Unable to boot after image restore with TIH 2013
After installing Win76bit updates this past weekend I was not able to get back into Windows after it rebooting to complete the updates. I finally forced a shutdown and tried to reboot only to get an error I had never seen before (have pic I can get my hands on if helps but not issue at this point). I tried to do a System Restore but these did not succeed either. So I opted to restore from an Acronis backup. However, after complete I got the same error. So I "0" wiped the drive and restore the image again. Now, if I make the HP Recovery partition the active partition it boots fine however if I make C the active partition I now get a new error message. It's asking for the Windows disc to run a repair. I assumed it may be do to a corrupt MBR but I used a tool to rebuild this but still no change. This new error refers to a required device as missing...see attached pic.
I'm not sure if Acronis is messing up again as I found in the past it was not putting the partitions back onto the HDD the way they were backed up. This forum and Acronis couldn't solve that issue. Not sure this is relevant or not.
Here is a copy of how your partitions may have aligned. This is a popular HP configuration.
Windows Disk Management View.
Do you recall whether this matches yours?
Note the first partiton (System reserve) is non-lettered and is the active boot partition.
You can also use the TI Boot CD and begin a simulation of your backup. Compare yours backup with this backup.
Does your backup have the same listing of partitions?
If yes, below is the sequence they should be restored in--which is the same sequence as the Windows Disk management view above.
If the above matches yours, another easy restore would be a disk mode restore which is illustrated in signature link 3 below, item 2--Disk Mode Restore.
Or, here is another pdf link showing how this type partition arrangement can be restored.
http://forum.acronis.com/sites/default/files/forum/2009/08/3426/mar15-g…
PS: Don't forget to checkmark the "Recover disk signature" option which is listed on the same screen where the target disk is selected.
I'll need to take a look at another HDD I cloned from this disk that still has the original layout (no idea why Acronis rearranged it). I know it's Z:(199Mb), C:(442Gb), E(23.6Gb) and then D(107Mb). These are capacity not used space. Just don't remember what is what except Z: I assigned to he NTFS System and C: is the OS, etc., itself.
I did check the option to restore the MBR however. And when the current HDD I'm working with has been showing the layout as E:, C:, D and then Z.
I made Z: the "active" partition and I'm now booting into Windows again. The image restored. I'll login and test it.
Post a screen capture of Windows Disk Management graphical view of the current disk so we can see how it is arranged.
There are a couple ways to see how your old disk was arranged.
1. The best way would be to attach the old disk via a usb connection and do a Windows Disk Managment Screeen Capture.
2. or it is possible to get the partition information from your backup if the the backup contained all partitions as part of the backup.
In my earlier post, I referenced a pdf example. If you boot from the TI recovery CD and simulate a restore and follow that example and perform PDF Figure 8-9-10, then your figure 10 will provide the partition information that existed on your disk at time of the backup creation. Figure 8 is NOT the correct sequence. If figure 9 is performed as illustrated , figure 10 will be correct.
Until we know how the new disk compares with the old disk as to partition arrangement, we cannot ascertain what action is necessary to make them match.
It may be as simple as removing drive letter Z but we cannot tell until we see the comparison.
Edit: Regarding the last two partitions. At this point, we do not know if it is just the drive letters which have been reversed or whether both partitions need to be reversed. This is why we need the comparison between current and actual and we cannot use drive letters as the controlling factor.
Screenshot below is of the current Momentus XT drive.
The drive layout was (from left to right, I don't see the point of connecting and getting a snapshot when I know the layout):
- Z System
- C Seagate
- E Recovery
- D HP Tools
Question: ultimately does it even matter or will this cause a problem trying to run something from one of these partitions? The original layout was Z, C, E then D.
When trying to config a new backup schedule it won't even show
The info provided by you would point to the current disk having partitons 3 and 4 reversed as compared to the original source disk.
Yes, it should be corrected as it will interfere with the program run for those partitions because the programs are run based on the partitions being in a particular number or position. Of course, it will never interfere if the programs are never run. Personall, I would fix them.
Question: when you created the backup, which option did you use to select what was included in the backup.
A. You clicked the Switch to Disk Mode and checkmarked the single system disk so all partitions were auto included.
or
B. Remained in default mode and hand selected all partitons to be included within the backup.
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Here is my suggested method of correction. Your response to the question will control other restore optionl.
I believe therestore option below is the easiest with least chance of errors.
You would be performing part 3 and 4 of signature link 3 (item 1 insdie that link) which illustrates the restore of individual partitions singly.
