Solved Recovery with Macrimum does not work -single DVD drive a problem?

[Dali362]

I have a travel laptop (no CD/DVD drive). Some time ago I created an image of the system on DVD´s.
During my recent travel , the laptop started to misbehave (difficult to start) and the system´s built in repair function did not work. Since restoring the system to an earlier point in time did not mend things either, I decided to use the image. I attached the external DVD drive to my laptop and booted Macrimum rescue CD with the restore wizard v5 without problems. Clicking NEXT on the first recovery menu I get to the "Locate image" menu and there it is full stop.

Clicking on "computer" gives me the various drives where the image can be located, however, clicking on the F: (DVD drive) does not work. I tried to take out the Macrimum Rescue DVD and put in the first image disc,to see if I could locate the image source drive,but to no avail. I have a suspicion that things do not work with the same DVD drive i. e. the rescue DVD and the image DVD on the same drive.

My laptop will not boot WIN7 from its HD at all now. I even tried to create a bootable Mcrimum USB drive on my desktop, but it is a 64 machine, and my laptop is an 86 machine, so it will not work. If worst comes to the worst, I have the original WIn7 instal discs and can do a clean install, but would like to avoid it as there would be about 4 years of updates that would take loong time. Any ideas about this?

 

[Dali362]

"Causa finita", as I suspected, Marcimum software DVD and the image DVD cannot be done on the same DVD drive (some 8 yeras ago I used an imaging software that could do the trick and the im. software and images could be run from the same DVD drive just swapping discs in the process) , a friend created a bootable Macrimum USB on his 32 bis PC and it worked.

 

[Andyrids]

Just a thought could you not boot from the Win7 DVD and use diskpart to partition the drive so there is enough space to hold the image files from your DVDs and then boot using the Macrimum DVD again and select the image files from the new partition to restore from?
I know that all depends on the type of image you created to start with and some imaging programs wont allow you to reinstate an image to a smaller drive / partition either (don't recall offhand if Macrimum will do or not).
If not then maybe what I suggested might give you a few ideas of other possibility's along those lines.

 

[BJB]

First install EasyBCD on the laptop and then use Macrium to create a new Macrium Reflect ISO. Store the Macrium ISO in an easy to find location on the hard disk and add your new ISO to the boot menu using EasyBCD. Next time you boot you will have the option to boot directly into either your OS or Macrium. The only problem I have ever encountered with this method is the Macrium software not being able to see the external drive containing the backup because Macrium does not have the correct drivers. In that situation you may need the paid for version.

It appears as if the authors are trying to get download sites to remove links to the free download so sooner might be better.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/easybcd.html

 

[Dali362]

Thanks both Andyryds and BJB for your advices. I had to do a new clean install, but I´ll print out your advices and try them next time my travel laptop has problems (this was the third time and it always happens during my travel - maybe due to the intensive use of "open" wi-fi`s and possible file contamination?).

 

[BJB]

OK but do d/load EasyBCD 2.2 while it's still around and free. You won't ever need to burn and boot a CD again

 

[Andyrids]

Pleased you got it fixed just a shame you couldn't use the image... Like BJB say's grab a copy of EasyBCD it's an essential bit of kit to have anyway.

 

[Dali362]

Thanks again. Although the re-install problem has been solved, another problem popped upp. I´ll probably start a new thread about it, but just in case you might have some advice here, I´ll describe it. Re-install worked, and after the first six or seven succesfully installed WIN7 updates, the PC gets stuck on installing the first uppdate of newly downloaded string of about 20 - 30 updates. Impossible to power off PC with start button, must disconnect the power cord and take out the battery. Cleaned the entire HDD with Diskpart and re-installed again. The same problem occurs. HD checks with Windows show no HD problem. However, after checking with G-Parted again, I see a WARNING triangel on the boot partititon. Checking the info on it (with G-Parted) , it says" NTFS files inconsistencies, please run chkdsk/f under Windows". However, trying to run the command line, it shows "Access denied, insufficient authority. Acces with higher authority". What´s this? I must admit I have limited PC literacy, am almost a grand grandad, could use DOS quite well about 25 years ago, but have forgotten much of it.

 

[Andyrids]

Probably need to run the chkdsk from an elevated command prompt then, right click the command prompt shortcut and select "Run as Administrator" and then try chkdsk... I have read that Minidisk Partition Wizard can repair stuff like that (it's fixed a lot of other things for me in the past, including borked HDD's) but I always run that tool from a bootable USB a bootable CD would work just as well though, worth a try running that program if you cant get chkdsk to run and see what it says about your file system and partition...

 

[Dali362]

andyryds - thanks again, at long last I could solve the "NTFS file inconsistency" problem on the HDD and do the tedious clean install plus the time consuming downloading and installing over 4 years of updates. I do not want to go through this process again, so I´ll make sure that my new image will work - will probbaly use Macrimum with the software on a USB stick and the image on DVD´s and will chcek carefully that there are no corrupt files on the image (so that I do not repeat trhe past blunder. Thnaks both BJB and andyryuds for the hint on using Easy BCD, I have laready downloaded it and it will certainly zome handy sooner or later.