What exactly to do with Image after HD becomes unusable?

Just installed TI-9 in my Fujitsu notebook, created the image of my entire disk (the image is 15 Gb) into a USB external drive, and read the Manual and this forum (which has become quiet an extensive read!).

I must admit I am not a computer savvy, and that is the major reason why I bought TI-9 to do the serious thinking for me. It must also be the reason why I am still not clear about what to do if disaster (for which TI-9 is designed to address) strikes.

After reading the various threads of this forum I got this impression (please correct me if I'm wrong) that it would be a hopeless case if I lost my laptop notebook and all I have is the image. My understanding from reading this forum is that it is a Quixotic undertaking to attempt to restore this image to another laptop notebook or PC.

My question relates to a very common disaster scenario in which my laptop notebook was not lost, but that its HD simply died out and I have to replace it with new, perhaps larger, one. So how do I go about restoring the 15GB
image from the external USB drive to this new HD?

I don't suppose the image is self-executory that, if restored, the OS, files and all would be restored to the new HD. But then again, TrueImage 9 should already be in the new HD with which to restore the image. If TrueImage 9 is already in the new HD, then I must have installed the OS into the new HD before TrueImage 9. I would end up installing into the new HD the things that was advertized will be taken care of by TrueImage 9.

And there was this matter of the new disk not bootable even after restoring the image. I read from this forum that i need to run the System Preparation from microsoft before making the image to make the new HD bootable. I followed and read the link to Micrsoft and I must admit that this System Preparation thing is way above me who rely only on TrueImage 9 to make computing experience secure. My understanding is that one has to go through the process of System Preparation if he plans to change HD. Of course, no body can foresee a disaster, so I don't think any one would go through the hassles of System Preparation every time the image is taken.

 

Hello ajnmaglasang,

There really is no need to bother with SysPrep if you merely wish to restore an image to a replacement hard drive on the same computer.

Firstly, create a True Image bootable rescue CD. Then, to ensure the new drive will be bootable, create a "whole disk" image to your external USB drive by ticking the checkbox next to Disk 1 in the "Create Backup" wizard rather than just selecting the system partition (this will cause TI to include the source drive's Master Boot Record (MBR) in the image). Boot from the rescue CD and use TI's "Check Archive" wizard to verify the image that you created.

When the time comes to restore the "whole disk" image to the replacement drive, connect and switch on your external USB drive and boot from the rescue CD. Verify the image using the "Check Archive" Wizard prior to restoring it via the "Restore Data" wizard. Again, make sure you tick the checkbox next to Disk 1, thereby ensuring the MBR is written back to the new drive.

Regards

 

Adding to what Menorcaman says, and I know it is going to be hard to do this with a laptop, with the recent "track record" of True Image, it would be best if you could do an actual Restore by putting another hard drive in your laptop. Do not try the Restore on the existing drive just to test it.

For peace of mind, to me, it would be worth buying another laptop drive to test the Restore process.

If you don't want to do that, at least backup ALL your documents and other data by simply copying them over to the usb drive using Windows Explorer.

 

Thanks for the very prompt reply.

I am confused, please bear with me. If I boot from the TI rescue CD, then I would not be able to use the image stored in the USB drive. I tried booting from TI rescue CD I made and I read that the "stand alone" version (the one available when Windows does not load) will restore only the backup in the Secure Zone, and does not recognize any other peripherals, such as the USB drive where the image is stored.

 

The bootable CD should be able to see your USB drive. If it doesn't, something is preventing it from doing so. If you have multiple usb devices connected (including hubs) and/or wireless keyboard or mouse try the bootable Cd again, without any unnecessary usb devices and standard keyboard or mouse.

 

Thanks a lot, this thread has cleared my doubts concerning the most important aspect of TI, i.e., restoring.

I have not yet tried out the restoration to its fial conclusion, because doing so would require a new HD on my notebook on which to restore the image.

What I did was create the TI rescue disk and the image (with MBR) and store it in the USB drive. Then I took out the HD from my notebook to simulate the scenario when the HD becomes unusable and powered on the notebook. After the bios loaded, I put on the TI rescue disk, and viola, everthing was there for restoration.

I will buy a new and larger 2.5" notebook drive and migrate there. By that time I will able to use TI-9.

I hope TI re-writes that portion of the manual dealing with restoration of the image. A newbie cannot know what exactly to do in case of disaster (in case the HD becomes unusable) by just reading the manual and this forum which, as I already noted, has become very extensive to research on.

Again, thanks.