Creating a System Image Backup is one of the safest ways to protect your Windows installation. But when it comes to restoring that backup on a modern system running Windows 11, many users get confused about what UEFI settings are required.
Modern PCs use UEFI firmware instead of traditional BIOS. The boot configuration (UEFI vs Legacy/CSM, Secure Boot, Boot Order) determines whether your recovery USB can start correctly and detect the system image.
If these settings aren’t configured properly, your PC may refuse to boot from the recovery USB or fail to recognize the backup image.
What You Need for Recovery
Before adjusting UEFI, make sure you have:
- A Windows Recovery USB drive (created from Windows 11 or Windows 10 Recovery options).
- Your System Image Backup (made through “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” in Control Panel).
- Access to your PC’s UEFI firmware settings (usually by pressing F2, Del, Esc, or F12 during boot).
UEFI Settings for System Image Restore
Here are the recommended UEFI settings:
1. Boot Mode: UEFI
- Keep the system in UEFI mode (not Legacy/CSM).
- Windows 11 requires UEFI + GPT for installation and recovery.
- Legacy mode is not recommended unless the backup was made from a Legacy/MBR system.
2. Secure Boot: Off (Temporarily)
- Some recovery media may fail if Secure Boot is enabled.
- If your recovery USB does not boot, go into UEFI and disable Secure Boot temporarily.
- After the restore is completed, re-enable Secure Boot for better security.
3. Boot Priority: USB First
- Set your Recovery USB drive as the first boot device.
- This ensures the PC starts directly into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
4. Storage Controller: AHCI Mode
- Keep SATA/NVMe drives set to AHCI (default).
- Do not switch to RAID/IDE unless your backup was created with that configuration.
- Changing this setting incorrectly may cause the restored system to fail to boot.
Steps to Perform the Recovery
- Insert the Windows Recovery USB.
- Enter UEFI firmware and set:
- Boot mode: UEFI
- Secure Boot: Off (if needed)
- Boot order: USB first
- Boot from the USB and go to:
Troubleshoot → Advanced Options → System Image Recovery - Select the system image you created earlier.
- Complete the restore process.
- Reboot and go back into UEFI to re-enable Secure Boot.
Quick Tips: UEFI settings for system image recovery Windows 11
- Always use a recovery USB created on the same version of Windows (Windows 10 or 11).
- If the system image was made on an older PC with Legacy BIOS, you may need to enable CSM/Legacy mode to restore it.
- Keep your recovery USB updated—an outdated one may not detect drives correctly on modern hardware.
Keep UEFI enabled, adjust Secure Boot depending on your recovery USB, and set the USB drive as top boot priority. These settings ensure that your Windows 7 system image recovery runs smoothly on a modern Windows 11.
