usb flash drive not a valid backup location for system image

Reply to MarkChudleigh 

Mark,

I'm not so sure you're right about not being able to make a system image backup in Windows 10. 

A Microsoft agent (paid subscription) has explained to me that the system image from Windows 10 will not back up to a flash drive. But it works fine if the system image is backed up to a hard drive, either internal or external, like the WD My Passport that I use. I have two computers running Windows 10 and back both up regularly.

However, there is no way to check if the Windows 10 system image backup is in good order. To verify and get a look at what's been backed up, one needs to go with a proprietary product. There is an "Ask Leo" newsletter that often discusses the backup products available, including a no-cost one called Macrium Reflect Free.    

Hope I'm right about all this, or there's been a lot of wasted cost and effort.

Why is there no oversight of this Microsoft forum by a Microsoft official?

Hello Mark Chudleigh:

I disagree with your statement that Microsoft did away with imaging for their newer Windows versions.

This thread is bemoaning the lack of support for USB flash memory for imaging. We canimage Windows 8 or Windows 10 systems to an external USB HDD or to DVD.

I save Windows 10 installation images at my business daily on a Seagate USB 3 drive and weekly at home on a USB 3 WD MyBook drive with the built in Windows 7 Backup and Restore utility. I've even created a shortcut on the taskbar to make it easy to access. I did this I had installations of Windows 8.1 as well.

If you try it out on your own, you will see that there is no problem creating an image. The link to create an image is on the left near the top of the opening screen and it works with the previously mentioned media. Third party imaging software is an option for those that want it.

While I acknowledge that this is a legacy Windows 7 program (app),  it can be used to both create and restore images on Windows 7, 8.0, 8.1 or Windows 10. That is why it is still available in Windows 10.

But this is a utility that MS needs to update and the reference to Windows 7 is the proof.

dr bug

The reason you are getting this response (The Drive is not a Valid Location) is that you are most likely trying to create a System Image for an operating system post Windows 7.

You will note in the Back up and Restore process Windows 7 is in brackets.

This is because this is the last Windows operating system that can be backed up in this manner.

Windows 8 and now Windows 10 cannot be backed up (System imaged) to any external hard drive.

Basically Microsoft have done away with ability to create a Systems Image of their new operating systems.

You can purchase an independent back up process from private companies. I'm advised that Acronis is as good as any. It's not cheap but if you're really concerned or running a business it might be a worthwhile investment. I don't have it as I cannot justify the cost.

Otherwise you're left with just backing up your individual files and folders to a flash drive or external hard drive.......Probably should do this anyway.

If you hold down the windows icon on your key board and press "I" you will get "settings" pop up. In there you will find Update & Security, this is a continuous process that you can personalise......so if you accidentally delete a file/document or a file gets corrupted you should be able to recover it there....not perfect, but it helps.

Hope I've saved you spending hours trying to find an answer to this issue.....you'll find many posts of people getting the error message "The Drive is not a Valid Location"..........Now you know why Microsoft have done away with it!.......they just did not tell us!

Hello AaronSiders:

Thanks for the suggestion, but yours and other posts in this thread are missing the point.

The thread title is about a trying to create a System Image NOT a Recovery Drive on a USB Drive. A Recovery Drive can be put onto USB Media. That is not the problem we are trying to address.

Another problem I see is people recommending the use of a work around proposed by someone early in the thread and repeated by others. But someone also posted that an Image created using that method cannot be restored. If you need to restore the image and it will not restore, it is false security.

I am not trying to criticize anyone who has posted - I appreciate people trying to help. But I've been following the thread when notified about a new post and it's frustrating to see non-related solutions and non workable solutions repeated.

This is a moderately long thread to date, but it's important to read from the beginning to understand the problem.

I truly believe that this is a Microsoft issue and that they must decide to update the application. If you are part of the Microsoft insider program, please suggest this to them.

dr bug

Well said.  Something else to think about: some of the responses that I have read over the years appear to be signed Microsoft representatives.

Hey XMT2RCV:

Thanks for the time you spent trying to help with this.

And good of you to explain the two processes to help clarify the issue.

dr bug