Solved Help needed - "System Reserved" issue

[Tom 77]

You can borrow my boot media 17514x64v24.isoIt could be burnt to cd/dvd, but is better used on bootable usb because it contains extra programs that are intended to be run from usb.

The iso can be extracted to usb using this: View attachment 412546

Many thanks for this. I will certainly download it on my laptop as another backup (in addition to the Macrium).

 

[Tom 77]

A quick question - I have found an WindowsImageBackup file that I created back in January. I can't remember if this was a backup made for my Windows 7 Ultimate, or for Windows 10 (which I started using around that time). Is there any way to find out without trying to load/restore it?

 

[ian50]

dg1261


Yes, I've already been through your video. Well constructed. Thanks.



Macrium Reflect 7 (as a multi-boot partitioner and imager) is clearly quite handy, apart from it's primary use as a recovery tool - that's been around quite a while of course. As commented before, a useful addition to the arsenal.

 

[Tom 77]

I just reviewed the "Create Rescue Media" wizard, and the first default does need to be changed. Under "Select Device", do NOT choose "Windows Boot Menu". You want external media, so choose ISO and use that to burn your external media.

For safety, you want something to boot from when the Windows Boot Menu is trashed or missing, so do not choose that option. Use the wizard to create an ISO file, then use a utility like Rufus to put that ISO on a USB stick. Do not just copy the ISO to USB because that won't make the USB stick bootable. Use a tool like Rufus.

Hi dg1261

I have successfully managed to create the ISO on my desktop and burned the image to Disc. I tested it on my laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit): From boot, hit <F9> and select DVD drive. The disk loaded with no problems at all - took me to a Macrium menu where I can see "fix windows boot problems" and "Browse for an image or backup file to restore"... so all good!

Annoyingly, my SATA to USB 3 cable still hasn't arrived, so I haven't managed to create the Macrium backup image yet. Meanwhile, my Windows 7 desktop remains on. (I have been putting it to sleep, but not shutting down until I can do the image/backup)

 

[Tom 77]

Hi dg1261

Shut down, disconnect both SATA data cables at the motherboard end, plug the 500's cable into jack-x, and leave the 1TB cable dangling. Power on, and see if the 500 boots by itself like it used to do. If my guess is right, the Win10 install didn't mess with the 500's SRP, so it should still work. (And if it works, your problems creating the system repair disk will be moot.) You can leave the power cables (the larger of the two connectors to each hard drive) connected, just disconnect/switch the data cables.

If the 500 works by itself, shut down again, plug the 1TB cable into jack-y, and boot back up. Check in Disk Mgmt to make sure the 500's SRP is still "System". You should be able to take it from there.

Using Macrium Reflect, I backed up my Windows 7 C: drive and the "System Reserved" section of the SSD 1TB drive. I turned the PC off, followed your above instructions and everything has worked out exactly as you said it would - the "System" has now returned to my windows 7 C: drive and is booting with no issues.

I can't thank you enough for all your fantastic help and advice.

 

[dg1261]

Glad everything worked out. You should now be able to delete both partitions from the 1TB disk and create a single, large data partition, and from now on you should only need to periodically re-image the two partitions on the 500GB disk.

 

[Tom 77]

Glad everything worked out. You should now be able to delete both partitions from the 1TB disk and create a single, large data partition, and from now on you should only need to periodically re-image the two partitions on the 500GB disk.

Yes, I managed to create one large partition on the SDD.

The 500GB drive has now been mounted internally. May I ask, with Macrium Reflect, is doing an 'image' backup to an internal 500GB drive going to work? Or would I need an external drive? (My thoughts of mounting it internally was so I could 'clone' the C: drive and have it on standby in case things went pair-shaped).

 

[dg1261]

The 500GB drive has now been mounted internally. May I ask, with Macrium Reflect, is doing an 'image' backup to an internal 500GB drive going to work? Or would I need an external drive?

No, internal vs. external is not an issue.

I thought the 500 GB and 1 TB drives were both internal, with the 500 GB containing the OS you're now booting. Are you talking about a second 500 GB drive to hold your backups? Or are you talking about backing up to a third partition on the same 500 GB drive as the source partitions (System Reserved and Win 7)?

If you're interested in a primer on imaging and cloning, perhaps my companion video may be helpful: "Principles of Cloning and Imaging". In particular, I discuss where you can store your backup images, and the pros and cons of choosing imaging vs. cloning as your backup strategy.

 

[Tom 77]

No, internal vs. external is not an issue.

That's great - thanks for letting me know.

I thought the 500 GB and 1 TB drives were both internal, with the 500 GB containing the OS you're now booting. Are you talking about a second 500 GB drive to hold your backups? Or are you talking about backing up to a third partition on the same 500 GB drive as the source partitions (System Reserved and Win 7)?

Sorry, I should have clarified - yes, it is a second 500GB drive that I bought last week to do a backup image of my C: drive before I shut my desktop down. So what I have got mounted internally now is my original 500GB (C drive which runs windows 7, an SSD 1TB (E and the new 500GB (F drive which holds the image backup.

If you're interested in a primer on imaging and cloning, perhaps my companion video may be helpful: "Principles of Cloning and Imaging". In particular, I discuss where you can store your backup images, and the pros and cons of choosing imaging vs. cloning as your backup strategy.

Many thanks for the link, I will certainly watch this video.

 

[Tom 77]

Hi dg1261

Something very odd happened yesterday: Using Macrium Reflect, I did a backup 'image' to the new 500GB drive (F. About an hour later, I had a message appear from Windows saying something on the lines of: my computer has a security issue and needs to be restarted. When I restarted the computer, it scanned drive "F" before loading Windows 7 (which I thought was odd as the Macrium image was the only thing on there). When Window 7 reloaded, I checked drive F only to find that the Macrium image had gone! (The F drive was back to maximum unused capacity again). Have you come across this issue before or have any idea what may have caused it? Thanks