Backup Constantly Fails

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

Hi all!

Have a big problem with Windows 7 Ultimate: everytime I try to do a full backup or create a system image on a drive, an error appears.

This is a new/clean/fresh installation of Windows 7. I want to perform the backup on an internal drive (Drive D - see attached image)

I fail to see what the problem is, but after some searching it seems to be a common problem with no common solution.

I attached some images of the problem.

I also checked Event Viewer and I have uploaded the "Create System Image" error, and the "Backup Now" error.

Volume Shadow Copy service is set to automatic and is 'started'.

All help greatly appreciated! I have done some searching and tried some things, but to no avail.

Thanks in advance for your help!

richc46 · Aug 31, 2010

Please bear with me, I am not there so have to start at square one?

Follow these instructions and try again. If it does not work, tell me exactly what happened.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

Some possible problems, not enough space in restore drive
Not same format Need ntfs, not fat3
Not backing up to correct drive.

Dinesh · Aug 31, 2010

Try Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

whs · Aug 31, 2010

Dinesh said:
Try Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

+1 - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

richc46 said:
Please bear with me, I am not there so have to start at square one?

Follow these instructions and try again. If it does not work, tell me exactly what happened.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

Some possible problems, not enough space in restore drive
Not same format Need ntfs, not fat3
Not backing up to correct drive.

The problem is shown in pictures. It was, in fact, that guide that I was following all the time! It reaches step 8, gets to 4%, and the error shows up (see the fourth pic).

The drive is NTFS, the pictures show it is an empty drive with over 73GB (plenty of space) and it is backing up the correct drive.

I'm really at a dead end, unless I try 3rd party software - as Dinesh & whs suggested... Hmmm... Macrium Reflect looks good! May just try that, but I would still like to get this problem fixed!

Thanks to all who replied!

richc46 · Aug 31, 2010

Do you have a dual boot?

HammerHead · Aug 31, 2010

One place to look

I had that problem once and I believe it was "Block Level Backup Engine Service" in your services panel. It needs to be running. If it won't start post back. You could have a corrupted file if it don't start and that can be fixed.

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

@ richc46

Nope. Only Windows 7 on computer.

karlsnooks · Aug 31, 2010

WitchKing,

Simple. You are trying to backup to yourself.

You only have one physical hard drive.

Now it is possible to make a System Image backup of the C to the D as long as you don't include the D in your System Image backup.

One should never put a backup on the very drive that you want to backup.

If your drive crashes, you are lost.

You can backup a system image of the C to the D.
This is very foolish and foolhardy but it can be done.
Why? They are both on the same physical hard disk.

Despite the poor wisdom of such a choice, if you desire to backup a System Image of the C to the D then fire up Windows Backup & Restore and over in the left-hand pane where it says System Image, click on that. When prompted for what you want to include in the system image, then DO NOT include D but do select D as the location for the backup.

No matter what backup program you use, the only wise decision is to backup to another physical drive, be the drive internal or external.

Get yourself an external USB drive-they are quite cheap-and use that as the destination for your backups.

richc46 · Aug 31, 2010

Ok while Im away try this. If errors are found try several times. Then try image again. I will not be here for a while

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

Maxxwire · Aug 31, 2010

whs said:
Dinesh said:

Try Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Click to expand...

+1 - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

+2 Macrium Reflect backs up the 22.7 GB on my computer's C Drive in 3:35 minutes...

Not only is Reflect faster, but Reflect uses compression for its backups which means that the equivalent of a 24 GB Windows System Image takes up less than 7.82 GB in an identical Reflect backup.

~Maxx~

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

HammerHead said:
I had that problem once and I believe it was "Block Level Backup Engine Service" in your services panel. It needs to be running. If it won't start post back. You could have a corrupted file if it don't start and that can be fixed.

karlsnooks said:
WitchKing,

Simple. You are trying to backup to yourself.

You only have one physical hard drive.

Now it is possible to make a System Image backup of the C to the D as long as you don't include the D in your System Image backup.

One should never put a backup on the very drive that you want to backup.

If your drive crashes, you are lost.

You can backup a system image of the C to the D.
This is very foolish and foolhardy but it can be done.
Why? They are both on the same physical hard disk.

