Ubuntu image restore problem

[moontan]

Installed Ubuntu 12.04, overwriting Windows 7.

created an image.
on image restore, the computer reboot endlessly.

unless the image is corrupted, which is possible, is there any known problem with the bootloader?

[Kerodo]

I would suspect something wrong with the image, and/or with the software you used to make the image...

[moontan]

i'm gonna try a couple of these tips first:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/78472...-together-with

i have never seen IFW/IFD/IFL fail before.
but that's possible.

[moontan]

not working.

i am gonna assume it is a corrupted image and try all over again when i get some times.

[mack_guy911]

the problem is due to grub

1st use gparted tool from live cd and formate ubuntu drive in fat 32 then

after that use your drive restore it formate again and it work i pretty sure you remove grub as well

i assume your ubuntu drive is 1st sda which is c drive please correct me

if you have ubuntu install and you restore windows on same or other drive never work so far i know unless you created it after ubuntu install with diffrent conditions (like for example cloning of disk ...etc with grub as well)

some time linux junk left partitions didnt formate compleatly so they dont let other install best is use external gparted live cd and formate it again its not 100% but atleast it let you install over it.

or

go for low level formate after backup

[tlu]

Originally Posted by moontan

not working.

i am gonna assume it is a corrupted image and try all over again when i get some times.

Sorry for that. Doesn't IFW/IFD/IFL offer an option to check the integrity of an image? Clonezilla does, and it has never failed.

[oliverjia]

OP did you also backup and restore the new MBR, bootloader, etc?
I normally create backup image for ubuntu using both IFD/IFL or clonezilla live cd. In case one image fails to restore, I still have a decent chance from the other image.

[moontan]

Originally Posted by mack_guy911

the problem is due to grub

1st use gparted tool from live cd and formate ubuntu drive in fat 32 then

after that use your drive restore it formate again and it work i pretty sure you remove grub as well ...

tnx mack!
i have to work this week-end but i will give your suggestions a try on Monday.
-----------------------------

Originally Posted by tlu

Sorry for that. Doesn't IFW/IFD/IFL offer an option to check the integrity of an image? Clonezilla does, and it has never failed.

i don't use that feature anymore because it has never failed so far in probably a couple hundreds of imaging/restore.

maybe i should have.
i will re-install and re-image on Monday to make sure.
----------------------------------

Originally Posted by oliverjia

OP did you also backup and restore the new MBR, bootloader, etc?
I normally create backup image for ubuntu using both IFD/IFL or clonezilla live cd. In case one image fails to restore, I still have a decent chance from the other image.

yes i did.

your suggestion of using both these apps is a good one.
To Do on Monday as well!

tnx folks!

[Brian K]

moontan,

Before you start again can you try another restore but use the Option, Restore First Track, AUTO.

That will restore the sectors containing grub.

Did Ubuntu restart correctly before you created the image?

You have installed Ubuntu differently to me so that is my guess of what should work. I install grub into the partition boot sector and not into the MBR.

[moontan]

Originally Posted by Brian K

moontan,

Before you start again can you try another restore but use the Option, Restore First Track, AUTO.

That will restore the sectors containing grub.

Did Ubuntu restart correctly before you created the image?

You have installed Ubuntu differently to me so that is my guess of what should work. I install grub into the partition boot sector and not into the MBR.

tnx a lot Brian.
yes, Ubuntu started normally.

got to work today but i will try this tonight after work.

[Brian K]

moontan,

Assuming you are restoring the Ubuntu partition and not the Entire Drive, I'd use these Options and no others.

Set Active
Restore First Track (AUTO First Track Sectors)
Validate Before Restore
Validate Byte-for-Byte
Log Results to File


Are you using IFL ver 2.70? Good luck.

[moontan]

Originally Posted by Brian K

moontan,

Assuming you are restoring the Ubuntu partition and not the Entire Drive, I'd use these Options and no others.

