Using Archive Image to restore after changing damaged internal hard drive?

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Rhoda, Jul 1, 2006.

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  1. Rhoda

    Rhoda Registered Member

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    I use Acronis True Image V 9, Build 3633. I also have an Acronis CDRom Recovery Disc [build 3633]. I have made a full image archive of my entire 'Disc 0' [the equivalent of 'My Computer'].I am running Windows XP Pro, SP2 on an Inspiron 9400 Dell Laptop.
    Dell has determined that my hard drive, only 4 months old, is defective and has to be replaced. After I insert the new hard drive, why can I not use my Acronis CDRom Recovery disc to boot directly into Windows and restore everything onto the new hard drive?
    A Dell technician said I cannot use an 'image archive' to do this. He says I must first do a clean reinstall of Windows Operating System and Drivers and Utilities [using both CDRoms shipped with the computer], then download all the programs, etc. that I installed since I purchased the computer, and finally transfer the 'My Documents' folder from a CDRom I also made.
    If this is so, why bother having a backup program at all?
    Or, there an in-between step, where I first reinstall the Windows Operating System from the Dell CDRom, and then insert the Acronis Recovery Disc?
    I am only an intermediate user, and am way out of my league here.
    Could someone please provide step-by-step instructions re how I should proceed after I insert the new hard drive. Incidentally, my original hard drive had no partitions on it [other than the 2 small hidden partitions put there by Dell].
    Rhoda
     
  2. simusphere

    simusphere Registered Member

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    Didn't you test out the recovery CD after you made it? That is one of the most important things you need to make sure it works before purchasing the software. What type of dell computer do you have? Can you boot up off of any other bootable CD that you have? Usually there is a setting in the BIOS for setting up the boot sequence so that the CD comes before the HD. Did you set that up correctly?

    Assuming you computer can boot off of other known working CD roms then it should boot off of the acronis rescue CD provided that it isn't damaged in any way. After that you should easily be able to restore your image that you created earlier using the recovery CD. All recently purchased computers have the ability to boot from CD/DVD so I can't imagine a dell tech telling you that it can't be done unless we are talking about a Laptop. Some laptops won't boot certain versions of liunx without setting special options.
     
  3. Rhoda

    Rhoda Registered Member

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    I am using a Dell Inspiron 9400 Laptop; 4 months old, Windows XP Pro. SP2.
    My Boot sequence is: 1.Diskette Drive; 2. Internal HDD; 3. CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive. I know that I am able to boot off a CD, as it has a number preceeding it. I have backed up my Acronis Archive Images onto a Maxtor External hard drive.Each archive is a 'full' backup.
    When I made the Acronis CDRom Recovery disc, I got a window 'Successfully Made'. I had no idea that I should have tested it, or, indeed, even now, how to test it. I have the latest build.
    My fear is that the new hard drive Dell is sending me to insert is 'blank', and that if I use the Acronis Recovery Disc, there is no 'Windows Operating System' for it to boot into. Or, does it boot directly into the Acronis Program, and by using the 'Restore', from there my backup archive already contains the Windows Operating System?
    This is the first time I really have to use the Acronis Program for restoring anything.
    From this info, will I be able to just insert the Recovery disc into my CDRom drive, and restore my computer fully, without all the other stuff the Dell Technician told me to do?
    Rhoda
     
  4. bobdat

    bobdat Registered Member

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    Rhoda, here's a step-by-step for you:

    1) Install the new hard drive. Follow the photos and instructions as shown in your on-screen Owner's Manual. All you'll need is a small phillips head screwdriver and a little courage. Be sure to first remove your laptop battery.

    2) Plug in the Maxtor and power it up fully. Power up your 9400 and immediately press and hold F12 until you get the one-time boot menu. Select the CD/DVD drive to boot from. Put the Acronis Recovery CD in the drawer, close it and hit Enter to boot up.

    3) Select Restore Image and select your Maxtor then select the image archive to restore. Be sure to tick the topmost checkbox next to the words Entire Disk (image archive) so you completely restore the MBR and all partitons. Select the new, unformatted, empty hard drive as the Destination drive and choose to delete all partitions on the Destination drive. Proceed to restore your image.

    4) Restart and remove the Acronis CD and you should be back to the point where you created the image archive.

    One other point: With a relatively new system like yours, Dell will, if pressed hard enough, send you a replacement hard drive with a preloaded image of your OS and all programs as originally shipped. That's an alternative.

    Also, your restored image MAY have the capability to execute a Dell PC Restore, which is a restart from full shutdown with no external devices attached while you immediately press and hold CTL and F11 until you get the Dell PC Restore screen.

    If you made no partition or MBR changes to your drive before you created your Acronis image archive, this feature should work. If it does, you may benefit from doing it because it will completely rebuild your replacement drive like the original drive was, as shipped when your computer was brand new (of course, minus all your personally loaded programs and files).

    Good luck.
     
  5. Rhoda

    Rhoda Registered Member

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    Thanks so much for such a quick and detailed reply! Much appreciated.
    There is something about point #3 that I don't quite understand.="select the new,unformatted,empty.......and choose to delete all partitions on the Destination Drive". If I choose to delete 'all partitions on the Destination Drive', will that not also delete the 2 small hidden partitions which are on the Drive, and put there by Dell? I would not want to delete those.These are always backed up as part of 'Disk O' when I make an Image Archive.
    Other than that, my original hard drive had no partitions. Do I still choose to 'delete all partitions on the Destination Drive'?

