMG Toolkit utility. This program allows you to make changes to the ISO image and create your own installer. That is, you can remove all Modern applications from the installation, as well as disable all unnecessary features.

To create it, you will need the indicated MSMG Toolkit, as well as the latest Windows 10 ISO image. You can download them from the following links.

Download MSMG Toolkit (file ToolKit-v7.3.7)

Download Media Creation Tool for Windows 10

Run the Media Creation Tool, then accept the agreement that appears.

In the next step, specify the next action. Here you can choose the system update function, as well as the option to download the Windows 10 installer. Check the second option, that is, "Create installation media for another computer."

Media Creation Tool will automatically offer to download the appropriate language version of the operating system compatible with the architecture of your computer. If the settings do not match, then uncheck "Use recommended settings" and specify the version and architecture 32-bit or 64-bit yourself.

On the next screen, you need to specify where you want to download the installer, directly to a USB flash drive or to an ISO file. In our case, you need to download in an ISO file, because before downloading to a USB flash drive, you need to create your own installer and make the appropriate changes using the MSMG Toolkit. Open the ISO image download item, and specify the disk location for downloading it.

After downloading the utility, unzip it into specified folder. Before running the tool, you need to unpack the downloaded image into a "DVD" folder inside the MSMG directory.

An ISO image can be unpacked using any archiver, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip. To do this, right-click on the image and select "Open with" and select a program such as WinRAR.
The data extraction utility window will open. Select the "Extract to..." option and then navigate to the DVD folder which is inside the MSMG directory.

After extracting the data, launch MSMG using the ToolKit-v7.3.cmd file. A window will appear notifying you that the author is not responsible for any problems and you must acknowledge that you are using the service at your own risk. Press the A key to accept the terms.

The program will check the Windows 10 system image unpacked to the DVD folder. When the message “Press ENTER Key to Continue” appears, press the indicated button.

The main menu will open with the available options. Bookmarks are opened using the number buttons. You can return to the main menu with the X button.

Let's move on to how to create a system image in Windows 10 without unnecessary features and programs.

1. Go to the "Convert" tab and select the "Convert ESD Image to Wim Image" option. When the program asks which version of the operating system was downloaded, select according to the downloaded one. The process of converting the Install.esd file to Install.wim will begin.

2. After the process is completed, return to the main menu and open the "Source" tab, and then "Select Source from Folder". Recognized versions of Windows 10 will appear in the list - press a key, for example, 1, to select the downloaded one. When a notification is displayed, whether you want to mount the image, confirm with the Y (Yes) key. Wait until the message “Press any key to continue” appears on the screen and press any key to return to the main menu.

3. Go to the "Remove" section and select "Remove Default Metro Apps". This setting is responsible for deleting applications of type Modern. You can check the "All Apps" option to remove all programs of this type, or "Any individual apps" and select individual ones to remove. If you want to remove all Modern apps, select All Apps (Windows Store will also be removed).

4. Return to the "Remove" tab again and select "Remove default Metro Apps Associations". This option removes all remnants and relationships associated with Modern.

5. Go back to the "Remove" tab and open "Remove Components". Here you can check the “All Windows Components” option to remove all Windows 10 components or “Any desired option” to remove unnecessary functions yourself.

Among these components are telemetry (data collection) service, Xbox app complete with overlay for games, Geolocation, Cortana, OneDrive cloud and others.

6. Now return to the main menu and go to the "Apply" item. Confirm saving the changes with the "Apply & Save Changes to Source Images" button.

7. Click the "Apply" tab again, and this time click on "Rebuild Source Images" to rebuild the installer files and apply your changes.

8. Finally, return to the main menu and open the "Target" option, then go to "Make a DVD ISO Image". This option will create a custom Windows 10 installer in ISO format, ready to burn to DVD or create a bootable flash drive.

The created image will be available in the "ISO" folder in the directory with the MSMG program. Now you can burn the ISO image to a disk or flash drive and install a clean version of Windows 10 from it without unnecessary services and applications.