Where Are Windows System Image Backups Stored?
WindowsImageBackup folder with VHDX images on the backup drive plus the restore flow.
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Legacy system image backups land in a WindowsImageBackup folder at the root of the chosen drive, with per machine subfolders holding VHDX disk images.
New backups overwrite the previous image on the same drive by design. Keep one drive per machine or they fight over the folder.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
[BackupDrive]:\WindowsImageBackup\[PCName]
VHDX files plus catalog metadata inside. Restore from recovery media (Troubleshoot, System Image Recovery), not from inside Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Can I browse files inside a system image?
Yes: mount the VHDX in Disk Management read only and copy files out. Dismount before the next backup runs.
Why did my old image vanish after a new backup?
Same drive keeps one image set by default. Rotate drives or copy the folder elsewhere between runs.
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