Re-sizing partitions need advice regarding possible need for Rescue Media
Hi, I'm running low on space in one partition and need to glean some from other partitions. For that purpose I have downloaded and installed EaseUS Partition Master...(no idea how to use it!)
Totally new to this procedure, I'm scared that I'll completely lose my OS and sought help on the PC Advisor site.
I'm told :- "Make sure you have created a new rescue media CD since taking the image."
I have created an image of my complete system but as I have the Boxed version of "True Image Home 2009", I was under the impression that the software CD also served as the rescue CD.
Do I need to burn another rescue CD....If so, I'm in trouble as my CD RW will only Read not Write (firmware problem and it won't let me update it!)
I've never had to use an image "In earnest" so I've no idea what I would have to do if the system wouldn't boot.
Can anyone offer me some help please?
Thanks shadowsports,
Sorry I didn't mention my OS, it's Vista Ultimate.
Owing to external disk size, I have had to delete two previous images which were very old anyway!
Just fired up TI. and can't now access the logs for that backup to verify that it was validated from the task list ...I think it was as I would always select the option to validate...being a bit of a Doubting Thomas!
Can I still perform a validation on this image at this stage and if so how?
It isn't apparent which build I have since there is no "About" tab where you would find such information about other software!
I haven't upgraded my version which I installed in March 2009, so can I presume that the Program Disk will be effective as a rescue disk if needed?
Can I still perform a validation on this image at this stage and if so how?
Click on signature link #1 and browse to index item 2-D (not easy to find but its there).
Hmm... Am I in a parallel universe?
I've just clicked the link from an email advice of a reply, ... and everything except the body of the thread is in Russian!
GroverH: Wow! you are quite evidently "Mr Acronis"!
Having followed your link and read all the posts in that thread (Not sure you meant me to read all) I was at first informed...and then confused once more!
Just as I thought I was beginning to get a handle on True Image!
I had attempted to check the task list from the "Logs" created when that image was made to confirm if it was validated or not but they are no-longer available.
The other way to ascertain if validation was requested or set-up when I instructed "TI" to create the image, was to follow the same steps as far as is possible .....and I never came across any option to validate!
Your comment #6 in reply to "Bu Yo" contains the nugget that allowed me to confirm that my image was in fact validated.
You said "Don't forget that validation can also be done immediately following the backup using the task backup options." and there hidden under "Back-up options" and even further hidden under the "Additional settings" is the very item I sought to find so long ago!..... A Tick Box saying "VALIDATE BACKUP ARCHIVE WHEN IT IS CREATED"!
Why on earth would anyone wish to hide such a vital piece of information behind two layers of settings?
I am still confounded by the concept of the "Rescue Disk", I really thought that I had made an investment when I bought this software but I have found it to be SO confusing to use that I have little confidence that it would work when I really need it.
I accept that there are good people here to offer help and advice, but the software interface is poorly designed and lacking for people like myself, it really does need to be more intuitive.
Hi six-h,
Thank you for reading my postings. I hope you found them to be beneficial. TrueImage is not easy to learn and has a distinct learing curve. As a senior citizen, I started out with TrueImage version 8 of long ago. I found the user help guidance to be lacking so I started adding my own. My guides represents seveal years of accumulation and do include the 2014. If you did not get to to, my signature link 2-A can be helpful. Yes, that link should be read in its entirety.
The rescue disk is important. If you system disk fails, it is your ownly method of restoring your system.
Also, if restoring your system, using the CD keeps Windows out of the mix so the CD is the preferred method of restore (or cloning) .
Editing an existing backup task should be avoided but you can simoulate editing (perhaps as you did with the validate confirmatiion).
Check to confirm the type of backup you are making. A disk image is the preferred type backup and you need to use the "switch to disk mode" in order to get that mode.
Thanks for replying GroverH, I too am a senior citizen ... maybe I've left it too late to master this software!
As I have said, I bought the "True Image Home 2009" boxed edition and have not upgraded it in any way.
Because I have not upgraded to a more recent edition, I believe that the installation CD I purchased is also my "Rescue Disk".
Is that correct?
Editing an existing backup task should be avoided but you can simoulate editing (perhaps as you did with the validate confirmatiion).
Not sure I understand, I did not access the image which is on an external drive not normally connected to my PC.
What I did was to fire up TI and repeat the steps I took as if to create a new image, just to see if I was prompted at any stage to request validation.
Having almost completed the process I wasn't asked if I wanted to validate the image after creation.
That lead me to believe that the option to validate was either something which was "Set" once as a preference so that all images would automatically be validated..... or it was a step that I had somehow missed.
Reading your linked posts I eventually found that this was indeed a "Set Once" option buried two levels down so that it would almost certainly be missed!
Fortunately I had checked the tickbox during a previous use of the software!
