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System restore from bootable Windows 11 USB drive

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vb95 Posted messages 53 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   -  
fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   -

Hello everyone.

On my Windows 11 up-to-date PC I’ve gotten used to backing up the entire system with the Control Panel -> Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

I make a backup with every Windows 11 update, with one of my software, or with a graphics, sound, network driver, etc....

This allows me to always have an up-to-date backup.

For about a week now it’s impossible for me to perform a system restore by booting from a USB flash drive made with mediacreationtool.exe (the creation tool to install or restore a Windows 11 environment).

When I restart the PC with this USB drive plugged in I do boot from the USB drive correctly. I have the confirmation of a Windows 11 environment as well as an AZERTY keyboard.

then I have the option to install Windows 11 or to repair my computer. I choose to repair my computer and there: a black screen and the PC reboots.

Has anyone already had this problem and found a solution?

Thank you in advance

11 answers

  1.
    fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 066
     

    Hello, good evening,

    Would it be possible to use WinRE instead of the USB key?

    By powering the PC on 2-3 times in a row with the power button?

    The drivers that may be integrated into WinRE may not be integrated into the ISO (If it's a branded PC), they would need to be integrated using NTLite, into all images.

    Otherwise we would need to know what changed in the configuration since the last time it worked.

    Otherwise, to diagnose, and if you have data to recover, from a working PC you can download the Hiren's Boot CD PE (WinPE) ISO

    https://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

    (At the bottom > HBCD_PE_x64.iso)

    And Rufus

    https://rufus.ie/fr/

    Create a bootable USB key of Hiren's Boot CD PE from Rufus in GPT mode for EFI

    Boot from it using the PC's Boot Menu

    Use (In Hiren's Programs) in Hard Disk Tools > Diagnostics > CrystalDiskInfo and see if the disk is detected as Good.

    Copy data if possible (Copy > Paste = Copier > Coller)

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  2. vb95 Posted messages 53 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   8
     

    Hello Fabul

    I didn’t specify: The PC works perfectly.

    No slowdowns, no blue screen of death as before, the system drive SMART is good.

    It's just that with the Windows 11 installation key made with mediacontroltool.exe, if I choose Repair my computer it would open a menu where I could perform a system restore from a disk image made with Backup from the Control Panel.

    Right now my disk image in WindowsImageBackup on a non-system hard drive is useless to me if in case of trouble I cannot restore Windows 11 with the installation key from the WindowsImageBackup folder.

    In case of a problem I would need to reinstall Windows 11 from scratch as well as all my software and the various settings for all that. This complete reinstall takes about 4 good hours whereas restoration only takes 5 to 10 minutes.

    Thank you for your response

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  3. fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 066
     

    Hi again,

    If it doesn’t work either from the recovery environment (WinRE).

    Request a free license for O&O DiskImage 19 Pro which I have been using for a few years, and which still works well, with more options and flexibility than Windows’ system, and fairly easy to use.

    The Giveaway:
    https://www.oo-software.com/en/special/klt510?x-clickref=1101lDvYwmW2

    The Setup (EN):
    https://www.oo-software.com/en/download/archive/index.html?product=OODI19PRO

    The Manual (En)
    https://www.oo-software.com/en/docs/usersguide/oodi19.pdf

    Make backups in the D:\Backups\O&O DiskImage 19 folder

    But also sometimes directly on my USB key 3.1 256GB with Ventoy containing the O&O DiskImage ISO (on the same USB key).

    It creates the full backup in a single *.omg file, which can be mounted as a virtual disk with the program, if needed.

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  4. vb95 Posted messages 53 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   8
     

    Hello fabul

    It's the option I would choose if I can't find anything concrete and reliable for my problem.

    I've seen that Microsoft was going to do a complete overhaul of the System Backup and Restore with automatic backups every 72 hours and we would only keep the 3 most recent in the basic options.

    In any case, thank you very much for your response.

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  6. fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 066
     

    Hello again,

    But have you tried with Windows Recovery Environment?

