Dell MBR and ATI Home v11 using Vista

Does anyone know if ATI Home v11 will back up Dell's special restore MBR when imaging the OS partition in Vista? I am reluctant to image and restore using ATI Home v11 without knowing this. If the MBR is changed in any way, the special Dell restore option (F8 during Vista startup) to restore the OS partition to "factory fresh" will not work (according to the Dell forums).

Thanks for any reply,
SourMilk out

 

If you:
1. Use the True Image bootable CD to do the BAckup.
2. Do NOT put the backup Image on a Secure Zone on the system drive.
3. Do not activate the Startup Recovery Manager.
4. Put the check mark against Disk 1 to backup the ENTIRE drive.

Then when you restore the Image you will get back the computer exactly as it was when you made that Image.

 

Thanks. I won't install ATI; just use the CD; image to another HD; and checkmark to do the entire disk. Is this right?

I think I see a little light in the dark.

Thanks DwnNdrty.

SourMilk out

 

the more I read this forum the more questions I have.

I have a Dell and have been backing up using Acronis from Windows. Is there some kind of problem doing it from Windows? I have not heard that this would render the Dell recovery not usable.

Sandy

 

I think it has to do with overwriting the MBR. I understand, from reading the Dell forums, that XP can be fixed by using a prg called DSRFix. However, if you use Vista and mung up the MBR you are pretty well scrood. It seems that Dell uses a native Vista recovery stub for their restoration.

SourMilk out

 

Sandy,
Notice that DwnNdRty spelled out certain specific restrictions to achieve the goal of a computer being identical to the original.

Steps 2 & 3 is to avoid grief and many postings in order to corrrect.

Step 1 is a personal preference for many. I use both procedures. Most of the time I use Windows but I do regularly use the CD. Having both provides a situation where if there ever is a problem caused by Windows, then the CD will come to the rescue. Also, if doing a clone of a system disk, it is very important that the clone be performed from the CD and not from within Windows.

 

I did not know that... as always GroverH thanks for your input. I am able to boot the cd and load Acronis as well as see all my drives in all but one computer in the home. I just have never done a restore using the CD. I do have full disk backups but whenever I have used restore I have just restored my C drive - so far I have had no problems... but I have NOT tried anything yet on the new Dells. I am going to check out the Dell forum and see what I can find out about the MBR and Dell that SourMilk has brought to our attention.

Sandy

 

Sandy,
Activating TI "Startup Recovery Manager" (step 3) will cause an DELL mbr problem where diagnostic/recovery partitions are concerned.
Lots of posts on this forum regarding the SRM and MBR.

 

Are we talking about the TI 11's "recovery wizzard" because that is what I select when I want to restore my C partion.

 

I just looked and saw that you access SRM from Tools - I never use that - didn't even know it existed until now.

Thank goodness I haven't screwed something up without knowing it.

Sandy