Is 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)' still part of Windows 11?


I use Microsoft 'Backup and Restore (Windows 7), > Create a System Image.

I have never had a problem with it, it works exactly as it says.

I sanatized my nvme and installed a clean Windows 10 (now Windows 11), all the drivers for printers etc then Office 365.
I set up my email accounts and install anything else I require and then make the OS backup to an external hard drive.
The external hard drive is then switch off.

This gives complete piece of mind. It worries me not if something nasty should get in somehow, in fact I would click on
it to see what happened.
If it did get in I would then sanatize the drive and do a recovery so I am back where i started and all settings etc are as
they were set up by me.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel i7 10700k 10th gen32gb
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
Intel i7 10700k 10th gen
Motherboard
Asus Z490-A
Memory
32gb
Sound Card
Xonar D2
Monitor(s) Displays
1 x HP 32s - 2 x NEC Multisync E224wi
Hard Drives
2 x internal Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVME
PSU
Antex 850w
Cooling
Air
Internet Speed
500gb
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Windows Defender
It still works but many here found it to be unreliable. It is a deprecated feature and no longer supported. Even MS recommend using 3rd party tools. Most here use the excellent and very reliable Macrium Reflect Free.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ16 GB solderedIntegrated Intel Iris XE
OS
Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
ASUS Zenbook 14
CPU
I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ
Motherboard
Yep, Laptop has one.
Memory
16 GB soldered
Graphics Card(s)
Integrated Intel Iris XE
Sound Card
Realtek built in
Monitor(s) Displays
laptop OLED screen
Screen Resolution
2880x1800 touchscreen
Hard Drives
1 TB NVME SSD (only weakness is only one slot)
PSU
Internal + 65W thunderbolt USB4 charger
Case
Yep, got one
Cooling
Stella Artois (UK pint cans - 568 ml) - extra cost.
Keyboard
Built in UK keybd
Mouse
Bluetooth , wireless dongled, wired
Internet Speed
900 mbs (ethernet), wifi 6 typical 350-450 mb/s both up and down
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Defender
Other Info
TPM 2.0, 2xUSB4 thunderbolt, 1xUsb3 (usb a), 1xUsb-c, hdmi out, 3.5 mm audio out/in combo, ASUS backlit trackpad (inc. switchable number pad)

Macrium Reflect Home V8
Office 365 Family (6 users each 1TB onedrive space)
Hyper-V (a vm runs almost as fast as my older laptop)
Still there in Control Panel, though I concur with other posters that (1) there are many better options available (I used Macrium Reflect, both Free and Paid-for versions); and (2) this tool is not super resilient or reliable (I say this, in part, from personal/negative experience).
--Ed--

1632256023425.png
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11i7-8650U (8th Gen/Kaby Lake)16 GBIntel UHD Graphics 620
    OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo X380 Yoga
    CPU
    i7-8650U (8th Gen/Kaby Lake)
    Motherboard
    20LH000MUS (U3E1)
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 620
    Sound Card
    Integrated Conexant SmartAudio HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    FlexView Display
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 1 TB PCIe x3 NVMe SSD
    external 5TB Seagate USB-C attached HDD
    PSU
    Lenovo integrated 65W power brick
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop
    Keyboard
    Integrated Lenovo ThinkPad keyboard
    Mouse
    touchscreen, touchpad
    Internet Speed
    GbE (Spectrum/Charter)
    Browser
    all of em
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Purchased early 2019 as Windows Insider test PC
  • At a glance

    Windows 11Ryzen 5800X128 GB (4x32 DDR5-5600)NVIDIA 3070Ti
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DIY
    CPU
    Ryzen 5800X
    Motherboard
    Asrock B550 Extreme4
    Memory
    128 GB (4x32 DDR5-5600)
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA 3070Ti
    Sound Card
    built-in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2xDell 2707
    Screen Resolution
    1980x1200
    Hard Drives
    2XNVMe, multiple HDDs from 3 to 12 TB
    PSU
    Seasonic 650
    Case
    NZXT Flo 6
    Cooling
    dual-fan air cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech Logi
    Internet Speed
    GbE
    Browser
    all of 'em
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    temperamental UEFI
Still there in Control Panel, though I concur with other posters that (1) there are many better options available (I used Macrium Reflect, both Free and Paid-for versions); and (2) this tool is not super resilient or reliable (I say this, in part, from personal/negative experience).
--Ed--

