20+ hours trying to restore my Win 7 system using Microsoft restore- please help

Yes, Acronis can use images created by Windows to restore.

Bob:

Are you saying that you have Windows Image backups stored on an external USB drive and are wanting to restore the last one to a new disk to replace a failed main disk?

If I am understanding this correctly, you should be able to boot your PC from a Windows installation DVD or a Windows 7 repair CD to enter Windows Recovery Environment. From the recovery environment you can restore a saved Windows Image. Here's an article describing the procedure: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/use-windows-7-syste…

Yes, Mark, that's exactly what I'm saying. I have the recovery disks and they launch the system recovery and they will install a fresh copy of windows but inexplicably will not locate the external drive or the image when prompted to do so.
I have tried everything I can think of to 'fool' the utility into locating the files, as many others having the same issue have done. The PC I'm using is a laptop, HP G71.
At the moment I'm trying a 'trojan' image by creating an image in Windows and then copying my image files into that directory, changing file names where necessary, and then hope for the best. I'm copying them because I do not want to lose my image and because of the size of the image its been going on for hours. As soon as it completes I'll know if I have finally 'fooled' the utility into doing what it's supposed to do!

Here's a link to microsoft forums that describes the problem.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-system/syste…

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-system/windo…

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-system/canno…

Bob:

I wasn't aware of the issue that you are running into. The last time I tried restoring a Windows 7 image stored on an external USB disk from the Windows Recovery Environment it worked as advertised.

I've also used Windows Disk Management to mount VHD files from a Windows 7 image in order to copy files out of the image. You can use this as a last resort if you need to reinstall Windows and want to recover some of your files from the image. Have you tried this yet and does it work?

Your original post mentioned purchasing Acronis True Image to recover your Windows System Image. Be aware that you will need an earlier version of True Image to be able to read Microsoft VHD files. TrueImage 2014 will work. This feature was removed in TrueImage 2015, as far as I know. It isn't described in in the TI 2015 User Guide but is described in the TI 2014 User Guide.

Thanks for the warning as I was just about to purchase 2015. I used Acronis long ago (at work) when we still had 95/98 running. that's how I ended up here.

Funny thing, I can recover my files. I just can't do an image or system recovery. That means that I'll have to reload all my programs, try to recall all my passwords (I became wholly dependent on Norton Password Manager) and so on.....I now have about 36 hours into what should've been a simple recovery. Makes one wonder about quality control at some of these companies. Do they do any testing and do they respond to complaints/problems? this was well documented 5 years ago. As far as I can see, there's been no resolution to this. As far as I've read, it does work as advertised on some brands but not at all on others.

Bob Tee

After reading Pat's post above I performed a test recovery from the 2015 Linux based rescue media using a Windows Image Backup.
It was a lot like recovering from a True Image Archive. I thought it was neat :)

Joey:

That really is interesting since the ability to work with Microsoft VHDs is not described at all in the 2015 documentation. If you search the User Guide for "VHD" it will not return any search hits at all. But it does work. I did some tests too. First, I performed a test recovery of a Microsoft VHD from the WindowsPE-based rescue media version of Acronis TI 2015 (actually, 64-bit MustangPE built from TI 2015) and it also works with Microsoft VHD files. The recovery was successful.

Next, I used the Windows version of TI 2015, and imagine my surprise upon discovering that it also works with Microsoft VHDs. In the main GUI, choose "Add Backup" and browse to the location of a VHD and select it. Choose to recover either partitions or individual files. This recovery was also successful.

Sorry to have misled you, Bob. You apparently CAN use TI 2015 to restore Windows Image Backups, despite the lack of mention of this capability in the documentation. This gives you an alternative method of recovery. The simplest method is to purchase TI 2015, then go to the Acronis web site and register your product. Once you have done this you can download the Linux-based rescue media. Burn it to a CD and boot your PC from the CD to recover your Windows Image. If you do it this way you won't even need to install the program.

Well, I'm back at it....the 'trojan' idea didn't work. I may need some tutoring involving restoration and handling of the VHD files. I've never done anything like this before at this level. I perused joey's screenshots and it appears simple enough but I lack experience. However, are you saying that I can recover the drive without ever running the TI 2015 program by just using this Linux based rescue disk?
thanks

Bob Tee.

Bob:

The rescue media download is only available to registered owners of the product.

We'll be glad to help you through the restore process - it is fairly simple. You can take a look at the screenshots posted by Joey in reply #6 to get an idea of what is involved.

Sorry, I was editing my first post while you were posting above. yes, I've perused the screenshots. I guess I need to get my hands on the disk and the TI 2015 to gain some perspective.

Thanks again
Bob Tee

Ok, so I purchased the product and downloaded. I only installed the Acronis Universal Boot. It talks about making a Linux based boot disk using a utility called 'Bootable Media Builder' but I've yet to locate it. Is this what you were referring to earlier as the item that becomes available after registration? If so, where do I find it?

Bob T.

P.S. I have to be careful where, and when, I install these products as I have only a single license and one working computer that's not going to be reimaged. I installed this product on that computer. Hopefully that's not going to cause any licensing problems when I move it to the restored pc later on.

