System Image Not Found on External USB HDD with Image as Root Folder

[GAR]

So I was able to attach a vhd to the computer it seems. Shows up in Disk Management and under Computer so guess I did it right. I tried to open the volume (J but given an 'access denied' message.

Looks like its there, but I can't get in it. How do I know if it mounted correctly? Anything tip you guys off with the access denied note?

How do you delete it so I can try and re-attach it? Just right click? Seems too simple and I don't want to detroy it...just yet anyway.

Thanks.

PS, those few words summarizing the tutorial make perfect sense, but if I can't access I'm guessing there's a prob.

 

[Saltgrass]

In Disk Management, on the left end, you can right click and select "Detatch VHD".

I have no access problems with my backup. Possibly yours is because of the situation with the NAS and any security options it may have had?...

Edit: Maybe checking the security settings on the VHD would show if you had at least read/write access. On mine, System has full control, Admins full control, and Users Read&Execute, List and Read.

 

[SIW2]

Yes, as Salty says - check security settings.

If that isn't it, you may find a 3rd party app. can mount the vhd.

 

[GAR]

Perhaps my troubleshooting is over.

I clicked on the VHD mounted in disk manager and deleted it. (before reading your post Saltgrass) Figured it wouldn't hurt anything since it was not really a drive.

Of course it didn't go away, so then I did right click on the left and Detached it. Cool. Then I went back in to Attach it again and give it a go. It attached real quick but looks as though it is still deleted. Uh oh.

The VHD file is still on my external drive and still says its as big a file as it was. Did I just destroy the image I hoped to recover?

P.S. I get down to TX for work on occassion. Saltgrass steak seasoning is awesome!

 

[SIW2]

If it is still on your drive, try mounting it with PG.

PartitionGuru - Free version

If you can do that - you can use PG to make an image.

I have done it with PG - actually, I used the Chinese version which is more powerful - but it looks like pg will do the job.

 

[Saltgrass]

Looks like deleting it did wipe the backup. Mine showed unallocated afterward and after reattaching, still showed unallocated.

Did I miss it, or were you able to find the image you just made on the external drive while going through the restore process?

You wouldn't want to come to Texas this time of year. I have been thinking about going to the North Pole for a few days to cool off....

Edit: My file still shows full size also, so I am going to try to reimage using it to see what happens. It may take some time, so don't delete anything else...

 

[Heist]

@ WHS
- Thank you. I'll attempt this later today when I get back in front of my machine.

Also, thank you to anyone else who has solutions. I'm willing to try nearly anything at this point as I've exhaust the limits of my creativity and knowledge.

Overall, my hope is that MSFT takes note of this issue and perhaps issues an update of some manner. This is a definitively a deal breaker and one of those 'straw that breaks the camel's back' items that makes people throw up their hands and turn to Apple and Mac OS.

I have two friends who have had fatal errors with their Apple machines. One a power outage/spike mid-way through a production session, the other simply dropped her machine off a balcony and crashed the heads into the platter.
Apple's Time Machine just works - one button press and both machine entirely restored to their previous states just prior to the error.

 

[SIW2]

No further developments or updates I am afraid.

MS have included it in Win8 - really just for those who need to access win7 backups they already made.

It is well hidden and they have abandoned it.

MS do have something different in win8 - slightly better than a clean reinstall - but not as good as Time Machine.

You would be better looking at a 3rd party imaging app. There are some good free ones out there.

 

[whs]

The lesson is simple and I am preaching it since a long time: Do not rely on or use any Windows backup facility. That goes for imaging, system restore from restore points, data backup, etc.. And that not only since Win7, it was just as dismal in the earlier systems.

But fortunately there are very good OEM products. And for data backup I always recommend to do a simple copy job. Then at least you know what you have done.

 

[Saltgrass]

Just re-imaged using the folder that was deleted in the VHD and it worked fine. I even went you one better and had deleted the folder to the Recycle Bin and restored it.....

But even after rebooting, the VHD would not reattach to the file and still showed it as unallocated.. I could attach to another backup folder, just not the one marked as deleted....

 

[GAR]

SIW2, You say Win 8 doesn't even claim to have the imaging now? Guess that's one way to fix it!

Saltgrass, Its been miserable hot everywhere through the midwest and south I think. Record temps here for awhile now. But your right, I'll take the south in January and that's about it.

