Vista Full System Restore fails...

[Guest]

I'm running Vista Ult. I did a clean install to a new system.
I have 2 300GB SATA's set up in a striped array (600GB). Before Vista
installation, I partitioned the 600 GB into "drives" C: (300GB) and D:
(300GB) [for speed I thought ]. I installed Vista to the C:, and all my
data (docs etc) to D:. I did a full system backup to a third HD in my
system.
I had second thoughts of the striped array (1 drive fails and I'm 100% lost)
, and for data redundency, decided to delete my striped array and make a
mirror array. All that was done.

I booted from the Vista Installation DVD, and drilled down to the main menu
and selected "restore whole computer". I cannot get it to work.

First, since my mirrored array is 300GB total (repartitioned back in two 150
GB's configuration), I wanted to uncheck the top box that says "Format and
Repartition disks". It is unintensified and I cannot uncheck.
When I continue the restore, if fails and says that I have too few disks
(same #) or too small of disks (both images are way less that 150GB). I then
tried "system" restore only (C: drive only), that failed same message.
Totally frustrated, I re-arrayed the drives (striped as originally), and
tried the restore. Same error (I do not see how!)

What do I do? At this point I am ready to reinstall from scratch, however I
spent a week loading Office apps, and drivers.

I believe the solution is to uncheck the "Format and Repartition disks", but
I can't.

Anyone know why that is unintensified??

Thanks for the help.

 

[Guest]

I gave up. Talk about a huge waste of time!

What I did to recover my original installation:
/1/ Installed Microsoft Virtual Server 2005.
/2/ "mounted" the .vhd files (backups) for both of my original partitions.
This effectivily makes these .vhd files look like hard drives on my pc.
/3/ I used Seagate's DiscWizard software to "backup" each of these two
virtual hard-drives into the Seagate image format.
/4/ I then used the Seagate disc wizard to restore the original drives using
the Seagate back up images.

It worked, because I am now using the pc with everything restored to the
same condition my pc was in before this whole mess. I may try a 3rd party
app to backup my pc when I try again to chance my raid to mirrored.

I am not going to rely on the Vista back up for anything.

Henry