blachanc Posted May 19, 2010 Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 Hi, This is the context: I bought an Iomega professionnal external HD and upgraded (small fee) the software licence to Retrospect 7.7 For windows. The goal is to backup my DELL XPS8100 (1.5 TB hard drive). I am able to backup my 1.5TB (30 GIG used) drive with no issues. My problem: I would like to verify that the Disater recovery would work, without touching the Original Hard drive. According to the instructions, I need to use a disk of the same size or bigger than the original one. Wy can't I try the Disaster recovery on a smaller drive (I have a 500GIG disk available)? Buying a 1.5TB drive just for a sanity check test is too expensive. Thank you, Benoit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blachanc Posted May 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 (edited) I would apreciate any feedback, even it this wil not resolve the limitation I currently see. If you feel my question is not clear, don't hesitate to ask me for clarification. I live by this concept: "a backup that is not tested has none/little value" The question is: Wy can't I test the Disaster recovery restore using a smaller drive when the space used on the original drive is way smaller that the "sanity check drive" I plan to use? Thank you, -ben Edited May 22, 2010 by Guest clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blachanc Posted May 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 (edited) Hi all, I did a trial anyway: restore a 1.5TB used at 4%(53GIG) on a WD500GIG external in a vantec nexstar USB/ESATA enclosure. The end results: 1) the restore went really well (1h20) 2) Unfortunately, the restore drive is not considered a bootable drive (forced that drive in Bios) I tried with the E-sata and USB connection, with the same results. All files seems to be restored correctly if I look at the restore drive using windows explorer. Also, if I look at the restrospect logs, everything went fine: + Retrospect version 7.7.325 Launched at 5/15/2010 7:52 AM + Driver Update and Hot Fix, version 7.7.3.102 (64-bit) + Executing Immediate Backup at 5/15/2010 7:55 AM To Backup Set DELLXPS_on_iomega... - 5/15/2010 7:55:00 AM: Copying OS (C:) 5/15/2010 8:41:57 AM: Snapshot stored, 196.4 MB 5/15/2010 8:42:07 AM: Comparing OS (C:) 5/15/2010 9:18:55 AM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 125545 files, 69.8 GB Performance: 1764.6 MB/minute (1603.1 copy, 1948.7 compare) Duration: 01:23:55 (00:05:39 idle/loading/preparing) - 5/15/2010 9:18:55 AM: Copying Iomega HDD (J:) 5/15/2010 9:19:48 AM: Snapshot stored, 13 KB 5/15/2010 9:19:51 AM: Comparing Iomega HDD (J:) 5/15/2010 9:20:15 AM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 4 files, 3.0 GB Performance: 5142.8 MB/minute (3829.8 copy, 7826.1 compare) Duration: 00:01:19 (00:00:08 idle/loading/preparing) 5/15/2010 9:20:15 AM: Execution completed successfully Total performance: 1813.8 MB/minute Total duration: 01:25:14 (00:05:48 idle/loading/preparing) Exit at 5/15/2010 9:50 AM + Retrospect version 7.7.325 Launched at 5/17/2010 10:04 PM + Driver Update and Hot Fix, version 7.7.3.102 (64-bit) Exit at 5/17/2010 10:04 PM + Retrospect version 7.7.325 Launched at 5/22/2010 12:31 PM + Driver Update and Hot Fix, version 7.7.3.102 (64-bit) + Executing Immediate Backup at 5/22/2010 12:32 PM To Backup Set DELLXPS_on_iomega... - 5/22/2010 12:32:14 PM: Copying OS (C:) 5/22/2010 12:39:37 PM: Snapshot stored, 196.8 MB 5/22/2010 12:39:46 PM: Comparing OS (C:) 5/22/2010 12:42:40 PM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 1804 files, 6.4 GB Performance: 2339.2 MB/minute (2457.6 copy, 2244.6 compare) Duration: 00:10:26 (00:04:54 idle/loading/preparing) - 5/22/2010 12:42:40 PM: Copying Iomega HDD (J:) 5/22/2010 12:43:33 PM: Snapshot stored, 14 KB 5/22/2010 12:43:38 PM: Comparing Iomega HDD (J:) 5/22/2010 12:44:02 PM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 