Disk Image & System Reserved Partition

Bare Foot Kid · 31 Oct 2010

whs said:

The difference is complicated versus easy. If you are a seasoned Geek and can wrestle with the /7 imaging, then use it. If you want to make your life easy, use Macrium.

+1

mjf · 31 Oct 2010

The bottom line is that Windows imaging will gray out the option to untick the 100MB System Reserved Partition because it knows it is an essential link in the boot sequence. Windows will also store away the critical Master Boot Record (MBR) which lives on the first physical sector of the disk. When windows reimages it puts the MBR, System reserved (100MB), C:, selected other partitions back in exactly the same position they were imaged from. This way you can even put them back on a new disk.

Macrium stores away the MBR with each partition it images and gives you the option to replace it each time you reimage a partition. Generally you have to reimage each partition in turn. The 100MB system reserved partition is treated like any other partition and is optional. I suggest do image it each time. Reimaging C: alone will often work because the system reserved partition has not been changed or damaged. But when it has been damaged or altered you will need the correct image. A simple example your BCD store gets screwed up - you will need your image of the 100MB partition because that's where the BCD lives.

hama · 31 Oct 2010

Ok, I will give this a try but have one initial question. It says

"mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace."

So how would I handle the case to make a complete new install (including the MBR) or loading the image onto a bigger HD? Will I have to do two images, one for the C/OS drive and one for the "System Reserved" partition? Then I would first restore the MBR and have that marked as Active and DO REPLACE MBR (which on a new HD would not be there). Then in a second step I would restore the C/OS drive marking the partition as primary and NOT replacing the MBR? In other words, I would use a two step process both for backup and restore as described above?

mjf · 31 Oct 2010

hama said:

Ok, I will give this a try but have one initial question. It says

"mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace."

So how would I handle the case to make a complete new install (including the MBR) or loading the image onto a bigger HD? Will I have to do two images, one for the C/OS drive and one for the "System Reserved" partition? Then I would first restore the MBR and have that marked as Active and DO REPLACE MBR (which on a new HD would not be there). Then in a second step I would restore the C/OS drive marking the partition as primary and NOT replacing the MBR? In other words, I would use a two step process both for backup and restore as described above?

What says ("It says....) and in what context.

hama · 31 Oct 2010

mjf said:

...
Macrium stores away the MBR with each partition it images and gives you the option to replace it each time you reimage a partition. Generally you have to reimage each partition in turn. The 100MB system reserved partition is treated like any other partition and is optional. I suggest do image it each time. ...

First question: I installed the software and it lists the "System Reserved" partition but you cannot select it TOGETHER with the C partition. However, considering your comment it seems if you select C then it will also automatically include the "System Reserved" partition, correct?

Second question: What you said contradicts with what was advised, i.e. "Rather mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace. Else, your restored system will become unbootable." With your suggestion the first part still applies (mark as primary). The contradiction is on the second part where they claim the system will become unbootable. So what is correct?

hama · 31 Oct 2010

mjf said:

hama said:

Ok, I will give this a try but have one initial question. It says

"mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace."

So how would I handle the case to make a complete new install (including the MBR) or loading the image onto a bigger HD? Will I have to do two images, one for the C/OS drive and one for the "System Reserved" partition? Then I would first restore the MBR and have that marked as Active and DO REPLACE MBR (which on a new HD would not be there). Then in a second step I would restore the C/OS drive marking the partition as primary and NOT replacing the MBR? In other words, I would use a two step process both for backup and restore as described above?

What says ("It says....) and in what context.

I was referring ot an earlier post that had the following link:

Imaging with free Macrium

whs · 31 Oct 2010

hama said:

Ok, I will give this a try but have one initial question. It says

"mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace."

So how would I handle the case to make a complete new install (including the MBR) or loading the image onto a bigger HD? Will I have to do two images, one for the C/OS drive and one for the "System Reserved" partition? Then I would first restore the MBR and have that marked as Active and DO REPLACE MBR (which on a new HD would not be there). Then in a second step I would restore the C/OS drive marking the partition as primary and NOT replacing the MBR? In other words, I would use a two step process both for backup and restore as described above?