View attachment 8354
200% agree. Reflect vs Win 7 Backup - no contest. Use Reflect.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ16 GB solderedIntegrated Intel Iris XE
OS
Windows 11 Pro + Win11 Canary VM.
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
ASUS Zenbook 14
CPU
I9 13th gen i9-13900H 2.60 GHZ
Motherboard
Yep, Laptop has one.
Memory
16 GB soldered
Graphics Card(s)
Integrated Intel Iris XE
Sound Card
Realtek built in
Monitor(s) Displays
laptop OLED screen
Screen Resolution
2880x1800 touchscreen
Hard Drives
1 TB NVME SSD (only weakness is only one slot)
PSU
Internal + 65W thunderbolt USB4 charger
Case
Yep, got one
Cooling
Stella Artois (UK pint cans - 568 ml) - extra cost.
Keyboard
Built in UK keybd
Mouse
Bluetooth , wireless dongled, wired
Internet Speed
900 mbs (ethernet), wifi 6 typical 350-450 mb/s both up and down
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Defender
Other Info
TPM 2.0, 2xUSB4 thunderbolt, 1xUsb3 (usb a), 1xUsb-c, hdmi out, 3.5 mm audio out/in combo, ASUS backlit trackpad (inc. switchable number pad)

Macrium Reflect Home V8
Office 365 Family (6 users each 1TB onedrive space)
Hyper-V (a vm runs almost as fast as my older laptop)
I'm not understanding this comparison with Win 7 OS Backup and Reflect.

Wind 7 saves the complete drive and operating system (10 and 11), and does a recovery with no problems at all
so would someone please explain what I am missing here ?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11Intel i7 10700k 10th gen32gb
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
Intel i7 10700k 10th gen
Motherboard
Asus Z490-A
Memory
32gb
Sound Card
Xonar D2
Monitor(s) Displays
1 x HP 32s - 2 x NEC Multisync E224wi
Hard Drives
2 x internal Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVME
PSU
Antex 850w
Cooling
Air
Internet Speed
500gb
Browser
Edge
Antivirus
Windows Defender
I'm not understanding this comparison with Win 7 OS Backup and Reflect.

Wind 7 saves the complete drive and operating system (10 and 11), and does a recovery with no problems at all
so would someone please explain what I am missing here ?
I am confused to, backup & restore just mentions files backups not the whole OS. I think Windows doesn't give a full backup experience, that is why 3rd party is recommend. Well I never did this before, so I may be wrong
 
The full backup is only available on Pro editions of Windows - it is not available on Home edition.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11AMD Ryzen 5 560016 GBSapphire Radeon RX 6500XT (8 GB version)
    OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire Radeon RX 6500XT (8 GB version)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    BenQ Mobuiz EX2710Q QHD, Iiyama ProLite X23377HDS
    Hard Drives
    MSI Spatium M461 4TB
  • At a glance

    Windows 11Intel Celeron N4020
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer A114
    CPU
    Intel Celeron N4020
I'm not understanding this comparison with Win 7 OS Backup and Reflect.

Wind 7 saves the complete drive and operating system (10 and 11), and does a recovery with no problems at all
so would someone please explain what I am missing here ?
Reflect also saves the complete drive and operating system (10 and 11), and does a recovery with no problems at all.

What you are missing is that...

a) Microsoft deprecated their own system imaging and have been recommending that you use third-party system imaging tools for the past four years.

Microsoft said:
System Image Backup (SIB) Solution
We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors.
Features removed or Deprecated in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

b) it is temperamental at the best of times. When it works the restore is good and reliable, but its most common failing is being unable to recognise a perfectly good system image as being available to restore.

Google search: "Windows cannot find a system image on this computer"

I speak from experience, having relied solely on Microsoft system imaging until 2018. I've had my fair share of system images that mysteriously no longer can be recognised as such when performing a restore.
 
