Cannot create a full image of USB flash, but can copy single partitoon

Discussion in 'Paragon Drive Backup Product Line' started by midix, Dec 2, 2015.

  1. midix

    midix Registered Member

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    In HDM Pro 2015, I tried to create a full backup image of my Apacer USB Flash 8GB. It was made bootable with Easy2Boot utility, which created two partitions - one 7.6GB, another one 31KB and also 20MB free space.

    I picked "Backup to VD", then in the Wizard I picked "Back up volumes". Then I selected entire USB disk, so at the end it looked like this:

    http://i.imgur.com/F4Voqo4.png

    The orange part is that tiny Easy2Boot service partition, and the green part is unallocated space, so obvioulsy HDM did not mark it to back up.

    In the next step for backup image location I picked a hard drive which has plenty of free space (about 100GB). But what was confusing - at the upper part of the window, HDM shows that it is about to copy only that single 31KB partition!

    http://i.imgur.com/ky9Ewa5.png

    Why so? In the previous step I picked entire USB flash drive! If I understand, entire disk copy means that I want to copy both partitions and MBR.

    Nevertheless, I proceeded and applied changes. Then I got a popup window:

    http://i.imgur.com/Jn5L5z1.png

    I said "Yes". And then I got an error:

    http://i.imgur.com/XxxzZCB.png



    Why so? I have 100GB free space on the target drive. The source partitions are just 7.6GB and 31KB (and HDM even ignored the largest one and offered to copy just the smallest).

    I tried this also from a HDM recovery CD - the same result.

    Only if I pick the single partition on the USB, then HDM can back it up successfully. But I want to back up entire USB drive with all partitions and MBR. How can I do that?
     
  2. wptski

    wptski Registered Member

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    Probably because HDM and/or Paragon products aren't really designed to work on flash drives. Some time ago, in order to be "W8 compatible" flash drives had to show up as local drives like a physical drive does. I have a 4GB SanDisk like that. It seems that didn't go as planned or whatever and was stopped. Now a flash drive like the one I have "might" work but I'm just guessing. There are disk diagnostic apps that don't work on flash drives.
     
  3. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    I have created backups of UFDs using Paragon programs (and other imaging applications too) in the past, without problems.

    I did it again trying to replicate your problem, but the process finished without errors, and the image was created correctly.

    I used HDM 15 Suite v. 813 (latest version) and a UFD I created with Easy2Boot some time ago. In my case, there was a difference in the second image that you posted above. I only got "Volumes", as expected, and no "partitions".

    I didn´t received a request to backup in raw mode either, also as expected, since the UFD is formatted with FAT32.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2015
  4. midix

    midix Registered Member

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    Thanks, Robin, for sharing your experience. My UFD also is formatted as FAT32 and I'm pretty sure it is of Removeable types; at least Windows always shows it as removable disk.

    Not sure, what might be wrong though. Maybe the fact that my UFD has only ~300MB free on the main partition or maybe there is something wrong with this specific UFD. It is old and getting really slow sometimes, still it boots fine using Easy2Boot.

    Also I noticed that my HDM version seems to be outdated: 10.1.25.772, although I bought and downloaded it a week ago. I'll try if an update makes any difference.
     
  5. midix

    midix Registered Member

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    And now, what's strange - Paragon's free product Backup & Recovery Free 2013 seems to be able to backup the UFD without issues. I can pick the disk root with MBR and all partitions:

    http://i.imgur.com/jUHNL9h.png

    and the backup process started fine:
    http://i.imgur.com/RsROQ7r.png

    and was finished successfully.

    To be sure, I also tried the same steps from HDM Legacy View - success again!

    Maybe the fact that Paragon has changed to a new backup format is the reason why the new HDM is unable to do some specific things which can be done with their old PBF format. I guess, we'll have to give Paragon some time to tweak their new "VD container" format.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2015
  6. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    The VD format has been in use since 2014. I used it (PVHD format) to image the UFD as explained above.

    I am only using Paragon programs to do some tests occasionally, no longer I use Paragon as my main imaging program --too many problems. You could try the latest HDM version, you can download the installer from your account. The web page is different now, and you will need to set a new password. I have found some problems with this 813 version.
     
  7. midix

    midix Registered Member

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    I updated to 10.1.25.813 - still the same issue, backup to VD does not work, but .PBF works fine.

    I haven't yet experienced issues with the older, free Paragon software. It saved me in one weird occasion when Acronis tools for some reason always restored a backup not from saved disk image which I told it to use, but instead created a copy of the USB drive which was used to boot Acronis. At that time Paragon did what I told it to do.

    So, currently I have three complaints about Paragon:
    - this UFD backup failure in VD mode
    - messing with BCD configuration when restoring backups (what's worse - changing BCD config for the source drive when copying partitions), even if I tell Paragon to leave BCD untouched; see my other thread here https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thre...difications-when-copying-a-hard-drive.381887/
    - slow support - I have created support ticket in MyParagon account website, but it stays in "In work" state for three days without any other information.

    Currently I'll stick with Paragon Legacy mode. Unless I find something better, but there are not so many choices if I want full, reliable partition manager+backup solution+ support for virtual machine disk formats (Paragon is good at this).

    I mean - there are lots of "The best backup software X of year Y", but the problem is that reviews usually test for features and 90% of simple cases, but there is not so much info about 10% tricky cases - and those 10% often are exactly when I might want to be covered.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2015
  8. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    I had read your other post -- this problem was discussed in this forum some years ago. As I remember, the conclusion was that the option to not change the BCD didn´t work. There are several old problems in Paragon programs that have not been solved.
     
  9. wptski

    wptski Registered Member

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    Frankly I'm surprised that one can image a UFD but I really don't see a need for that but to each their own!

    Robin, what problems are you having with the 813 build which I'm downloading right now?
     
  10. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    Sometimes you need to copy a UFD. It´s easy with images: image it, restore to another UFD. This is useful when you create a multi-boot UFD [with several WinPEs], using Easy2Boot or a similar program [I use mainly WinSetupFromUSB]. The creation of a multi-boot UFD involves several steps, it´s easier to copy it if needed than to repeat the initial process.

    Problems with HDM 15 813 [Windows 7]

    When I first installed it several wizards didn´t work, reported error when opening the UI or missing file. I created an ISO using WADK for Windows 8.1 and burned it to a UFD using Rufus [my standard procedure]. In the WinPE, the "Restore from VD" wizard didn´t work, the same error as before, although in the installed program this wizard did worked. So the boot UFD was useless. These errors are not new, I have seen them since HDM 14.

    When I tried to reinstall HDM to test the image of a UFD, the install failed, reported a corrupted CAB file. I tried again and the installation finished without errors, but the opening of most wizard was very slow. Again, not a new problem.
     
  11. wptski

    wptski Registered Member

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    I installed the 813 build in W10 Pro, tried to image a UFD and got a spinning busy icon on every selection but it finished. Rebooted and tried the same thing again with no slowness at all.
     
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