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I'm wondering if it is possible to extract some files out of the SystemImageBackup without restoring the whole backup?

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Is that the same as this? http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Restore-files-from-a-backup

^ That was not correct for extracting a full disk image

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24771-system-image-extract-files-using-disk-management.html

Windows 7 creates a Virtual Hard Disk VHD file that contains all of your files. This will show you how to attach (mount) this VHD file using Disk Management

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/23196-system-image-extracting-files-using-virtual-pc.html

If that was not correct, or if it is going to be a big pain, I know what I would do, and that is make a Real image using a real backup like Acronis which you can get for free if you have a Western digital drive anywhere seen by your system. you can get WD acronis.

Backup with a real imager an image of the system partition, then recover the MS image, extract all the things you need , and then put the system back with the real imaging program. Then toss MS and start using the 3rd party stuff that works.

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  • no, sorry, that works only for the file backup, not for the system image backup. For the difference between file backup and system image backup see this link: windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/….
    – guenter
    Oct 2, 2011 at 15:47
  • ""When you restore your computer from a system image, it is a complete restoration; you can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced."" . . . . . . .That sucks, every Image backup i have ever made has had a way to extract the files out of even highly compressed images. Must find out the method used, and see if there is any way to extract.
    – Psycogeek
    Oct 2, 2011 at 18:02
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You can restore individual files from a win7 image.

I don't see a way to comment, but I just restored some files form my win7 backup image. I make images as a backup and lost a laptop due to disk problems. Just this week I restored some files from that backup by attaching the VHD (deep down in the backup folders, I had two one for my hidden restore volume (cannot be used) and one big one, the windows install). The big VHD needs to be opened without the readonly checkbox checked (when checked it opens as raw volume, not usable). And I had difficulties to open/attach it over the network (1GB home network), so I copied it to an esata drive, where it worked just fine. Could open it, and it was usable just as any other external drive. I even opened this VHD (made on 64b win7 ultimate) with a win7 prof.

If you have a win7 backup image laying around, try to open it this way (diskmanager, attach vhd, NOT readonly).

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