Check to confirm the type of backup you are making. A disk image is the preferred type backup and you need to use the "switch to disk mode" in order to get that mode.
Don't understand this statement, I don't get the option to "Switch to disk mode" despite wanting to create an Image.....is that something from a later build??
Finally, can someone tell me how to switch to an English interface for this forum as I don't understand Russian?
Sorry, most of my comments related to versions newer than 2009.
Yes, the retail CD is your TI REscue Disk. If it is not build 9809 and you want the last build added to the 2009 vesion, , then you can download the last build added to the 2009 version, uninstall/reinstall and create a biild 9809 RecoveryCd.
The validate option needs to be checked on each backup to make sure the setting is enabled.
When performing a backup, the best choice for a backup using the 2009 version is when the check box next to the disk is checked. This will cause all boxes to become checked. Same is true for a restore. If you want to restore the entire backup, then the check box beside the disk should be checked.
As for the Russian, check if there is a opiton located in upper right corner of this web page--next to the support opitons. but I am not sure.
Thanks for your reply GroverH, I don't know what the "Build No" is because I don't know where to find it.
You would normally find such information via an "About" tab or button, but True Image doesn't have one!
As for the Russian, check if there is a opiton located in upper right corner of this web page--next to the support opitons.
This is the button farthest to the top right:- "Тех. Поддержка" ............ seems it is "Support", but there is no option to change the language!
Language options is inside your personal info.
In upper left, click onf "My Account"
Click Edit
Language is one of the options.
This is very close to where you set the options to receive email notifications.
With TrueImage open, hold down on the alt key and see if help option appears on top row menu.
Thanks GroverH but your advice clearly doesn't work, the majority of the forum text is still in Russian as you can see from my attached screenshot which declares the language choice to be English!
I have sent a message requesting the moderator to look at your posting.
This is the website I use
http://forum.acronis.com/forums/acronis-true-image-home-discussions/acr…
http://forum.acronis.com/forums/acronis-true-image-home-discussions/acr…
Hi GroverH, thanks for that the website I signed up to and from which I posted my thread is the one in your link.
the links I receive in the "reply notification emails" takes me to the Russian site, I don't understand it!
EDIT:
Oddly enough, the link in the email advising of your current posting has taken me to the "all English" site for the first time!
Maybe your plea has already had effect! :)
Examine the path listed in the emails. All should be simply acronis.com without any geographic additions.
lol ! I will never understand the logic of computers!!
The link in the email advice of your current posting has once more reverted to sending me to the Russian site!
The link in this email, like all the others is to acronis.com/ru/node etc...
The only one that bucks the trend was the last advice which linked to plain old "acronis.com"!
Why do these odd things only happen to me! :(
try removing the
/ru
from the path
also look at the address path at the top of your browser
the /ru would indicate you are on the russion site. Remove the /ru from the address line.
I already have to do that every time I want to access the site with some degree of useablity.
That doesn't explain why am I being sent these Russian links.
Surely "The Management" have the power to ensure that the correct links are generated?
Acronis should respond soon. In the meantime, drag this liink onto your desktop and this will take you to this thread each time you click that link.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/56945#comment-176180
Thanks GroverH, Must apologise for landing you with my problem!
Perversely though, the link emailed for this post has once more brought me to the English website! lol.
Oh dear Oh dear!!
My situation has gone from bad to worse thanks to Apple!
I foolishly accepted the request to update iTunes on my PC at the first time of asking!...I usually wait a few days to see if others are having any problems....(Apple and I don't trust each other!)
It has totally destroyed my system!
I'm getting BSOD's frequently, Have had to dismantle iTunes piece by piece and do a clean install....all to no avail, still getting bsod's and "WerFault.exe" warnings.
Decided to do a restore of my "C:" drive onto a spare External HDD. before I lose my OS completely
I have no idea what I'm doing but I set the complete drive as a single partition and made it an "Active Primary Partition" (233GB)
Acronis started and appeared to be working OK....then at 54% complete it went unresponsive.
Did I do it right in the first place??
Can I try to boot from the external disk as it is?
How do I do that?
....Or as I suspect, must I start again?#
God help me!!
Someone Help me!! :(
Look at my signature link 3 below, item 3 "REstore C only" is the item.
You can try uisng this as a restsore guide but you may have to perform a more extensive restore--depending upon your prior choices.
Question: When you choose what to be a part of your backup. Was the "switch to disk mode" part of your selection? The first few pictures of my signature link 2-A will illustrate my question. what items were checked to be a part of your backup?
Thanks for that GroverH but your instructions relate to later builds than mine.
My TI Install is 2009 Home edition.
My post #6 mentions that I don't get the "switch to disk" option.
Evidently this is a feature of later builds than mine.