Last edited:

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
The full backup is only available on Pro editions of Windows - it is not available on Home edition.
Not true. 'Backup & Restore (Windows 7)' functions identically in 10 Home or 10 Pro.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
I think Windows doesn't give a full backup experience, that is why 3rd party is recommend
No, Backup & Restore (Windows 7) creates a full system image that can be used to restore your system completely. The reason MS recommend using third-party tools is that it's a deprecated feature now. It's unreliable, MS gave up on trying to fix its bugs and stopped all development of it over four years ago.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
No, Backup & Restore (Windows 7) creates a full system image that can be used to restore your system completely. The reason MS recommend using third-party tools is that it's a deprecated feature now. It's unreliable, MS gave up on trying to fix its bugs and stopped all development of it over four years ago.
Sorry for the confusion eveyrone, Ia pologize.
 
Hi,
Think it worked better than 10's
But free reflect works a lot better especially using the winpe recovery media reflex recommends a user download and create usb/ cd.

I use my recovery winpe exclusively for creation and recovery of system images I never do these tasks in the os anymore.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win-7-10-11Pro's10900k & 9940x & 5930kTrident-Z Royal 4000c16 2x16gb & Trident-Z 36...Titan Xp & 1080ti FTW3 & evga 980ti gaming
OS
Win-7-10-11Pro's
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Acer 17" Nitro 7840sn/ 2x16gb 5600c40/ 4060/ stock 1tb-os/ 4tb sn850x
CPU
10900k & 9940x & 5930k
Motherboard
z490-Apex & x299-Apex & x99-Sabertooth
Memory
Trident-Z Royal 4000c16 2x16gb & Trident-Z 3600c16 4x8gb & 3200c14 4x8gb
Graphics Card(s)
Titan Xp & 1080ti FTW3 & evga 980ti gaming
Sound Card
Onboard Realtek x3
Monitor(s) Displays
1-AOC G2460PG 24"G-Sync 144Hz/ 2nd 1-ASUS VG248QE 24"/ 3rd LG 43" series
Screen Resolution
1920-1080 not sure what the t.v is besides 43" class scales from 1920-1080 perfectly
Hard Drives
2-WD-sn850x 4tb/ 970evo+500gb/ 980 pro 2tb.
PSU
1000p2 & 1200p2 & 850p2
Case
D450 x2 & 1 Test bench in cherry Entertainment center
Cooling
Custom water loops x3 with 2x mora 360mm rads only 980ti gaming air cooled
Keyboard
G710+x3
Mouse
Redragon x3
Internet Speed
xfinity gigabyte
Browser
Firefox
Antivirus
mbam pro
I use the Surface Recovery Media as if I hav ea issue, I wan ta clean install not with all my apps, and it has office already in the media. all I need is windows apps that are preinstalled, office, zoom
Hi,
Think it worked better than 10's
But free reflect works a lot better especially using the winpe recovery media reflex recommends a user download and create usb/ cd.

I use my recovery winpe exclusively for creation and recovery of system images I never do these tasks in the os anymore.
 
Hi,
You'll have to reinstall built in recovery if you clean install.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Win-7-10-11Pro's10900k & 9940x & 5930kTrident-Z Royal 4000c16 2x16gb & Trident-Z 36...Titan Xp & 1080ti FTW3 & evga 980ti gaming
OS
Win-7-10-11Pro's
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Acer 17" Nitro 7840sn/ 2x16gb 5600c40/ 4060/ stock 1tb-os/ 4tb sn850x
CPU
10900k & 9940x & 5930k
Motherboard
z490-Apex & x299-Apex & x99-Sabertooth
Memory
Trident-Z Royal 4000c16 2x16gb & Trident-Z 3600c16 4x8gb & 3200c14 4x8gb
Graphics Card(s)
Titan Xp & 1080ti FTW3 & evga 980ti gaming
Sound Card
Onboard Realtek x3
Monitor(s) Displays
1-AOC G2460PG 24"G-Sync 144Hz/ 2nd 1-ASUS VG248QE 24"/ 3rd LG 43" series
Screen Resolution
1920-1080 not sure what the t.v is besides 43" class scales from 1920-1080 perfectly
Hard Drives
2-WD-sn850x 4tb/ 970evo+500gb/ 980 pro 2tb.
PSU
1000p2 & 1200p2 & 850p2
Case
D450 x2 & 1 Test bench in cherry Entertainment center
Cooling
Custom water loops x3 with 2x mora 360mm rads only 980ti gaming air cooled
Keyboard
G710+x3
Mouse
Redragon x3
Internet Speed
xfinity gigabyte
Browser
Firefox
Antivirus
mbam pro
Not true. 'Backup & Restore (Windows 7)' functions identically in 10 Home or 10 Pro.
Mmm, no one told me :(seems I was referring to Vista and inherited my knowledge from there. But you appear to be correct, so thanks for the update!
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11AMD Ryzen 5 560016 GBSapphire Radeon RX 6500XT (8 GB version)
    OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire Radeon RX 6500XT (8 GB version)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    BenQ Mobuiz EX2710Q QHD, Iiyama ProLite X23377HDS
    Hard Drives
    MSI Spatium M461 4TB
  • At a glance

