Reason for test:
All the systems in our SeniorNet Learning Center are protected by using the Faronics DeepFreeze program. Windows System Image Backup program is not compatible with DeepFreeze so that's why we're using the GHOST 15.0.1 CD along with setting the DeepFreeze clone flag to back up our systems. I wanted to verify that this procedure was working with our new systems prior to actually having a disk failure so I set up this test. Note:Hardware description at the end of this message.
Create Custom Recovery disk CD:
All Windows 7 and Windows XP updates installed, Microsoft Security Essentials installed on the Windows 7 O/S. I created a Custom Recovery disk CD. The only 2 extra drivers requested were:
- WAN Miniport (IKEv2) (unusable 64-bit driver)
- Intel® 82579V Gigabit Network Connection (Unusable 64-bit driver)
Since I’m not using a network to backup or recover the system I figured I didn’t need drivers for either of these devices so I ignored them and created the Custom SRD.
Create backup of Windows 7 & Windows XP partitions:
I GHOSTed the system (using the Custom SRD) to make sure that function would work.
- Back up My Computer
- Select both the Windows 7 (yyyy_mm_dd) & the Windows XP partitions
- Select the folder on the Cavalry drive where the GHOST files are to be saved
The GHOST files were saved to the Cavalry external disk drive, using the eSATA connection. No problem with the GHOST backup which took 8:28. No special settings used in GHOST other than setting the "Verify after GHOST backup”, just to be sure.
Recover Windows 7 & Windows XP partitions:
I powered down the system, then installed the Test Drive which I had previously formatted (as shown in the table below) using Partition Wizard 7. I inserted the Custom SRD, and restarted the system.
- Click Accept on the License Agreement screen
- Main screen: click Recover My Computer
- Welcome Screen: click Next
- Select a Recovery Point to Restore: click Browse… button
- Browse for folder: select the folder on the Cavalry drive, then click OK
- Select a recovery point to Restore: click on Windows 7 partition, then click Next
- Drives to Recover: The target drive partition is correct for the Windows 7 partition. Click Add…
- Add drive to recover: Click Browse… button
- Browse to the folder on the Cavalry drive and select the Windows XP partition, then click Open
- Target drive is invalid so click the Edit… button
- Select the Windows XP partition, then click OK
- Drives to recover: click the Next button
- Checkmark in Reboot when finished, then click Finish
- Informational window: click Yes
Progress window appears, initially calculating time remaining and then reporting ~22 minutes remaining when percentage reached 6%. The Windows 7 partition was recovered first.
Error:
Two minutes remaining & 76% Progress
Recover My Computer Wizard window appears with the following message
Please insert the Recovery Disk
Press “OK” to continue or “Cancel” to abort
The “Recovery Disk” (Custom SRD is already in the CD drive) so I click OK
Same window returns immediately, I click OK again
This time nothing seems to happen except the time now reports 4 Minutes remaining
Underneath the 4 minutes remaining message is the bar, mostly filled in blue
Below the bar is text of the file location and current progress:
Recover: D:\GHOST BKUP\THREE\2011_10_30_Custom_SRD_2011_06_24_C_Drive.v2i
Retargeting system volume for new hardware
Adding necessary devices
I finally clicked Cancel and received the following error:
Error EA730002: Cannot find the driver database directory
End Result:
I removed the Custom SRD, then restarted the system to see what would happen. The dual boot window appeared and I let it come up with the default (Windows 7). Informational message appeared about installing device driver software and then the message:
You must restart you computer to apply these changes.
I clicked Restart Now and let it come back up on the Windows 7 side again. Everything seems to be working fine on the Windows 7 side. I look at the Windows XP partition and there’s nothing in it.
Hardware Description:
System: Antec Earthwatts Green EA-500D power supply, Intel DH67CL motherboard, i5-2400 CPU, 8GB DDR3 1333 memory, WD 450GB - 10,000 rpm, 6GB/S SATA, Samsung SH-S223L DVD burner, Windows 7 Professional, 64bit, Windows XP Professional, 64bit, GHOST CD 15.0.1
Disk Partitions: System Drive (WD4500HLHX) (450GB)
LABEL | Type | File system | Size (MB) | Free (MB) |
2011_06_23 | Primary | NTFS | 75000 | 40990 |
DATA | Logical | NTFS | 10000 | 9160 |
FRAGMENTED | Logical | FAT | 24 | 12 |
CDS | Logical | NTFS | 20000 | 19410 |
Windows_XP | Primary | NTFS | 30000 | 14290 |
GHOST | Logical | NTFS | 287000 | 256280 |
Disk Partitions: Test Drive (WD3200AAKS) (320GB)
LABEL | Type | File system | Size (MB) |
_2011_10_23 | Primary | NTFS | 75000 |
_DATA | Logical | NTFS | 10000 |
_FRAGMENTED | Logical | FAT | 24 |
_CDS | Logical | NTFS | 20000 |
_Windows_XP | Primary | NTFS | 30000 |
_GHOST | Logical | NTFS | 166000 |
External backup drive: Cavalry CAXB, 1TB, USB 2.0 / eSATA 7200rpm 16MB cache