help, MBR clarification, PLEASE

to all,
re: MBR

I just downloaded 9.3567 home version.

I have drive, with partitions C:, D:, E:.

I want to just back up partition C:, BUT include the MBR.

When I just click on C: to backup, the checkmark disappears from DISK ! box, but it stays green.

IS the MBR backed up with a SINGLE partition, so that I could restore it later, along with partition C:,

OR, do I havge to back up ALL of c: d: E:, to get the MBR backed up?


I did a search of MBR, but it still did not clarify the BACKUP option here.


My search DID indicate that you can RESTORE the MBR separately.

thanks
Nick

 

Nick,

I'm too much of newbie here except to say you might find the discussion HERE helpful.

Larry

 

"IS the MBR backed up with a SINGLE partition, so that I could restore it later, along with partition C:,"

Yes, it is.
If you wish to verify this, step through the Restore Wizard and you will see both C and MBR as selections for restoration.

 

larry,
thanks for reply

weaz, just to clarify -
If I do the IMAGE backup, and just select the C: partition;
even though the DRIVE box is not checked, it is still backing up the MBR?

I am going to test this, on spare drive, and am building a boot disk now.


DOES it make any difference to run fom windows version or from boot version?
thanks
NIck

 

In B3567 when you create a partition image the MBR is included. You don't see any reference to it until you do a restore then the box is there to tick if you want to restore it.

I haven't done it but what I understand is you have to treat it like a second partition to get it restored.

In other words:
You select the partition to restore say, C. Then you proceed through the restore wizard and when it asks you if you want to restore another partition (it hasn't restored anything yet) you say yes and it takes you back to the partition screen where you can now select the Track0/MBR entry.

 

Re: help, MBR clarification, THANKS, and some info

to all,
thanks for reply; this is my project this weekend, test the drives.

OK, one comment on restores, and disasters.

If you have a multi-partition drive,and you back up c:, and the MBR, and not the other partitions -
IF a disaster happened, I THINKyou can restore the MBR and the C: drive, adn at least get acces to that data.
If that drive boots, the MBR would contain the c: data pointers (and also pointers to d: and e: ), but d: and e: would not exist, but c: would, after restore.

THUS, data can at least be accessed.

I will experiment more with this (system with removable hard drives, plenty of old drives to crash with and see if I can break it.....)

Anyway, off to experiment land.....
nick

 

I've been doing a lot of work is trying to resolve my 2337 vs 3567 restore time issue and I can confirm that even with a 2337 image being restored using a 3567 rescue disk the "Track0/MBR" block is there for selection just like with a 3567 image/file using a 3567 image/file.

I guess my question is that if you restore only the C: drive with the OS on it along with the MBR will the restore be bootable if you haven't done anything to the actual partitions such as type, size, file structure.

Larry

Larry

 

That's interesting about the box being there if you have a 2337 partition image. I wonder if there really is anything to restore?

From what I've seen Acronis says you have to have the same number of partitions on the disk although the sizes don't have to be the same as the originals. I don't know if this means without the same number it definitely won't boot or it sometimes won't boot.

 

Larry,
I think it is possible, based on some prior destructions of partitions on my drives.

I am going to test this out with my experimental machine, and wil post some fedback also.

ALSO, I am going to try

back up machine 1 (c:, MBR)

LOAD this backup to a spare bootable drive in machine 2

BOOT the machine 1 backup in machine 2 (non-idntical machine), in SAFE mode, and see if data shows up.

IF it does, then it is an emergency way to get data off a disk.

One problem everyone is not addressing; we are all backing up drives (drive is the main thing to fail), BUT, if our MACHINE fails, but not the drive, either we need
1. SAME machine to boot with
2. DATA off the main drive, to recreate a NEW disk for new machine

Anyway, off with teh bootable disk to machine #1....

Nick