winxp doesn't support image restores???

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by deckie49, Dec 28, 2004.

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  1. deckie49

    deckie49 Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2004
    Posts:
    34
    hello all.
    fyi[​IMG]
    here's something you might be interested in.....
    before trying new software, or "playing" with my system settings, etc., i always do an image backup (using image for windows). then, if i run into problems, don't like the new software or whatever, i just do a restore. i have always preferred this method of protection over using xp's built in restore function, and it has worked well for me since i installed windowsxp about 6 months ago.
    yesterday, after a week or so of using a new free cd burning software, i decided i liked my nero burning software better. so, i re-installed nero. i immediately got the message that my winxp license (a legit license) was no longer valid and i would have to "re-activate". i logged onto the activation site and got a message that i could not get a new key, that i would have to buy another license!
    i called good ole india tech support. i was able to get another activation code.
    i asked why i was needing to go thru re-activation when my system had not gone through any hardware changes. of course, the girl had no idea.
    well, i started looking online and found this post...


    news.zdnet.com/5208-9590-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=5004&messageID=104758&start=-1

    so, apparently, winxp does not support image restores!!!
    if this is true, beware!!!
    i personally have not decided what i want to do.
    1- go back to w2k?
    2- turn on built in xp system restore and deal with that resource hog?
    3- switch to linux (hummmmm!)?[​IMG]
    4- quit messing with my system?
     
  2. Zintar

    Zintar Guest

    How would Windows even know it was restored from an image? I've restored Windows XP systems numerous times using several imaging programs. It never even noticed.

    The post you linked to looked like a bunch of nonsense in a thread full of nonsense to me. It doesn't actually say anything about activation ("would not boot up past a certain point" could be anything) and it appears that the technician said MS (not Windows) doesn't "support" imaging because they don't "support" imaging. :D ie, you need to call the company that made your imaging program if you want support on it. Seems fair to me.
     
  3. foghorn

    foghorn Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2004
    Posts:
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    Location:
    Leeds, England
    Can't see how the original post holds any water. If a verbatum copy of a partition (which works fine) is taken, and the hardware is not significantly changed then I really can't see how reinstanting that verbatum copy at a later date can cause any problems.

    Are you sure you had not changed the PC's hardware in between making the image and restoring it.
     
  4. deckie49

    deckie49 Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2004
    Posts:
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    i know, none of it makes any sense to me either. i would never have thought that windows would be able to know if it was being restored or not, but i can tell you it does. before i called tech support, i did a restore. everything looked fine, and then i got the same message that i needed to re-activate!!
    apparently, the activation files (wpa.dbl and wpa.bak) must somehow be dynamic. don't ask me how, i haven't a clue. i only know what i experienced.
    i suppose it is possible that the imaging software i am using could be a contributing factor. will have to explore that with their tech support.
    i hope there are some microsoft guru's monitoring this forum. hopefully, they will have some good feedback too!
     
  5. Zintar

    Zintar Guest

    If you read the XP groups you'll see a lot of people claiming that XP forced them to re-activate for no (apparent) reason.

    "Inside Windows XP" from Microsoft Press recommends backing up the wpa files to avoid reactivating on fresh installs. That wouldn't make any sense if they were dynamic.
     
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