Hello I’ve just installed Norton Ghost 14 on Windows 7 RTM and I got two compatibility warning popups, one for the installer and one for the console. Since Win7’s partition layout differs from Vista’s, I would like to know if Ghost can properly restore a backup of 7. Thank you.
Ghost 14 was not designed for Win7, it will have compatibility issues.
Searinox wrote:
I would like to know if Ghost can properly restore a backup of 7. Thank you.
After you installed it I can only suggest to try it… Nobody knows how it works on win7.
After you done please let us know the results.
While I can confirm backup and individual file restore work, I am afraid to restore the whole drive including MBR of fear that they might get damaged. It is my main OS and I cannot take the chance. I don’t even know if I’m supposed to restore both System Reserved and C:\ or just C:. Maybe just C:\ works but both partitions messes up, or the other way around… I would rather wait for a staff response.
Message Edited by Searinox on 08-01-2009 11:47 AM
It is specified that Win7 is not officially supported, and that for Ghost 14 there isn't a plan for an update. However, it is not said if those compatibility warnings DO actually point to a known issues or if it's just Windows' conclusion when it realizes the app was designed for Vista/XP. I've had countless other programs saying that on install but all work absolutely fine. The reason why I'm so specifically concerned about Ghost is because of the different partition layout, and Ghost's potential of causing partition corruption.
A response with known issues about Ghost and Win7 so far(if any) would be helpful.
I always like to have at least 2 identical hard drives. I would suggest that you image the hard drive to an external drive like the Western Digital My Book, then restore the image to a new hard drive. If it works, you’ve got 2 working hard drives. If not, your original hard drive hasn’t been affected. There’s some expense involved, but you have to decide how much grief a hard drive crash without a backup would cause.
I lack the resources to do that. Anyways it seems like System Reserved cannot be backed up. Access denied. Will just working with C: damage the layout?
Go ahead, take a chance. Your OS can only be a few weeks old and if it is destroyed you have the opportunity to reinstall Win7 without having that System Reserved partition. I wouldn't want it on my computer under any circumstances. And I don't have it. What happens if you have a HD failure and that partition isn't backed up? I don't know.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/01/09/how-to-avoid-200mb-hidden-system-partition-from-been-created-during-windows-7-installation/
Message Edited by Brian_K on 08-02-2009 07:17 PM
Window 7 RTM 64-bits on Asus P5E3 Premium x48 RAID0 3 partities.
Norton Ghost 14 Give's warnings to be not compatible but installs fine if you ignore it.
Update works also and after it fine no warnings.
One Time backup works and Recovery with recover CD does Also works with Windows 7 RTM.
Did restore image's without one problem..
To me it seems the Install software only must be updated.
I'm glad it works.
Hello, did you just say you restored the C:\ partition from Norton Ghost without a problem? Did you also check ‘restore MBR’?
Please, let's get some other test results of people who have used Ghost 14 (or even earlier) with Win7 RTM.
We now have a data point for 64 bit.
Would like to have data points for
1) 32 bit RTM
2) Doing a bare metal restore
3) Doing a drive copy
and yes, selecting restore MBR would be good too. :)
PapauZ wrote:
Ghost 14 was not designed for Win7, it will have compatibility issues.
Searinox wrote:
I would like to know if Ghost can properly restore a backup of 7. Thank you.After you installed it I can only suggest to try it... Nobody knows how it works on win7.
After you done please let us know the results.
I have installed Ghost 14 on both Windows 7 32 & 64 Bit RTM platforms without any issues and restored both to their original locations, including MBRs.
Thanks for reporting it back 
Good to know, I had read another thread where a user by the handle of OUgrad reported it worked but he had some trouble restoring partitions and had to use the Windows disc to repair it after restoring w/Ghost... Guess he just wasn't doing it correctly. In any case, I'll be testing it this week when I install the Win7 RC on a system I've just built and I'll let ya know how it goes for me...
Having backed up images of my OS drive is essential for me, 'specially when I first set it up and start overclocking it and testing the limits (much easier to do when I can back down a notch and restore an image once I'm there, rather than dealing w/a corrupt OS or re-installing from scratch if I OC'd too far).
IIRC there's two or three separate checkboxes when you tell Ghost to restore an OS partition, I think one tells it to restore the MBR and one tells it to set the partition as an active partition... I guess you clicked both? Are you restoring C: or C: and the reserved partition as well?
Also, this is slightly off-topic... But does anyone have any experience with Ghost and SSD? Will it restore a partition with the proper aligment?
Impulse wrote:Are you restoring C: or C: and the reserved partition as well?
I expect that System Reserved Partition to be an image/restore nightmare. There are already reports of restore problems. It's better not to have the partition.
You can’t even back up the SR partition. I tried and got an access error.
I did some tests on removing the System Reserved Partition.
After installing Win7 to an empty HD I found a 100 MB (System, Active,
Primary) partition at the start of the HD, followed by the Win7 partition.
Using a VistaPE boot CD, the contents of the SRP were copied to the Win7 partition. A BartPE CD can be used too.
From a BING CD, the SRP was deleted.
In View MBR, the Win7 partition was Set Active.
Win7 then booted normally
In another test I deleted the SRP. Win7 then didn't boot. After two Startup Repairs from a Win7 DVD, Win7 booted normally.
Jut an addition to the second test. Unless the Win7 partition is made “Active” the Repairs from the DVD don’t work. To summarize, you can delete the SRP, make the Win7 partition Active, then do the two repairs from the Win7 DVD.
Catch up time! I just read the article you linked to and there is a link in it to:
which says:
The 100 MB system partition is used primarily as BitLocker partition for BitLocker encryption. Additionally, it also holds the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) and boot files with boot manager for booting up the computer for troubleshooting when there is no Windows 7 installation DVD disc on hand.
[ ... ]
The Windows 7 created 100 MB partition is not the main boot partition or boot drive, but serve only as a backup.
For Windows 7 users who do not intend to use BitLocker, the 100 MB partition can be removed subsequently and easily in Disk Management, the built-in partition manager of Windows 7.
Which would seem safe to do if you have a WIN 7 DVD .... ?
huwyngr wrote:the 100 MB partition can be removed subsequently and easily in Disk Management, the built-in partition manager of Windows 7.
huwyngr,
All of my Win7 installs have been into partitions so I'd never seen the SRP until I deliberately installed into unallocated space. I just wanted to confirm how to remove the SRP. I have been deleting the SRP from BING.
I just tried the above method. The SRP could not be deleted in Disk Management. I made the Win7 partition Active and the SRP still couldn't be deleted. Restart, Win7 wouldn't boot but did after two Win7 Repairs. In Disk Management, the SRP can now be deleted.
You need a Win7 DVD for success unless you use the first method of copying the SRP files to the Win7 partition prior to deleting the SRP.
I don't plan to install any more Win7 OS into unallocated space. Installing into a partition avoids creating a SRP.