We previously reported that the system image backup feature was removed in Windows 8.1 . This isn’t entirely true — while the graphical interface for creating system images was removed, you can still create system images with a PowerShell cmdlet. This is good news for system administrators, as it allows them to create and restore system image backups without switching to third-party tools like Norton Ghost. System images are different from recovery images created with recimg because they contain a full snapshot of the system’s hard drive, including user files and settings. Create a System Image Backup First, you’ll need to connect an external drive to your system, which will serve as the backup drive. You can also back up to a shared folder over the network. However, you can’t save the system image backup to the system drive or any other drives you’re backing up. Next, open a PowerShell window as administrator. To do so, press Windows Key + X and select Windows Pow...