Paragon B&R Free - no Windows support

I am having a huge problem (for me).
MY system will not boot past the login screen - hangs - sometimes gets to "Windows" most times not. Not everything installs. Acts funny - most likey due to a virus.
The partition table seems to be screwed up. The restore disk will not correct it.
I did a complete back up using the latest free version of Paragon B&R Free about 2 months ago.
It is (was ) on a second hard drive located and installed on my 64 Win7 Dell PC.
I created a recovery disk - but it will not see the internal hard drive where the backup is stored.

In my frustration i finally did a restore to the original installed setup.
I was (am?) hoping I can still use the backup to restore it to its previous state.

In addition I was able to create an additional partition (through windows) and copy the back up files there.

Paragon will not even see this partitioned hard drive.

I really want to restore my old system.. What can I do??

HELP!

Thanks.

Mobywan

 

Do you run the newest "Paragon Backup & Recovery 2010 Free Advanced" ? (key here) , if not you could try that .

Otherwise a more riscy approach would be to try to put the drive on an external IDE to USB converter (or box) to see if that would make "Paragon B&R Free" see the drive.
This is however riscy due to potential different controller interpretations, which means that putting a drive formatted on one controller onto another type of drive controller can sometimes damage the data on the drive.
(You could use another brand drive copy software to copy the whole drive before trying that approach!)

Can you see the drive in Windows ?, and if so can the "Paragon B&R Free" see it from there ? (through programs "recovery function") , if you can not see the drive from Windows your problem could be of another nature.

 

Thanks,
Yes I can see all the drives.
But the linux based B&R will not see them.
I tried running it from within windows before I reinstalled the original system (Dell restore). Obviously it didnt help because of all the files being utilized.

I have additionally tried to get to the drive through the netowrk - figuring I know the password and allowed it to be shared - I really thought that would work.. keep geting error - network name can not be found.
If i have to buy the B&R with the WinPE version - I will... i just want to get this darn thing back to where it was....
Grrrr... This is so frustating....

 

I don't know if the "Paragon B&R Free" will run in safe mode but did you try that ? , or try to boot standard in "clean" user mode...

By the way , what kind of Windows do you use now ? (I read the "64 Win7 Dell PC" but you also write that you access the drive over network)
If you use Win 7 , are you then sure there are no User Access Control issues (UAC) blocking you....

The standard "Paragon B&R Free" trouble shooter says :
1. I try to run an operation, but the program claims my partition is in use and suggests restarting the computer.
There are a number of operations that cannot be performed while your partition is in use (or locked in other words). Please agree to reboot your machine to make the program accomplish the operation in a special boot-up mode.
2. I run an operation and restart the machine as required, but it just boots back into Windows without accomplishing the operation.
Please run 'chkdsk /f' for the partition in question.

 

With respect to the "network name can not be found" I tried searching on it , doesn't know if any of this will help (inspire!!) you though.....

http://community.norton.com/t5/Othe...reports-quot-could-not-get-network/m-p/187190

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=862831&page=1

http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614020

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;843156

 

YEp, Tried running in safe mode - worked ok... but since i reinstalled the OS (restored Dell initial install) All i really can do now is find a way to restore the one backup that I did ( and still have ).
Which of the Paragon B&R products will allow me to see the other partitions and internal hard drives? I see that as the only thing left to try.
I guess I will have to bite the bullet and try it!
I appreciate your help! Can you point me to the WinPE product (I think that is what I need)?? Can I do a trial product and make a WInPE disk?
Thanks!

 

I am not sure exactly what your plan is or if you just want the Windows PE disc or what. Also , I am sorry , it is really late here where I am sitting and I am in need of sleep so I'll have to cut this one a little short for now.

