Solved Imaging Partitions

[whs]

Working with partitions is very easy - if you understand what you are doing. But if the OP does not feel comfortable doing that, I think we should not push him. He seems to be happy with what he got now.

 

[Frank1]

Working with partitions is very easy - if you understand what you are doing. But if the OP does not feel comfortable doing that, I think we should not push him. He seems to be happy with what he got now.

I would agree with that. From reading the last few posts, I think he has very politely been saying how very much he appreciates all the response, but has gone as far as he wishes. That's the way I have been reading it.

 

[Montmorency]

Hi whs and Frank1.
Thanks for your posts, any feedback is welcome.

Yes, I decided not to try partitioning again for three reasons:
1 The convenience it would give me is not really important.
2 Without Recovery DVDs I don't feel like being adventurous.
3 I had a few scares this last days (I forgot to mention a couple of BSODs).

I hope someone with similar experiences can shed some light, but probably it has something to do with this particular machine.

Regards.

 

[Frank1]

You're welcome--I hope thing go well for you.

 

[whs]

Hi whs and Frank1.
Thanks for your posts, any feedback is welcome.

Yes, I decided not to try partitioning again for three reasons:
1 The convenience it would give me is not really important.
2 Without Recovery DVDs I don't feel like being adventurous.
3 I had a few scares this last days (I forgot to mention a couple of BSODs).

I hope someone with similar experiences can shed some light, but probably it has something to do with this particular machine.

Regards.

In order to be safe, I suggest you make frequent images. But do not use Windows imaging - that sucks. Use this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

In many years of operation I never had any problems with Macrium. Study the tutorial carefully and download (and burn) the WinPE recover disc .iso from my link in the tutorial. It saves you a lot of time.

 

[Montmorency]

But do not use Windows imaging - that sucks. Use this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

I followed your advice, thanks.

 

[whs]

Good deal. Wish you lots of luck.

 

[AddRAM]

Correct me if I`m wrong but... you did this to gain 16 GBs ? That`s not even close to what you need to start storing images on. If you needed more space you could have just bought an external drive.

 

[mjf]

If you are not comfortable with partitioning operations then the best way to become comfortable is to buy an external HDD and play with it using say Partition Wizard. Don't learn using your main OS HDD. You can then put the ext HDD to practical use such as storing images.

As I keep saying you will never get Recovery to work because you deleted the Recovery Partition. This is were the Recovery software was stored.

 

[Montmorency]

Correct me if I`m wrong but... you did this to gain 16 GBs ?

Not to gain 16 GB but to gain a new partition.
I explained everything in the first post of this thread.

 

[Montmorency]

If you are not comfortable with partitioning operations then the best way to become comfortable is to buy an external HDD

I alredy have a couple of them, that's where my backup images are stored.

As I keep saying you will never get Recovery to work because you deleted the Recovery Partition. This is were the Recovery software was stored.

hummm... let me see if I get it.
You mean that if I delete the Recovery Partition I can't recover images stored in external HDDs?
Because that's what happened: both Windows Recovery and HP Recovery Manager couldn't access images outside the machine.
Check post #20, I tried to make it clear there.

 

[mjf]

hummm... let me see if I get it.
You mean that if I delete the Recovery Partition I can't recover images stored in external HDDs?
Because that's what happened: both Windows Recovery and HP Recovery Manager couldn't access images outside the machine.
Check post #20, I tried to make it clear there.

Now I'm getting confused.
I interpret the HP Recovery Manager enabling you to perform a Factory Restore. The information for this used to be on your HP Recovery partition. This puts the PC in the condition it was when you first bought it and turning it on. All your data and personal programs will be lost.

An image restore will restore your C: partition to the condition it was in when you made the image. It restores everything including your data and programs. To restore the image you need to boot from a restore CD/DVD which will vary with the imaging program you are using. For Windows inbuilt imaging you use the System Repair boot CD. For Programs like Macrium Reflect you use their boot CD.
Have a look at these tutorials and see if that helps:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

 

[Montmorency]

Hi mjf.

Scenario 1: Before Partitioning
I have a system image (the whole disk) on an external HDD made with Windows 7 own imaging toll.
I would restore it either through Control Panel/Recovery either through HP Recovery Manager (HP tool will give you several options: restore from the Recovery Partition or from a previously created image). No CD/DVD needed, just choose the correct option and it reboots automaticaly and starts the process.
I restored images on this machine 6 or 7 times and never had an issue.

Scenario 2: After Partitioning
Both Windows and HP would give me an error message and I was left with the Repair Disk as my only option to access the image.

That was it.

 

[mjf]

It looks like your problems stem from the deletion of the Recovery partition. Just use the System Repair disk. I use the System Repair disk (stored as an ISO on a multiboot USB) all the time.
I also strongly suggest you give free Macrium Reflect a go as well.

At some stage if you feel comfortable you may want to consider a Clean install especially since you have already deleted the recovery partition.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164
I'm sure the author (Gregrocker) will help you out if you go down this path.

 

[Montmorency]

mjf... you haven't been reading my posts. I already managed to get things back to normal (at least I hope so).

Many thanks to all who helped me. I've learned more than a couple of things.
I hope this thread will be useful to someone else.

Oh... I was forgeting... with all this I found a wonderful forum (I mean SevenForums, not PeachyForum).

Regards and see you (all) soon.

 

[mjf]

mjf... you haven't been reading my posts. I already managed to get things back to normal (at least I hope so).

Many thanks to all who helped me. I've learned more than a couple of things.
I hope this thread will be useful to someone else.

Oh... I was forgeting... with all this I found a wonderful forum (I mean SevenForums, not PeachyForum).

Regards and see you (all) soon.

I have been reading your posts and taking patience in responding. If you think things are normal and you are happy that's the main thing. I hope the thread helps others who read it carefully.

 

[gregrocker]

You should have asked before you messed with your partitioning.

We have long experience with this and have learned that for HP's where the user wants to keep Recovery and Diagnostics tools partitions bootable, the solution to adding another partition is to convert C to Logical and shrink it to add as many Logical sub-partitions as you wish.

Use Partition Wizard bootable CD:
Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help.
How to set partition as Primary or Logical.

 

[Montmorency]

I know this is an old thread but I needed to thank everybody again

close to two years after the first try I decided to go for it again and this time it went smoothly
I still have no idea what went wrong with the previous attempts, but anyway...

thanks to all