Backup Issue - Image for Windows

I'm using Terabyte Unlimited Image for Windows 2.60 and have an issue now.

I created a Live Boot Disk and boot via USB Flash. I created a full disk image (Windows Recovery Partition and 2 other partitions - 500 GB total) and did it with unused sector copy as well so I can retain an exact image including a recovery that allows use of the backup-time restore points of Windows, etc.

Anyhow - it took 10 hours with "normal compression" but when I booted back to Windows and try to open/mount/view/examine the contents of the TBI ... IFW refused to open or mount the volume saying it was corrupt/failed/whatever - basically saying it was an invalid image, etc.

This has happened a half dozen times the past month, but assumed nothing and just tried again and the like - however, it simply will not create the image as a full-disk image it seems.

However, it appears that a single partition backup works ...

Anyone have a solution to this?

 

TraumaDoc,

My first suggestion would be to try the latest version, 2.62a.

I use Entire Drive images on my test computer and they work fine. But my method is a little different from yours. I turn off Windows System Restore as I don't want those points. I never backup unused sectors although I did once when I was testing Rollback but it didn't suit me.

Can I ask why you are creating your image outside Windows? I just run IFW and continue using the computer. Did you do a Byte-for-Byte Validation immediately after you created your image? I think this is important as validation failure gives you a wake-up call to check your computer. Especially the RAM.

 

I do not believe there is absolute certainty of 100.000000% file backup accuracy with an in-Windows-mode backup. I fully believe a disk should be 100% not in use while being imaged.

Second, to use 2.62a I would have to buy it... and since I already own a previous version...

I hate system restore and Windows' method ... BUT ... to be honest, system restore has gotten me out of a few minor jams from time to time after messing around with software/registry settings, and so on - and other apparent "spontaneous" issues - so, I like the idea of keeping a disk image that I trust is 100% stable and working perfectly - and having that reliability of a few restore points to cover me, simply as a starting point for when I restore that disk image and then need to apply updates to software or drives that came out since that disk image was created. Otherwise, I typically shut off system restore and VSS.

There is nothing wrong with my system hardware, including memory. This is a software, disk layout, or some other issue - thus the reason for asking. There are no memory issues and validation shows no issues. The system is making that final TBI disk image and there is something going on with it during mounting or creation itself. I can backup each individual partition on that disk (all 3) and they work fine - but it will not allow me to mount/view individual partitions when they are part of a FULL disk image.

So then . . .

 

If you own 2.60 you also own 2.62a.

 

TD, I have a vague memory of the following restriction when using IFW...

If, when you did your whole HD backup, you CHECKed ONLY the HD<n> CheckBox (and let IFW manage those nelow it), I do not believe IFW is able to handle individual partitions from that style of backup for either restoration or when using TBview (the concept of mounting and ENTIRE multi-partitioned disk under TBview is foreign). When restoring an image of that type you can only restore the entire disk, not individual partitions.

If, instead, you ONLY check each partition individually (and allow IFW to manage all check boxen above those), you get an entire disk image AND are also able to restore individual partitions (and probably mount them as well under the TB viewer/mounter).

Pls don't quote me on the above but I remember coming across some information similar to the above when I was messing with restoration...

 

Hello,
which version of windows are you using to try to open the images?

Everytime I create an image with the bootable disc I have to change the permissions on the file within windows before i can open the file. if i dont change the persmissions i get the same sort of error messages you are.
If you right click the file and go to the security tab what are the permissions?

 

lodore,

Good one. I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

TheRollbackFrog,

I use your first scenario. I can restore the entire drive or individual partitions. I can mount individual partitions from the image or use TBIView on individual partitions from the image (I use a single file image).

Entire drive images are handy in my test computer as they allow single click restores. So one click gives me a Win7 OS and a data partition, another click gives me Ubuntu, Swap partition and a data partition, etc.

 

I followed your suggestion/recommendation and did a boot-time backup again, but this time, while doing a full disk image, selected the individual partitions with the check boxes on the disk I wanted backed up. Also, I did NOT check the MBR checkbox for that disk. And, the result...

... The 3 partitions on my disk were backed up and the single TBI image file was fully viewable/mountable/files-extractable from within Windows.

My only question then is... Since I did not backup the MBR/BootRecord as noted above, what will happen if I choose a disk restore with this image file and during the restore, checkmark/select the entire disk image (TBI) contents ?

Will the disk boot normally, etc.?

I guess I can find out by just testing with an actual restore to find out... just hope there is no issue - since I want the disk 100% working immediately.

Anyone have input on what will happen (by experience) ?

Thanks for the suggestion - at the least, I have a backup of my files, etc.

Thanks !

 

I looked at IFD and IFW and neither have a "MBR checkbox" option when backing up. Which option are you referring to?

 

I think I know what you mean. On the "Select the hard drive or partitions to backup" window you have a HD 0-MBR check box. This box does not backup the MBR. It is just indicating that the HD is a MBR HD as opposed to an EMBR HD or GPT HD. If you tick this box you get an entire drive image. It has some advantages in restoring compared with what you have done. For example it will delete partitions on the target HD that aren't in the backup image. You can stop this from happening if that isn't your plan. It will also let you scale your partitions if you are restoring to a different sized HD. But what you have done is fine. No problems. I only use entire drive images on my test computer, not my main computer.

You don't have to worry about backing up the MBR as it is done automatically whenever a partition is backed up. So if you have 3 partition images you have 3 backups of the MBR. When you restore an image you can choose to restore the MBR or not. It makes no difference in most cases if you don't restore the MBR as IFW will create a standard MBR and the restored OS will boot just as if you did restore the original MBR. The only time you really need to restore the MBR is when you have a special MBR such as BootIt BM or other boot managers which have special code in the MBR.

IFW/IFD don't have a Restore MBR option. They have a Restore First Track option. The First Track is the first 63 sectors of the HD. The MBR is the very first sector of these 63 sectors. IFW/IFD actually backs up the First Track. So if you want to restore the MBR, choose Restore First Track.

 

TraumaDoc,

Just to demonstrate the MBR concern is a non issue I did a test for you with a Win7 OS. Using a Disk Editor the First Track was zeroed (deleted). (The first 63 sectors were zeroed.) There was no MBR, Disk Signature, Partition Table or EMBR. When I tried to boot, the error message was "Invalid boot Diskette".

Using BootIt BM for recovery I was able to boot to the Win7 desktop within 4 minutes of the above boot error message.