The Windows PE disc as such you can make your self , there is also more Win PE like discs around.
For an initial explanation about the "Windows Recovery Environment" then please see here.
For an explanation about Win PE ("Windows Preinstallation Environment") then please see here (note links to alternatives at page bottom, section "See also")
How To Make and Use a Bootable WinPE Drive USB Flash Drives
Walkthrough Create a Bootable Windows PE RAM Disk on CD-ROM
The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7 (Contains the Win PE enviroment to use to make Win PE Disc)
Booting Windows PE from a USB Drive Walkthrough
Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD-DVD .

I do not know if this will assist you sufficiently , but it is the best I can do for you at this hour with the information you have given.
Should you need more or other help then I will be probably be back tomorrow so please let me know if my info here were not enough - in that case please specify your needs clearly that I may do my best to attempt to assist you.
For now , good luck with the project....

 

THanks again for your help. I really appreciate it.
Well what i am looking for is some paragon product that will allow me to restore the backup i did under the B&R free (10.?).
Right now the recevy disk I made willnot allow me to see the either the partition or the 2nd hard drive. I am hoping that Paragonmakes SOMETHING that will allow me to make a boot disk (WinPE?) that will SEE the partition or the drive so I can reinstall. So far all efforts have gone down the drain.
I even tried reartition the main drive and creatting a second boot drive - but Win& will only allow 3 primary partitions on a hard disk if you have a 2nd hard drive. I am going to shut down and remove the 2nd hard drive (unplug) and seeif i canthen activate the new partition (with the recovered OS on it) as a primary partitio n with an OS on it,
I will boot up on the recovered partition (L: drive) and the do the same recoverfy on the original C: drive.

Keeping my fingers crossed - does anyone know a paragon product that will help if this fails?
THanks!!

 

It's no problem getting a Paragon product with Win PE , but you wanted free or trial , trials are most often crippled.
Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Advanced Edition - Editions comparison
Backup & Recovery 10 Home is $ 29.95 and there is a trial. (Restrictions: 30 Days Trial ,No WinPE-Recovery CD included in the installation package.)
Backup & Recovery 10 Suite is $ 49.95 and there is a trial. (Restrictions: 30 Days Trial ,?)

You sounds like you are doing an awful lot of haddrive, partitioning and moving around operations here and honestly I got a little trouble keeping up with it all.

Main problem is , with all you got going , that unless you are lucky and some of all your operations make your things operational, you might end up having made so many changes that it could be possible that it would be difficult to do an undo and rescue the things.

I know that hindsight is always 20/20 but you really need to take great care before starting to alter partitions and so on.
As you reported "The partition table seems to be screwed up" , back then you probably should have cooled it a little. Anyway, what is done is done....

When you first had your problem you, if it had not been so expensive, ideally you should probably then have tried something like "Kroll Ontrack" "EasyRecovery - DataRecovery 6.2" or "EasyRecovery™ Professional - Standard Edition".
"Kroll Ontrack" is really powerful when it comes to harddrive knowledge and data recovery, back in time they were the makers of something called "Dynamic Drive Overlay" (I think that they call their present similar product "Disk Manager") to allow support for larger drives on computers whos BIOS didn't support this, so these guys are knowing a lot about harddrives and filesystems, problem is that you don't get their products for free......
(With respect to their product "Ontrack EasyRecovery - DataRecovery 6.2 - Standard Edition" then price, for something really useable, starts at $199)
And apparantly the drive diagnostics is part of the "EasyRecovery Professional - Standard Edition" which starts at a whopping $499
You can get trial of all products but I don't know who would or could cough up that kind of money on something like that, do you ?

I really would like to assist you some more but it is very hard both to keep up with the results of all your actions and all that may have happened to your drive. But if you wish I would be happy to assist you as much as I can.

P.S.
Reason for mentioning advanced data recovery software is that if you could not get your drive to behave you then atleast with recovery software that is powerfull enough could have retrieved your backup files by copying them with the recovery software and then you could have wiped the drive and repartitioned and re-installed by using your backup. "Kroll Ontrack" might not be the only way to go but their software is really powerfull.