Set Active
Restore First Track (AUTO First Track Sectors)
Validate Before Restore
Validate Byte-for-Byte
Log Results to File


Are you using IFL ver 2.70? Good luck.

maybe an even better idea would have been for me to uncheck the box saying "Write Windows 7 MBR to the image" before trying to back up a Linux OS.

seems to be working fine now.

i feel so ashamed.lol

[Brian K]

moontan,

That is great news. I'm confused. Did you restore the image?

[moontan]

Originally Posted by Brian K

moontan,

That is great news. I'm confused. Did you restore the image?

no i re-installed Ubuntu.
then i created a new image.

i gather the original image i created was wrecked because i forgot to untick that box.

either that or the image was corrupted somehow...

[moontan]

Update:

i spoke too fast, the problem is back.

if i install Ubuntu, then take an image, i can restore than image fine. i can reboot normally also.

but once i restore a Windows 7 image, and then try to restore a Ubuntu image it does not work.
the computer reboot endlessly.

somehow, Windows 7 is preventing the Linux bootloader from installing.

i think i came across the very same problem a few years back.
but i got problem remembering what i had for dinner last night.

[moontan]

Originally Posted by Brian K

moontan,

Before you start again can you try another restore but use the Option, Restore First Track, AUTO.

the First Track, AUTO option is enabled by default.

You have installed Ubuntu differently to me so that is my guess of what should work. I install grub into the partition boot sector and not into the MBR.

this stuff is like rocket science to me.

i never had these kind of problems with Bodhi Linux.

[moontan]

of course, the easy solution would be not to restore a Windows image.

that's very tempting, especially after all the problems Microsoft is giving me trying to muscle out Linux from booting.

[Brian K]

moontan,

You need a decent boot manager. I have several Ubuntu, several WinXP, several win7, etc. No problems with restoring.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=279

[Brian K]

Originally Posted by moontan

the First Track, AUTO option is enabled by default.

That's not necessarily right. Do you mean AUTO on the right side with no Restore First Track on the left side.
Or AUTO on the right side and Restore First Track ticked on the left side.

[moontan]

Originally Posted by Brian K

That's not necessarily right. Do you mean AUTO on the right side with no Restore First Track on the left side.
Or AUTO on the right side and Restore First Track ticked on the left side.

hmmm...

good question.
i haven played with the default settings at all but i'll go have a look right now.

tnx for the recommendation on boot manager:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=279

i'll look into it.

[moontan]

just wanted to give an update on my 'progress' with this.

i had a look at the link that Brian provided:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=279

i was successful at figuring out all of the 22 steps required.
except step #4.

i was never able to find the Boot Edit menu because i never really installed Bootit to the hard drive.
after 2 days, i finally figured out what was wrong.lol

anyway, i'll give this a try again tomorrow.
if nothing else, it should be a good opportunity to learn about this stuff.

[moontan]

Originally Posted by moontan

Update:

i spoke too fast, the problem is back.

if i install Ubuntu, then take an image, i can restore than image fine. i can reboot normally also.

but once i restore a Windows 7 image, and then try to restore a Ubuntu image it does not work.
the computer reboot endlessly.

somehow, Windows 7 is preventing the Linux bootloader from installing.

i think i came across the very same problem a few years back.
but i got problem remembering what i had for dinner last night.

somehow, i have no problems switching back and forth between a Windows and a Bodhi image.


so i am left with 2 conclusions:

either Microsoft has a rootkit that is specifically designed to mess with the Ubuntu bootloader,
or,
the Ubuntu team needs help designing a decent bootloader.

if i was a betting man i d go with #2.

[Brian K]

moontan,

The following is an interesting thread about Grub2. The TeraByte apps can handle the first 103 sectors but I don't know about other imaging apps which just use "Restore MBR" or "Restore First Track".

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ucf....php?f=4&t=534

[Brian K]

Originally Posted by moontan

i was successful at figuring out all of the 22 steps required.
except step #4.

What trouble did you have with #4?

[moontan]

Originally Posted by Brian K

moontan,

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ucf....php?f=4&t=534

tnx Brian, sorry for the delay.
i will check out your link shortly.

Originally Posted by Brian K

What trouble did you have with #4?

when installing Bootit to the hard disk, i got one of the step wrong.
so i was not really installing it when i though i did.