Vista Complete PC Restore: Backup Files not Found

[Guest]

I am running Vista Ultimate. My machine has two internal hard disks, each
NTFS and 300 GB. One of them is partitioned: the System drive (C occupies
a 291 GB partition, and a Recovery Drive (D occupies 6.4 GB. The second
disk consists wholly of the E: drive, which normally stores nothing except
for an empty Temp folder.

I did not perform the partitioning myself. Everything was done for me
(including the filling of D: with recovery data) when I setup the machine,
which is an HP with Vista on it. Running HP Recovery using the data on the
D: drive should restore the machine fully to factory settings in the event of
some machine failure. Now, I just recently backed up my machine using Vista
(not HP) Backup – Complete PC Backup . This backed up the C: and D: drives
to the E: drive. I can see the files in there, under the folder
E:/WindowsImageBackup.

Now, a few days after doing this backup, I decided to restore the PC. So on
boot, I pressed F8 repeatedly to get into the Windows Recovery Environment.
I went into the Complete PC Restore option, and my backup wasn’t detected!
What does this mean? It did detect backup files on D:, but not on E:. This
doesn’t make any sense to me. What must I do? It’s important that I perform
this restore based on the backup I had saved to E: a few days ago.

Thanks very much for your help,
Ali

 

[Cal Bear '66]

You need to boot from the Vista DVD to do a Complete PC Backup restore.

(The F8 option ONLY applies to the HP factory restore from the D: drive)


I Bleed Blue and Gold
GO BEARS!

 

[Guest]

That doesn't seem to make sense...Under Windows Help topic "Restore your
computer from a system image backup", it says that "If your computer did not
come with a Windows installation disc, use this method...If your computer has
only one operating system installed, repeatedly press the F8 key as your
computer restarts." I'm almost certain that there is a different pathway to
do an HP recovery. I believe you get there by pressing F11, not F8. Plus F8
got me to the WRE, which has nothing to do with HP. Ideas?

Thanks again,
Ali

 

[Cal Bear '66]

Sorry, you are right. Seems like there should be a Browse button somewhere.

I have the full Vista installation DVD, and I did not even read the part about
only having the pre-installed recovery options.


I Bleed Blue and Gold
GO BEARS!

 

[Guest]

Well, thanks for trying. Can anyone else please help me with this???

Thanks,

Ali

 

[Guest]

I am running Vista Ultimate. My machine has two internal hard disks, each
NTFS and 300 GB. One of them is partitioned: the System drive (C occupies
a 291 GB partition, and a Recovery Drive (D occupies 6.4 GB. The second
disk consists wholly of the E: drive, which normally stores nothing except
for an empty Temp folder.

I did not perform the partitioning myself. Everything was done for me
(including the filling of D: with recovery data) when I setup the machine,
which is an HP with Vista on it. Running HP Recovery using the data on the
D: drive should restore the machine fully to factory settings in the event of
some machine failure. Now, I just recently backed up my machine using Vista
(not HP) Backup – Complete PC Backup . This backed up the C: and D: drives
to the E: drive. I can see the files in there, under the folder
E:/WindowsImageBackup.

Now, a few days after doing this backup, I decided to restore the PC. So on
boot, I pressed F8 repeatedly to get into the Windows Recovery Environment.
I went into the Complete PC Restore option, and my backup wasn’t detected!
What does this mean? It did detect backup files on D:, but not on E:. This
doesn’t make any sense to me. What must I do? It’s important that I perform
this restore based on the backup I had saved to E: a few days ago.

Thanks very much for your help,
Ali