Backup/restore MBR

I may have missed something explaining this in my searches, but I didn't find anything saying it is possible to just backup and restore the MBR. It appears to get backed up and restored as part of a full disk backup, but I'd like to be able to back up just the MBR. My daughter in law is going through computer nightmares because she lost access to her MBR while the rest of the computer is apparently fully intact. I'd like to avoid her problems in the future should that occur, especially since I dual boot to either XP or Linux. The ability to copy/restore just the MBR should do that. Is that possible with ATI 9.1 or must you backup/restore the entire drive?

Thanks.

 

A quick Google search for MBR Backup brought up several hits. You're sure to find something suitable.

 

Unfortunately, TI won't just backup the MBR.

For that (and other MBR features) I use MBRtool - it's freeware and runs on DOS...
http://www.diydatarecovery.nl/mbrtool.htm

Since MBRtool requires DOS, you may want to obtain a free copy of Dr DOS (imho, the best DOS variant)...
http://www.drdos.net/ - or directly from: ftp://ftp.fsn.hu/pub/OpenDOS/

 

Hello jerryd3001,

Thank you for your interest in Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please note that the current versions of Acronis True Image can not backup just MBR (Master Boot Record). Using Acronis True Image 9.0 you will be able to backup MBR along with an entire disk image. In the new 9.1 corporate line versions of Acronis True Image both disk and partition images contain MBR.

Therefore, with the new versions of Acronis True Image you will be able to backup and restore not only the system, if it is fails for some reasons, but also just MBR of the hard drive, if you want.

You can download Acronis True Image 9.0 trial version here and trial versions of corporate products here in order to see how the programs work.

If you would like to order your software before the trial period ends, please visit the Acronis online store

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

Thanks for the reply. I wonder why you don't include the ability to backup and restore just the MBR. If it is possible to lose just the MBR and not the data, it seems a person would want the ability to restore only that component that was lost. I know that, although I have my drive backed up, it would be with great trepidation that I would do a full restore with that just because my MBR was corrupted. I just think this would be a good feature to include in all versions of ATI and should be so easy to do. Thanks.

 

I totally agree and considering the number of annoyed customers the MBR issue causes I would think that it would ultimately provide a payback to Acronis. I never understood why it was such a big deal to include the MBR, Drive Image has done it for years.

 

Hello Aleksandr,

Having checked the True Image 9.1 Workstation User's Guide, I'm left with the impression that you cannot "backup" just the MBR but you can just "restore" it (Chapter 6.2 and 7.3.4 refer). Please advise whether my understanding is correct or not.

Best regards

 

Yes, you (as always) have it correct. It's always backed up with a partition or disk, but never alone.

PS: Workstation 9.1 has almost every feature that we have asked for over the years except writing directly to CD/DVD.

 

Hello Menorcaman,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please accept our apologies for the mistake.

As you mentioned, Acronis True Image allows you to back up MBR along with a partition or an entire hard drive only. However, you can restore MBR separately.

Thank you.
--
Tatyana Tsyngaeva

 

i downloaded a trial version of corporate , but i did not find the option to image the mbr & the partition!!!!

i found only the option to image the whole disk or only the partition!
how can i do it?

 

Hello mantra,

TI 9.1 Corporate series and the newly released TI 9 Home build 3567 automatically include the MBR in a "Disk" image or a "Partition" image. When you restore either type of image you can now decide whether to copy the MBR back to the destination drive/partition by ticking the appropriate checkbox in the Restore Data Wizard.

Regards

 

thanks Menorcaman


i don't know what could i do without you

did u test this build ? is buggy? of is safe? I trust of you

 

Hi mantra,

I'm playing around with it at the moment but the serious testing will have to wait until the new "True Image Home" User's Guide becomes available. I need to understand what it is that I'm testing!!

Regards

 

If I understand you right, the New Build 3,567 will "Backup" my MBR, each time I create a Backup Image of my Primary , Active Partition C:/ Right? Thanks

 

Hello niteghost,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Yes, you are correct. When you create an image of the partition, you back up MBR as well.

Please find more information on how to use Acronis True Image 9.0 Home in the respective User's Guide.

If you have any further questions please feel free to ask.

Thank you.
--
Tatyana Tsyngaeva

 

Just to say that the current True Image Home Version 9.0 User's Guide is still the old one. It doesn't contain anything relevant to the new features of the re-engineered Build 3567.

Regards

 

I think I've found another reason to want to be able to just backup/restore the MBR. I just did a backup of one of my laptop's drives. This drive has XP/Xandros on it and I apparently have a partition formated with ReiserFS, but nothing on it. So to do the backup and leave that partition out, I can't select the entire drive by clicking the top check box, I can only select the two other partitions. I assume that means my MBR doesn't get copied. So if I lose that entire drive and need to restore it, how do I get the MBR back on it? Thanks.

 

but if in the mbr there are the info about the partitions ,restore the mbr ,could damage different partition in another hd?

 

As stated above, the new builds of True Image will copy the MBR into the image irrespective of whether you select the whole disk or just one or two partitions. When you subsequently restore the image you are now given the option to copy the MBR to the destination drive or not (just tick the appropriate checkbox in the Restore Wizard).

Regards

 

Hi mantra,

Does my reply to jerryd3001 in Post #19 answer your concerns?

Regards

 

i mean could be dangerous restore the mbr in another hd
for example
i have a hd
with
1 partition of 60 gb
2 partition of 40 gb
3 partition of 100 gb

i backup the first partition ok?

now i have a second hd
with
1 partition of 30 giga
2 partition of 100 giga stop

could be dangerous restore the mbr of the first hd in the second hd?
it would overwrite the mbr(and the partition table of the first hd in the second hd ) could i loose the data/partition of the second hd?

 

Hi mantra,

O.K. I see what you mean now.

I'm not sure what Acronis consider to be the "MBR". If it is only the MBR and doesn't include the Master Partition Table, then I guess copying the original C: boot partition + MBR to the other disk's C: boot partition shouldn't matter. However, if the imaged MBR pointed to a different boot partition than that on the new destination drive, then restoring just the MBR or restoring the MBR + 1st partition to a different location will cause a problem (hopefully someone more knowledgeable on these things will correct me if I'm wrong).

Given the potential for disaster, I guess that's why, originally, Acronis didn't include the MBR in a partition image. Now that they have complied with many users wishes, people need to use the new feature wisely!!

Regards

 

It’s the old “be careful what you ask for” …

 

When "restoring" to a DIFFERENT drive, I would ALWAYS restore "files and folders", not the drive. It's a lot safer and you can reformat any way you wish.

 

but the acronis team doesn't answer to the question?