# Disk Imaging: Create and Restore a Drive Image

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Learn what a disk image contains, how full and incremental backups differ, and how to create and test a recovery image.

Practical guide

A disk image stores the contents of selected disks or partitions in a backup file. Restoring a system image can recover the operating system, applications and data captured at the backup date.

    A completed backup job is only the first step. Test that its contents can be recovered.

## Understand the backup methods

| Method | Contains | Recovery dependency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full | All selected data for that backup | The full backup itself |
| Incremental | Changes since a previous backup in the chain | The full backup and required incremental files |
| Differential | Changes since the full backup | The full backup and the selected differential |

Keep backup chains together and use the application to manage retention. Deleting individual files in a chain can make later recovery points unusable.

## Create an image you can recover

1. Choose the disk or partitions to protect. For system recovery include the boot-related partitions required by the application.
2. Select a destination on a separate physical device or a supported network location.
3. Choose retention, scheduling and encryption. Keep the recovery password somewhere accessible without the protected computer.
4. Run the backup and its validation option, if available.
5. Create recovery media and boot it far enough to confirm access to both the backup location and the disks. Exit without restoring.
6. Restore a sample file to another folder. For critical systems, test complete recovery on a spare disk or suitable test machine.

## Restore carefully

Start the recovery environment, select the correct recovery date and inspect the target disk before confirming. A whole-disk restoration can overwrite the target. If you only need one document, use file extraction or image mounting when supported rather than restoring the whole system.

## Catalog options

Explore [Macrium Reflect X Home](https://find-your-software.com/macrium/reflect-home/), [O&O DiskImage 23](https://find-your-software.com/oo-software/diskimage-23/) and [Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17](https://find-your-software.com/paragon/hard-disk-manager-17/). Confirm image-format compatibility and recovery-media support for the edition that created your backup.

## Related products

Explore catalog tools for disk-image backups and system recovery.

### O&O DiskImage

Create system images and file backups with scheduled chains and recovery tools.

[Find out more](https://find-your-software.com/oo-software/diskimage-23/)

### Acronis True Image

Back up files, create system images and prepare recovery or drive migration workflows with Acronis True Image.

[Find out more](https://find-your-software.com/acronis/true-image-2026/)

### Macrium Reflect X Home

Create disk images and file backups with Reflect X Home and prepare rescue-media recovery.

[Find out more](https://find-your-software.com/macrium/reflect-home/)

### Ashampoo Backup Pro

Create automatic file and partition backups to local, network, or cloud storage.

[Find out more](https://find-your-software.com/ashampoo/backup-pro-26/)

## Related guides

- [Compare imaging with cloning](https://find-your-software.com/solutions/cloning-software.html)
- [System recovery checklist](https://find-your-software.com/solutions/system-backup.html)
- [Back up individual files](https://find-your-software.com/solutions/how-to-backup-files.html)

## Sources and further reading

- [O&O DiskImage 23](https://find-your-software.com/oo-software/diskimage-23/)
- [Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17](https://find-your-software.com/paragon/hard-disk-manager-17/)
- [Backup and Disk Imaging catalog](https://find-your-software.com/products/disk-imaging.html)