Comparing 20 Drive Imaging Software Backup/Restore Speed and Image Size

I once deleted all 4 GPT partitions (Recovery, MSR, EFI and C partitions) on a UEFI secure boot laptop, and tried most of the popular partition managers (Paragon HDM, AOMEI PA, EaseUS PM, Minitool PM Wizard, Active PM, Acronis Disk Director) to recover the deleted partitions. None of them could restore the partition structure. Many only recovered some weird 100MB-500MB partitions (dozens of small partitions) instead of the correct GPT partition structure, and the process was very slow. Only Terabyte BIBM managed to restore all the deleted partitions to their original configuration in less than a minute, and my computer is alive again.

 

UEFI/GPT protects the partition table and keeps a "backup" or it. Perhaps the TB program used this to recover the partitions in such a short time.

 

BIBM does the Undelete by searching for Boot Sectors (the first sector in a partition). When a boot sector is found the partition is reconstructed and the search recommences from the end of the partition. I've seen all four deleted Primary Partitions undeleted in seconds. The partitions are fully functional.

 

Was that on a gpt partioned HD?
I am still using mbr 2tb drives ATM.

 

Yes, both on GPT and MBR disks. With GPT disks, BIBM didn't undelete the MSR in my tests so I recreated the MSR and then undeleted the other partitions.

 

Thanks for your feedback, Brian.

 

MSR?

what is that?

 

Never heard of "MSR before posting"?
(It stands for "Must Search and Read").

 

I havent come across a MS reserved partition before.

 

The MSR doesn't show in Disk Management but it's present on all GPT disks.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn640535(v=vs.85).aspx

 

thanks brian k

 

For the OS drive, stick with MBR disks for as long as you can. I've used both MBR and UEFI systems and for what I do, multiple partitions and multi-booting, MBR systems are more functional. For a single OS I would use a UEFI system.

 

What reasons are there to stick with MBR?
I triple boot windows on my desktop and use mbr

 

Because MBR is more friendly to various loaders so you'll easily get working multi-boot system. With UEFI secure boot, some loaders will not pass the signature check by the UEFI so the system won't boot properly.

 

by other loaders are you talking about non -windows loaders like grub?
or pre win7 doesnt work like xp?