Vista- Windows Recovery Enviroment

[Jeff]

Hi,
Has anyone had success using the Windows Complete PC Backup and Restore?

Basically; I tried out Complete PC Backup and Restore; I did it by the book;
it says it made Windows Backup Image; tested it out;put in RC1 install
disc>booted to it; selected pc restore; it asked for the backup discs>put
them in; and it came back saying no image found.

I wondered if I didn't do it correctly;so booted into
vista;put in the 1st disc;and looked at it. Just looking at the disc; it
says :



D:\WindowsImageBackup\Jeff-RC1\Backup 2006-09-14 231110



So it did burn it;but the recovery in the RC1 install disc
doesn't see it when I put it in the D drive;at all

Any help?



Jeff

 

[Richard Urban]

I restored just today. It worked like a charm. But, I saved the backup to
another hard drive - not DVD's.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[dev]

/Jeff/ said:

Has anyone had success using the Windows Complete PC Backup and Restore?

Basically; I tried out Complete PC Backup and Restore; I did it by the book;
it says it made Windows Backup Image; tested it out; put in RC1 install
disc>booted to it; selected pc restore; it asked for the backup discs>put
them in; and it came back saying no image found.

I wondered if I didn't do it correctly;so booted into
vista; put in the 1st disc;and looked at it. Just looking at the disc; it
says :

D:\WindowsImageBackup\Jeff-RC1\Backup 2006-09-14 231110

So it did burn it;but the recovery in the RC1 install disc
doesn't see it when I put it in the D drive;at all

That feature has worked several times here, but the image was saved to a
second partition on the drive. Note that drive letters may change when
booting from the CD.

Try putting the back up CD/DVD into the drive BEFORE clicking on
Complete PC back up. After clicking, a search for the back up image
should begin. It finds it here on drive E, otherwise known as D when
Vista is running.

 

[Jeff]

Ok;
Both responses were nice; appreciated; but; not applicable.
Thanks though.
#1 I used dvd's- Not to another partition;and I only have 1 hd.
#2 Tryed both ways;Dev; btw; before and after.
#3 In the case of a complete hard disk failure; partitions will be lost
anyway.
#4 Never back up files to a location on the same hard disk that Windows
is installed on because if your computer gets a virus or has a software
failure, you might have to reformat the disk and reinstall Windows to
recover from the problem.
#5 You can also save your files to DVDs or CDs
So; as you can see; (parts #3,4,5; above were reprinted from MSFT Windows
Help and Support); this question;still needs resolution.
Jeff

 

[Jeff]

Sorry for the confusion in the 1st post; I did it by the
book;meaning;exactly how Windows tells you to do it.
Jeff

 

[Jeff]

I may have inadvertently said I put in the dvd's after;but actually did it
the way I was instructed;per Windows.

Jeff

 

[Tony M]

Jeff,

I have tested 2 machines using a DVD that was created for the Complete PC
backup.

The procedure you followed was to boot with the actual Vista OS disc and
choose the recovery option during that portion of setup correct? I assume
you did as you stated in your post...

I would try the procedure from the beginning and make a new disc, possibly
just one of those things that fail initially but work subsequently

 

[Jeff]

Tony;
Yup; by the book.
And; o.k.; I give ya that. Trying one more time;but at 3 dvd's a crack-sorta
gettin annoying.
It's weird;but have that happen to me also;won't work;then
POOF-works-LOL
I'll try; So I'm assuming you got it to work with dvd's then.
Jeff

 

[Tony M]

Yeah worked right off the bat with the first disc I made

Using Memorex 2x/4x DVD+R/RW discs

Tony

 

[Jeff]

Tony,
I did finally get Windows Complete PC Backup and Restore; to
work;finally.
Ahh; but I think they named it incorrectly.
It should be;based on my experirence; named as such:

Windows Complete PC Restore and Backwards!!!!!!!!

No kidding; I did it by the book; again; and the course of making the
DVD's; the wizard actually instructs you to label the DVD's I.E.
D\user\date\disc1
;disc 2 etc.
Wherein lies the issue I was experiencing.
Following instructions;booting to install disc and then to PC Restore;it
asks you to put in the backup media;which;by any NORMAL thinking; one would
assume disc #1 would be first.
Well; that's what I get for thinking.
Inserting disc #1 into the drive produced a message stating-Windows could
not find the backup files on the media.
I then assessed that PC Restore was not working;
but for some reason; I decided to try disc#2 first.
Lo and behold; PC Restore then; immediately saw the backup; on DISC
#2;not #1
It then generated another message stating;The wrong disc is inserted;please
insert Disc#1.
Reinserting Disc #1 then allowed PC Restore to continue; which at the end of
disc #1;then generated another;"The wrong disc is inserted;please insert
Disc#2" Which I did; and it finished-successfully.
Now I'm no genius; but one would think that Complete PC Backup and
Restore; DEFINITELY needs some cleanup work done to it; before RTM.
Seems I don't actually have Complete PC Backup and Restore on this p.c.
More aptly; I have Complete PC Backwards and Restore!!!!!
LOL- and just to make sure it wasn't the op, I had a friend try it; on this
p.c ;same results!!
LOL

Jeff

 

[Richard Urban]

This is the same as "any" backup program that writes to multiple media. It
has been as such for at least 15 years, that I know of - and likely from the
beginning of the backup concept.

The last act of creating the backup is the creation of a media catalog,
which (of course) must be installed on the last disk - after the backup has
been completed. This tells what disk, which file is located - and so forth.

So, you usually start a restore by inserting the last disk first. Some
programs will give you a clear message if you try to restore from the first
disk. The message will tell you to insert the last disk to continue. After
the media catalog has been read into memory, you will be instructed to again
insert the first disk. Restore will then commence.

I'm guessing you don't have a lot of experience with major backup programs
of any kind. But it's good to see that you are getting "up to speed" on this
important maintenance task.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Jeff]

Well Richard;
As a matter of fact;no; on my home p.c; never have needed to.
Never;cross my fingers; have had the misfortune of a hardware fail; and
never have had a software fail;that required such attention.
Appreciate the clarification though;
but one would think;still;that lots of people don't have experience with
this;and an easy to understand instruction;would be most helpful.
As you yourself explained to me, (pasted;if you don't mind)
Some

programs will give you a clear message if you try to restore from the
first disk.

Which; MSFT does not.
I appreciate your help;but this still needs better instruction/clarification
from MSFT before RTM; or allot of people may be confused;as I was.

Jeff

 

[Richard Urban]

Yes. They could clean up the instructions a bit. (-:

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!