    Windows 11Intel Celeron N4020
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer A114
    CPU
    Intel Celeron N4020
seems I was referring to Vista and inherited my knowledge from there. But you appear to be correct, so thanks for the update!
Your confusion is understandable, I don't know about Vista, but Backup & Restore was fully available in Windows 7, both in Home and Pro. But with Windows 8 MS did their best to hide it from view. It was still there, but took some workarounds to find it and use it.

By Win10 it was visible again, but not particularly prominent. Surprisingly (for a deprecated feature) it's still included in Windows 11.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Like you, Haydon, I've found Microsoft File History to be reliable and to meet my needs.
I back up to a Samsung 2TB Portable SSD and I'm only attached during actual back up.
I keep all my data in my OneDrive folder so I stay synced to the cloud in real-time.
My Microsoft 356 subscription includes 1TB of cloud OneDrive space.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel Series 3 Core Ultra X9 388H64GB LPDDR5x 9600 MT/sIntel Arc graphics B390 Panther Lake
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 16 DA16260
    CPU
    Intel Series 3 Core Ultra X9 388H
    Memory
    64GB LPDDR5x 9600 MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Arc graphics B390 Panther Lake
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16" 3.2K Tandem OLED Infinity Edge
    Screen Resolution
    3200 x 2000 16:10 236 PPI
    Hard Drives
    1 Terabyte M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
    Case
    Black Anodized Aluminum
    Cooling
    Vapor Chamber Cooling
    Mouse
    None
    Internet Speed
    942 Mbps Netgear Mesh + 2 Satellites
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Windows Security (Defender)
    Other Info
    NPU delivering 67 TOPS
    Microsoft 365 subscription
    Microsoft Office 365
    Microsoft OneDrive 1TB Cloud
    Microsoft Visual Studio
    Microsoft Visual Studio Code
    Microsoft Sysinternals Suite
    Microsoft BitLocker
    Microsoft Copilot
    Dell Support Assist
    Dell Command | Update
    Macrium Reflect X subscription
    1Password Password Manager
    Amazon Kindle for PC
    Lightroom/Photoshop subscription
    Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProSnapdragon® X Elite (12 Core) with Hexagon NP...32GB LPDDR5x 8448 MT/sIntegrated Adreno GPU
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
    CPU
    Snapdragon® X Elite (12 Core) with Hexagon NPU delivering 45 TOPS
    Memory
    32GB LPDDR5x 8448 MT/s
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Adreno GPU
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos spatial sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.8″ PixelSense Flow touchscreen 120 Hz 600 NIT
    Screen Resolution
    2304 × 1536 (201 PPI), 3:2 aspect ratio
    Hard Drives
    1 TB PCIe NVMe Gen 4 SSD
    Case
    Black Anodized Aluminum
    Cooling
    Vapor Chamber Cooling
    Mouse
    None
    Internet Speed
    942 Mbps Netgear Mesh + 2 Satellites
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Windows Security (Defender)
    Other Info
    Microsoft 365 subscription (Office)
    Microsoft Office 365
    Microsoft OneDrive 1TB Cloud
    Microsoft Visual Studio 2026
    Microsoft Visual Studio Code
    Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation
    Lightroom/Photoshop subscription
    1Password Password Manager
    Microsoft Sysinternals
    Amazon Kindle for PC
    Microsoft BitLocker
    Microsoft Copilot

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