Disable 'Create A System Image' In Windows 10

In the event your computer corrupts and loses functionality, as a precautionary measure, It's good practice to first create a System Image copy natively within Windows. You can then use It to restore your computer's files and settings, back to when the Image was created. Given that you can do this, so too can other users sharing your PC. As such, In this tutorial, I will show you how to securely disable the create a system Image feature In Windows 10.


Before I begin, here's what I'm referring to. Navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7), and click the Create a system Image link. You will then see a number of options, to backup the system Image of your PC as per the Image below.

It's all well and good when utilizing the backup yourself, however there's nothing stopping other users from creating a system Image, and accessing your personal files thereafter. To prevent this, I will demonstrate how to securely disable It, by using the good old Windows Registry Editor.

The process Involves quite a number of steps, but rest assured, I've simplified It In a very straightforward manner. So without further delay, let's get this tutorial started.

Step One:

The first thing you need to do, Is access the Windows Registry Editor. To do this, open the Run menu, enter regedit and hit OK.

Step Two:

Next, navigate to the following directory.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Then right-click the Windows key, and select New > Key as shown below.

Step Three:

Name the new Key (that you just created above) as Backup.

Step Four:

Now you need to create another key, by right-clicking Backup > New > Key.

Step Five:

Then name the new Key (that you just created above) as Client.

Step Six:

On the left pane, make sure the Client key Is selected. Then to the right of the window, right-click on a blank area, and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value as Illustrated below.

Step Seven:

Next, name the Value (that you just created above) as DisableSystemBackupUI.

Step Eight:

Double-click DisableSystemBackupUI, and In the Value data field, give It a value of 1. Hit OK to finalize the process.

Step Nine:

I've now navigated to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7), and clicked the Create a system Image link. As you can see, an error message Is displayed, stating that It's been disabled by the system administrator. Perfect!

Last Step:

To reverse the change and have Create a system Image functional again, refer to Step Eight above and In the Value data field, give It a value of 0. Then click OK.

Final Thoughts:

As mentioned, this may seem like a rather lengthy and complex process but If you follow the tutorial every step of the way, It's really quite simple. Given the Windows Registry Is a critical part of the operating system that can be corrupted due to Incorrect edits, I strong suggest backing It up, by using It's Export feature.

The changes should Immediately take effect, but In the event they don't, simply reboot your computer.