System Image fails...

[saville]

I have attempted to use a System Image to restore my wife's Win 7 Home Premier computer. It finds a System Image, and asks for permission to format and re-partition to match the layout of the System Image. Then it cycles as though it is going to restore:

Will restore...
Preparation...
Starting Restore...
Restoring...
then...
Restoring Fails!
Error in source or destination...

When I try to reboot the computer... no operating system!!!
I don't think there is anything wrong with the HD... it checks out using WD diagnostics. I'm not eager to lose the back up file (external HD).

Re-install Win 7, back to ground zero (multiple times). I really want to get the data from this System Image. Any suggestions?

Ron

 

[SIW2]

Open Disk Management, click Action>Attach vhd. Browse to the vhd file inside the backup folder.

It will mount and you can view and copy any data out, just like a regular drive.

Hope it help

 

[not so gray matter]

I have no advice for the present problem, however in the future I recommend that you use a third party system image tool such as Macrium Reflect and test system images before relying on them. In other words, get your system to it's basic setup (programs, drivers, etc) and then create the system image. Once you've done that attempt to restore to that system image. If it works, then you're all set, if not you know that you can't rely on it.

 

[gregrocker]

Si, is there freeware that will apply the VHD manually if the reimaging app fails? How would one do this?

Very good use of mounting the image if he can copy over his needed data.

Another good rule of thumb is if you can't afford a Win7 Backup Image to fail then use another method such as Macrium as suggested, but in addition so you have two images to rely upon.

 

[SIW2]

If you can mount it in Disk Management , use any imaging app. like free macrium or free Paragon to make an image of the mounted drive.

Higher editions of Paragon have a neat feature that mounts a vhd within itself and you can make Paragon image .