# Full system restore with Kopia - C-drive?

**URL:** <https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452>\
**Category:** General Topics\
**Created:** [November 24, 2023, 5:47am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452 "2023-11-24T05:47:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sauna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sauna](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/Sauna)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2023, 5:47am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452/1 "2023-11-24T05:47:49Z")

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I have just started using Kopia. I was a little intimidated at first, but it is actually not complicated at all once you settle down and read the ‘Getting Started Guide’.

So far I using it to back up my C-drive to an encrypted (Vera-Crypt) non-system volume. I have a question about the restore process in Windows using Kopia. When it states in the guide that one can ‘Restore all the contents of the snapshot to a local or network location’, does this work like an ISO image? Is Kopia suited for this purpose?

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**Author:** ![kapitainsky](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/kapitainsky/32/535_2.png) [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2023, 8:42am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452/2 "2023-11-24T08:42:52Z")

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> [@Sauna](#):
>
> does this work like an ISO image?

And what does it mean? To work like ISO image? can you explain?

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**Author:** ![dimejo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/kopia.discourse.group/dimejo/32/287_2.png) [@dimejo](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/dimejo)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2023, 9:04am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452/3 "2023-11-24T09:04:41Z")

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> [@Sauna](#):
>
> does this work like an ISO image? Is Kopia suited for this purpose?

Kopia does file-based backups, not block-level backups. Hence it can not restore a complete partition or drive.

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**Author:** ![Sauna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sauna](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/Sauna)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2023, 9:34am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452/4 "2023-11-24T09:34:39Z")

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This was what I wanted to know. Thank you for explaining this to me.

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**Author:** ![ted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@ted](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/ted)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/full-system-restore-with-kopia-c-drive/2452/5 "2024-01-20T21:48:54Z")

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Alternatively, you can run a script before or after a kopia backup to use a 3rd party command that would backup a partition or disk at block level. (while not logged into windows of course) On linux I use dd. I’m not aware of what options exist for windows. If you were booted with a live USB you would have options.