Image to be restored must contain same layout of destinatio to be over

Thebeholder · 28 Apr 2013

gregrocker said:

Your second HD partition scheme sounds OK.

I would kindly like you to answer my qustion.

Do you think the partition setup shown below is good?
I prefer this partition setup:
First HDD:
- C for the OS
- D recovery partition (often hidden)
- E for personal files (so you have to move your special folders 'Documents, Pictures, Downloads etc. there and preferably your mail etc. Anything that can change on a daily basis).

Second HDD:
- F for backups of your personal files (using Karen's Replicator for instance)
- G for images of C ( base image + new onces added after making system changes), of D (once) and of E (very, very often, like weekly or even better daily) (using Macrium Reflect for instance)

External HDD:
where you regularly make a copy of all that is on your second HDD. Preferably once a month or more often

If so, I would be asking that if I will need to restore the image of the data partition along with the image of the OS partition whenever I need restoring the image of OS, then what is the benefit from imaging data partitions separately from OS images as underlined above in Second HD?

NOTE: there are not any benefit at all from separating the images of C, in Second HDD, from the images of E because you will face a problem logging in with 'a temporary profile' if you restore only C.

I hope you understand me.

Lady Fitzgerald · 28 Apr 2013

Thebeholder said:

Lady Fitzgerald said:

Wenda said:

I use EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation 5.8 and it has an option to let you 'Restore to Dissimilar Hardware'.
It seemed to work OK on the one occasion I tried it.
Does your version of Macrium have a similar option? If so, it could be worth a try.

Wenda.

The paid version (PRO) version of Macrium does.

I really don't understand what you meant with 'Restore to Dissimilar Hardware'
Normally, I really choose the image to be restoreed, then I choose 'restore'. After that, I choose whether all partitions or individual partitions be resotred. Next, I choose the destination. So what is the benefit of this option?

I really have full version of Macrium, whose version is 4.2.2097(Registered version). However, I didn't find such the option.

Your's is an older version. The newest version is 5.1.

Thebeholder · 28 Apr 2013

Lady Fitzgerald said:

Thebeholder said:

Lady Fitzgerald said:

The paid version (PRO) version of Macrium does.

I really don't understand what you meant with 'Restore to Dissimilar Hardware'
Normally, I really choose the image to be restoreed, then I choose 'restore'. After that, I choose whether all partitions or individual partitions be resotred. Next, I choose the destination. So what is the benefit of this option?

I really have full version of Macrium, whose version is 4.2.2097(Registered version). However, I didn't find such the option.

Your's is an older version. The newest version is 5.1.

How much does it cost? Can I buy it via Master Web surfer card?

I really don't understand what the benefit of 'Restore to Dissimilar Hardware' is as long as even free edition can restore to 'Restore to Dissimilar Hardware' by choosing partitions and drag them to the destinations.

Thebeholder · 29 Apr 2013

I wouldn't like to bather you, but I would respectfully like you to answer me this question of mine:
I really took many days testing restoration with Macrium. So I come out with this:

Do you think the partition setup shown below is good?
I prefer this partition setup:
First HDD:
- C for the OS
- D recovery partition (often hidden)
- E for personal files (so you have to move your special folders 'Documents, Pictures, Downloads etc. there and preferably your mail etc. Anything that can change on a daily basis).

Second HDD:
- F for backups of your personal files (using Karen's Replicator for instance)
- G for images of C ( base image + new onces added after making system changes), of D (once) and of E (very, very often, like weekly or even better daily) (using Macrium Reflect for instance)

External HDD:
where you regularly make a copy of all that is on your second HDD. Preferably once a month or more often

If so, I would be asking that if I will need to restore the image of the data partition along with the image of the OS partition whenever I need restoring the image of OS, then what is the benefit from imaging data partitions separately from OS images as underlined above in Second HD?

