Win 7 backup fails to complete

[absc]

I have just installed a 250GB ssd for my OS, progs and a relatively small My Documents. I'm storing Pictures and Videos data on a 1TB internal disk and I have redirected My Videos and My Pictures to that drive. I'm backing up to an external 1 TB disk, but backup doesn't complete.

Properties shows 94 GB of the ssd used, leaving 137 GB free, and 358 GB of the data disk used, with 573 GB free. So what gives and how do I get a system backup? I have tried with My VIdeos and My Pictures folder locations restored to the default user folders which are empty and I get the same result.

I'm including the disk manager report.

PC is i7 with 8GB RAM running Windows 7 Pro.

 

[archer]

Hi absc,

Personally I never liked Windows backup utility.

You might want to try these.

Best Backup Software for home users.

 

[PSCO2007]

I agree with Archer.

If you purchase a Seagate, WD or Maxtor, you can get the Acronis Trueimage software (free) and make an image of your OS and

put it on your external hdd or another internal hdd.

If you need to recover your OS ( including programs, updates, etc) you can do it with a few clicks.

You can also use Easeus for free and any hdd will work.

Seagate - DiscWizard | Seagate

WD - WD Support



Easeus - EASEUS Todo Backup Free 6.1 Download for Windows / FileHorse.com

When downloading programs, pay attention to any garbage it might want to add.
Check "Custom" and uncheck the extras and on following pages, click "decline".

 

[Kaktussoft]

It's the 100MB partition (it holds the bootmanager and bootmenu) that's almost full!
Why not simply delete that partition and do a startup repair? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71363-system-reserved-partition-delete.html

 

[whs]

It's the 100MB partition (it holds the bootmanager and bootmenu) that's almost full!
Why not simply delete that partition and do a startup repair? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71363-system-reserved-partition-delete.html

Good catch. But instead of 3 times Startup/Repair I would just copy the bootmgr to C and then get rid of the 100MB bugger.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

 

[Kaktussoft]

It's the 100MB partition (it holds the bootmanager and bootmenu) that's almost full!
Why not simply delete that partition and do a startup repair? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71363-system-reserved-partition-delete.html

Good catch. But instead of 3 times Startup/Repair I would just copy the bootmgr to C and then get rid of the 100MB bugger.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

That copies bootmgr and bootmenu to C. It marks C as ACTIVE. All fine.
But what happens with WINRE if it's located on the 100MB partition??? Answer: it stays there. Very unlikely any relevant software or recovery stuff is in 100MB partition, but it is possible.

 

[carwiz]

There's lots of things in that "System Reserved" partition you don't normally see.

 

[Layback Bear]

I wonder how the reserve partition got so full.
Opps carwiz we posted at the same time.

 

[carwiz]

The OP needs to get those "Boot" partitions off the other disks, unless he's booting from them.

Also, you can't run MSBackup to a disk that contains system files.

 

[absc]

Thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread although many of the comments were above my head.

I got a disk and partition backup OK using Acronis True Image. I couldn't find where to make a system repair disk with Acronis so I made one using MS backup. Am I right in thinking that if I have a disaster I can boot up with the MS system repair disk and restore from the Acronis backup? I've never had to do a restore before!

I don't know why the c: system reserved partition is so full. I remember noticing before I reinstalled my programs, including a fairly massive video editor, that it was nearly empty. I'm thinking of uninstalling a few progs starting with the editor to see if gets rid of a few files. I'm very reluctant to simply delete files from it even if I knew how and I don't know enough to start fiddling with the registry. I'm worried that being nearly full the system will start getting unstable. Is there any way of increasing its size above a measly 100 MB without rebuilding the system?

What would happen if I do a disk clean?

Thanks

 

[whs]

Open the 100MB partition and see what's in it. Post a picture here.

 

[BillDing]

I had a similar problem with Windows 7 imaging where the System Reserved partition was too full, but it had to do with shadow copies. Found an article stating that a third-party application was turning on the USN journal, and that was filling it (System Reserved partition) up. They gave a fancy way to check, and it seemed like that was it.

Fixed it by making the partition bigger (around 500 MB). This is moot, considering you got it to work via Acronis, though.

 

[PSCO2007]

Thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread although many of the comments were above my head.

I got a disk and partition backup OK using Acronis True Image. I couldn't find where to make a system repair disk with Acronis so I made one using MS backup. Am I right in thinking that if I have a disaster I can boot up with the MS system repair disk and restore from the Acronis backup? I've never had to do a restore before!

I don't know why the c: system reserved partition is so full. I remember noticing before I reinstalled my programs, including a fairly massive video editor, that it was nearly empty. I'm thinking of uninstalling a few progs starting with the editor to see if gets rid of a few files. I'm very reluctant to simply delete files from it even if I knew how and I don't know enough to start fiddling with the registry. I'm worried that being nearly full the system will start getting unstable. Is there any way of increasing its size above a measly 100 MB without rebuilding the system?

What would happen if I do a disk clean?

Thanks

I couldn't find where to make a system repair disk with Acronis

Go to Tools - you will see that choice.

 

[absc]

Go to Tools - you will see that choice.

Thanks. The screen is quite different for WD but I managed it. I had it before but I misread the file size as 300 odd GB instead of MB and thought it wasn't what I wanted.

Open the 100MB partition and see what's in it.

How? I can't find it even with explorer set to show hidden folders.

Fixed it by making the partition bigger

How did you do this? Disk Manager has Expand Volume greyed out even after shrinking the c: partition to make room.


Thanks again everyone.

 

[whs]

How? I can't find it even with explorer set to show hidden folders.

You have to assign a letter to it in Disk Management and then you double click on it in Computer.

 

[absc]

You have to assign a letter to it in Disk Management and then you double click on it in Computer.

Tried that and I can see it now but when I open it it says the folder is empty. Properties shows the volume nearly full.

 

[absc]

You have to assign a letter to it in Disk Management and then you double click on it in Computer.

I've unchecked Hide Protected Operating System Files and I can see these files.
Recycle Bin shows 4 KB, Boot shows 13.9 MB of what look like a whole bunch of language files, System Volume 0 KB, Boot Manager 379 KB. Properties still show the volume used space as 94.8 MB with 5.11.MB free.

Played around a bit but can't find anything else.

 

[whs]

Hmm, it somehow does not add up. The only other space could be shadowstorage which you don't see here. Run the command below in elevated command prompt and see whether there is any Allocated space for this partition letter.

vssadmin list shadowstorage

 

[absc]

Hmm, it somehow does not add up. The only other space could be shadowstorage which you don't see here. Run the command below in elevated command prompt and see whether there is any Allocated space for this partition letter.

vssadmin list shadowstorage

I don't see anything relating to data volume L:, but I do see that the allocated space in c: is nearly exhausted

 

[whs]

Right, there is nothing for L. And don't worry about C. That is a round robin FiFo system. The space will always be reused.