Macrium Recovery

[seag33k]

I am trying to recover a system using the free version of Macrium. Using the recovery disk, there is an option for partition selection, but it only allows you to select one partition. Is there a way to select more than one? or even the whole disk? I am having a problem because the MBR is having problems finding the OS. My backup has a System Reserved and a C: partition. Does the full version allow you to recover a whole disc vs. individual partitions?

Thanks,

 

[derekimo]

Here's a tutorial on using macrium,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

If you're having problems with your mbr, you might want to try this,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

 

[seag33k]

Thanks, I've watched that and have tried a few of the options but still not able to boot. I use to use Acronis and its whole disc recovery always worked great, but its not free unfortunately.

 

[derekimo]

Is the reason you are imaging because of your mbr being messed up?

If so the startup repair would help you out there.

 

[seag33k]

No, the system became unstable and not bootable. I suspect some software I was using possibly caused the problem, but the system is also over 3 years old so it could be a hard drive issue possibly.

Although it is a free product, I am somewhat disappointed you can't recover a whole disc vs. ind partitions. I may end up purchasing a full copy of Acronis again so I can have that option.

 

[derekimo]

My first few images I made with macrium included the system reserved partition,

so I could just use the one image, if your image doesn't include that I don't see how

you could recover it. The option in creating the image allows multiple partitions.

 

[MilesAhead]

No, the system became unstable and not bootable. I suspect some software I was using possibly caused the problem, but the system is also over 3 years old so it could be a hard drive issue possibly.

Although it is a free product, I am somewhat disappointed you can't recover a whole disc vs. ind partitions. I may end up purchasing a full copy of Acronis again so I can have that option.

At the end of the restore with Macrium it should ask you "restore MBR from backup?" and you click yes or no. I used Paragon on my Vista64 machine and tried to make a backup capsule on the HD. It messed up my partition table. Since the Paragon boot CD did not support my Raid controller I tried Macrium paid version. Not only did it support my Raid controller but when I let it restore the MBR it fixed the partition table that Paragon messed up.

At that time the paid version had a newer boot CD than the free. But since then I'm told the free version Linux boot CD was updated. If you are using the Linux boot CD to restore it should give you the MBR option at the end. iow, choose either partition to restore, then at the end it should ask if you want to write the MBR from the saved backup. Click Yes or OK.

 

[seag33k]

Yes the interface works great to select which partitions you want to backup, but unfortunately the recovery disk only allows you to select one partition to recover vs. the whole disc which I think is part of the problem since the MBR is on the System Reserved partition.

 

[MilesAhead]

Yes the interface works great to select which partitions you want to backup, but unfortunately the recovery disk only allows you to select one partition to recover vs. the whole disc which I think is part of the problem since the MBR is on the System Reserved partition.

Have you actually gone through with a restore?
And if so, were you or were you not given the option to restore the MBR from backup?
I can't guess what happened.

 

[seag33k]

Yes I tried both of the restore mbr options from the boot cd with no luck. I originally installed Windows 7 from scratch so it shouldn't be too complicated in terms of partitions and where the mbr is located.

 

[MilesAhead]

There have been several updates since the last time I did a restore. Used to be there was no separate "restore MBR" option. They may have added it. The last time I restored the way it worked was you restored a partition, then at the end it asked you if you wanted to restore the MBR from backup.

It's been a feature request so perhaps they added it.

I would try Macrium Support forum search.

Macrium Reflect Disk Imaging and Backup - Support

edit: hmm, the only thing I found on it says something about Dell and system recovery partition, so it may not work with all setups. Also mentioned is bios may be a virus protection not letting the MBR be written. You may want to search for a dedicated MBR utility.

Anyway, I'm told other people can get on Bootland. Don't know why it hangs when I try to go there but for all things bootable try it:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/

 

[seag33k]

Thanks for the additional info! I guess I am just use to Acronis where you can recover a full disc from the recovery disc. I am using the linux based recovery disc for Macrium and not the windows based version so that one might have additional options that I don't see.

 

[seag33k]

I ended up putting in the Windows 7 Install disc and chose to repair the system and it looks like it rebuilt the MBR for my install. I'll have to play around with where things got messed up this weekend.

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[derekimo]

I ended up putting in the Windows 7 Install disc and chose to repair the system and it looks like it rebuilt the MBR for my install. I'll have to play around with where things got messed up this weekend.

Thanks for all the help!!!

It sounded like you were going to have to do that, thanks for posting back.

 

[MilesAhead]

I ended up putting in the Windows 7 Install disc and chose to repair the system and it looks like it rebuilt the MBR for my install. I'll have to play around with where things got messed up this weekend.

Thanks for all the help!!!

Yeah, those hidden system partitions can be a pita. They used to put the BIOS setup programs on those on some machines(maybe they still do.. I don't know) but lots of people went out and bought a new larger HD not knowing they can't just install the OS on it and it all comes up roses!! They didn't know you had to run an installer to put system setup stuff on the new HD. Mucho PCs no boot no more with new HD!! What an insane idea!!

 

[SIW2]

The regular Macrium lets you restore each partition individually.

There is no difference in the end result between restoring one partition and then the another, and selecting restore both together.

With Acronis and Paragon you can select several partitions to restore - they actually
restore one after the other, not simultaneously.


I don't think it had anything to do with the mbr executable code, which is very unlikely to be damaged and in any case you replaced it with the backup from macrium.

What error message were you getting ?

Or how far along the boot process did you get ?

 

[seag33k]

I can't remember the exact error but basically it said it could not find the OS to boot. I think I screwed up the MBR when trying to do a restore with Macrium. Since you have to individually restore the partitions and I could not restore them all in one shot I may have marked one Active incorrectly and while troubleshooting restored the MBR incorrectly. It looks like the Windows 7 disc was able to restore the MBR and away I went!

 

[SIW2]

Operating system not found?

Glad you fixed it.

 

[MilesAhead]

I can't remember the exact error but basically it said it could not find the OS to boot. I think I screwed up the MBR when trying to do a restore with Macrium. Since you have to individually restore the partitions and I could not restore them all in one shot I may have marked one Active incorrectly and while troubleshooting restored the MBR incorrectly. It looks like the Windows 7 disc was able to restore the MBR and away I went!

The OS disc repair function is a double-edged sword. It doesn't touch the partition table part of the MBR. It worked to your benefit in this case since you have multiple partitions. But if your problem is a hosed partition table, it won't help you. That's why it's good to have a utility that actually makes a copy of the MBR and can restore it when you need it.

Used to be easier in the days of Dos boot diskettes. You could pick up a free one or even write it youself since it just reads and writes one sector. But large hard disks made them obsolete. That and the fact nobody has floppies anymore so you have to adapt the ones that will work to booting from a USB stick. If you look hard enough I think there are still a couple out there though.