Is an Image Restore of 72 hours common

brownbeardad · 27 Mar 2017

My Dell XPS 8300 had a HDD failure requiring an image restore. I started an image restore yesterday using Brink's tutorial (great tutorial). A WIN 7 re-installation disk (optical) was used to boot the desktop from location SATA1.

Everything seemed to complete well. After 30 minutes, the image restore progressed to the end of the bar graph. Then the message "Windows is restoring your computer from system image..." started a second time. Only one disk (the new HDD) appeared in the “exclude” list. The disk was not excluded. This second image restore is about 31% completed after 22 hours and 36 minutes. I calculate the image restore may be completed in 72 hours and 29 minutes from start.

The failed drive (C) contains the WIN 7 OS and user data, and is located on SATA0. The failed HDD is a Samsung HD103SJ (1 TB, 7200 rpm, 512 b sector size, SATA 2 (3 Gb/s), 32 Gb cache).

The replacement HDD is a Dell 408-BBCG (1 TB, 7200 rpm, 512 b sector size, SATA 2 (3 Gb/s), 32 Gb cache) and was placed on SATA0.

The backup drive (J) contains the system image of the failed drive and is located on SATA2. The backup drive (J) is a Samsung HD203UI, 2 TB, 7200 rpm, SATA 2 (3 Gb/s), 4 kb sector size (512 b emulation) and 32 GB cache.

Is the restarting of the image restore normal? And is the restart progressing slowly common? I would appreciate any recommendation as how to proceed with this image restore. It still is running.

ThrashZone · 27 Mar 2017

Hi,
Most of use use free macium reflect not windows for creating and restoring system images or even transferring system images to a new sdd or in you case an hdd
Never fails.
This is a tutorial for win-10 but is no different for 7
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - Windows 10 Backup Restore Tutorials
Create Backup Image with Macrium Reflect by Britec - YouTube

brownbeardad · 28 Mar 2017

Hi ThrashZone, thanks for the quick response. I viewed the video and read the restore instructions.

Since the boot drive failed, I am committed to restoring an image created by WIN 7 OS and located on the backup HDD. Will Macrium Reflect allow for the restore of this windows image. I noticed Macrium Reflect produces a .mrimg file extension.

ThrashZone · 28 Mar 2017

Hi,
I have no idea
The reflect recovery cd you'd boot too needs to be created on the pc the image was created on
After that it probably won't hurt to point reflect to the windows image and see what happens :/

All I know is it restores reflect created system images very well it has saved my rear end many times now :)

Ranger4 · 28 Mar 2017

I don't think the Macrium boot disc will work installing a Windows 7 created back up Image. If my memory serves me correctly the Win 7 OS system needs a System Repair disc created by that system & I think it is called a recovery disc. However, you can also use a Windows 7 Installation disc if have not created a Repair Disc. This MS website might help you.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/...em-repair-disc

brownbeardad · 29 Mar 2017

Thanks for your help ThrashZone and Ranger. At 12:20 p.m. today and after waiting 71 hours and 15 minutes, the image restore completed and the desktop is running again. I have a lot of software updates to complete and data to recover, but certainly better than a dead PC. I will be implementing the backup tutorial on forums and use Macrium Reflect for create/restore of system images. I am not going to question why it took so long, but implement improvements and move on.

Ranger4 · 29 Mar 2017

Thank you for getting back & very glad to hear the computer is working again.

If you are satisfied, could you mark this thread as solved.

ThrashZone · 29 Mar 2017

Hi,
Yea that is a very long time good you waited it out not sure I could of :)

Reflect is blazing fast in comparison creating or restoring one lol :)