I'm a bit lost with what you did though.
What do you mean by re-imaged?
To fix it you copied out of its original location and into a new folder where disk manager could see it?

 

[Heist]

No further developments or updates I am afraid.

MS have included it in Win8 - really just for those who need to access win7 backups they already made.

It is well hidden and they have abandoned it.

MS do have something different in win8 - slightly better than a clean reinstall - but not as good as Time Machine.

You would be better looking at a 3rd party imaging app. There are some good free ones out there.

The lesson is simple and I am preaching it since a long time: Do not rely on or use any Windows backup facility. That goes for imaging, system restore from restore points, data backup, etc.. And that not only since Win7, it was just as dismal in the earlier systems.

But fortunately there are very good OEM products. And for data backup I always recommend to do a simple copy job. Then at least you know what you have done.

Going forward, I will! Had I had any prior knowledge of how unreliable WIB system was I surely would have treated it like a useless appendage.

The fact that I had used it once previously when I installed a new HDD on this machine gave me a false confidence about its integrity.

The funny thing is my Seagate External came bundled with a free back-up utility called Memeo. It did an excellent job of backing up files and folders automatically but what it lacked was full system imaging - the ability to back-up and then reinstall custom settings, drivers, hardrive partition and mapping, etc. so I rarely used it.

Turns out Memeo, even with its slight limitations, would have been the far better choice to trust my data to.

You live - you learn.

 

[kado897]

I second what whs and others have said. Don't trust Windows Backup as your only solution. Use a third part tool. I use Macrium for images and FreeFileSync for F&F backups. Both have served me well.

 

[Heist]

I second what whs and others have said. Don't trust Windows Backup as your only solution. Use a third part tool. I use Macrium for images and FreeFileSync for F&F backups. Both have served me well.

Sadly, most casual users, as I am, do not learn of this fault in the software until it is too late.

Worse, I am sure Windows knows of it. Of all the seemingly constant patches and updates I'm alerted to install on a bi-monthly basis, why a fix for this or even an alert NOT to use it going forward I find lacking of honesty and integrity on MSFT's part.

In my opinion its akin to sending a paratrooper off to war with a parachute that the manufacturer knows may or many not open.

 

[Heist]

Slightly off topic, but while some knowledgeable people are here, this episode made me realize that someone could clone my entire machine should they have access to to my external drive and were able to access the VHS file.

What encryption software, if any, are any of you using for your secure folders.

 

[SIW2]

Saltgrass

Just re-imaged using the folder that was deleted in the VHD and it worked fine. I even went you one better and had deleted the folder to the Recycle Bin and restored it.....

But even after rebooting, the VHD would not reattach to the file and still showed it as unallocated.. I could attach to another backup folder, just not the one marked as deleted....

Yes, Salty that is why it is worth seeing if PG will mount the thing.

http://www.partitionguru.com/freeedition.php

Worth a try.

If PG manages to mount it - then you can use PG inbuilt imaging to make an image - or , if you prefer, you can just copy out some files.

 

[kado897]

I second what whs and others have said. Don't trust Windows Backup as your only solution. Use a third part tool. I use Macrium for images and FreeFileSync for F&F backups. Both have served me well.

Sadly, most casual users, as I am, do not learn of this fault in the software until it is too late.

Worse, I am sure Windows knows of it. Of all the seemingly constant patches and updates I'm alerted to install on a bi-monthly basis, why a fix for this or even an alert NOT to use it going forward I find lacking of honesty and integrity on MSFT's part.

In my opinion its akin to sending a paratrooper off to war with a parachute that the manufacturer knows may or many not open.

I think the problem with Windows Backup is one of design and therefore not easily fixed. Probably why they are hiding it in Win 8.

 

[kado897]

Slightly off topic, but while some knowledgeable people are here, this episode made me realize that someone could clone my entire machine should they have access to to my external drive and were able to access the VHS file.

What encryption software, if any, are any of you using for your secure folders.

Macrium allows you to encrypt your images. Unfortunately that feature is not in the free edition.

 

[GAR]

SIW2, I am going to look further now, but have installed PG and it sees everything, cool.
What option am I looking for to mount the .vhd file?
Disk>Create New Virtual Disk>which type?

 

[SIW2]

Hang on - I will have a look - I haven't got any vhd's atm.