AOMEI Backupper & AOMEI Partition Assistant

I downloaded and installed it, and created the boot WinPE (actually WinRE) ISO.

Then I created a boot UFD using the method I normally use (format the UFD with FAT32, mount the ISO, copy the files to the UFD), but after the reboot the UFD didn´t appear in the boot menu. Tried again with Rufus, the same result. It seems that the ISO is not compatible with UEFI-only boot, even with Secure Boot disabled.

I try AOEMI products from time to time, there is usually some problem with them.

 

Wow, sorry to have to read that.

Maybe some poking around with a redo and try again? I happen to have a license I got for this program from forum MT but haven't any time to even test the thing.

If this is some issue thanks for sharing and please do post back if any positive changes instead of what you experienced with it this time.

 

I saw the same result as Robin. The ISO can't be converted to a bootable UFD with Rufus. However you can make a UEFI bootable UFD from within the program. It works.

Of interest the UFD which does work is FAT32 and the UFD that doesn't work (from the ISO) is NTFS.

 

http://www.backup-utility.com/changelog.html#v4.0.5

 

AOMEI Partition Assistant v6.5 (August 21, 2017)
Download Home / Pro
Changelog

 

Otherwise, your general views on AOMEI Backupper, any shortcomings? I have Pro lifetime license. Would you use it as a secondary solution?

 

Very efficient overall but still a few bugs regarding backup schemes when this option is activated. Last time it purged all my previous backups including the latest one, so I was left with the full backup only and it would have been an issue if I had not kept elsewhere another backup done with another software.

 

Yes, I have also had issues with schemes. One of the reasons I feel I can't completely rely on it (yet).

Edit: Currently my scheme is just a single full backup, scheduled nightly - that works!

 

Actually, except for the occasional "scheme" issue, it works very well. I have performed several restore without issue and in cases where Macrium Reflect V6 wouldn't succeed. It's also very easy to use for "beginners" so it's the one solution I recommend to other people.

 

Could you give some examples?

 

Yep, I had once a major crash on a Lenovo Y700 running Win10 and it stopped booting. I tried to restore just the C: partition first, with Reflect V6 : it wouldn't reboot yet. Then I tried Backupper pro restoring C: only : same failure. Then I retried restoring the whole system drive, not just C:, using Reflect : same issue. I started to feel uneasy... Then I tried to restore the full drive again but with Backupper Pro and then only it restarted fine.

Recently, after Windows Creator Update, I erased Windows.old to recover some space (useful on small SSDs), but then my Y700 lost the PIN login feature. Back to restore, just C:, it worked with both Reflect and AOMEI.

 

Yes, I selected the whole drive, all partitions were included ! I found it strange at that time that it didn't work but since AOMEI did the restore, I didn't want to investigate.

 

PS : I also had restore issues with Reflect V4 ou V5 on a very old XP PC where AOMEI restored it fine. VSS is broken on that PC and both software perform the image OK using their own filter drivers (not sure about the terminology) but since some time, I have 100% restore success with AOMEI while it is unpredictable with Reflect.

 

These boot problems after a restore can usually be solved using the Macrium function "Fix Boot Problems". This function is independent of the restore itself, it can be used after a failed restore with other imaging program.

There is a similar function in the WinRE, "Startup Repair", which can be used from a boot UFD with the WinRE. In both cases, it may ne necessary to try the repair twice.

 

I have an issue with AOMEI Backupper. For whatever reason, it doesn't automatically reboot me into its recovery medium when I try to restore a system image, as its supposed to. (I have the same issue with Macrium Reflect too.) It's not a huge deal, because I can just use external recovery medium, but it does subtract from its usefulness.

 

A few years ago I did tests on most imaging apps to see whether an Entire Drive image of a UEFI system would restore to a new blank HD. Simulating a HD0 failure. AOMEI Backupper Standard 2.5 passed. I repeated the test today with AOMEI Backupper Standard 4.0.5. After the restore to an empty HD, Win10 booted and all looked OK. But when I checked the partitions with TeraByte's PartWork I was dismayed to see two partitions were missing. The Recovery and the Microsoft Reserved Partitions. Although Win10 booted, the absence of two partitions would be a "failure" in my opinion.

 

AOEMI doesn´t recognize the MSR partition, it appears as unallocated space. So I think it didn´t appear after the restore because it wasn´t backed up in the first place. The recovery partition is recognized, it should have been backed up and restored.

 

Robin, the Recovery partition was seen at backup time and I was surprised when it wasn't restored.

 

Problems like this have been the reasons why I never used AOMEI sine I tested it about two years ago. They make very stupid mistakes from time to time, and you never know how they will surprise you when your disk failed and you try to restore.

 

My test above was based on a backup created from the boot media. I decided to repeat the test using a backup created in Windows. I immediately realized my first backup was a System backup so this time I created a Disk Backup, Disk0. The backup image was restored to a new, blank HD. Win 10 booted and all 4 partitions were present.

Apologies to AOMEI. It does work. My advice is to do Disk Backups instead of System Backups and you will be prepared for drive failure of Disk0.

 

I have the same problem, but i continue to use AOMEI because it is light and fast.

 

Thanks for that heads up. I have been doing System Backups ... will change to Disk Backups, to be sure.

 

Yes, Disk backup is the way to go, especially because incrementals/differential are mostly limited to the "active" partition (C: for instance) that do change all the times.
Regarding mishaps & AOMEI, 2 years ago they released an update to backupper pro, in July 2015 or so. After install, the PC wouldn't reboot, I was abroad at that time with my laptop and I had fortunately a full disk image so I could restore the system. But this was a major issue, quickly resolved by the publisher, it however stopped me of recommending this product to other people. Since then no such issue ! BTW : even if it is not asked, I observed it's preferable to reboot the PC after an AOMEI update.