Also, in my edition, you have a "Check Box" to validate on completion and once checked, this box remains checked for all future image creations (unless you specifically seek it out and "un-check" it)
If I can Explain my attempt so far:-
Using TI 2009 Home, I made a full Image of my HDD in early April.
Which as I have established above, was "Validated on completion"
Today, I attached the two external HDD's to my PC (One contains the Image, the other, the intended target.)
Fired up Windows Disk Management Utility, which showed the target drive as one "Healthy Primary" partition.
I right clicked it and selected the option to make it an "Active Primary Partition" which I understand is necessary for it to be bootable.
That done, I fired up Acronis True Image 2009 Home and elected to restore from my stored image.
Navigating to it and selecting just the "C:" drive (unticking all the other partitions.)
I was then asked to indicate the target drive which I did and TI then confirmed my choices and commenced the restore.
after two hours, (Time remaining indicator said there was 1hour 7 minutes still to go) True image stopped responding and I had to do a hard shutdown and re-start.
Interrogating the target disk at this point, it had 55.54GB of files written to it and I think that the Image of the "C:" partition is approx 100GB.
So it is obviously incomplete.
Did I do something wrong?
If the restore had completed, would I have succeeded in making the target drive "Bootable" based on the steps I describe above?
If that is not correct, can you please detail what I should do to create a Bootable copy of my OS?
six-h,
Ok. I understand you to be using 2009 and vista.
when you start your TI CD and select what options are to be restored, what options are listed under disk 1?
You have Drive C listed. Also listed is "Track 0 and mbr"
Are there any other checkboxes listed under disk 1?
Several of your statements are totally confusing to me. A restore will write overtop the existing so any prep before you restore is lost.
The disk to receive the restore. Isn't it installed inside the computer in its normal boot position?
What type computer? desktop or laptop?
six-h,
Ok. I understand you to be using 2009 and vista.
when you start your TI CD and select what options are to be restored, what options are listed under disk 1?
You have Drive C listed. Also listed is "Track 0 and mbr"
Are there any other checkboxes listed under disk 1?Several of your statements are totally confusing to me. A restore will write overtop the existing so any prep before you restore is lost.
The disk to receive the restore. Isn't it installed inside the computer in its normal boot position?
What type computer? desktop or laptop?
[quote=GroverH]
Ok. I understand you to be using 2009 and vista.
That's right.
when you start your TI CD and select what options are to be restored, what options are listed under disk 1?
You have Drive C listed. Also listed is "Track 0 and mbr"
Are there any other checkboxes listed under disk 1?
I've taken step by step screen shots of the actions that I took which ended with TI going "unresponsive" after two hours. I'll post these in my next post.
Several of your statements are totally confusing to me.
lol! As are yours to me...I can't imagine that we are talking about derivatives of the same software! :)
A restore will write overtop the existing so any prep before you restore is lost.
As I explained, I was attempting to "Clone" the Operating System only, to an empty 250GB external drive. This drive shows up in "Windows Disk Management Utility" as a "Healthy Primary Partition"....since I was wanting to create a bootable disk, I right clicked the disk in "Windows Disk Management Utility", and selected the option to make it an "Active partition", which is what I understand is required if the disk is to subsequently be made "Bootable".
I understand the difficulty you (Or others) might have attempting to follow my ramblings, so if I can explain what I'm trying to achieve in a different way, maybe all will be a bit clearer!
- My existing Vista install is in danger of total collapse mainly thanks to an iTunes update applied last Thursday which is causing the Windows guard dog "WerFault.exe" to immediately close iTunes to protect me from malicious scripts or something...in addition, I have been suffering frequent BSOD's which warn me that my iTunes software is corrupt.
- Prior to this assault by Apple, at the beginning of April, I had made a "Full" image of my system using "True Image 2009 Home", since I was about to embark upon some resizing of partitions in order to gain more space for my Data partition....Because this was my first time doing this I wanted to be sure that I had a recent, viable image from which to recover if everything went "Mammaries aloft"!
- The damage that iTunes has done to my system has made me fear that soon, I might not have a "System" from which to recover!!
- This realisation made me think that I might be well advised to attempt to "Restore" or "Clone" just the "C:" drive (Operating system), to a completely different drive. I have a spare, empty 250GB Western Digital PATA drive which I used as the "Target". This of course would need to be "Bootable" to be of any use.
- So, essentially, I'm "Restoring/Cloning" from an image on one "External Drive" to a different "External Drive", just using my Vista PC as the "Go-between".
The disk to receive the restore. Isn't it installed inside the computer in its normal boot position?
Correct, the Target Disk is an External 250GB PATA drive.
What type computer? desktop or laptop?
My PC is a self build:-
Asus P5Q3 Deluxe/WIFI-AP iP45 Socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz CPU
nVidia GeForce 9600GT 512MB PCI-E Graphics Card
Corsair 2Gb PC3-10666 TwinX (2 x 1GB) RAM
500GB Samsung Spinpoint 501LJ SATA2 16MB HDD
OCZ 600W StealthXStream PSU
Built in 2007 and Vista Ultimate installed as the OS.
Back again GroverH, I've numbered the screenshots starting with "My Computer", and then the consecutive steps in preparing TI for the intended task.
Hope these will show more clearly what I'm trying to do!
Hmm! preview seems to be OK!
six-h.
Thank you for the attachments. I have reviewed them. See part 3 below.
Lets stop and reconsider:
--------------------------------------------
Part I
1. The status of your old system.
Normally, when a Windows update occurs, Windows will make a "System Restore" checkpoint. This will be copy of your registry and a few other files.
If you have such a checkpoint prior to the apple update, restoring that checkpoin would be your best option in trying to get your Vista system back to what it was prior to the apple update.
Have you checked your system for such a sysem restore checkpoint restore file? This link can help.
Also a google search for "Vista+system restore" can provide more help.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&…
2. Before you restore an old checkpoint, make a new checkpoint now before you do anything more. This will give you a current something to go back to, if needed
3. Doing the checkpoint restore will still require you to update I-tunes as this restore will do nothing for apple files. This restore only restores the Windows system files.
-------------------------------
Part II:
Would you open your Vista system to Windows Disk Management and look at the graphical view of your Vista disk.
A. How many partitions is displayed? (some may not have letters but still count them)
B. Which partition is marked as Active?
As this is a custom built system, you may only have the one partition and it may be the active partition. This would be different than a store-bought Vista system.
------------------------------------------
Part III:
Your example of how to do the restore cannot be used. Your example shows restoring files and folders and we will be restoring the disk/partitons.
Look at this youtube video of a 2009 restore. I have reviewed the video and it uses the same procedues you need to use in restoring except your target is the whatever disk you want to use. Later if you wished, You could even restore your actual Vista system overtop your existing Vista disk--if you wanted to go back to what your system was at time of the backup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oER33k86L6g
-------------------------------------------------
Part IV:
Looking forward to after the restore, what are you going to do with the newly restored disk. You must not boot the new disk with the old vista disk still connected. The correct way to check would be after the restore, shutdown the system . Remove the old vista disk and attach the new disk in its place.
Reboot with only the new Vista disk attached and see if the system boots.
If the system fails to boot, you may need some assistance from he Vista Recovery CD.
Do you have a Windows Vista Recovery CD? If no, can you make one?
A google search for "Vista Recovery CD" can help.
===================================================
We are getting much closer to a conclusion. If you should need larger or smaller partitons, that can be done later.
Hi GroverH, don't know if it was only me but for the last few days I've been told that there was a problem with the system and I was unable to log in.
Whilst I've been unable to contact you I've tried scanning with SAS and MBAM thinking that some of the meyhem I'm experiencing might be caused by some kind of malware.
SAS found nothing, but MBAM found some kind of low level threat which I'm waiting for help with elsewhere.
As soon as that is cleared up I can once more try to clone my drive.
Since we last spoke, I've had three more BSOD's pointing the finger at: incorrectly installed or corrupted software or possibly a hardware fault.....refreshingly, it hasn't (yet) accused me ...but there's still time for that!
Thank you for spending the time to so thoroughly investigate this problem with me, I am gratefull to benefit from your time and experience. In reply to your points:-
Pt.I) I've tried to restore back to the point before iTunes was updated but it remained updated.....Windows however suffered total dementia concerning 10 of it's own updates which were applied on the same day!
It made four abortive attempts to install some of the updates again but since they each terminated in either "Failed" or "Cancelled" it eventually accepted that they had already been installed!
Pt.II) I attach a screenshot of my Disk Management GUI (A picture paints a thousand words, as they say!)
Pt.III) Thanks for that, most enlightening! I'll try to follow that example and see if I am successfull.
Pt.IV) The creation of this disk serves several purposes: a)It will prove to me that I (and Acronis) can actually do this! b) It is a trial run for me to attempt a viable restore without putting my current system at risk, poorly though it is! c) In the event that a "restore in earnest" to my main HDD goes "Mammaries Aloft", it will serve as insurance that I will at least have a bootable copy of Vista on this external drive since I am acutely aware that I don't have a copy of any restore medium for this Vista Ultimate OS.
The reason for this is that the PC was built for me by the IT department at a school where I used to teach an evening class in basic IT skills to other retired folks...a case of the blind being led by the partially sighted! The school allowed me to have this Vista install under their Volume Licence and allowed me to keep it when the course was withdrawn some four years later
(It is my understanding that even with the Acronis "recovery" CD, it is still necessary to have a "bootable" windows system from which to restore the full image to the original HDD)
I am in a queue for help with the infection and as soon as my machine has been declared "clean" I will be able to continue. I'm hoping that the infection occured after I took the Image from which I would like to restore, since my PC was at that point showing no signs of any problems.
I will continue to check this thread for any advice or information you might post for me in the meantime.
It is my understanding that even with the Acronis "recovery" CD, it is still necessary to have a "bootable" windows system from which to restore the full image to the original HDD
No, the Recovery CD is a standalone boot disk and it will boot the disk into Acronis
Backup Software.
Once the Recovery CD program is open, it is supposed to be able to access any other external or internal storage disk
and if that storage location has a backup created by TrueImage, then the Recover CD will restore that backup either to an old disk or a new disk and neither disk of the 2 options has to be bootable.
Review my signature link 3 below. Item 3 and item 2 and item 1 inside that link3 should answer many of your questions.
I will have more of a response later when I have had time to study your response.
Remember, a restore will overlay any existing data and make that data non-recoverable.
The new data from the backup will be applied to the disk instead of what was there before.
Only those partitions restored will have data changed.
Regarding the disk manager attachment in post #26, I was surprised that it had 4 partitions including a Recovery partition which is NOT listed as active. Is this your current disk and is this disk still bootable into Vista?
You talk of a 2nd disk which C on it. Is this disk bootable into Vista? Remember, Windows does not like having two identical disks( serials) attached at the same time. The old disk should be unattached (data cable) whenever you attempt to boot the spare disk. The spare disk will not boot when connected via USB and will only boot (if at all) when it is connected to the SAME connectors as the old disk with the old disk not connected.
Hi GroverH, The Disk Manager attachment is my current system. it is indeed bootable and I hope it will stay that way!:)
The disk was partitioned by the IT manager at the school...it must have been the way he/the school was used to working. The partition labeled "Recover" I have discovered contains one folder for almost every month since 15/09/2010.
The OS was installed in July 2007, so I have no idea what has triggered the creation of these folders.
UAC complains when I open them, but inside each one is just a copy of MRT.exe !
Strange isn't it?
I am told that this partition can be deleted without detriment to my system, and it is this space I want to ultimately apportion mainly to the "F:" (Data) partition.
The second disk I have mentioned was an empty spare PATA disk I have lying around. it isn't even in a caddy, I have just attached aPATA to USB connector and a power supply, this was the target disk to which I tried to clone just the "C:" partition from my Image.
The image (of the full drive, all four partitions) is stored on another external drive, that one is a SATA Drive in it's own caddy.
Generally the PC is booted with neither of these disks attached...BIOS is set to seek to boot first from "DVD ROM" and second from "HDD 0"
I have at some point managed to get it to boot from a USB Stick, but I have no idea how I achieved it!
What ever I did, it seems it must revert back to the above boot sequence at next boot!
Sorry for confusion!
From posting #1, it appears you are interested in taking what you consider wasted space from the Recovevy partition and assigning to Drive C and the Data Partition F. If interested, I will instruct you on how that can be done using your new partitioning program.
You mention possibly deleting the Recovery partition and assigning space elsewhere. While that may be a possibility, the downside to deleting recovery partition letter D, is the resulting drive letter change as drive E Apps will become Drive D Apps, and Drive F-Data will become Drive E-Data and additonal drive letter changes of external disks--if not custom lettered. The change of letter assignment could cause your programs to always be hunting for files of which you would have to find them for the program.
Therefore, perhaps a better alternative would be to just resize the Recovery partition down really small so about 100 GB could be assigned elsewhere and allow the Recovey partition to remain and Drive D, E and F letters would remain unchanged.
If still interested, I am williing to provide instructions on how that can be accomplished using easeUS Partition Master which you mention in post
#1. There would be about 100 GB of space which could be applied elsewhere and depending upon your plans for Drive E, space from that partiton could be placed elsewhere. If intested, let me know approximately how much space is to be added to C an F and I will work up the appropriate instructions. Your recent postings indicate your current disk space is approx:
Drive C, 13 GB free of 118GB
Drive D, 114 GB free of 117 gb
Drive E, 111 GB free of 114 GB
Drive F, 35 GB free of 116 gb
Your disk management view seems to indicate that the Recovery partiton is not part of the boot process as it is not the active partition. As not partitons are being deleted, it would seem to indicate the boot process is not involved but this is not guaranteed. Most certainly, I would perform another disk mode backup as a precaution before proceeding.
Hi GroverH, I would be most grateful for your instruction on how to proceed using Easus Partition Master.
I originally set out to harvest space from deleting "D:" and reducing "E:" and assigning the space to "F:".
it now seems that "C:" is also in need of expansion!
This is due in part to me having to "Park" the contents of my blue "Shell" Videos folder (approx 35GB) on my desktop since being wrongly advised that moving this "special" folder would be the answer to my problems! When attempted, the contents of the blue folder certainly did move...but the "Shell" folder just disappeared into the ether and the promise that Windows would maintain the links to these files also failed!
Moving the files and folders back to their original location was easy enough but without the Blue Shell folder, the links remained broken ......it took me three weeks to find someone who could restore the shell folder for me but in order to do that the files had to be moved to a temporary location.
So! once I have more space on "F:" I can move the 35GB of videos from desktop to their new home...which will free up 35GB on "C:", making approx 45GB total free space there.
If more space is adviseable, that's fine.
Regarding the automatic re-labelling of the partitions if one is deleted, I had wondered what the conscequence of that would be!
I had just assumed that if re-labelled, the links would be adjusted by Windows...seems you are telling me this wouldn't happen! Oh Dear! armageddon strikes again! :)
Your solution seems to be the most eoquent, requiring no major upheavals!
I think that is certainly the way I would like to proceed.
I have still not finished the virus removal, they are examining my logs at the present so I am advised to change nothing in the meanwhile.
As soon as they have declared my machine clean, I'll follow your video link and attempt to clone the "C" drive to a spare disk as an insurance before we commence the re-sizing.
Hope that you can bear with me til then and thank you for your continued support.
Back again GroverH.
Seems the infection I had was easily removed but sadly it wasn't responsible for the BSOD's I am experiencing.
I started over again trying to clone the "C:" partition and MBR from my Ext Drive that holds the full image to the other Ext Drive which I have re-formatted in preparation.
The process took a little over two hours and acronis declared it successful.
Sadly, My PC didn't agree.
Attempting to boot from the external drive resulted in an immediate BSOD.....twice.
I then tried to boot the disk using another PC, a Dell Optiplex GX 280 running Linux Mint.
This machine seemed more promising, it took several seconds before presenting the "Windows Failed To Start" black and white screen with the usual options ...safe mode...with or without networking ...etc.
opting for plain old "Safe Mode", I was told after some time that "Windows failed to start because the kernel is missing."
I am totally at a loss to understand what could possibly have gone wrong.
Any ideas?
when I have recovered from the stress of this attempt, I might re-format the drive and try once more, but though the flesh is willing, the spirit is considerably diluted! :)
You talk of a 2nd disk which C on it. Is this disk bootable into Vista? Remember, Windows does not like having two identical disks( serials) attached at the same time. The old disk should be unattached (data cable) whenever you attempt to boot the spare disk. The spare disk will not boot when connected via USB and will only boot (if at all) when it is connected to the SAME connectors as the old disk with the old disk not connected.
Look at this youtube video of a 2009 restore. I have reviewed the video and it uses the same procedues you need to use in restoring except your target is the whatever disk you want to use. Later if you wished, You could even restore your actual Vista system overtop your existing Vista disk--if you wanted to go back to what your system was at time of the backup.
The discussion was about restoreing your backup. Your last post talks about cloning and I have been talking restoring. As cloning and restoring is as different as red is to blue, I am confused about which procedure you used on the extra disk.
As mentioned above, I was not expecting the extra disk to boot unless you did as I described above in this post and post 28.
If you are attempting to boot the disk in a different machine, it is NOT prepared with the correct drivers for such a procedure. This type procedure is what the plus version or premium version of TrueImage is all about but even that is not an easy choare even for a trained technician.
Right now, your best chance of having a 2nd disk as safety factor is to take a full disk backup of your current system (all 4 partitions) .
Then remove your current Vista disk and install a new disk or another disk into the old computer in the same connectors as where the original disk was.
Restore the backup onto the blank disk (having used the add new disk option on the replacment disk) and your system should boot from the new replacment disk as it is the only disk attached. My guides have been referenced several times as to guides. My signature link 3, item 2 shows how to restore a disk option backup.
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I am almost finished to preparing my instructions on how to allocates space from your drive D into C and F.
I have also suggested that you do a new disk option backup of all 4 partitions--BEFORE you resize the other partitions.
Once I have posted those instruction, I don't know how I can provide anything new to you which has not already been discussed.
The Vista system is getting aged (like me) and it may not last you too mcuh longer. I hope you have some backups of your personal files as when it fails, you will most likely be looking at a new system running Win7 oir Win 8 as it will not be cost effect to spend any repair money whatsoever replacing parts for the aged Vista system--in my opinion.
At the request of the user, the overall objective is using the existing Vista System and to reduce partition size of current 117 GB Recovery partition by approximately 108 GB, and add approximtely 50 GB to Vista-C, and the remaining approximately 68 GB to Data-F partition. Vista-C is the ACTIVE partitons and the current Recovery partition appears to be just taking up space.
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General instructions:
Using user installed EASEUS partition utiiity.
Your disk has 4 partitions. Each and every partition has both a left and right boundary marker. When partition size needs changing, move one or both the boundary markers. These markers are only accessible when a single specific partition is selected and then the left and right markers for that specific will be accessible.
In order to move a boundary marker,
First a specific partiton must be selected which is accomplish by putting the mouse pointer inside or onto a specific partition and clicking once.
A "selected" partiton will change color into a much brigter blue as compared to other non-selected partitons.
When any partition is first selected, a large crusuaders cross will initially be displayed.
When a boundary marker is to be moved, select the specific partition and then move the mouse pointer overtop the boundary marker to be moved.
As the pointer arrives exactly overtop the boundary marker, the mouse pointer symbol will change to two vertical bars. When the two vertical bars appear, click the left mouse button and drag the two bars to its new location (left or right depending upon the instructions).
Notice in upper left corner of the easeUS program is the program commit or cancel functions. Any user action requires the user to click an assortment such as the Commit button before the action becomes final. Undo can be used to Undo a just completed change, or refresh, etc to start over without having make any actual changes.
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Specific instructions.
Open easeUS partitioning utility--if not already open.
All references are to your system disk with the 4 partitions.
1. Use mouse pointer and click on the Recovery partition. Note change of color to bold blue.
1A. Move mouse pointer to LEFT boundary marker of the Recovery partition. As the dbl vertial bar appears, depress and hold the left mouse button and drag the left boundary marker to the right about halfway to the middle. As you move the pointer, the revolving size marker should keep getting smaller until it reads about 68-69 GB of space remaining on the Recovery partition.
Release the mouse button. Read how much unallocated space now appears which should be about 50 GB and the remaining Recovery space should be about 68-69 GB.. If the unallocated size is too little or too much, move the mouse pointer again (within the bolded blue) until the dbl vertical bars appear and them move the marker left or right to the size you want the unallocated amount to be.
1B. Release the mouse pointer and the Recovery partition should be split into two sections. Left section of unallocated space of about 50GB. Right section should still be bright blue and one block of remaining space such as about 67GB or something close. This can be a little less or a little more. Exact not necessary.
1C. Don't forget to use the UNDO button is there if you wish to undo, or click the REFRESH option to start over from the the very beginning.
2. Use mouse pointer and click on the Drive C Windows partition. Note change of color to bold blue.
2A. Move mouse pointer to RIGHT boundary marker of Drive C. As the dbl vertial bar appears, depress and hold the left mouse button and drag the RIGHT boundary marker to the RIGHT as far right as it will go. Release the mouse button.
Examine. Left boundary should not have moved. The drive C and drive D REcovery should be touching. The size of Drive C should be 118 plus whatever amount you just added--or the total size should be about 165-170 GB partition size.
2B. Don't forget to use the UNDO button is there if you wish to undo, or click the REFRESH option to start over from the the very beginning.
3. Use mouse pointer and click on the Recovery drive D partition. Note change of color to bold blue.
3A. Check to make sure your easeUS window is open it full width (top right conrer-middle bar.
3B. Move mouse pointer to RIGHT boundary marker of Recovery-drive D. As the dbl vertial bar appears, depress and hold the left mouse button and drag the RIGHT boundary marker to the LEFT (making the Recovey partition smaller) noticing the partiton size reading getting smaller . When the reading gets to about 9 or 8 or 7, release the mouse button. Size of Recovery partition should now be about 7-8-9 GB of bright blue color.
3C. ..The result so far should show
..the new full size of Drive C.
..Drive C right boundary and the Recovery Drive D left boundary should be touching.
..Recovery partiton should be about 7-9 GB with an unallocated amount on the right of about 50GB (which is later to be put into the Data partition).
3D. Don't forget to use the UNDO button is there if you wish to undo, or click the REFRESH option to start over from the the very beginning.
4. Use mouse pointer and click on the Apps-Drive E partition. Note change of color to bold blue of the Apps partition.
4A. Click the left mouse pointer and drag the cross sysmbol (entire Apps partiton) to left as far left as it will go. The remaining unallocated space should re-appear between the Apps partition and the Data partitions.
4B. Don't forget to use the UNDO button is there if you wish to undo, or click the REFRESH option to start over from the the very beginning.
5A. Use mouse pointer and click on the Data-Drive F partition. Note change of color to bold blue of the Apps partition.
5B. Move mouse pointer to LEFT boundary marker of the Data-Drive D partition. As the dbl vertial bar appears, depress and hold the left mouse button and drag the left boundary marker to the maximum LEFT and release mouse. All unallocated space has been consumed and no unallocated remains--anywhere.
5C. Examine disk appearance. There should be NO unallocated space anywhere.
Drive C should be its new size of approximately 170 GB more or less.
Drive D Recovery should be abut 6-7-8 GB
Drive E-Apps should be unchanged at 114 GB
Drive F Data should be its new size of about 165-175GB.
There should be NO unallocated space anywhere.
5D. Don't forget to use the UNDO button is there if you wish to undo, or click the REFRESH option to start over from the the very beginning.
