#External hard drive windows 7 how to#
#External hard drive windows 7 update#
#External hard drive windows 7 windows 7#

#External hard drive windows 7 windows 7#

If Windows won't start at all, you can access the System Recovery Options by booting from the Windows 7 DVD.

If your system will still attempt to start Windows, then you can attempt to access the System Recovery Options from your hard disk.

To recap, there are several ways that you can get there: Then, access the System Recovery Option menu.

For my example, I created an image on an external hard drive. To begin, make sure that you have your system image available - if you created an image on optical discs, have the last disc in the set inserted into the drive or if you created an image on an external hard drive, have the drive connected to your system. However, keep in mind that when you restore your computer from a system image, it will actually perform a complete restoration of your entire system, which means that all your current programs, system settings, and files will be replaced with the versions that were current when you made the system image. You can also view this blog post in the slideshow format in a TechRepublic Image Gallery.Ī system image includes the operating system and all your system settings, your programs, and all your files. Stay on top of the latest Microsoft Windows tips and tricks with TechRepublic's Windows Desktop newsletter, delivered every Monday and Thursday. That way, if the time comes when you need to use it, you'll know exactly what to expect.

#External hard drive windows 7 how to#

With that in mind, in this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, I'll show you how to use System Image Recovery. And, chances are that you'll be pretty stressed at that point and won't really want any more uncertainty in your life. The reason being that the only time you'll ever get to see what a System Image Recovery operation looks like is when you need to perform one.

While knowing that you have a system image provides you with a certain level of comfort, using it is another story.

If for some reason neither Startup Repair nor System Restore is able to get you back up and running, you can use the System Image Recovery option to revive an unbootable system.įigure A The System Recovery Options menu displays a list of system recovery tools that you can use to repair startup problems, run diagnostics, or restore your system.

#External hard drive windows 7 update#

Have you used Microsoft Windows 7's Backup and Restore to create a system image of your hard disk? If so, do you update it on a regular basis? If you do, then you are prepared for a problem that leaves your hard disk in an unrepairable predicament, such as the one that I described in my recent blog post ' Access More Troubleshooting Tools with Windows 7 System Recovery Options.' This is the predicament where the Startup Repair Tool can't repair the problem and you then access the System Recovery Options menu, as shown in Figure A, which provides you with a set of tools that can help you revive your system.