Open Windows Disk Management:
A. First delete partition 4 (Recovery) from within disk management.
B. Next delete HP Tools. All deleted space in unallocated from within disk Management.
C. Boot from the CD select the orignal backup for recovery.
checkmark ONLY the single Recovery Partition for Restore. (no other checkmarks)
D. Restore the Recovery Partition (same size as original) into the unalloated space and click Proceed.
E, No reboot necessary. Select the backup for Recovery Begin again (
F. Checkmark both HPTools and Track0/MBR for Recovery--all others unchecked.
G. Restore HPtools into the lower unallocated space to consume all space (same size as original)
H. When selecting the new disk as the target disk for mbr restore, note lower left corner
Checkmark the "Recover disk signature" if this option is offered.for Recovery.
I. Click proceed. After completion, reboot with only the new disk attached.
Before you start, I would review signature link 3, item 1 and review the guide to restore to a Larger or smaller disk.
As you already have the first two partitions already in use, you would be restoring partitons 3 and 4 plus the track0/mbr plus the Recover dis signature if offered (look carefully )
When completed, your disk management would look like my first example above and the HP Tools would be last and Drive E.
Some food for thought:
Recovery partition is useful only to restore the PC to its original factory state. Once you begin installing software and using the computer, such a restore is much less useful and much less appealing.
I removed my Dell Recovery partition and thus freed up almost 20 GB of disk space. But, first I used Dell's backup utility to create the Recovery image to a USB flash drive (you could also choose three DVD-R disks), which could be used restore to Dell factory state if I ever sold the PC. I also moved boot files from Recovery partition to the OS partition. In your case, you could free up almost 24 GB.
But, with ATI, the Recovery disks aren't even necessary if you use ATI to create a pre-boot backup image. I also did that (belt and suspenders).
TQuestion: when you created the backup, which option did you use to select what was included in the backup.
A. You clicked the Switch to Disk Mode and check marked the single system disk so all partitions were auto included.
or
B. Remained in default mode and hand selected all partitons to be included within the backup.
Answer: A
I'd like to keep the HP Recovery partition as it makes it really handy to access System Restore and other recovery options. Problem is if I hit F11 for recovery it's not going to the HP Reovery screen it goes to the Windows login screen.
If the Recovery partition is still the last partition (#4), when it was originally #3, It is not going to the Recovery screen due to the Recovery partition being in the wrong partition number.
This is why I suggested it location be corrected.
If the Recovery partition is still the last partition (#4), when it was originally #3, It is not going to the Recovery screen due to the Recovery partition being in the wrong partition number.
This is why I suggested it location be corrected.
Correct. Which is why I want to keep it and not delete it. So can you recommend a way to get in back in it's original position or how do I at least get it to work?
Thank you in advance...
So can you recommend a way to get in back in it's original position or how do I at least get it to work?
refer prior post #6 above.
You did ask a question (A or B answer) in that post. So, to be clear are you referring to these steps to correct the issue. Just being clear.
Open Windows Disk Management:
A. First delete partition 4 (Recovery) from within disk management.
B. Next delete HP Tools. All deleted space in unallocated from within disk Management.
C. Boot from the CD select the orignal backup for recovery. checkmark ONLY the single Recovery Partition for Restore. (no other checkmarks)
D. Restore the Recovery Partition (same size as original) into the unalloated space and click Proceed.
E, No reboot necessary. Select the backup for Recovery Begin again (
F. Checkmark both HPTools and Track0/MBR for Recovery--all others unchecked.
G. Restore HPtools into the lower unallocated space to consume all space (same size as original)
H. When selecting the new disk as the target disk for mbr restore, note lower left corner Checkmark the "Recover disk signature" if this option is offered. for Recovery.
I. Click proceed. After completion, reboot with only the new disk attached. Before you start, I would review signature link 3, item 1 and review the guide to restore to a Larger or smaller disk. As you already have the first two partitions already in use, you would be restoring partitons 3 and 4 plus the track0/mbr plus the Recover dis signature if offered (look carefully ) When completed, your disk management would look like my first example above and the HP Tools would be last and Drive E.
Yes. that is one suggestion. I also suggested that link 3, item 1 be reviewed as you would be performing very similar steps as the guide illustrates in restoring partition 3 and 4.
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Should that not be successful, then your second alternative would be to do a disk option restore as outlined in
Link #3 below, item #2 which begis with a using the add new disk option to delete the old partitons so the entire disk becomes unallocated space.