Dell/Acronis Users READ!! - Acronis Vs Dell Disk Customization

Hi to all

I used Acronis TI 11 Home, in order to create image backup of the entirely Inspiron 1720 hard drive. Hard disk is partitioned by Dell as illustrated here:

http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista.htm

The purpose was saving the entire structure of the disk (Partition Table and MBR wich is customized by Dell) with the four partitions data (the four image partitions) as the factory state, *sealed*.

When I restore the image trough Acronis, apparently all goes the right way. OS partition is working, OS can load, laptop can be used, but:

1) When Inspiron is off and I want run Media Direct application (pressing the MD key near power button) Dell Media Direct introduction screen appears, but suddenly is loaded Vista OS instead....

In order to solve this issue I tried:

A) Reinstall Media Direct, but I got error and reinstallation is aborted
B) Fix the MD partition trough the Dell Media Direct Repair Utility CD, but this did not help (I get *BOOTMGR is missing* error; I tried to recover it using Vista DVD, but every time I try to launch Media Direct by pressing MD key when notebook is off, the error pop up again...)

2) The Vista image backup created by Dell in the Recovery partition seems to be corrupted or something like that, because when I recover OS partition trough this image performing a "Dell Factory Restore", system automatically is rebooted when attempt to load OS...

I heared that many dell users have used Acronis properly getting working drive images backup of their dell laptops, so it seems not to be impossible... (I am referring to the entirely image drive disk backup, not only selected partitions, but ALL partitions, Dell hidden partitions also...)

Now I want to try again with new machine (Vostro 1700; practically it is the same of Inspiron, very similar). So this time I would like reach the goal (create bootable media DVD disks wich restore the entire structure of the disk (Partition Table and MBR wich is customized by Dell) with the four partitions data (the four image partitions) as the factory state, *sealed*)

So I am speaking to all dell users here, especially those that own newer Vista based system like me....

There is someone that can drive me or gove me some advise? Someone can help me?

Thanks for listening

 

Nobody?

 

Make the True Image Bootable Rescue Media cd, boot with it and do all of your Backup, Recovery and Clone proceedures from the cd menu.

 

It is exactly what I have done. You suggest ATI 10 or 11?