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Windows 7 and same 8 8.1 and 10 system image tool is just a joke over the user. Very hard to deal with. Is the Backup Catalog lost or does the recovery process tell you, that it is not available? <br />
There are some commandline recovery steps designed for Server OS but they should work for Windows 7 as well. <br />
See if they help: <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/cc742142(v=ws.11)" rel="ugc">https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/cc742142(v=ws.11)</a><br />
And next time use some third party backup tool to take image of your system.
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The Backup Catalog folder is actually missing. The restore says something like it cannot fine the backup files. The article you sent talks about wbadmin, however wbadmin has limited functionality on Windows 7, I don't think Windows 7 recognizes the wbadmin restore function. Below is the Error I get with running the restore command.<br />
<br />
Windows image location = F:\WindowsImageBackup<br />
<br />
C:\Windows\system32&gt;wbadmi<wbr />n restore catalog -backupTarget:F<br />
wbadmin 1.0 - Backup command-line tool<br />
(C) Copyright 2004 Microsoft Corp.<br />
<br />
ERROR - The specified backup location could not be found or is not a<br />
supported backup storage location.
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What if you try to mount the VHD file from backup on any working system and then backup the content of mounted virtual drive with third party backup tool for further restore?
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I thought about that and checked Acronis True Image Backup, but they can't read the Microsoft VHD files. I can't find a 3rd party utility that will read Microsoft's vhd files and create a CD or ISO image to allow me to perform a bare metal restore. Do you think it would be possible to boot the laptop using the Windows repair CD, open the CMD prompt, then some kind of way copy the files using the &quot;copy&quot; command from the mounted VHD image to the laptop's C drive? <br />
This way the O.S. is not running and I may be able overwrite the system files. Just a thought.
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Will the free version of Paragon allow me to create a bootable CD or ISO image file from the mount drive that will allow me to perform a bare metal restore?
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It will let you create backup to a backup file. Then you can boot your system from a Recovery CD created with Backup &amp;&nbsp;Recovery Free and restore from that backup image.
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Since I already had Amoei Backupper already installed on my laptop, I tried it. Amoei only allows me to create a <u>system </u>image from the C drive and system reserve partitions, it does allow me to create an image backup from the mounted VHD files, but it will not allow me to create a <u>system</u> image backup. I will now try Paragon to see if it will allow me to create a <u>system </u>image backup from the mounted VHD files.
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Don't concentrate on the wording of SYSTEM. You need to take full backup of mounted VHD drive (its file system). And then restore this over a real HDD.
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Tried Paragon backup and it worked! I was able to restore the mounted VHD files to the C drive partition. I didn't have to restore the entire disk (C partition + System Reserve), just restored the C partition. Had to create a boot USB drive using their WinPE recovery media that allowed me to write files over the existing C drive files. Thanks for all your help.
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Glad to hear it worked. Make sure you use non-Microsoft backup tool in future :)
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I'm needing to perform a bare metal restore of my Windows 7 32bit laptop. I have a system image backup on an external HD with all VHD files, but the catalog folder is missing. When I run the system restore it cannot find the restore files due to the missing catalog folder. <br />
<br />
Is there a way to rebuild or locate or restore the catalog folder?<br />
Is there a way to perform a bare metal restore using the existing image files without a catalog folder?
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I'm needing to perform a bare metal restore of my Windows 7 32bit laptop. I have a system image backup on an external HD with all VHD files, but the catalog folder is missing. When I run the system restore it cannot find the restore files due to the missing catalog folder. 

Is there a way to rebuild or locate or restore the catalog folder?
Is there a way to perform a bare metal restore using the existing image files without a catalog folder?

Catalog folder missing in Microsoft System Image Backup

The term "Backup" means the methods and processes involved to copy computer data (system data as well as application data) to media other than the ones where the data originally live (disk, tape, optical, cloud). "Restore" in turn means the methods and processes involved in data recovery, i. e., bringing back copied computer data to their original location. Backup/Restore primarily serves as a means of protection against data loss, be it due to disaster, corruption or sabotage. It can also be used for recovering data from an earlier point in time and even for cloning machines or applications. There is a wide variety of backup/restore software available, from expensive commercial products to free or open source tools.

Storage Software

Windows 7 is an operating system from Microsoft. Features include multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, referred to as the Superbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements.