Issue with System Reserved restore
Hello everyone! First time post, and have a question about the "System Reserved" partition.
I like to say that I have read many forums, and tried to find my answer either here or somewhere else, and having no luck tracking my exact question down.
What I did in Windows 7 64bit OS:
1. Created a Backup of my C: drive to external device (OK)
2. When I did the backup I made sure that both my C: drive and System reserved were checked.
3. Validated my backup on my external drive. (OK)
Reboot:
1. Ran HDD Erase to clear my main C: drive and start from a clean drive.
2. Check the drive, and it showed it up in the post screen.
3. Ran Acronis 2011 boot recovery CD.
4. Selected Recover.
5. Pointed to the location of my backup.
6. Selected FULL recovery.
7. On what to recover I made sure all 3 boxes were checked----C, MBR, and System Reserved
NOW THIS IS WHERE I GET CONFUSED.
- It shows up on were I want to recover my backup to, but since my drive is no longer partitioned, and shows 500GB unpartitioned I selected it.
On step 7 above if I unchecked System Reserved a option would disaper on the wizard. Something "Partition 1-1" So I left System Reserved checked.
When I reached what to restore Partition 1-1 I selected my empty drive.
Here is my MAIN ISSUE
I cant get Acronis to create my system reserved partition from my backup. The only way I could do the recover the proper way was to load my Windows 7 DVD, and let Windows create the unallocated partition to xxx, and 100MB system reserved.
Now I did try using the Acronis tools off the CD and create the partition myself.
- Unallocated 500GB drive
- Created 100MB partition so I could point my backup for System reserved to it.
- Had the second partition as the main C drive.
Problem was I had two drive letters, and didnt want that. I know "system Reserved" is a hidden partition, and couldnt figure out an easier way to do this through Acronis. Maybe you experts can (A) understand what I am trying to say, and (B) have a simple solution for me the next time.
When you performed your backup of Drive C and the System Reserved, were there other partitions which you did not include?
Also curious as to what type/brand computer?
One rule most of old timers have is that you never destroy a good working drive unless you have proven your restore procedure works. I would suggest that you get yourself a spare drive and prove you restore procedure works.
Problem was I had two drive letters, and didnt want that. I know "system Reserved" is a hidden partition, and couldnt figure out an easier way to do this through Acronis. Maybe you experts can (A) understand what I am trying to say, and (B) have a simple solution for me the next time
Most likely, this would not have been an issue. When the backup was created, there was no drive letter assigned by Windows to the "System Reserved" partition. So, when Windows booted after the restoration, no drive letter would have been assigned. The drive letters shown in TrueImage are mostly for housekeeping purposes for its own use.
The summary screen which has the Proceed/Cancel options is a very important screen. It shows you what actions TrueImage is going to perform based on your selections. This is a good tool for practicing. What the summary screen should have shown was that both partitions plus MBR were going to be restored.
On the "Select destination of disk 1" screen, where you correctly chose the unallocated drive, there was another option on that page which you should have checked and that was "Recover Disk Signature."
When you chose what to restore, your choice should have been either checkmarking the Disk Option; or checkmarking all the partitions listed plus checkmarking the MBR/Track 0 option.
Normally, a disk option restore is the most predictable and trustworthy of all the restores--providing the backup includes all partitions on the original disk. You can practice again and see what the summary screen shows and then click Cancel to stop the practice.
Another restore option (but less desirable than a disk option restore) would have been to restore the partitions individually but this would have required two steps. Restoring the two partitions in the first pass and then restoring the mb/track0 ( plus checkmarking "Recover Disk Signature") in a separate pass.
If it were me, I would get another spare drive and do the testing and proving on it. Doing so would give you a spare workable drive in case something goes wrong with your existing disk.
You were fortunate you have the necessary recovery CD's to get yourself out of trouble.
This was a test system to see how everything works.
What I did was install windows on the HD, then load some programs, and a couple of games.
-Backup to my external drive both the System Reserved and MAIN C
-The did the restore above.
Mind that my original HD was RAID 0. I select everything when I do the restore. See what happens is when I restore using Acronis restore CD, I have to delete my MAIN C because is still has the original Install on it. Again please remember this is a test, so I dont care what I lose. So I delete it, and restore and it doesnt configure the System Reserver, but does everything else.
BTW thanks so much for your detailed post back!! I will try again soon.