How to Restore a System Image Without a Recovery Disk [Ultimate Guide]

The traditional way to restore a system image to a new computer or hard drive is by using a recovery disc, but what if you forgot to make one or don't have a recovery disc? Can you restore a system image without a recovery disc? Find out below, along with tools for creating and restoring system images.

Can you restore a system image without a repair disc?

Yes, you can restore a system image without a repair disc. Another way to restore a system image on a new laptop without using a CD/DVD is by creating the system image on an external device like a USB flash drive and then performing the recovery from there.

While you can create a recovery drive to restore a system image, if you have the discs, you can save the system image to an external drive or USB flash drive and then connect it to the new device, choose “Repair your computer” from the installation process, and opt to restore from the system image.

A good approach is to store the system image on the external device itself, which saves a lot of space. While this may seem daunting, with the right tools, it's just a matter of time before you have your computer ready with Windows installed.

Restore a system image using an external hard drive

Now that you know how to perform a system image restore on your computer, let's talk about the tool you can use for the job. Todo Backup is an award-winning and efficient tool you can use to create and restore system images on your computer.

This tool lets you create a system image on an external device and load it with system image recovery. The software is capable of various types of backups like disk, system, and partition backup. You can use various cloning options to copy the entire system or disk. The tool is a complete package to create system images and restore them on other devices. Download it now and try the free version for yourself.

Action 1: Create a system image on an external device

The first step is to create a system image on an external drive. Make sure you have enough space on the drive to accommodate the system image before you begin.

Step 1: Launch Todo Backup and click “Create Backup” on the main interface, then click “Select backup content”.

Step 2: Click "OS" to start the backup from the four options.

Step 3: The system partition will be selected automatically, you just have to choose the location.

Create a System Backup

Step 4. You can choose to save the backup file to your local disk, cloud storage, or NAS. You can also connect an external hard drive to save the system backup file.

Step 5: You can customize the settings in the Options on the bottom left. Then, click Back Up Now, and the backup process will start.

* After the backup is complete, you can check the status, restore, open, or delete the backup by right-clicking on the backup task on the left.

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Action 2️⃣: Recover the system image using an external disk

In this part, we will discuss how to use the tool Todo Backup to restore a system image from an external disk to a device for booting.

* Try to start up the unbootable computer with the Todo Backup bootable disk to complete system recovery.

Step 1: Click “Browse to Recover” to launch the Todo Backup tool.

Click “Browse to restore”

Step 2. Navigate to the backup location and select the system backup file you need (.pbd file created by Todo Backup).

Step 3: Select the recovery disk. Make sure that the partition style of the source disk and the recovery disk are the same.

Next up, we just need to translate this into American English:

Step 4: Adjust the disk layout as needed. To start the system backup restore, click Continue.

You may also be interested: How to Restore Windows 10 System Image from External Hard Drive

Reward: Create a bootable USB drive with WinPE using Todo Backup

While there are many arguments about the best way to recover the system in case of any issues, the best and simplest method is to create a WinPE bootable USB drive. Here are some benefits of creating a bootable USB:

• It's like carrying a PC in your pocket.
• Use it to restore, install, or upgrade Windows on a new or existing computer.
• Recovery from a bootable USB drive is much faster.

With Todo Backup, click Create Bootable USB, and you can boot your Windows from that media whenever and wherever you need to.

Step 1: Get a USB drive that can be written to.

Step Two: Run and install Todo Backup on Computer B.

Step 3: Click on Tools, then select Create Emergency Disk.

Create Emergency Disk

Step 4. Choose the boot disk location. You can create an ISO file, a bootable USB drive, or a CD/DVD.

Step 5: Click Create to get started.

The Final Farewell

If you don't have a repair disc (CD/DVD), you can still restore a system image with the right tools. This article explains how to create a system image and how to use the simple and reliable tool, Todo Backup, to restore a system image without a repair disc.

Todo Backup is a comprehensive backup and recovery tool for system, driver, and partition backups. With just three simple steps, you can complete a backup. You can also create a bootable USB or system image and mount it for recovery when needed. Download the tool now to restore your system image.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Fixing and Restoring System Images Without CDs

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to restore a system image without a recovery disc. Hopefully, you'll find them helpful.

How do I create a System Repair Disk on a USB?

Follow these steps to create a System Repair Disk on a USB:

1. Search for "Create a recovery drive" and open it.
2. Make sure to click "Back up system files to the recovery drive," then select "Next."
3. Plug in your USB to the computer, select it as the repair disc, then hit "Next."
4. Click "Create," and Windows will take it from there.

How can I perform a System Restore in Windows 10 without a restore point?

System Restore in Windows 10 is impossible without restore points, much like flying is impossible without a plane. However, there is a viable solution in the form of either a Reset that keeps your files or a recovery of deleted data from your computer, both of which may differ slightly depending on your needs.

How do I create a bootable repair disk?

Insert a blank CD/DVD into your computer. Go to Control Panel > Backup and Recovery > Create a system repair disc. Select the CD/DVD you want to use to store the repair disk, then click "Create disc." Windows will process this, and when it's done, you can clone the window and hit "OK."