5E. If section 5C correct, then click the APPLY option in upper left corner to apply all changes. Program will be busy for a while moving the data around.
6. After program has indicated a successful completion of changes, make the following additional changes.
Right click the mouse pointer inside Drive C (partition 1) and click the "change label" option. Correct or Add. Change open Window should read "Vista-C" without quotes and click OK.
7. Right click the mouse pointer inside Drive D Recovery (partition 2)and click the "change label" option. Correct or add. Change open Window should read "Recovery-D" without quotes and click OK.
6. Right click the mouse pointer inside Apps-Drive E (partition 3) and click the "change label" option. Correct or add. Change open Windows should read "Apps-E" without quotes and click OK.
7. Right click the mouse pointer inside Data-drive F (partition 4) and click the "change label" option. Correct or add. Change Open Window should read "Data-F" without quotes and click OK.
8. Partition volume names should now read
Vista-C
Recovery-D
App-E
Data-F
Examine labels. You should see the drive letter assigned by Windows, and then also see the name which includes the drive letter so each partition should display the same MATCHING drive letter Twice.
9. If section 8 correct, then click the APPLY option in upper left corner so name changes with the included drive letter will be applied.
Your system disk should look very similar to this attachment.
Hi GroverH, in response to your #33:
Forgive me if I've misled you with my poor use of tech terms.
I do not appreciate the difference between the words "Clone" and "Restore"!
In my own mind, these both mean that I am trying to produce a bootable copy of the "C:" partition on a completely seperate external disk, from a full system image. (made in early April)
I followed the very instructive video that you refer to, and things went almost as expected.
I say "almost"... when I booted into the Acronis rescue disk and it had examined the disks and partitions it could find, they appeared, listed and labeled as expected.
The internal system Disk showed up as four partitions:- "C:", "D:", "E:" and "F:".
My two optical disk drives showed as "G:" and "H:"
And the ubiquitous "Floppy Disk Drive" as "A:"... (despite the fact that I don't have one!)
It also found the two external disks:-
The one bearing the image was labelled "I:" and finally the empty "target" disk which was labelled "J:".
The confusing thing was that when I reached the point where Acronis was asking where it should write the information to, I was presented with a list which omitted the optical drives and consequently re-labelled the available options!
I had to check and double check that I was about to select the correct disk as the target from the manufacturer code (the target is the only Western Digital disk I have, all others are Samsung)
I can't understand why it would not be possible to to boot from the external disk whilst the original system disk is in place since I used to regularly boot from USB Sticks into Linux operating systems.
My understanding was that booting from USB took place directly from BIOS before the system disk was addressed.
I will however try replacing the system disk with the (external) disk.
This is somewhat complicated by the fact that the system disk is SATA whilst the external one is PATA.
I suppose that since both the optical drives in my PC are PATA, I could switch one of those for the PATA Disk containing the new bootable copy of "C:" and point the BIOS at that as first boot.
........or isn't it as simple as that!
You said in post #28 quote:- The spare disk will not boot when connected via USB and will only boot (if at all) when it is connected to the SAME connectors as the old disk with the old disk not connected.
As you can see from the above, I physically can not do that due to the "PATA/SATA" differece.
I only attempted to boot on the Linux machine as a last resort since it seems I don't have many!
I seem to have 50% of the requirements for the "second disk safety feature" you advise, ... the full System Image!
It appears that I must now invest in a new SATA disk to use as my replacement "system disk".
The current system disk is 500GB ... would it be OK to purchase a larger replacement unit?
..... Say 1TB ?
I am very grateful for the partitioning instructions that you are preparing, but as you say, I really do need to have my replacement disk operational before attempting to re-size the partitions on the existing system disk.
Wow!
Thanks GroverH, you have worked hard to produce this detailed tutorial.
I'm very grateful and have taken a copy so that I can access it offline.
Once I've got a viable spare system disk, I'll be able to follow this and reclaim some space!
Thanks again!
I suppose that since both the optical drives in my PC are PATA, I could
switch one of those for the PATA Disk containing the new bootable copy of
"C:" and point the BIOS at that as first boot.
Try it. You have nothing to loose and it could work. It you had a Vista Windows Installation CD, you might be able to run a Repair.
Remember we are dealing with aged Vista and an aged bios. It will not designed to boot via USB.
I would suggest you disconnect the data plug on the Vista Sata disk while you attempt to boot the PATA.
Remember we are dealing with an aged bios.
Lordy! what does that make me...I've got 60 odd years on my BIOS! ;)
I'll give it a try ... but it might be a while, 'cos I can't get at the innards without major upheaval!
I'll report back.
My BIOS is considerably older but still working as long as I don't do anything the BIOS does not approve.
Access to a Vista Recovery CD..
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/57456#comment-177477