Recoverable Windows 7 systems

Virtually all modern OS - recoverable systems. That is, the "operating system" can be returned to a certain state that preceded a certain moment (failures, errors, etc.). As an example, consider the recovery (rollback) processes used in Windows.

Recoverable Windows systems: the processes used

To start a little theory. As you can see, the restored systems are so named, that they have tools in their arsenal to return to their original state. The principle of their operation is quite simple. The system reserves a certain place on the hard disk where special backup copies are stored in the form of a system image with critical files for its operation.

When restoring Windows, user files and documents are not subject to change, no matter how long they were created. Only the installed programs that were installed after the rollback point was created are affected. But this is the simplest explanation, because in reality everything is much more complicated. But in the jungle of system processes and services, an average user does not need to climb, so let's focus on practical actions.

How to restore the system by the simplest method?

It is possible to restore the system after failures or errors, when it does not work correctly due to their appearance, in several ways. The simplest method is the use of a special service located in the corresponding section of the Control Panel.

It simply selects the launch of the rollback process, after which the system displays a list of all states (so-called control points) to which it can be restored. In case there was an unexpected failure or the user wants to roll back to another time indicator, you should use the display of all points, and not only those that were created automatically by the system. After activating the process, a reboot will be performed, and the system will be listed in the form that corresponds to the selected point.

Sometimes you can perform similar actions when changing OS to a newer version. In particular, it concerns an upgrade with Windows 7 or 8 to the tenth version. How to restore the system to the 8th version instead of the 10th? For this, the standard method is not suitable. You'll have to use a rollback to the previous OS. In the section of recovery there is such a line. But you need to remember that the rollback after installing Windows 10 to the OS, which was used on the computer earlier, can be done only for 30 days. To restore system 8.1 or 7, on which the tenth modification was installed, it is possible in the similar way.

Steps to Boot the System

However, you can often find situations where there is no access to the standard rollback tool, if only because the system simply can not boot in the normal mode.

Recoverable Windows systems have at their disposal one more unique tool, the use of which is that when the OS starts, even before the boot window with a graphical interface appears, call a special menu. In all versions of Windows, except the tenth, the F8 key is used (in Windows 10 it can also be configured). When you click on it at the very beginning of the start, you select from the menu the boot line of the last working configuration automatically saved on the computer. This is somewhat reminiscent of the standard rollback process, only the temporary point is selected by the system itself, not by the user.

Rollback after failures in Safe Mode

But what if the rollback is impossible with this method? There are several options for action, one of which is to try to get to the recovery tool yourself.

For this, as in the previous case, the F8 key is used, but in the start menu a Safe Mode line, called safe mode, is selected. At the same time, the minimum amount of elements required for normal operation of the OS is loaded. If the system boots, you simply repeat the steps described for the standard method.

Restore from a backup

Many users, unfortunately, completely underestimate the creation of backups in the form of images of a workable OS and their own files manually when using Windows tools or special programs.

But with their help to make a rollback is much easier than using tools that require additional knowledge. In addition, you can save a backup copy on your hard drive, and write it to an optical or USB drive so that you can boot from it initially.

How to restore the system via BIOS (Windows)?

Since we are talking about removable media, you can not ignore the accompanying settings of the parameters of the primary BIOS input / output system.

The main rule for all situations is setting the boot priority for a removable device. But if there are no problems for optical disks (the CD / DVD drive is automatically recognized in the BIOS), when you try to install the first component of the flash drive, you need to insert it into the USB port before turning on the computer or laptop. Otherwise, the device may not be detected. If everything is done correctly, the boot list will show its name or description.

Using Bootable Media

Now a few words about what should be present on the boot device. First of all, it should contain boot sectors, without which the start will not be possible. As for the rest of the software, it can be divided into two broad categories:

• Installation distributions of systems;
• Boot utilities such as LiveCD, to any one modification of Windows not related.

But in either case, they have built-in troubleshooting tools and tools for rolling back. However, experts recommend using the command line. In most cases, with particularly critical system damage, you can only restore the OS performance.

For example, one of the most universal commands, which is useful for all occasions, sfc / scannow (it checks the integrity of the system components, and, if necessary, restores them).

If the boot loader is corrupted and the boot record corresponding to it, the system partition checking command (chkdsk c: / f / r) is first used, and then the recovery or full overwriting of the boot (Bootrec.exe / FixMbr, Bootrec.exe / FixBoot, Bootrec.exe / RebuildBcd ). It is these tools that help when everything else does not work.

Specific methods of rollback on some notebook models

But on some models of laptops, all these tools are unnecessary. They have special menus accessible through the buttons on the keyboard panel or on the case (for example, in the Sony VAIO this is the ASSIST button).

In such menus it is possible to restore the system after reinstallation even with modification modification or after appearance of critical errors and failures. In addition, you can return to the factory settings that were set initially (full reset). After that, the user will receive a "clean" system, however, all data will be destroyed.

Hard Drive Problems with RAW File System

Finally, another problem, after the appearance of which it is necessary to think about how to restore the system. The RAW format of hard disks, as well as removable drives, is a specific file system, although Windows recognizes it, but it is impossible to extract information from it.

In the simplest case, if it's not a system partition, you can convert the RAW format to NTFS or FAT32 in the disk management settings. In the case of the system disk, you will have to use a boot from removable media and use a validation command with the literal of the partition.

If this does not work, you can use the special boot utility Active Partition Recovery Boot Disk, which is specifically designed to fix problems that arise with the system partition (including the conversion of RAW format to any other). If this does not help, the partition will have to completely format and re-install the operating system.

Conclusion

Finally, it remains to add that the Windows rollback tool used in each specific case should be selected solely in the light of the current situation. With minor damages, both Safe Mode and the last working configuration load work. If failures and errors occur constantly, and the system does not load at all, you can not do without removable media and the command console. In many cases, the system can be brought to life only with its help.