 

Ok.. Here is what I want to do.
ALL I want is to know which (if any) paragon product will allow me access to my second hard and recover the back up there to the original hard drive.
If it costs money that is ok.
I have tried sooooo many different things that I just want it fixed now.
I figure if I pay for a version that will allow me to "see" the drives - semi boots into a windows type program (not like the linux based one on the free version - it will not allow me to see my second internal hard drive without drivers beinng installed - and I have NO idea on how to do that.) i can just complete the backup like I originally thought i could.

'I just want something simple... so if you know of a paragon backup program that will do that. sounds like maybe B&R 10 suite? I just want to boot off a cd- have it be able to read my second hard so i can reinstall the back-up there.
Any idea on what will accomplish this?
Thanks in advance for ALL your efforts!

 

I get your point, believe me I do, which is why I am quoting your full text....
The main core problem here , I think is the why .
Why won't the rescue disc not see your drive (?).
Ok , lets go with your idea.... If it is just because the rescue disc is "linux based" then maybe the "Backup & Recovery 10 Home" or the "Backup & Recovery 10 Suite" could do the job. So if you firmly believe that then you could go and buy one of these programs and it might solve your poroblem..
But as I am trying to advise , and would like to act both responsible and try to to do my best to advice you correctly , I have to take another approach to your problem.
I have tried more boot enviroments but because much of what is going on within programs is either secret (code is protected) or very difficult to understand anyway then it is difficult exactly to say what is technically going on inside a program and what makes its ability to do this or that including "seeing" a problem harddrive partition. (So I must apply logic here!!!)
I actually have a different proposition for you. I am not exactly sure how Paragon backup programs works inside and I am not sure why the rescue disc that you have can't see your harddrive. So my proposition is this :
Firstly, then let us not make any destructive (write operations and so on) to the drive as far as possible, that we (you) may have the best chance of getting access to your backup files.
Secondly, if Windows itself and a Windows PE disc should be able to "see" your harddrive then should not also a boot into "System Recovery Options menu" on your Windows 7 (?) product disc (64 bit ? - you still haven't made final confirmation on type of O.S. we are using - I know you mentioned Win 7 , X64 to start with!) let you see your files on your drive, if they could be seen by Win PE they maybe then can be seen if you boot your Windows disc into "System Recovery Options menu".
Then if you can then see your files by using boot on Windows disc into "System Recovery Options menu" then you may be able to copy all of your backup files to partition on another drive that your present backup recovery disc may see.

For reference please see ""What are the system recovery options in Windows 7"" and "How to use the Windows 7 Recovery Environment Command Prompt" .

So , I will summarize, try attaching the problem drive to your computer together with another hardrive with enough available space to contain your backup files. Then using above reference material given boot on your Windows product disc and get to "System Recovery Options menu" and choose "Command Prompt" then by the use of DOS like commands navigate.
Examples : commands like C: <enter> or D: <enter> should allow you to switch between the different available drives (partitions) which each got their own drive letter. A command like CD Windows <enter> would allow you to change to your view from where you are on the drive to a deeper directory called Windows (e.g. from drive root to directory "Windows"), and so on... (use above linked to reference material for usage of commands at the commnd prompt)(as desribed , where linked to, then at the command prompt you can type command name follow by a space and forwardslash and h , e.g. copy /h to get help on commands)

Now , if you then can get to see your backup files by navigating using the comand prompt and commands you should probably also be able to use command prompt commands to copy your files to a harddrive partition that you can see with your present backup recovery disc. If so then copy all the files to the new and try to see if the backup works from there by use of your present backup recovery disc.

Should you not like this solution attempt then I suggest following other options :
Bulid a Windows PE disc by means of link given in previous post and see if that gives you file access, if it does you could try to use money on a Paragon product that has Win Pe recovery disc (products already mentioned !!!)

If this should fail also then use advanced file recovery softeware to retrieve your files from the problem drive and partition. Then use the backup.

Above all , then do not use any destructive (write operations and so on) to the problem partition until you have recovered your data....

