Some time ago I said I was going to install a new HD, then zap it with active @ killdisk, then reinstall a macrium image. Mostly for my clarification, but might help others also. That thread is HERE , ... it is sort of tedious.
I got called away to other duties in the middle of that project. Had made some progress and in the process developed a lot more empathy for the frustration felt by Tigerllc74. Here is what has been done.
Installed macrium v. 4.2.2525
macrium adds to explorer right click menu:
- Explore Image.
- Restore Partition: this leads to " C: drive is locked" or "reboot using boot cd ", can't get these to work, see below.
- Unmount an image you are exploring.
Made macrium backup images:
- to DVD, 4 disks
- to U: drive, a 42 gb logical partition, backup size is ~ 17 gb
- an .iso, about 2.9 gb, copied to dvd
Made macrium boot disks
- linux, without compatibility mode.
- linux, with compatibility mode
- bart pe
Neither linux boot disk will find U: drive, where the full image is.
- linux boot disks go to C: or C:\ISOLINUX and nowhere else.
- - There is no C:\ISOLINUX.
- - There is not room on C: for the backup image.
- bart pe will boot to bart logo, then runs and allows the use of the built in file manager and some other apps.
Macrium software:
- Will not explore the DVD image (4 DVDs) from right click, says the there is one or more files missing. Of course.
- Does not recognize the image on any of the DVDs from within the program (same file missing issue?).
- will not restore the complete image from U:, says drive C: is locked, offers 3 options
- - close all windows apps and try again (won't work).
- - reboot and select...Reflect recovery environment (only in paid ver?)
- - reboot and start the reflect rescue cd (no boot CD will find U: drive, nor recognize the image on the 4 DVDs)
- Will explore the complete image from U: drive
- - Will copy files from U: to C:
- - Will run apps from the image on U:
Apps can be run from the macrium image on U:, and Files & folders can be copied to the "real" C: drive. Is that how you restore from an image, or is there a way to reinstall the entire OS by rebooting and using an image?
Also, do you think that the unallocated space problem cited by Tigerllc74 requires a disk formatting app of some sort...that is, macrium alone might restore the image, but if the image is smaller than the partition you will have leftover space?
There is no rush on this, the new HD is in, partitioned, and running OK, but what I am missing here?...it would help me and maybe others to know. I have about 40 screenshots of various stages of this project, and about 4 more days to experiment, so if there is anything else I can do I will. After 4 days, its back to the salt mine.