[SOLVED] Win 7 Image Restore Issue - Stuck at "Select Keyboard Layout" in Startup Recovery Console

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by dha151, Dec 24, 2017.

  1. dha151

    dha151 MDL Novice

    Dec 8, 2017
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    I'm trying to restore a system image of Win 7 Ult. SP1 but can't get past the "Select Keyboard Layout" window in the startup recovery counsole.

    The mouse/keyboard are unresponsive and won't allow input as soon as this window appears. I've tried accessing recovery counsole from Win 7 install media mounted to a USB drive, Win 7 DVD install media, a Windows recovery disk, and also tried the "Use a system image you created earlier to recover your computer" option in Recovery menu under Control Panel in a fresh copy of WIn 7 Prof. All methods end up at the "select keyboard layout" screen where they fail.

    The keyboard works prior to entering the startup recovery counsole. Tried different USB ports on the computer thinking it was a USB 3.0 thing. Tried different keyboards. Tried enabling/disableing legacy USB support in bios. Nothing is working and I'm running out of ideas...

    Motherborad is a MSI B350 +AM4.

    My problem is exactly like this but with Windows 7: answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update-winpc/windows-10-system-restore-freezes-on-select/ee05e72c-2be3-42e2-80af-2715a5e2694c?auth=1
     
  2. dhjohns

    dhjohns MDL Guru

    Sep 5, 2013
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    Perhaps your computer just does not like Windows 7. :clap3:
     
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  3. dha151

    dha151 MDL Novice

    Dec 8, 2017
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    Win 7 Ultimate was installed on this machine for the past month and working great. Tried to downgrade to Professional (Ultimate not supported by WIn Loader with UEFI) and saved a system image before the process as backup. Formatted HDD and clean installed Win 7 Professional by mistake. Can't believe something this critical has no workarounds. Maybe someone else knows a trick?
     
  4. Flipp3r

    Flipp3r MDL Expert

    Feb 11, 2009
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    Your Win7 install has the AMD USB3.X drivers installed but your Winre.wim doesn't.
    You could mount the winre file & add drivers using dism.
    The winre,wim file is probably on a hidden partition...
     
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  5. dha151

    dha151 MDL Novice

    Dec 8, 2017
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    Thanks for the info. I was starting to suspect it was something to do with the USB 3 drivers but didn't have the knowledge to fix it. I came across this info after narrowing my search for USB 3 drivers: www(dot)sevenforums(dot)com/backup-restore/406915-windows-7-repair-disc-needs-usb-3-support-intergrated.html

    Created a repair disk using the tool in the link and was able to integrate the USB 3 drivers just like you said. There was a windows image recovery program on the disk that worked and I was successful mounting the image and restoring the previous install of Win 7 Ultimate. However, I couldn't get it to downgrade to Professional as wanted. Had to do a clean install at that point and remounting the image became unnecessary. Working on setting up the new system now. Thanks again for the solution!