Despite the poor wisdom of such a choice, if you desire to backup a System Image of the C to the D then fire up Windows Backup & Restore and over in the left-hand pane where it says System Image, click on that. When prompted for what you want to include in the system image, then DO NOT include D but do select D as the location for the backup.

No matter what backup program you use, the only wise decision is to backup to another physical drive, be the drive internal or external.

Get yourself an external USB drive-they are quite cheap-and use that as the destination for your backups.

@HammerHead: The service is started, so that mustn't be the problem.

@Karlsnooks: D isn't included - in fact it is only available as the destination for the backup. I'm aware about backing up to an internal disk, but I really need it there at the moment - until I get an external HDD next month. Besides, no harm to have it close at hand on an unused drive if I ever want to restore C: to "Day One" usage (with some essentail programs installed, which I consider to be must-have)...

@richc46: Just finished the "sfc /scannow", and no problems! "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations". Also did a CHKDSK on both drives - again no problems.

Is it just me, or is this a puzzling problem?

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

@ Maxxwire

Wow! That's impressive! Reflect is tempting...

OK. I'm won over. May as well try it!

karlsnooks · Aug 31, 2010

Macrium is good software but backup speeds are very heavily influenced by the location of the backup device and the type of backup device and also influenced by the type of backup being performed.

For your gneral edification, when performing folder oriented backups then MS generates ZIP files. The degree of compression is influenced by the backup algorithm and the compressibility of the data, for example, you gain very little when trying to compress an ISO file.

When doing a system image backup, then MS generates a VHD file but only of that which should be imaged, that is, no image of pagefiles, hibernate file, temp files, and the likes thereof.

I perform a system image backup about once every day to a slow USB 2.0 external drive. I have used other backup software and for system image or comparable backups, the times have been highly similar.

The time, however, is not important. What is important that the user perform backups with a frequency in line with their needs.

karlsnooks · Aug 31, 2010

WitchKing,
If you are also performing a data backup of data located on the D then you will have problems.

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

karlsnooks said:
WitchKing,
If you are also performing a data backup of data located on the D then you will have problems.

Not backing up D.

I only want to use it temporarily (until I get my external HDD) to do a back-up so I will not have to re-install all the programs if I have to re-format the drive before then. As I said previously, D: is never used, so it is only "gathering dust" (pardon the phrase). And I have lots of space on C: drive, on which I try to keep installation of programs to a minimum - only what I use.

Yes, I keep personal/other data on C: drive, but, like you, that is constantly backed up to a 4GB USB Drive (whenever I change data), and a DVD-R (once a month). As you probable guess, I don't change the computer contents often!

Really appreciate advice on backing up externally, your input on Macrium Reflect, and thanks for info on MS backups! Didn't know all that!

Still though... this back-up feature of Windows 7 should be fixed by MS. Was talking to a friend earlier who bought a new computer and she has the same problem as me! But she got a paid back-up program with her computer

(the name of which I can't recall).

richc46 · Aug 31, 2010

This is what you do. Make a back up and put it away and forget about it.

Make weekly backups in a separate location

When you have a problem use the current back up

Big problem, virus etc. Go back to the one I told you to forget about.

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

richc46 said:
This is what you do. Make a back up and put it away and forget about it.

Make weekly backups in a separate location

When you have a problem use the current back up

Big problem, virus etc. Go back to the one I told you to forget about.

I'll remember not to remember, and later remember to remember what I remembered not to remember! (Sorry! Couldn't resist! I love playing around with words)

Seriously though, it is great advice. I'll use it!

Thanks very much!!!

richc46 · Aug 31, 2010

We sort of lost each other; but in any event I wish you the best and enjoy your great Operating System.

WitchKing9 · Aug 31, 2010

Sorry!

richc46 said:
We sort of lost each other; but in any event I wish you the best and enjoy your great Operating System.

Thanks for your help. Sorry about the "remembering" thing (wasn't a mocking or anything)... I really couldn't (and can't) resist saying sentences like that. I have received many strange/confused/wary/worried looks from friends, but we get a laugh out of it anyway!

Thanks again for your help!

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