Macrium Reflect.

Sorry I didn't see this before ...

MR provides an option to download a utility to your PC, so that then you create the WinPE CD, it includes all the drivers from your PC on that disk. That ensures that when you boot from that CD, you will be able to access all the connected hardware. It's a utility named ReflectDC and it can be downloaded for free from the MR website.

Once installed, you will have to create and burn a new WinPE CD -- but then, it will have your drivers.

Since an image restore is, hopefully, a once-in-awhile thing, why don't you bypass the hub and plug your external drive directly into the computer you are trying to restore to? If you just need to restore a single file here and there which you might do more frequently, then I would suggest that Macrium Reflect isn't the correct tool for that. Other tools (such as Acronis True Image) would be able to accomplish that without the need to boot the PE CD. Win 7's built-in backup would also work.

darkhorse said:

....
@strollin

I see your point. The reason is, that I have 3 windows computers that I want to backup.

I don't understand why that makes a difference but if it makes sense to you and you wish to put forth the effort to make it work then I won't argue with you. I just think there are easier ways and I'm lazy so I take the easy way. :)

I already explained that in my first post. How often do you need to do an image restore from a backup? To me, it's far easier to plug the external drive directly into the machine you want to restore and bypass the hub rather than build a custom PE CD that includes the drivers to make the hub work. It's very rare that I do an image restore but maybe you do it more often.

With any backup, imaging included...the number 1 thing is to eliminate as many points of failure as possible and make restores simple. The last thing you want is complexity after a disaster in trying to get your critical data back.

I agree completely with Strollin, I would plug an external drive directly into each computer when you want to image and restore. this way you don't have to be concerned that the latest version of your software's recovery media may or may not have been built with the drive support that you need to access the device.

For my backups, I use a USB 2.0/eSata dock and a typical 3.5" drive
The dock I use is $23.99 with a rebate and free shipping at newegg right now: Newegg.com - Thermaltake BlacX ST0005U External Hard Drive SATA Enclosure Docking Station 2.5” & 3.5” USB 2.0 & eSATA

darkhorse said:

I see your point. The reason is, that I have 3 windows computers that I want to backup.

Could you not plug in an external drive to 1 computer, share it out, and then have all 3 computers backup regularly to that share. In the event that you ever have to restore, you simply disconnect the drive and move it to the dedicated computer? That would be my approach if you want to run scheduled backups of all 3 machines. For me, I just plug the drive into the machine that I want to backup and I backup manually when I get the urge that it's due.