    Re your point re pressing Dell for a preloaded image of my OS:I spent a lot of time removing many of them. I would much prefer having my hard drive exactly as it was when I made the Image Archive--it should have all my programs restored when I restore the entire Archive, should it not?

    Lastly: re the Dell PC Restore which my restored image MAY have the capability to execute: How would I know if my Restored image has this capability? Should I just test it following your instructions, but not execute it, of course!

    I apologize for such a long-winded reply, but I am really very unsure of myself.
    Rhoda
     
  6. bobdat

    bobdat Registered Member

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    Rhoda, I'll answer your questions in reverse order:

    1) "Lastly: re the Dell PC Restore which my restored image MAY have the capability to execute: How would I know if my Restored image has this capability? Should I just test it following your instructions, but not execute it, of course!"

    Exactly right.

    2) "Re your point re pressing Dell for a preloaded image of my OS:I spent a lot of time removing many of them. I would much prefer having my hard drive exactly as it was when I made the Image Archive--it should have all my programs restored when I restore the entire Archive, should it not?"

    That's fine. You should have the results you want by restoring your image.

    3) "There is something about point #3 that I don't quite understand.="select the new,unformatted,empty.......and choose to delete all partitions on the Destination Drive". If I choose to delete 'all partitions on the Destination Drive', will that not also delete the 2 small hidden partitions which are on the Drive, and put there by Dell? I would not want to delete those.These are always backed up as part of 'Disk O' when I make an Image Archive.
    Other than that, my original hard drive had no partitions. Do I still choose to 'delete all partitions on the Destination Drive'
    ?"

    Yes, select "Delete All Partitions on the Destination Drive". Here's why:
    a) As you have those same partitions backed up in your image archive they will be properly rewritten to the new drive as a result of your restoring that image.

    b) When you receive your warranty replacement drive from Dell it should be bare, empty, no partitions or data whatsoever. Most such drives are brand new, even though the boxes are marked as refurbished. Although it should be empty, choose as in a) above as a safety measure in case they send you a previously used drive.

    c) As for the presence of Dell's two hidden partitons on any hard drive, including within your archive image, you must consider these factors:

    IF, before you created your TI archive image from the original drive, you had made ANY changes to the MBR which changes could include any partition changes such as resizing, addition, deletion, etc. of the ORIGINAL, as shipped Dell drive; or, any changes or deletions of the original Dell/Symantec PC Restore programs or files; or any other changes which might affect the original MBR in any way,

    THEN, your Dell PC Restore function will have been rendered permanently unusable whether the hidden ~3Gb partition is or is not present. That's just the way it is. Any technical explanation as to why is beyond the scope of this thread, I think.

    You won't know for sure whether the 'after-image-restore' Dell PC Restore partition is functional until after you restore your image and test the CTL+F11 capability (You can actually fully execute the restore, then restore your image again if you want to be absolutely sure). If it is, that's nice and it should remain functional until you do something as above to render it useless.

    However, if it is NOT functional after you restore your image then it should be deleted before you create your next image. You can then freely upsize your C partition by ~3Gb or create a new partition in that empty space.

    As for the small ~50Mb Dell hidden partition, that is the Diagnostics partition which you boot into at startup by holding F12, then selecting Diagnostics from the one-time boot menu. After the POST tests, you will be presented with a screen to 'Press Any Key to Boot to the Dell Diagnostic Partition'. Do it to be sure everything's working okay. This function will continue to work regardless of MBR or partion changes as long as you restore that partition to your drive by saving it as part of your create image action.

    This should allow you to arrive at your decision points as to what to do about which partitions before you create your next image archive. Good luck.
     
  7. Bruce Mahnke

    Bruce Mahnke Registered Member

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    Quickly looking at the initial posting where you said "My Boot sequence is: 1.Diskette Drive; 2. Internal HDD; 3. CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive". It would appear that your boot sequence is not correct for booting from a CD. Re-check your BIOS setup to make sure that the last priority is the Internal HDD. The boot sequence must look for a floppy in the drive or a CD in that drive before attempting to boot to the hard drive.

    Bruce
     
  8. bobdat

    bobdat Registered Member

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    Bruce,

    I'm afraid you may be a little off-base with your comments. Dell's boot sequence is exactly as she listed it.

    In order to boot her Dell from a CD, she should hold F12 on bootup until she gets the one-time boot menu and selects the CD/DVD drive as her boot device. After she completes her task and the Dell restarts, it will resume its factory default boot sequence which is exactly as she indicated.

    This is a far safer and easier procedure than modifying the BIOS.

    FYI: Dell's boot as she listed and may vary depending upon whether they have an internal or external floppy; attached USB device(s); 1394 device(s); Cardbus NIC; Onboard NIC or other Dell-determined bootable devices attached and powered up at startup.
     
  9. Bruce Mahnke

    Bruce Mahnke Registered Member

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    Yes, you may be correct. I haven't worked with the latest Dell PC's but in some manner the system must be told to boot from the CD drive before the hard drive. Perhaps it would be advisable for her to read the Dell literature to see what applies to her system. I certainly don't want to mislead anyone. Generally modifying the boot sequence in the setup program is an easy thing tho.
     
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