Hopes any of this might help you...

 

OK.. I get your point - I actually tried that already (or something very close to what you suggest).
From my understanding inreading other posts in this forum, the recovery disk loasds in linux. It does not have the drivers to "see" the other 2nd hard drive where the recovery file(s) are. I have tried to load drivers (there is an option to do this.. BUT I have no clue on which to load and how to do this with the Free B&R recovery CD I made. I did see somewhere that another product can load any other's recovery file. So my thought was IF i can find a B&R product that will load the drivers AUTOMATICALLY for the second hard drive to be seen - it should be problem solved.... right? That was (Is) why i am asking for a product recommendation that will be able to do this. SOMETHING that Paragon makes has to be able to do this.. right??

I tried making a new partition on the MAIN drive thinking that since it is on the main drive no additional drivers will be needed. Problem was (is) that the new partition wass made as a logical drive not a primary partition. I used the recovery software in the newly created c: drive (restored original files) and "recovered" the original OS on this new partition (really a logical drive). Of course I did not know that the drive was a logical drive UNtil AFTER i did all this. I learned that if you have a second hard drive you can only have 3 main primary partitions on a hard drive - there were already 3 - soooooo I disconected the second hard drive and hoped that that would allow me to change the logical partition i created to a primary partition - I found a program that will allow me to do this.. BUT i think it will destroy all the info on the partition when I do this. So back to square one..,,, I think that the reason the recovery cd will not see the drive (or partition) is because it is linux based and not loading drivers to properly see the logical drive or the second hard drive where the recovery files are (and the recovered OS).

I know you mentioned several programs, one which you said would not boot in WInPE environment the other you listed as
But i am still u nsure which would (could) work.
I hope this makes sense.
Very frustrating to try a freeware product and then learn it has MAJOR limitations. so I am hoping you or someone else can give me some direction as to what (if any program) will work - if creating a WINPe disk via your instructions will work - ok.... i just though it would be easier if I could just buy a paragon product that will load the drivers for me. I just want to be done with this. You have beenvery helpfull and i appreciate your patience!

I am running win 7 64 bit Dell PC, 8 gig ram. 1 tb hard drive 1 tb secondary hard drive.
Thanks!

 

Yes , but did you try to boot your Windows disc into "System Recovery Options menu" and could you see files from there ?
Though the description above using Windows disc into "System Recovery Options menu" sounds as very hard work then it is not.

Maybe it would be easier if you "just bought a paragon product that will load the drivers for you (if that is the problem) and no one is preventing you from trying that, the money might be well spend on the other hand they might not, you will not know until you have tried, and I can't tell if it will work or not. I have described in the previous posts other procedures for you to try if you wish. (by the way "Barts PE builder says that it don't work with X64)

Well that ought to be obvious : they can not make a living by giving you everything you wish for for free, right ? . Some of the "giving for free" they do to "tease" you other they do to win market shares as upcomming against competitors like Symantec and so on.

I am ofcourse willing to try to assist you further , if I can , I would however like to kindly suggest that you try out some of the already given advice.

With kind regards.....

 

Hey an update!
I fixed it... i pulled both hard drives and connected them to my laptop.
I used Paragon B&R Free advancd and used it to reimage the main drive from the backup - took about 1.5 hrs. It was that easy....I had tried so many different things - reformated the drive everything - spent hours (as you know)at it was that easy...
Running a virus scan and windows update (image was 40 days old) and will run a few other checks to be sure it is clean now.
Still donnt know why it Paragon B&R) would not see the 2nd drive... oh well at least i fixed it!
Thanks again for your help.
Maybe this post will help someone else!

 

Hmm.. , almost reminds me of what I wrote in my very first answer to you :
"Otherwise a more riscy approach would be to try to put the drive on an external IDE to USB converter (or box) to see if that would make "Paragon B&R Free" see the drive. "

But good for you that you made the drive/things work....
Congratulations !