a few things i would like to ask, are u wanting to boot from the HDD with the image on ?
are u able to see the HDD in windows?
what format is the image? .iso etc etc
i mean i thought if you used the backup feature within windows then you would use the same restore option ?, in start's search bar type " restore " without speach marks, and use that function??
wel try it however for the main outcome that you are tryingh to achieve does seem a little long winded , meaning that i would think it would be quicker to format, reinstall , and add your programs back on, then u have no junk, no temp files etc. maximum capacity,
however if this is what you want to do we will try our best to help you
what did the restore function do?
When you restore an image, Windows will show a drive that might be available to restore from. Does it show the external drive?
If you have a WindowsImageBackup folder, then you have an image backup, unless it got corrupted.
If you are using a Recovery CD, after you log in, it will look for Windows 7 installs. If it finds none, it will allow you to re-image. If it does find one, you may have to select the re-image option. It will then search for backups. If it sees the external drive, then it should find the backup image.
I use the image function all the time and it works great.
Maybe going over the steps will help. I see you and kaos have discussed this but perhaps what happens after you sign-in might help me understand what is going wrong.
No, they are not the same thing. Your disc is probably system specific. You should have been given the option to make the Repair CD when you made the backup image. You can make one by going to the Start Menu-All Programs-Maintenance.
I am not sure if you even get to the window below, but it does show the different options. I still seem to remember you first go to a basic window where the system is checked for Windows installs, there you have the option to repair a current install or on the bottom, restore an image. I do not have a picture.
You are using the wrong repair CD, it does not have an option to restore an image, but probably a special image on your hard drive, not the one you made. You need a Repair CD as is seen in the attachment.
If you cannot make such a CD with your system, can you use the F8 key during boot and Repair Your Computer to get the same thing? If you have or can borrow an Install DVD, you can also use it. But you have to get to an option that will Restore an image.......
OK, if you are getting the pictures you posted from the How-to-Geek and you are not showing a available backup image on your external drive, or you cannot use the search for an image, then I have no other suggestions. Except possibly before you search for an image, you reset your external drive, or don't even turn it on until just before you search.