Restoring System Image W7

I'm only aware of hidden systems coming from the factory and would never consider creating one on my own. In your other thread you mention an external USB HD and that is what I am familiar with setting up for system image/restore.

There is some info HERE but it requires a paid product called Norton Ghost. Also there is no date on that page so I have no idea if it is compatible with Windows 7.

Perhaps I didn't phrase my question carefully enough. I have Win 7 on a current system. I created a Restore CD = System Recovery Console. I did not install Win 7 originally. However, it is my understanding that in the Win 7 installation process, one can choose to Install the System Recovery Console as a hidden partition on the main HD.
This has nothing to do with an external HD for backups and System Images.

The System Recovery Console was hidden away since Vista. Restore CD <> System Recovery Console; there are major differences and/or advances. There is very little need for the System Recovery Console because of the more automated options and there is no need for you to implicitly create a hidden partition on W7 install, the option is already there. If you still need the System Recovery Console then see HERE.

Techkisses.
"Hi. Does this work for "BOOTMGR image is corrupt. The system cannot boot". Im having problems with my laptop, dell inspiron mini 1012, a windows 7 "
If you have the original DVD, you can run it up to the window which shows the repair option. Choose "repair startup". and follow the prompts. You may need to do it a couple of times, as it sometimes does a partial repair and considers it "done".

What seems contradictory is the following:

"So can you get the Recovery Console back in Windows 7?
The good news is that it was never missing, it was just very very well hidden. You can access it through the Control Panel applet in the system recovery options.

You can access this in three ways…

1) Through the boot menu by pressing the F8 key on your keyboard after the BIOS screen disappears but before the Starting Windows logo appears. Select Repair Your Computer from the menu that appears.
2) From a System Repair Disc. You will need to tell Windows to restore from a backup and then cancel that to see these options.
3) From the Windows 7 install DVD. Click Repair Your Computer at the Install screen."

None of the 3 ways listed is the "Control Panel applet".

Are there 4 ways to access the Recovery Console?


The System Recovery Console was hidden away since Vista. Restore CD <> System Recovery Console.
I thought that the Restore CD was identical to the System Recovery Console in the hidden partition.
What is the difference?

From p. 24 of "Windows 7 Tweaks".
"There are 2 ways to access System Recovery Console: the hidden recovery partition set up when Windows 7 was installed. This is done by pressing F8 right after POST is complete, providing a special boot menu that gives the option to repair your computer...After you select Repair, the System Recovery Console is loaded.l...If Windows 7 was installed without creating the hidden partition, then you will need to access the System Recovery Console with the System Recovery Console Boot CD."

So this book contradicts the ghacks.com article, but maybe not. When ghacks.com lists option 1) above, he may have forgotten to add that it works only if you have installed the hidden recovery partition on Windows 7 Install.

On my Win 7 x64 Pro system, I found deeply buried in the Control Applet, the following: Control Panel > Recovery > Advanced Recovery Methods > User File Backup > Restart.
I did not dare test that option, but hopefully if I needed it, Restart would find the System Recovery Image on my external F: drive.
What seems to support your view that one does not need to install the hidden recovery partition is that I booted up using F8 and found the Repair option at the top of the Advanced Boot Option Menu.
Again, I did not dare click "Repair" as I actually have a System Image stored on an attached external drive. I wonder if there is a safe way to test if Windows can find the System Image and then cancel out of the restore?
So perhaps "Windows 7 Tweaks" is incorrect. Or else the hidden recover partition is something different than the Repair option at the top of the Advanced Boot Options screen I saw. (The hidden recovery partition was not installed on my system.) It is all very confusing.

I'm saying that what was called the System Recovery Console in XP is now just so hidden away that most users will never see it; that the Restore CD is a much more user friendly and higher level application and should no longer be referred to as the System Recovery Console. You can apparently still get down to the System Recovery Console but it is only a minor portion of the Restore CD.

Personally, I much prefer tucking away a CD to having a hidden partition and wasting that space on a daily basis for something I may need once in 3 years. So rather than give you incorrect speculation I will bow out now, perhaps others will come along with more thoughts/knowledge on this subject.

TrainableMan, you did a fantastic job on this issue. I was able to create the Recovery Disk and boot up into it and then select my System Image on the attached external HD. (I had to unplug and plug back in the USB connection to the system and then click Refresh in the "Re-image your computer" dialog.)
Naturally, I did not actually do a Re-image but now I'm convinced that this recovery method is totally viable.
I also agree with you 100%: there is no reason to create a hidden recovery partition on a new Win 7 install.