Questions on Paragon HDM 8.5

Just bought this software and am wondering how I go about getting the WinPE recovery CD? Can it be downloaded? Is there an extra charge? May have other questions but this is the one that I need now.

@Lodore,

Thanks for that 70% coupon that helped a lot!

Gary

 

no problem.
well if the linux cd made using the pack and burn wizard doesnt see your e.g. usb external drive then tell paragon support just that.
they will then tell you there are two option to solve that.
custom bartpe or winpe cd.
first off they will send you a bart pe plugin with instuctions in a.zip file.
now if you havent got a windows xp sp2 cd tell them at this point and they should say ok in a few days we will make you a winpe cd.
it will be in the form of a .iso file.
you will then burn that to cd e.g. using nero
lodore

 

Thanks and I will contact support and see what happens. Already have a BartPE plugin I got from another site but I don't know if that will function with this build or not. Would like the WinPE ISO if I can get it. Thanks again.

At first impressions, I do notice image sizes are larger that SP and the speed is a little slower but the features of having partitioning and imaging together coupled with the 70% discount is hard to beat. Thanks again.

Gary

 

I was only told of BartPE.

The BartPE plugin I received, has ONLY has three files and NO instructions, ONLY these files: DB8x.htm, db8x.inf, and DB8x_nu2menu.xml

(I do have XP & SP2, but they did not ask.) The gave me a ftp link to a BartPE with a working Paragon plugin (.../bartpe/pebuilder.zip, that contains a 94M .iso).

OT...

I find it strange they would give anyone, no matter what, a WinPE CD.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/winpreinst/WindowsPE_over.mspx

I really am not asking for an answer, just making a comment about how in the world could Paragon verify you have a real licensed MS product with the CD? Some magic remote WGA!

And, most PCs now, do not come with the real original MS CD. When I bought a Dell laptop, I order the extra "accessory" real MS CD.

Mike

 

@Mike,

Did you try here on the plugin?

http://www.mechrest.com/plugins/

Gary

 

Next time when I test Paragon HDM again, I'm going to try the Linux CD again, because I forgot to try something :
1. I put the Linux CD in my DVD-drive.
2. I turn OFF my computer.
3. I turn my external USB 2.0 harddisk ON.
4. I turn my computer ON.
If it still doesn't recognize my USB connection, I will use my WinPE CD.

I didn't try this yet, it might work or not, but if it works, I will save time, because the Linux CD loads alot faster than the WinPE CD.

PHDM-users can try this also, because it's a very simple procedure.

 

Regarding Linux CD, just noticed my mouse functionality was somewhat flakey and the process of creating image somewhat slow but did not try restore as of yet.

Gary

 

I do know about that site, but I wanted the software from the source, especially since this is my last chance to have critical backup copies of my stuff. So, no, I would not of even tried it.

As a side note, at present I do not use any USB stuff for backup. The linux restore CD works just fine. BUT, I want any/all restore options that are available from Paragon itself... the source.

(Yes, I know a simple disk copy to mirror my stuff would also work.)

Mike

 

Geez, thanks!

I probably more than 50 hours looking in to "hidden data in sector 15", you would of thought I would of looked at simple htm files!

Mike

 

This procedure doesn't work for the Linux CD. I tried it 5 minutes ago and it doesn't recognize the USB connection.
I wonder why this Linux CD is developped ?
For Linux computers, while most users have Windows on their computer ?
Or do they expect that most users backup on DVD/CD's ?
They sure must have known this in advance and probably didn't want to see the problem. Brilliant solution Pffft. My head would be red of shame, if I would offer such a solution to users.

 

ErikAlbert,



will you buy hdm8.5 ? defragger+imaging software+partitioning software all in 1.

Not bad. The only prob is the linux cd for me.when I reboot using the linux recovery disk all the drive letters are messed up and drive c becomes f, h becomes k and all that.It's a mess

 

the drive letters messed up is a linux problem and not a fault of paragon.
hence why i got my winpe cd.
lodore

 

Fwiw, I just bought PHDM 8.5 although ATI will remain my primary disk-imaging software. Lodore's discount code made it so inexpensive, that even if I seldom use its disk-imaging program, I figured the partitioning program alone is worth the small investment.

What I find strange is that Paragon's Linux CD does not see my external drive while ATI's Linux CD does! Furthermore, Paragon's WinPE CD leaves a lot to be desired because it takes almost 4 minutes to bootup to where 'Paragon Start' appears in the task bar. And while the WinPE CD sees my external drive, it doesn't see my 2nd internal drive (which is connected to a Promise controller)!

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because ATI's Boot CD, recognizes all of my hard drives (although it too re-allocates drive letters, which is no big deal if you label your drives with meaningful names).

 

No, I won't buy it. PHDM is not designed for less-knowledgeable users and the WinPE Recovery CD is a disaster and it certainly not faster than ShadowProtect.
I don't see all-in-one as an advantage and I have already PerfectDisk and PartitionMagic.
I'm disappointed in Paragon.

 

Right. Acronis Linux CD must be different from Paragon Linux CD. So it is NOT a Linux problem, but a Paragon problem.
Different programmers, different results. Period.
I just don't understand why users accept things like they are. Errors can be corrected, if you complain long enough.

 

Well it could also be due to different Linux distros used by ATI and Paragon. In any case, not recognizing a connected hard drive is a major problem (whereas the drive-letter situation is a minor problem).

 

well you have problems with the paragon linux cd.
and i had problems with the ATI linux cd.
any linux based cd wont use the same letters as windows in a recovery environmen.
so it works both ways.
no product is perfect.
ATI works for you.
paragon works for me.
simple as.
lodore

 

How true - and so applicable to any kind of software being compared.

 

Did your ever think some people do not care about USB?

Mike

 

Yeah, it's probably both a Linux and a WinPE issue (it happens when using my ATI and Paragon Linux CDs as well as my Paragon WinPE CD).
But it's just a minor annoyance, rather than a major problem (like not recognizing one or more hard drives)!!!

 

All that doesn't matter. USB exists. Recovery CD's exist. Let them fix this problem and I don't care how they do it.
As a user I want it fixed and I don't need all these explanations, why it doesn't work.
I find it quite ridiculous that you can't buy the Image Backup software of your choice, just because its Recovery CD doesn't recognize an USB connection.
Which average user cares about Linux, BartPE or WinPE ? They only want a CD that works properly, nothing else. That's why they paid $70-$100 for it.

 

the problem with recovery cd's with with imaging problems is the folowing.
computer hardware changes so often its almost impossible to add support for all the possible hardware combonations.
so there is always gonna be someone who cant use a recovery cd where as most people can.
lodore

 

@ErikAlbert, since it is even obvious even to non-tech people that your are "Pffft" with Paragon, why do you waste your time posting about Paragon?

I have no problem with the Linux or BartPE recovery CDs.

I have studied and understand how the BartPE CD works. I would guess all the itching about Paragon using BartPE, is because people have not taken the time to understand how BartPE works before they complain in public.

Same with the Linux recovery CD, yes, it shows the drive letters not the same as XP, but, Linux can not, does not, read the Windows registry, it just labels the first C:, the next D:, the next E:, etc. It is just following the very simple DOS partition naming scheme.

When the restore is done, and you boot back into Windows, Windows will have the drive letters Windows assigned.

I must finally admit, most recovery software is written for technical people, Sorry.

"Pffft",
Mike