That sounds right. Another option is to make a clone of the disc. For that you should use the free Acronis because the free Macrium does not have that function - the Pro version does.

whs · 31 Oct 2010

hama said:

mjf said:

...
Macrium stores away the MBR with each partition it images and gives you the option to replace it each time you reimage a partition. Generally you have to reimage each partition in turn. The 100MB system reserved partition is treated like any other partition and is optional. I suggest do image it each time. ...

First question: I installed the software and it lists the "System Reserved" partition but you cannot select it TOGETHER with the C partition. However, considering your comment it seems if you select C then it will also automatically include the "System Reserved" partition, correct?

Second question: What you said contradicts with what was advised, i.e. "Rather mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace. Else, your restored system will become unbootable." With your suggestion the first part still applies (mark as primary). The contradiction is on the second part where they claim the system will become unbootable. So what is correct?

1. you can select multiple partitions. But they must have a drive letter. I do not think that the 100MB partition will be included automatically.
2. in that case, the C partition is a normal primary partition and the boot part is solely with the 100MB boot partition (active partition).

mjf · 31 Oct 2010

whs said:

hama said:

mjf said:

...
Macrium stores away the MBR with each partition it images and gives you the option to replace it each time you reimage a partition. Generally you have to reimage each partition in turn. The 100MB system reserved partition is treated like any other partition and is optional. I suggest do image it each time. ...

First question: I installed the software and it lists the "System Reserved" partition but you cannot select it TOGETHER with the C partition. However, considering your comment it seems if you select C then it will also automatically include the "System Reserved" partition, correct?

Second question: What you said contradicts with what was advised, i.e. "Rather mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace. Else, your restored system will become unbootable." With your suggestion the first part still applies (mark as primary). The contradiction is on the second part where they claim the system will become unbootable. So what is correct?

1. you can select multiple partitions. But they must have a drive letter. I do not think that the 100MB partition will be included automatically.
2. in that case, the C partition is a normal primary partition and the boot part is solely with the 100MB boot partition (active partition).

1. you can select multiple partitions for imaging not reimaging with Macrium free (non BartPE disk). You don't need drive letters just valid partitions. With Macrium I am able to image the OEM hidden recovery partition and the 100MB active system reserved partition bothe do not (& should not) have drive letters. It just needs to be a valid partition.
2. don't understand.

mjf · 31 Oct 2010

hama said:

mjf said:

...
Macrium stores away the MBR with each partition it images and gives you the option to replace it each time you reimage a partition. Generally you have to reimage each partition in turn. The 100MB system reserved partition is treated like any other partition and is optional. I suggest do image it each time. ...

First question: I installed the software and it lists the "System Reserved" partition but you cannot select it TOGETHER with the C partition. However, considering your comment it seems if you select C then it will also automatically include the "System Reserved" partition, correct?

Second question: What you said contradicts with what was advised, i.e. "Rather mark the partition as primary and answer the MBR question with do not replace. Else, your restored system will become unbootable." With your suggestion the first part still applies (mark as primary). The contradiction is on the second part where they claim the system will become unbootable. So what is correct?

My first paragraph refers to Windows imaging and the importance of the 100MB active, system reserved partition is such that MS don't give you the option not to select it. Now If I understand for some reason MS imaging is out of the discussion (why you dismiss it is your business).

Now we are talking Macrium OK.
Imaging: Tick the partition you want to image. Macrium doesn't view the 100MB partition as anything other than another partition. Tick it. C: containing your Windows 7 operating system (Boot, page file,.......). Tick it. You image the multiple partitions ticked.

Reimaging to the existing disk: Macrium stores the partition set you ticked. From the set you restore which partitions you want to. In many (most?) case simply restoring c: is all you need. Because the MBR and System reserved are ok. IF you have problems go back and replace system reserved. If you still have problems go back and select replace MBR. Reimage each partition in turn (for Macrium free).
MS imaging doesn't give you these options. It replaces the lot from the image!

Reimaging a new disk: You will need MBR, Active system reserved, and C:

Reimaging to a larger disk you will get a region of "Unallocated Space". Use MS disk management or the more flexible Partition Wizard to make this usable space.

As for cloning - why bother.