Red X and non working System Image

Hello,

I am using 2 identical Dell Studio XPS 8000 desktop computers (wit Microsoft USB Natural Keyboards), 1TB hard drives, Windows 7, 64 bit platform) and I had no problem in the past making System Images. I have 2 separate external hard drives (1 is a 1TB Seagate Expansion External Hard Drive, the other is a 160GB hard drive.)It seems the System Image is approximately 149.GB, so will fit.

I thought you had to erase the previous system image to put a new one on the same hard drive, but both computers said the drive was disconnected, and put a big red X on the drive location. Turns out I had to reformat the empty drives. I did, and the computers recognize both dries when they are connected, but the red X remains, and attempts to make a new system image fail. I am offered the "start backup" box, I can click on it, and all seems to be going well until the fill bar (green) stops about 1/6th of the way across, it stops there and j ust spins, not filling anymore, and if left long enough, it turns completely red and says the process failed. This happens every time attempted now.

How can I fix this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dustman

Go to:

Control Panel

Administrative Tools

Event Viewer

Once in EV, navigate the tree on the lefthand side to:

App and Services Logs
- Microsoft
-- Windows
--- Backup
---- Operational

Inside Operational will be events logged regarding SYSTEM IMAGE functions. See if any error explains any further.

EVENT ID 1 is a System Image has been started.
EVENT IDs 4 and 14 are logged when the System Image is complete.

I've never had one fail so I don't know what those EVENT IDs would be.

You could try using the "Clean All" command in Diskpart on both external hard drives. Formatting may have left something behind that is interfering with the imaging process.

Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command

After using Diskpart, plug in the drives and then open Disk Management. Make sure that each drive is recognized (each should have a drive letter assigned.) Steps 1-5 explain how to open disk Management. You could also post a screenshot of Disk Management and someone on the Forum would be happy to look at it.

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Using the built in Windows 7 imaging tool, it's not necessary to erase previous images. When you create a system image it will be called WindowsImageBackup. This is the name Windows 7 recognizes if and when you need to use that image. Simply renaming each new WindowsImageBackup to something else will allow you to make as many images as the external hard drive has room for. If I make an image today I rename it to WIB021713. If I make one tomorrow I'd rename it to WIB021813. If I decide to use WIB021713 I'd rename it back to WindowsImageBackup.

Hello, JimLewandowski, and marsmimar,

Thanks for the posts. Here is what I've found. I followed the tree through the Administration tools, and ended up with the following codes: 14,1,4 (several rows of those 3 numbers), then 14,53, and 14, 50, over and over.

One little snippet said it was waiting for a DVD. I have never backed up to a DVD, nor have I ever tried to. and I have no idea what those codes mean. Do you?

I am now on the DiskPart road, will let you know what happens,


Thanks again,

Dustman

dustman said:

Hello, JimLewandowski, and marsmimar,

Thanks for the posts. Here is what I've found. I followed the tree through the Administration tools, and ended up with the following codes: 14,1,4 (several rows of those 3 numbers), then 14,53, and 14, 50, over and over.

One little snippet said it was waiting for a DVD. I have never backed up to a DVD, nor have I ever tried to. and I have no idea what those codes mean. Do you?

I am now on the DiskPart road, will let you know what happens,


Thanks again,

Dustman

Can you cut/paste the contents of the 53 and 50 events? Either the raw text or the XML view text.

50:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...(v=ws.10).aspx