How to (re)install a driver from an old windows backup ("system image")?

Question

I deleted by mistake my Bluetooth driver (by checking the box "delete the driver software" while uninstalling). But I have a recent backup (system image). How can I reinstall my driver from this backup?

Answer 1

You need to first browse inside your "system image" (your windows backup) to copy the driver folders:

1. In start menu: copy " create and format Hard disk partitions " and open it: this opens "Disk management"
2. Click on menu Action, Attach VHD, browse to your backup drive and then a path like K:/WindowsImageBackup/USERNAME/backup_xxx(date)xxx/... .vhdx (if there are several .vhdx file, you probably need to choose the biggest one - the smallest one is probably the recovery partition), click open, then click OK
3. In the bottom part, scroll down to the drive that doesn't have a letter: right-click on the biggest partition (not the drive, the partition), click "change drive letter and path", then "add" then "assign"
4. Go to windows+e and select the drive with the letter you choose

Then you don't need to find the right driver, windows will do it automatically: you only need to point the folder of drivers (I wasted a lot of time not having this information, by comparing the drivers folders).

Go to device manager (run devmgmt.msc), select the hardware/device that needs the driver:

Right click device, update driver, browse my computer, then set the path to the bkp \\Windows\System32\DriverStore [if it doesn't work, try the other folder: \\Windows\System32\drivers and then \\Windows\System32\DriverState]. Let windows find the driver.

In my case, Windows found the driver but put a warning symbol on my Bluetooth device (on the device manager). But it despairs after a few minutes (windows solved the issue, the BT driver was working).

When it's done you can unmount the system image (it's not a big deal as it will detach itself at the next reboot): go back in "Disk management", right-click on the left part (where it's written Disk...), choose Detach VHD (don't check the box), and ok, then unmount USB as normal (from bottom right of the screen).

PS: if the BT button disappear from settings, before trying to reinstall it, if you can see it in the "device" panel (with or without a "⚠" on it, or blinking with/without) just try to disable it, and then enable it.