Windows 7 Backup Hangs at 97% or 57% | 2024 Solutions

Windows 7 has a built-in Backup and Restore that can help you create system images and backup files for data protection. But sometimes, you may encounter Windows 7 backup hangs at 97% or 57%, or occasionally 8% error during the backup process, which can be really frustrating.

Don't worry! This post will show you some possible reasons for this issue and give effective methods to solve it. Just keep reading and find the answers you need.

Possible Reasons Why Windows 7 Backup Hangs at 97%

Several reasons might cause Windows 7 backup hangs at 97%. The most common ones include:

• The backup destination is full
• The system image is too large
• The hard drive is corrupted
• The backup process is interrupted
• Bad sectors on the destination drive
• Other programs lock backup

All the above factors may cause your Windows 7 Backup freezes at 97%, 57%, or 8%.

How to Fix Windows 7 Backup Hangs at 97% Problem - 5 Fixes

If you're unsure which of these is causing your problem, you can try each solution below and see if it fixes the issue.

Fix 1. Disable Firewall Temporarily

Step 1. In the Windows Defender Firewall window, click on "Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off" on the left window pane.

Step 2. In the Private network settings and public network settings options, choose "Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)".

Step 3. Click on "OK" to confirm your changes.

Fix 2. Check If the Disk Space for Backup is Full

Checking Disk Space:

Step 1. Go to "This PC" > Right-click on the system partition (generally is C drive) > Choose "Properties".

Step 2. In the Properties window, under the General tab, you can see how much free space and used space for this partition. If there is not enough free space, you need to delete some unimportant files to free up some disk space.

Fix 3. Run SFC Scan to Fix Hard Drive Corruption  

If corrupted system files are on your hard drive, it may also cause the windows 7 backup to be hangs at 97%. In this case, you need to run an SFC scan to fix the issue.

Step 1. Type "cmd" in the search box, then right-click on Command Prompt and choose "Run as administrator".

Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type "sfc /scannow", and press Enter.

This will scan all protected system files and replace corrupted ones with a cached copy located in a compressed folder at WinDir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. After completing the scanning process, restart your computer to check if the windows 7 backup hangs at 97% problem is solved.

You may also be interested: SFC is not working to repair corrupted files on Windows 10

Fix 4. Perform a Clean Boot 

If any third-party programs or services interrupt the backup process, you may also encounter a windows 7 backup stuck problem. In this case, you can try to perform a clean boot to fix the issue.

Step 1. Go to Start > Type "msconfig" in the search box and press Enter.

Step 2. In the System Configuration windows, under the General tab, choose "Selective startup".

Step 3. Uncheck the Load startup items checkbox.

Step 4. Under the Service tab, check the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox, and then click on the "Disable all" button.

Fix 5. Restart Backup Process

If the backup process is interrupted, it may also cause windows 7 backup stuck at 97%. To fix this, you can try restarting the backup process.

Step 1. Go to Start > Type "Backup and Restore" in the search box and press Enter.

Step 2. In the Backup and Restore windows, click on "set up backup" to open Backup Wizard.

Step 3. Select a storage place where you want to save the backup file and then click on "Next".

Step 4. Choose what you want to backup and then click on "Next".

Step 5. Click on "Change schedule" to set up a schedule for the backup.

Step 6. Click on "Save settings and run backup" to start the backup process.

You may also be interested: Windows 7 Backup and Restore Blank Screen(Not Working)

Windows Backup and Restore Alternative – Backup Windows with Ease

Suppose you are not sure what causes the problem exactly; trying the above methods one by one is really time-consuming and energy-consuming. In that case, you can try Windows Backup and Restore alternative - EaseUS Todo Backup. It is a free backup software that can help you easily and quickly backup data, system, and partition with simple clicks. Using it, you will no longer encounter the problem of backup freezing or being stuck at 97%.

Besides full backup, it supports differential backup and incremental backup. Backup and Restore only backup files and systems to local and external drives, while you can use EaseUS Todo Backup to save backups to NAS, EaseUS Cloud, and local drives.

Here is a step-by-step guide to using EaseUS Todo Backup to back up files:

Step 1. Click the "Select backup contents" button to start backup.

Step 2. There are four data backup categories, File, Disk, OS, and Mail, click File.

Step 3. Both local and network files will be listed on the left. You can expand the directory to select the files to be backed up.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen guide, select the destination where you want to save the backup.

Click "Options" to encrypt the backup with password in "Backup Options", set the backup schedule and choose to start back up at certain event in "Backup Scheme". There are also many other options you can explore, customize the backup task according to your need.

Step 5. You can store the backup to local drive, EaseUS's cloud service, and NAS.

Step 6. EaseUS Todo Backup enables users to back up data to both third-party cloud drive and its own cloud drive.

If you want to back up data to third-party cloud drive, choose Local Drive, scroll down to add Cloud Device, add and login your account.

You can also choose EaseUS's own cloud drive. Click EaseUS Cloud, sign up with your EaseUS Account and log in.

Step 7. Click "Backup Now" to start backup. After the backup task is completed, it will be displayed in the form of a card on the left side of the panel. Right-click the backup task to further manage it.

Sum Up

The problem of the Windows 7 backup hangs at 97% or 57% can be caused by various reasons, such as not enough disk space for backup, corrupted system files, and third-party programs or services interrupting the backup process. To fix the issue, you can try the solutions in this article one by one. If you are not sure which solution is workable for you or if you don't want to try each solution one by one, you can try windows backup and restore alternative - EaseUS Todo Backup. It will back up your files with simple clicks without any hassles.

FAQ about Windows 7 Backup Hangs at 97% or 57%

1.  Why is my backup hangs at 97%?

Several reasons may cause backup stuck at 97%, or 57%, or 8%, etc. Possible reasons are your backup files are locked by other programs, or your storage space is full, or there are some bad sectors in your system disk.

2. How long should a Windows 7 backup take?

The backup time to create a system image for Windows 7 relies on the size of your system. Usually, it will take 1 to 2 hours, or even more. 

3. Why does my Windows 7 backup keep failing?

Many issues may cause the problem. Maybe it is because your backup files are corrupted, or the Backup and Restore is affected by malware or virus. Sometimes, it may be because of an incompatible drive.

4. Does Windows 7 backup still work with Windows 10?

Windows 7 Backup and Restore feature is available on Windows 10 and Windows 11. To find it on your Windows 10/11, follow the path: Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7)