System Image Recovery is a useful tool to save a system that has crashed or is in between crashing. System Image Recovery takes a complete backup of the entire computer data from the hard drives. The system image recovery backup data includes system settings, operating system, programs, and other files on the drive. With the help of the Windows System Image Recovery utility, you can easily recover your Windows and hard drive data. However, the Windows Image Recovery utility sometimes fails due to certain hard disk problems. When the recovery utility fails to recover backed-up data, you may receive an error like being unable to recover your PC system drive is too small. Continue reading to resolve the same.

How to Fix Hard Disk Problems in Windows 10

There can be various reasons for this issue; most of these are related to hard disk problems. Some reasons for this error to occur are the following:

Contents

  • How to Fix Hard Disk Problems in Windows 10

  • Method 1: Verify Target Drive Size

  • Method 2: Recreate System Image

  • Method 3: Change Attribute for System Image File

  • Method 4: Remove the Source Disk if Storing to an External Disk

  • Method 5: Format/Delete Volumes and Format Target Disks

  • Method 6: Create Windows Installation Media

  • The target disk may have insufficient size.

  • You may be restoring the data to an external disk without first removing the source disk.

  • Already existing system image issue.

Let us now look into possible solutions for such unable to recover your Windows PC system drive is too small issue that may cause this error on your computer.

Method 1: Verify Target Drive Size

This error will come up because your target disk must have more capacity than your source disk. Therefore, it is obvious to check the size of your target disk. Follow these simple steps:

  1. Press Windows + E keys simultaneously to launch the File Explorer.

  2. Right-click on the hard drive (target disk) where you want to restore the system image and select Properties.

  3. Under the General tab, you can see the disk’s size and capacity.

Note: If you find the size and capacity of the target disk are greater or equal to the size and capacity of the source disk, the restoring should work fine. If the size and capacity of the target disk are less than the source disk, you may want to free up the space in the target disk.

Also Read: Fix Steam Corrupt Disk Error on Windows 10

Method 2: Recreate System Image

A possible reason you are still getting the same error again is not because of hard disk problems but rather because of pre-existing issues with the system itself. You can try to recreate the system settings to resolve this issue.

Option I: Repair System Files

Read our guide on How to Repair System Files on Windows 10, and follow the steps as instructed to repair all the corrupt files on your computer.

Wait for the commands to be executed and check if the issue has been resolved.

Option II: Use Backup and Restore Utility

  1. Press the Windows key and type Control Panel. Select it and press Enter to launch it.

  2. Set View by as Category. Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

  3. Click on Create a system image on the left side menu.

  4. Select the drive and follow the on-screen instructions to create the system image.

Also Read: Fix: New Hard Drive not showing up in Disk Management

Method 3: Change Attribute for System Image File

When you create a system image file, the values of the minimum size required for the target file are automatically saved in a file. This file is titled $PBR_ResetConfig.xml. The values saved in this file are in MB or megabytes. Thus, even if the size of a target file is greater or equal to the size of the source file, you may still get an error because the minimum required size is greater. To resolve this hard disk problems, you can follow the following steps.

  1. Open the System Image file.

  2. Click on Sources.

  3. Open the $PBR_ResetConfig.xml file with Notepad.

  4. Locate the attribute and change the numbers.

Method 4: Remove the Source Disk if Storing to an External Disk

When you use an external disk to restore the system image file, the system assigns this external disk the same ID as the source disk. Sometimes, when both disks are operating in the system, it may cause a conflict and ultimately cause the restoration to fail. Thus, removing the source disk before the repair might help you avoid this unable to recover your PC system drive is too small error.

Method 5: Format/Delete Volumes and Format Target Disks

Try formatting the disk volume when you use an already used disk with partitions to restore the system file and get the same error. Formatting partitions and disks may help you get through this problem. You can follow these simple steps to format the drive:

  1. Connect the used disk (target disk) to the system.

  2. Press Windows + R keys simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.

  3. Type diskmgmt.msc to open the Disk Management window.

  4. Right-click on the used volume of the target disk.

  5. Click on Delete Volume…

  6. Once the volume is deleted, right-click on the target disk again.

  7. Select Format…

Also Read: 10 Ways to Free Up Hard Disk Space On Windows 10

Method 6: Create Windows Installation Media

Microsoft has an in-built tool called the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB drive (or download an ISO file and burn it onto a DVD) of any Windows OS version. The tool lets you upgrade or downgrade the Windows version. Read our guide on How to Create Windows 10 Installation Media with Media Creation Tool to implement the same.

Q1. What is a system image file?

Ans. A system image is a backup file of your hard drive’s data. You can recover your data from the system image file when your system fails. You can create a system image file by going to the Backup and Restore option in Control Panel.

Q2. Why can’t I recover my PC?

Ans. There could be multiple reasons you cannot recover your PC, and a very common reason for not being able to recover a PC is hard drives, incorrect backup files, and inadequate drive size.

Q3. What is meant by system drive being too small?

Ans. When you try to restore your data and get an error saying the system drive is too small, it means that the capacity of the target drive is less than the capacity of the source drive.

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We hope this guide was helpful and that you were able to fix hard disk problems on your system. Comment down and let us know which method worked for you. Also, if you have questions, queries, or suggestions, feel free to share them with us. Also, let us know what you want to learn next.