Mounting with Aomei backupper

[SIW2]

A lot of you are using this, and here is how you mount and manage your existing backup images.

1. To Manage

They are usually listed under the Home tab. The dropdowns provide the functions



If an image is not listed ( if you have just restored, or repartitioned, then it may not be), you just browse to it and then it will added.


2. To Mount

Select Utilities>Explore image.



You can select any of those listed, or click the "path" button and browse to the image you want to mount.




When you have selected the image, click Next and it suggests a drive letter - or you can pick your own.




It mounts very quickly, and you can see it in windows explorer, etc






3.To Unmount

Select Utilities>Explore Image.



Tick the mounted image you want to unmount or "Detach" and click detach. That is virtually instant.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks SIW2 I use the program on two computers and so far it works fast and perfect.

I use the Partition Assistant also because you recommended them both.

I'm having a little question with the Partition Assistant.
Unable to do a surface test on the drive I have installed the backup. I'm thinking that is normal.

 

[SIW2]

You're welcome. Glad it is useful.

Not sure about the surface test. Are you able to run it on your other partitions?

 

[Layback Bear]

I will get back I'm still tinkering. It's probably just me working with a new program.

 

[whs]

I did that a couple of times too. Advantage of AOMEI is that you really do not need any tutorial. The UI is self explanatory.

 

[Layback Bear]

The more tinkering with AOMEI the better I like it.

 

[DavidE]

Thanks SIW2, nice write up and info.

This finally prompted me to give Aomei backupper a test drive.
I'm really impressed with it, nice UI and easy to use.
I'm helping someone setup a new Win 8 Laptop and installed Acronis 2013 WD free.
I think some people would do Backup Images more if the software is easy to use...
I like this a lot better than the Acronis 2013...
I've been using Acronis (paid) for years and it's always been reliable for me, but the new version is not as user friendly imho.

One thing I noticed, it includes the hibernate file (hiberfil.sys) in the backup image and I didn't see a way to exclude it.
The pagefile isn't put in the backup image, so that's nice - saves some space.

 

[whs]

David, get rid of the hiberfile before the backup. The command is powercfg -h off and when you want to set it back on it is powercfg -h on

 

[DavidE]

Cool, that workaround will work for me.
I didn't even think of it, so simple

However for non-tech people that don't regularly do backups, I'm not sure I'd suggest this approach.
Trying to get someone to understand and use backups is a challenge for me, so the simpler the better.
That's what I really like about Aomei, it's so easy and user friendly, maybe more folks will do backups (before a catastrophe).
Anyway, for those folks a few gig extra in a backup image is better than no backup at all.

 

[whs]

However for non-tech people that don't regularly do backups

I think those people should stay away from computers. They are no appliances although the manufacturers somestimes want you to believe that. Poeple who don't backup are like those who never check the tire pressure on their cars. And then they end up like this.

 

[DavidE]

I can't do that.
I'm a senior citizen and most of the people I help are 60+ years old, non-tech, ...
They like to use a computer to read email, play games, read news, find recipes, whatever ...
I can't tell these friends and family "You shouldn't use a PC if you don't understand backup".

If anyone gets enjoyment using a PC, I think they should use a PC.
I learned the lesson a long time ago to use backups by shooting myself in the foot.
i.e. I wonder what will happen if I do this ??? - OOPS
No toes left, but I can restore

I just can't expect the mass market non-tech users to learn to use backup/restore or not use a PC.
If that did happen, would SF be needed?

 

[whs]

I just can't expect the mass market non-tech users to learn to use backup/restore or not use a PC.
If that did happen, would SF be needed?

I don't know. I think if you use a computer you should have some minimum skills. I don't feel like a senior citizen but I am 76 and I started with PCs when I was 69 with one of the first Vista systems. That was not easy but I think I made it. So why can't everybody else learn a bit.

 

[DavidE]

You and the other SF experts are brilliant with this.

I remember when I first really became aware of PCs back in the 70's, and was intrigued.
I knew nothing (no minimum skills).
I decided to jump in and buy, build, learn ...
I don't regret that, but I might have decided not to, because I didn't have "minimum skills" ...
I was in my 20s then ...

So why can't everybody else learn a bit.

Some people may not have the ability/desire/understanding/patience for learning this ...
Should these folks be told to not use a PC, or should we help them as best we can when they have problems ?

 

[whs]

Sure we will help them - although sometimes it is pretty useless. They'll make the same mistakes tomorrow again because they can't even listen.

I have refused to help people in the past after I bailed them out 2 or 3 times and they made exactly the same mistakes again. I told them, if you don't listen, you are on your own.

 

[DavidE]

I've been playing with the free version on my Test box.
It seems I can't backup/restore the MBR using the "Partition Backup" option.
I would need to use the "Disk Backup" option to be able to restore the MBR. !?
Is that true, am I seeing this right?

 

[SIW2]

I have never checked to see if writes standard standard mbr code during partition restore - no need to really. It will write the necessary to the partition table of course.

 

[SIW2]

Couple of things here to create winpe for you:

Unzip it, and rt click and run as admin on the .cmd file.

for 64 bit https://www.dropbox.com/s/802hgbocdafdhd2/RE64v7.zip

for 32 bit https://www.dropbox.com/s/ubak5ssng7ozipb/RE86v7.zip

 

[DavidE]

I have never checked to see if writes standard standard mbr code during partition restore - no need to really. It will write the necessary to the partition table of course.

I moved my Test Box to a different hard drive.
With Aomei it wouldn't boot up.
I then restored with Acronis and had no problems.
I think Aomei didn't backup/restore the MBR...

 

[SIW2]

I doubt it. Once you have initialised the disk to mbr, the mbr code is there. It stays there. There is no need to rewrite it. It is at the beginning of the disk, before the partitions start, well protected. It is not impossible for it to get damaged, but it is very rare.

Some imaging and partitioning will automatically rewrite it with standard code ( same as nt6 code without the tpm checking bit, which is not required to boot windows). They do that because although it is incredibly unlikely to be damaged, it is so tiny, takes a fraction of a millisecond to do, so they might as well. That is obviously a nuisance if you have deliberately set non standard code, e.g. if you have grub2 installed.

It is much more likely you restored the windows partition, but not the system partition - you won't boot up if you did that. Aomei has a function called System backup. That will image the system and boot partitions, ensuring that when restored, they will both be there. If you choose partition backup instead, then the user has to make sure they have backed all the partition windows needs.

Another possibility is the bcd entry wasn't reset correctly, all imaging programs will do that, but rarely something goes wrong.

I have used Aomei to restore images to different hard drives without any issues.

 

[DavidE]

Thanks for the info!
I used Partition backup and that seems to be the problem.
My mistake, not understanding Aoemi Partition backup compared to Acronis Partition backup
My test box is a triple boot with the 3 OSs on a single HD (no System Reserved partition).
With Acronis I can backup/restore any single (OS) partition with no problems.
With Aoemi a System backup includes multiple partitions.
I don't want multiple partitions in a backup image for space (and time) reasons.
I also don't want to have to restore multiple OSs if I just want to back out something I'm testing on a single OS.
For ME, Acronis is better on my test box.