    If Windows crashes 3 times in a row, you reboot in recovery mode (or voluntarily) if you have a problem,

    Otherwise you can see if at least it would work by rebooting on the recovery partition instead of the Windows partition, I think you could easily restore from it.

    (Unless you have a more serious problem that prevents you from booting into WinRE as well)

    To boot into WinRE you need to go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now

    Then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > More advanced options > Restore from a system image...

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  7. vb95 Posted messages 53 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   8
     

    Hello Fabul

    I tried with WinRe and it works great. The problem indeed comes from mediacontroltool.exe when creating the Windows 11 bootable key.

    To be continued.

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    1. Anna1Kowalska Posted messages 3 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention  
       

      Hello, same problem here with the USB key made via MediaCreationTool. System restore no longer starts. On the other hand, as fabul said, WinRE (by forcing a restart 3 times or via Settings > Recovery) works well. Otherwise O&O DiskImage is a very good alternative for backups/restorations.

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  8. Neha
     

    Hello,

    Restart after "Repair your computer" may be related to a corrupted installation USB drive, a problem with WinRE, or an issue with the BIOS/UEFI (Secure Boot, boot mode). Try recreating the USB with the latest Media Creation Tool, test another USB port, and check the UEFI settings.

    Best regards

    Neha

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  9. vb95 Posted messages 53 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   8
     

    Hello everyone.

    For Neha, the USB drive is not corrupted (all sectors are correct with a disk test using AOMEI Partition Manager). Moreover, the key is bootable and it boots correctly since I have the first two screens regarding the language and the keyboard used.

    UEFI settings are correct and I have recreated a key several times with MediaCreationTool. Several USB keys have been used and the same issue persists: if I select "Repair my computer" it reboots.

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    1. fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 066
       

      Hello,

      This goes back to the reason mentioned in my first response:

      The drivers that may be integrated into WinRE may not be integrated into the ISO (If it’s a branded PC), they would need to be integrated using NTLite, into all images.

      (The WIM images of the ISO)

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  10. fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 066
     

    Download IOBit Driver Booster Free from the official site to update and back up drivers

    It’s better with a Pro license key found here:

    The 4th key here worked a few days ago

    https://softopaz.com/giveaway/iobit/driver-booster/

    Download NTLite

    https://ntlite.com/download/

    Then for the Windows ISO, to have the Full version (WIM)

    With Edge using F12 > The 3 little dots that appear > Device Emulation (twice) > Refresh the page...

    Here

    https://www.microsoft.com/fr-fr/software-download/windows11

    With NTLite add the saved drivers (as many as possible) to the ISO

    To create a Ventoy USB key with the copied ISO on it, or Rufus with the extracted ISO on it

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  11. vb95 Posted messages 53 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   8
     

    Hello fabulous.

    Thanks for your involvement.

    I have abandoned Windows backup and restore and now use Aomei Backupper Pro, which gives me complete satisfaction. I could have taken OO DiskImage but my English level isn't great (at 75, high school courses are far away).

    For me, it's a solved problem.

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  12. Anna1Kowalska Posted messages 3 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention  
     

    Aomei Backupper Pro is indeed very reliable and much easier to use than Windows' built-in tool, especially for full restorations. also check if the. https://bonuskaartonline.nl

    can save you a few euros. Personally I have also abandoned the Windows 7 backup system integrated into favor of Aomei (Standard version is often sufficient). It is faster and more stable with Windows 11.

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    1. fabul Posted messages 42156 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   6 066
       

      Hi,

      What I don’t like about this program is that it feels like extended evaluation versions but limited in time.

      I don’t know if it can still be restored after this period.

      I like less also that you can’t ignore folders in the backup (when we already have them double) which take up space for nothing if you don’t want them in the backup, not convenient for small SSDs / small PC disks.

      When you can benefit from a free lifetime license of O&O (Old version) but which does everything, even the bootable key on which you can back up Windows (On the same key) (ISO+Ventoy).

      The only obstacle for some is that it is either in English or in German depending on the setup.exe you take.

      In France you are not as assimilated to English as in Quebec, and especially with online learning with interest in technologies, it’s quite easy as a program, in fact too simple...

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