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ATIH 2012, W7 x64, Universal restore, new motherboard

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Hi all,
I would like to submit you a big problem I encounter when using ATIH 2012, W7 x64 and system partitions.

So I had an old PC with a ASUS motherboard (P5WDH deluxe) and windows 7 x64 running on this.
I regularly make weekly backups of the system partition (not whole disk) on a local disk, using the full image option.
So I have at least one backup of this system.

I made the backups using ATIH 2011 plus pack and no problems in this area.
Also, I have plenty of applications installed on my system (almost 100)

So, now, I bought a new hardware: new motherboard (ASUS P8P67), new processeur, new memory, new disks
To simplify, I did not want to reinstall all my program and also w7. I expected to use Universal restore to reinstall all things, automatically.

On the new hardware:

First, I tried to restore my system partition backup using the (linux) boot CD (ATIH 2011 Plus pack). The problem is that I am not proposed to use universal restore. A normal system partition restore is only proposed.

Seeing this, as I nevertheless want to see a system on my new hardware, I reinstalled w7 on the new disk system partition, in order to get easy with this new system

On this new system, I installed ATIH 2012 plus pack and created a winPE boot CD

Again, I tried to restore my completre old system from my old disk, hopng the universal restore will be proposed; but no, only a standard system partition restore is proposed...

Finally, I tried another solution:
Under windows 7, I connected my old disk with the system partition (via a sata connector) in my new system.
Then I made a backup of the old system partition on another partition in my system
Then I tried to restore this backup using ATIH 2012, to replace my new fresh W7 x64 system partition using ATIH 2012 under windows (to see what will happen...).
The problem is that I see the "use universal restore" button, but it is grayed out and cannot be set.

So, to sum up,

I have a system partition full backup (created with ATIH 2011 or ATIH2012)
I want to restore the partition on a new HW.
Why do I not see universal restore on the boot CDs (plus pack), for restoring this system partition?
Why is the option grayed out when in ATIH 2012 Plus pack under windows?

Thanks.

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It is possible that the UR feature is not triggered because it doesn't detect that you have an image of a system. One reason could be that your backup doesn't include the right partition (system reserved is active?).

Other users have reported issues with the UR feature with 2012. Hard to say whether there is actually a software issue or just several users not having the right image...

What is system reserve?
I just made a backup of my C:\ partition that contains all my system (W7 x64 ultimate)
Patrice.

Right click on my computer, choose manager, Open Disk management. Isn't there a system reserved partition? Or any other "hidden"partition? Many Win 7 systems have the system reserved partition, but it is not required or systematic. If you have it, you have to include it in the backup.

Hi Pat L,
There is absolutely not hidden partition. I created this disk from a acronis clone disk operation and there is no hidden or reserved partition. neither on this disk nor on the original one.
Patrice.

Patrice,

If you don't see the Universal Restore feature, your recovery medium has not been produced right:
- uninstall the Plus Pack,
- reboot,
- reinstall the Plus Pack,
- produce another USB/CD.

Worst case, the UR feature stays greyed out when it doesn't detect a system image.

System Reserved is created (by MS Windows) during the process of installing Windows 7 (right before extracting files, copying files, etc...). It usually has a size of 100 MB.

Better say MAY BE created. Not always. Depends on whether the target drive has aleady been partitioned/formatted.

The fact is that I installed windows 7 on an already formatted disk, so no partitionning by Windows installer has been done.

But a question: why check for such a partition if it not always present.

For me, a system disk has a windows directory and this only would allow restoring on a different hw, no? Or am I wrong and if so, where is my mistake?

Patrice

IF the Win7 installation process creates a system partition, then that system partition is essential as it includes some items (e.g., BCD store) that are required for booting the system. It's not altogether impossible to get rid of it, but doing so is a perilous adventure.

I actually have the same problem. I only have a normal WIndows Partition without that System thing.. Windows is booting without any problems... but I cant activate Universal Restore, while restoring that partition... very annoying.

Hello all!

Thank you for your comments!

Pat, Richard, thank you for your help.

Björn, thank you for reporting about the issue. As mentioned above, Universal Restore doesn't appear if it cannot identify OS in the image you're restoring. There can be also one additional reason: the files system on the source disk is corrupted. 

We have all the causes (alongside with the solutions) described in this KB article. We would really appreciate if you could follow the steps mentioned and let us know the results. If the issue remains, please get Acronis Report from the source system and submit a support case and elet us know its number.

Let us know if you have any questions, we will be glad to assist.

Ok... It IS the special System Partition (that small 100 MB Partition) coming before the normal Boot-Windows-Partition. When it's missing, the universal Restore button is greyed out (or totally missing using the boot cd of acronis).

In fact, I dont really need that 100MB Partition. Windows is booting without any problems without it, but in fact, changing the motherboard will cause the usual bluescreen boot failure caused by the HAL Chipset drivers.

There is an easy workaround (solution) for this:

1) Make an Acronis backup of the original Hard-Drive (with all partitions on it).

2) Boot up with windows 7 installation CD and delete ALL partitions on the drive.

3) Select "New" to create a new System Primary Partition. Windows will tell you in a dialogue, that it will likely create additional partitions for the system to work. (This will be that 100MB System specific partition)

4) go on and install Windows 7. don't make any special settings.. just clickthrough. This partition is dropped again in the next step.

5) Reboot and insert Acronis Boot CD again. Select Recovery and make a normal recovery of the System-Boot-Partition, which is included in the image from Step 1. Be sure to select the right Target (it must be the freshly created System-Partition. DONT select that 100MB thing)

6) Now there are two Partitions.. a 100MB System-specific, and the old System Partition. Reboot and startup Acronis Boot-CD again.

7) Make a complete Drive Backup of the whole Disk (containing the 100MB System-specific partition, and the old Boot-Partition)

8) Now you make that last reboot and select Recovery again. And voila... the universal Restore button is enabled.
If you don't have the chipset drivers, just press "ignore"... the system will still be bootable, and you can install the right drivers right in Windows itself, after the successful reboot on the new System.

In a last step: Install Acronis on the new System and make a recovery of any other logical Drives on the disk.

It's a bit tricky, but its working. (Although I think, it's a bug in Acronis. I don't really see a reason in including the 100MB partition)