Bob,
You don't need Universal Boot to recover your backup. It performs a completely different function.

https://forum.acronis.com/forum/39528
Check out the link above. Figure 7 shows how to download the recovery ISO file that you will burn to a cd to boot your computer for the recovery operation.

http://forum.acronis.com/sites/default/files/mvp/user285/guides/tih2012…
This download contains instructions for performing a disk mode recovery. You should read it to familiarize yourself with the rescue environment before attempting the recovery.

Here is a video that shows how to download and create the rescue media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iIdsLrH2JY&feature=youtu.be

Here is a video demonstrating a disk mode recovery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozZp8cX5gA8

Thanks so much. Looks like another late night for me.....
Ok, I have the bootable disk made. I checked it out and it works fine.

I read/viewed all of the suggested links. The only thing that is of concern is that my original drive, that the image is based on, was 320gb and the new target drive is 500gb.

I read this: "If operating system is Windows 7 and the goal is to restore to a larger or smaller disk, my
other guide which is “Restore a TIH2012 backup to larger or smaller disk” offers a much
better chance of success with far less troubles. That guide restores each partition
individually so user has complete control over partition sizes. Index item 3-LL."

Where is this guide?

Bob T.

http://forum.acronis.com/sites/default/files/mvp/user285/guides/tih2012…

User Grover has compiled a wealth of information in the following link.
https://forum.acronis.com/forum/3426

Thanks again Joey.
So here's where I came from and hopefully going to:

The first attachment (before 320gb) shows the drive partitioning as it was with the 320gb drive (now replaced). I got this screen shot from my wife's identical laptop.

The second attachment (after 500gb) is the drive partitioning as created by the 'rescue disk' after installing a clean copy of Windows to the new drive.

The third attachment is a screenshot of the image. Questions: Can I assume that the VHD files are in the order to be installed? What, if anything, shall I do with the .xml files (exclusions, etc)?

**Update**
I started following the procedure as outlined. The procedure cautions that it's a good idea to wipe the drive clean before beginning so I did that. It was designated 'unallocated' and successful.

Next, I shut the computer off to connect my external Seagate drive. I then booted back up using the Acronis disk. I selected recovery just to see if I could select my VHD files. Well, I could not see them at all as the drive doesn't show up on the list at all. I tried browsing. Still no good. I'm perplexed.....This is similar to the problem with the windows recovery.

I checked out the drive by plugging into the USB on my other working computer and no problem.....

At this time I'm reloading Windows to the disk thinking that maybe I can just format and then replace the partition that contains my stuff. The other partitions would've already been setup by windows (D:/recovery and system) and should be the same as before?

Anyway, that's where I am. A bit discouraging but determined!

Bob T.

Edited: Removed link to downloadable ISO.

Bob,
There is an issue in the current rescue media where certain Seagate USB drives are not accessible. Unfortunately it looks like you have one of those drives. Try downloading the ISO above. It should be able to see your drive.

Thanks again Joey...I hope so.

Bob,
If you used your recovery disks to restore the hard drive to the factory condition, all you have to do is recover the operating system partition from your backup over the one that is created by the factory recovery. The screenshots below should help.

Thanks Joey. I already wiped the drive clean again and this time I can see my Seagate drive in the Recovery section when I browse for it. So maybe I'll load Windows again by the recovery disks and just reinstall the partition you show. What the heck, I've got three solid days into this now......

Bob T.

SUCCESS!!! Thanks to Mark and Joey!
I'll be back when it comes time to setup the Acronis program. For now, I need a rest from this- but first I need to make another image to another drive and port my passwords off this drive to a 'cloud' storage drive connected to my router. This whole debacle scared the bejeebers out of me! I always relied on the knowledge that I would be ok given I make frequent images and if anything happened I could recover....Who knew that this would happen!

Thanks again
Bob T.

Glad to hear it Bob.

Mark,
After more testing it looks like True Image can only restore Windows 7 VHD images. Windows 8.1 backups are VHDX images and trying to select them results in a "This is not the last volume of the backup archive" error message. This may be why Acronis isn't advertising this feature in 2015.

Bob:

Congratulations! Glad to hear that things worked out. Since your laptop has a recovery partition, you may want to test booting to it just to see if you've recovered the settings needed to enter the "Restore to Factory" routine on the recovery partition.

There is an old saying about backup software; that is if you have never done a restore with it then you really don't know whether you have a backup solution.

Joey:

I'll bet you are correct. I never tested Windows 8.1 images. My 8.1 PCs are currently backed up by WHS 2011 (a Server 2008 variant), which creates vhd files. And, by ATI 2015 of course.

Joey,

If you want to continue testing, it is easy to convert .vhdx to .vhd using Windows PowerShell. Open a PowerShell window and enter:

Convert-VHD -Path "{path to vhdx file}.vhdx" -DestinationPath "{path to output file}.vhd"

Paul:

Excellent! I'll try this later.

Joey:

If you do experiment with this, in order to use the PowerShell cmdlet on your 8.1 machine you will need to turn the following Windows feature on (it's off in a default installation) - Hyper-V, Hyper-V Module for Windows PowerShell.

Thanks for the information Paul and Mark. I'll look into it when I have some free time.