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#1
AOMEI Backupper
I wonder if this issue is me being dumb or it is actually real now.
I've been using Macrium7 (and the Windows Backup imaging utility) for reliable image backups. Obviously I prefer Macrium7 Reflect Free because it is faster and the image file can be mounted to recover individual files or folders; also, Windows 7 imaging is persistently reported as unreliable. I have used the utility available in Macrium7 and the Windows program to make a bootable DVD for image recovery off an external HDD - these boot CD's have been tested and work ok, finding the image file for recovery off a USB-connected HDD.
So I thought in an idle moment (not too many of them) I would add belts to the braces and also install AOMEI Backupper. Earlier I had tried OneKey but jettisoned it in favour of the Macrium Recovery route. I also use both MiniTool and AOMEI Partition Manager without issue. The AOMEI Partition Manager has a utility for generating a bootable DVD (the freeware version of MiniTool has removed that) to allow for partition manipulation off the HDD, as it should. Tested and works ok.
So AOMEI Backupper came with a pedigree I thought was pretty good, and as a belt 'n brace addition seemed to be a good idea. So I installed it and actually made a full image on to an external HDD, then mounted the image to test individual files and found the dismount utility. So far, so good. Image file size about the same as that of Macrium7 and all looked simple enough.
Then I tried to generate the critical bootable DVD to allow recovery of the image onto the main HDD (the entire point of a full image). Won't boot, won't boot ... either legacy or UEFI form, won't boot ...
The AOMEI FAQ does not hold that issue so it is of no help. I'm using Win7 and I see the AOMEI boot DVD uses Win10 WinPE environment to make the bootable DVD. Is that the problem, I wonder ? AOMEI Partition Manager bootable DVD was generated from an earlier version of that program with a more flexible WinPE choice, I think.
If so, there is a facility for pointing to a WinPE environment to use in generating the bootable DVD. If that's an answer, which WinPE file should I use ? Perhaps the Macrium7 one, or the AOMEI Partition one ?