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Refresh your PC to a clean and speedy state with recimg

With Windows 8, Microsoft has taken the need for improved backup and restore functionality to heart. A new utility aptly named "Refresh" is included with the upcoming operating organisation that is ready to make those almanac Aliens-way "nuke it from orbit"  re-installations of Windows and applications as piece of cake as possible.

Out of the box, Refresh will allow yous to easily reset the operating system to its original land without deleting your Metro applications, personal files, user accounts, or the settings configured during initial setup. Also saved are network connections, BitLocker (and BitLocker To Get) encryption settings, and bulldoze letter assignments. On the other mitt, desktop applications will be removed, and firewall settings, file type associations, and display settings will exist reset to defaults. According to Microsoft'due south Building Windows 8 blog, the refresh function does not keep the above mentioned data past default because it is the software most likely to cause performance or stability bug.

At a basic level, Refresh is a differential epitome fill-in that keeps runway of the data added to a base Windows installation. When run, the tool acts as an overhauled Arrangement Restore by re-installing Windows and and so restoring the backed upward information automatically to bring your PC back to its "default" state.

How to salve your desktop applications with Recimg

Refresh can be further tweaked with a command line tool called Recimg. Using this utility, it is possible to create your own baseline image that Refresh will employ to restore your computer.

This would allow you to install Windows, run through the initial setup, create user accounts, install all of your favorite applications (both desktop and Modernistic/Metro), and configure/personalize the Bone. One time you lot have your reckoner set the style you similar information technology, y'all tin can create a custom image that volition preserve this state should y'all need to restore the PC. This functionality has been possible with third political party tools for some time, but information technology is now built into Windows — and is much faster than doing a restoration of a full disk epitome using Acronis (or the like). The downside is that you need a Windows install in place before you can restore your image, so it becomes less handy if your difficult drive dies and yous need to restore to a new drive. You would need to install windows and then allow Refresh to re-install Windows plus your saved changes. Considering of this, the Refresh prototype should not replace your normal fill-in strategy.

Despite the limitations of the differential backup –including incompatibilities with some desktop apps (an issue Microsoft is working on addressing) — using Windows 8's Refresh will accept y'all up and running again in less than half an hour. Further, while it does involve using the command line to set information technology up, it only takes a few elementary mouse clicks around the GUI to actually perform a restore, making it a boon for family tech back up.

Creating your custom baseline paradigm

After installing your favorite applications and getting the operating system set upwardly the way you like it, you demand to create a new paradigm that will go the new baseline for Windows 8's Refresh tool. Unfortunately, there is no GUI method to do this out of the box (there are third party Metro apps that can do information technology, even so). Open a new Administrator command prompt by searching for "cmd" on the Start screen, right clicking the control prompt icon, and choose "Run as ambassador."

Command Prompt icon on Windows 8 Start Screen

At present you will demand to run a uncomplicated control to create the new image. Blazon the following command — recimg /createimage Due east:\BACKUPS\ — and hit the Enter key.

The location "E:\BACKUPS\" in the above example command tin can be replaced with any directory of your option. You can choose a directory on any connected drive and the Recimg utility will create the binder(s) for y'all as needed.

recimg recovery image creation in Windows 8

Later hitting Enter, the Recimg utility will write a new paradigm file, and and so register the new file with the Refresh program and then that it will use the custom image rather than the Microsoft-provided default when run. Depending on the amount of information the tool will need to write for the differential fill-in, it could accept a while to complete. One time finished, Recimg will display an functioning successful message. Equally of the RTM release, the tool states the following when an image is successfully created: Recovery image creation and registration completed successfully.

If you browse to the directory you used in the in a higher place command, you will find a new file named "CustomRefresh.wim." The exact size volition vary, but you tin can expect it to be at least several gigabytes in size. While Windows' built-in nix/annal manager cannot open the ".wim" paradigm file, vii-nix is able to open the archive (it cannot add items to it, all the same). Currently, the epitome file contains the following folders and files:

  • Documents and Settings
  • MSOCache
  • Program Files
  • Program Files (x86)
  • ProgramData
  • Users
  • Windows
  • bootmgr (file)
  • BootNXT (file)
  • hiberfil.sys
  • InstallRPLog.txt
  • pagefile.sys
  • swapfile.sys

The inclusion of hiberfil, pagefile, and swapfile ".sys" files is curious, however information technology is otherwise a straightforward backup.

CustomRefresh(dot)wim file open in explorer and 7zip

The CustomRefresh.wim file created with recimg utility shown in Explorer and open up in 7-nothing (inset)

That is all there is to the recovery-paradigm creation process. It may be a skillful idea to include that CustomRefresh.wim file into your overall fill-in strategy. Should the original file exist lost or damaged, y'all can place the backup in the same location and have it work. To verify, y'all can open up a new command prompt window with administrative privileges and use recimg /showcurrent to brandish the currently configured image directory. To change this, yous can use recimg /setcurrent E:\BACKUP\ to annals the new location of the CustomRefresh.wim file.

The restoration process is done using the new Refresh tool located in the "PC Settings" Metro application, or the Windows eight recovery surroundings (if the PC is unable to kicking into Windows properly). Either way, it is a straightforward procedure that can be completed without the use of the command line. Continue reading for details on the Refresh recovery and restoration procedure — and the current caveats.

Side by side page: Caveats, and further reading

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