NOTE: there are not any benefit at all from separating the images of C, in Second HDD, from the images of E because you will face a problem logging in with 'a temporary profile' if you restore only C.

I hope you understand me.

whs · 29 Apr 2013

The main reason that one images the OS partition and the Data Partition(s) is because they usually do not undergo the same update schedule.

The OS may have more frequent changes than the data or vice versa. Therfore I always image them seperately depending on when I think enough changes have occured to require a new image.

But there is nothing wrong with imaging and restoring them together if that is what you prefer.

gregrocker · 29 Apr 2013

I'm unclear on why one would ever want to image the data partition. Since the data changes so often wouldn't it be better to sync or do File Backup to your backup drive or cloud?

Here is what I do with mine: Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Help Forums

whs · 29 Apr 2013

No cloud for me. I don't want to tie up my DSL line for hours and I would not trust the cloud. I always image. It's the easiest in my setup.

Wenda · 01 May 2013

whs said:

No cloud for me. I don't want to tie up my DSL line for hours and I would not trust the cloud. I always image. It's the easiest in my setup.

I certainly second that, whs.

My C: drive only holds the OS and installed programs, nothing else, and is imaged with
EaseUS once a month, or whenever I make any major changes or install/delete programs.

There are two 'archive' images, one is a new clean install of the OS with nothing else, and
one has all the drivers and programs installed, but no games. So there are always at least
three images at a minimum if disaster ever strikes.

My D: drive is my 'work disk' and holds current data and projects that I'm currently working
on. This disk is backed up weekly by simply copying the whole drive, holus-bolus, onto an
external 640GB 'pocket' drive.

With this backup strategy, coupled with an up-to-date AV and MalwareBytes, I think I'm
fairly well protected against disaster and data loss. Certainly more-so than if I were to
trust my backups to the cloud.

Just my 2/- worth.

Wenda.

gregrocker · 01 May 2013

The cloud is most useful for sync'ing your data across a number of devices. I have several PC's which have their data files sync'd instantaneously using Skydrive as laid out in Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Skydrive - Windows 7 Help Forums.

So on Tuesday when I moved from my PC in Florida, cross country using my travel laptop, then landed at my desk in California, all of my files were kept in sync along with Firefox bookmarks, history and tabs. It was though I was using the same device. I'd reallly be maxxing out its usefulness if I cared to sync my phone this way.

Since I placed these User folders in Skydrive to sync them, it also performs a backup function by default.

Kaktussoft · 01 May 2013

Thebeholder said:

Hi everyone!

image to be restored must contain same layout of destination to be overwritten:

I was expected that I can restore an image created by Macrium to a destination(hard drive) regardless of whether this hard drive contains the same layout of image restored or a different layout.
In other words, Must the number of hard drive partitions to be overwritten be equated with the number of image partitions restored?
Also, must the image be restored to the same layout of hard drive from which I was taken?
Besides, I wasn't expecting that I would face problem with restoring an image created by Macrium as long as the restoration succeeded via Macrium environment.

Even if the hard drive is new and it is not formated, I was expecting that when I restored an image created by Macrium to this drive, it will be restored successfully as long as the restoration completed successfully inside Macrium environment.
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Did you restore using MACRIUM RESCUE CD? Was it the default linux or winpe type?
Linux: This creates a Linux CD that runs Reflect in a similar way to the Windows PE. However, the Linux environment does not contain the same wealth of drivers so some pieces of hardware may not work correctly. The Linux rescue CD is also functionally limited to a basic restore, without resizing or reordering of partitions.
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Normally when booting form winpe macrium you can restore to unallocated space or override an already existing partition. It adjusts the bootmenu file and drive lettering in registry as well (only for partitions you restore). You can always run "startup repair" to make system bootable (adjusts bootmenu). When booting... check drive lettering in "disk management" and eventually modify it.

Normally boot menu is fine!! Mark "system reserved" as ACTIVE. It is marked active in the backup image and active as well on restore (default). Very reliable software.