You could install the OS and then run Drive Image XML, or just use BArtPe to create a boot disk with the necessary files. http://www.runtime.org/peb.htm http://www.runtime.org/driveimage_faq.htm#restore On Sun, Oct 16, 2011 at 3:39 AM, Loy Pressley <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > *Good afternoon, > > I have been using Drive Image XML to image and backup my Win 7 laptop. It > seems to work very well and when I browse the backup I've created all the > files seem to be there. My question concerns restoring files from a backup > when I have a hard drive failure. How do you do it??? > > Suppose I have a fairly current backup of my hard drive and my hard drive > suddenly fails. I buy a new hard drive and install it in my laptop. Then, > how do I get the files in the backup to restore to the hard drive I've just > installed for that purpose? Will I have to format the new drive before I > restore from the backup? How do I start the restore operation? I lost the > executable copy of Drive Image XML when the old hard drive failed. The > backup itself is not an executable file, so what do I do? Even if I boot > from a CD, I still don't have an executable copy of Drive Image XML to use > to do the restore. > > I must be doing something wrong. Any help would be greatly appreciated. > > Although I believe my question is pertinent to almost any image/backup > software and computer, my system is Win7 Home Premium, 250 Gig hard drive > with lots of empty space and 2 gigs of memory. I'm using Drive Image XML as > my backup software, but I also have Paragon 4.5 and I have the same question > about that backup, too. > > Thanks in advance, > > Loy* > > The NOSPIN Group has added a new feature on our website, > web based bulletinboard for questions and answers: > Visit our sister website at http://nospin.com > The NOSPIN Group has added a new feature on our website, web based bulletinboard for questions and answers: Visit our sister website at http://nospin.com