Having issues restoring back from Ghost image

coup27 · ‎03-24-2012

Hi,

I got a free copy of Norton Ghost 15 with my Samsung 830 SSD and this is the first time I've given it a real life test and I've had some teething problems.

All of the following has been done with Ghost 15 in "cold imaging mode". My PC is setup like this:

http://www.elmleigh.co.uk/Paul/1.jpg

I have the 100MB system reserved partition, my OS partition and 12GB RAW for my SSD over provisioning. I had to dual boot my PC for a specific reason so before starting I took an image of the system partition and the OS partition, which gave me 2 .v2i files. After I had finished my task instead of deleting the temp Windows install and fixing MBR I secure erased my SSD and tried to restore back from my image. The first time I tried to boot I got a flashing _ in the top left and thats it. So I SE'd again and changed some of the options and this time got "BOOTMGR MISSING". So I booted my Win7 DVD and ran the fix startup tool and it said my MBR was missing or currupted and it promptly fixed it and then my system was restored. My question is, based off the below photos, what settings at the bottom of each window should be ticked and unticked to work without having to manually repair the MBR after?

http://www.elmleigh.co.uk/Paul/2.JPG
http://www.elmleigh.co.uk/Paul/3.JPG
http://www.elmleigh.co.uk/Paul/4.JPG
http://www.elmleigh.co.uk/Paul/5.JPG

Also, since restoring from my image and fixing the MBR and getting my system working again, my system reserved partition now shows up as a drive letter when it didnt before:

http://www.elmleigh.co.uk/Paul/6.jpg

I would appreciate some input on what exactly is disk signature and should MBR come from my system partition (as it is first?) or my OS installed partition.

Thanks for anybody who takes the time to help me out.

Regards,

Brian_K · ‎04-19-2009

coup27,

You should restore one image at a time using these options....

http://community.norton.com/t5/Other-Norton-Products/Ghost-15-options-for-recovery/td-p/218202

Can you post a screenshot of your current Disk Management?

Brian_K · ‎04-19-2009

Brian_K wrote:
Can you post a screenshot of your current Disk Management?

Sorry, I missed you have already posted one.

During the Startup Repair booting files were created in the Win7 partition and Win7 was made Active. The 100 MB SRP is now doing nothing and can be deleted if you desire.

coup27 · ‎03-24-2012

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your response.

I have read that link and also the three pages where you helped out Ted. Ted seems to have hit the same problem I have, restoring from a drive with SRP and C. I also had to run my Win DVD's repair twice to fix my MBR before a successful boot was made.

Looking at that link, I should be using settings for "Restore to a new HD if SRP is present" but Ted did this and it did not work for him so I am learning towards it not working for me also.

Although the HDD (or in my case SSD) is the same, by secure erasing it it becomes entirely blank. I presume the settings for "restore to the same HDD..." apply when the HDD has not been completely erased? So you are simply re-applying a partition while leaving the disk signature, partition flag (active etc), and MBR intact as you only want the data on that partition to change?

Should I follow this:

Restore to a new HD if a SRP is present

For the SRP

Verify recovery point before restore
Partition type : Primary
Check for file system errors after recovery
Set drive active (for booting OS)
Restore original disk signature
Restore master boot record

For Win7

Verify recovery point before restore
Resize drive after recover (unallocated space only) (ONLY if you want to)
Partition type : Primary
Check for file system errors after recovery

Brian_K · ‎04-19-2009

Paul,

I think Ted's issue is an exception. I've done this dozens of times when the new HD is blank. My wording is confusing as I meant the SRP and Win7 partitions to apply to the old HD. Yes, restore the images to your erased SSD with the seiings you have posted.

The MBR contains boot code, the disk signature and the partition table. It is zeroed by your erase. That's OK. The MBR has nothing to do with the Windows Startup Repair. This is to fix the BCD which is contained in a partition, either the SRP or now in your Win7 partition. The MBR is not contained in any partition.

Many of us prefer not to have a SRP and would use a system like your current setup. I'd image and restore your current Win7 partition and forget the SRP.

coup27 · ‎03-24-2012

Brian,

As you saw from my screenshots, when I selected a drive to recover (SRP) I then added the second drive (C) into the recovery. You said originally I should be doing this one by one, so select SRP, choose the settings, recover, and then repeat for the C? Does it matter which order I do that?

I have installed W7 with and without SRP and I could not see any difference and also researching it online different sites give you different reasons for its purpose. Do you know exactly what it does? All it's really achieved for me so far is cocking up this restoration process as had I only had C I would have selected the logical options in Ghost (same as your guide) and none of this would have happened.

Brian_K · ‎04-19-2009

coup27 wrote: Does it matter which order I do that?

Paul, yes it does. You must restore the SRP first as it is the first partition on the HD.

The SRP is of "no use" to you unless you have Win7 Ultimate or Enterprise versions. These versions can run BitLocker. If you can't (versions) or don't want to use BitLocker then make life easy by removing the SRP. Then you only have one partition instead of two to image and restore. Without a SRP you won't ever get BOOTMGR is Missing.

coup27 · ‎03-24-2012

Thanks for your help Brian. I use Home Premium but even if it had those versions I would have no intention of using BitlLocker. I know I could get rid of SRP but I am now trying to try and restore with it just out of interest. Next time I reinstall I won't bother with it as its clearly just a load of hassle. I am going to re-image now and will report back in prob half an hour.

Brian_K · ‎04-19-2009

Paul,

I expect success this time.

By the way, have you run Live Update on your Ghost? We saw some issues with the original Ghost version. But mainly related to Copy Drive, not image/restore.

Edit... Doesn't apply to you as you haven't installed Ghost.

coup27 · ‎03-24-2012

Do I need to initialise the partition structure on the ssd before restoring a partition on to it? It's allowing me to proceed even if I say no but it's asking if I want to do it or not. I'm at that screen now. (on laptop)