4 files, 3.0 GB Performance: 5142.8 MB/minute (3913.0 copy, 7826.1 compare) Duration: 00:01:21 (00:00:11 idle/loading/preparing) 5/22/2010 12:44:02 PM: Execution completed successfully Total performance: 2827.4 MB/minute Total duration: 00:11:48 (00:05:05 idle/loading/preparing) ################### # # RESTORE SECTION (note that I deleted a 17GIG file (truecrypt file) #prior to latest backup to increase the restore speed) # ################### + Executing Restore from Backup at 5/22/2010 12:49 PM To volume nexstar (K:)... - 5/22/2010 12:49:28 PM: Restoring from DELLXPS_on_iomega, Snapshot OS (C:), 5/22/2010 12:32:14 PM System configuration restored, please reboot the computer. 5/22/2010 2:09:19 PM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 125828 files, 53.4 GB Performance: 685.4 MB/minute Duration: 01:19:50 (00:00:06 idle/loading/preparing) Exit at 5/22/2010 2:09 PM END_OF_LOGFILE Edited May 22, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blachanc Posted June 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 (edited) Well, I went ahead, and bought a second identical drive, as my original PC a segate barracuda 1.5TB. The results: a non bootable disk again. My DELL XPS8100 came with 3 partitions: OEM 39 MEG RECOVERY: 14.65 GIG OS: 1382 GB. Retrospecty only backups/restore the OS partition. Am I doing anything wrong ? + Executing Restore from Backup at 6/1/2010 8:42 PM To volume seagate_float (J:)... - 6/1/2010 8:42:39 PM: Restoring from DELLXPS_on_iomega, Snapshot OS (C:), 5/22/2010 12:32:14 PM System configuration restored, please reboot the computer. 6/1/2010 9:26:56 PM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 125828 files, 53.4 GB Performance: 1239.0 MB/minute Duration: 00:44:17 (00:00:08 idle/loading/preparing) Exit at 6/1/2010 9:31 PM + Retrospect version 7.7.325 Launched at 6/1/2010 9:39 PM finding correct information (still applicable), is a nightmare, so much looks like it is outdated. I did see a "tile" about dell computers that comes with OEM partitions. Well, if I follow the reasoning you need to do, on the new drive: 1) install your OS to the same SP as to pre-HD crash: 2) perform the restore. This not a straight "system roolback" It looks like a very long /tedious process to me. I can't understand why it is not possible to build an image of the hard disk and restore it. Windows Home server seem to do that natively. In summary: You either need to trust Retrospect to do the job right, or be ready to invest a lot of time to test your backup, "just in case" Edited June 2, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhwalker Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 I think that Dell expects the "recovery" and "OEM" partitions to exist and contain certain stuff. Never restored a Dell disk, myself, but I have built one from scratch from the install CDs with a drive replacement. Have you tried using the Dell install CDs to build the disk and its volumes, then overwrite the OS partition with a Retrospect restore? (regardless of the disk size). Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blachanc Posted June 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Hi Russ, Thank you for your fast feedback. No, I did not try what you are proposing, but it seem inline with what I read on the support ressources pages. What I find dissapointing, is it means that getting back on my feet after a major crash will take much longer. According to the new methodology (7.7 addendum), it is not so clear that I need the "install OS_THEN_restore" dual step: http://kb.dantz.com/display/2/articleDirect/index.asp?aid=9726&r=0.2721063 Anyway Now that I have a twin drive to run experiments, It will be easy to verify my backup. I will share the results of my trials. Again, I do apreciate your feedback Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blachanc Posted June 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 Well, I played with fire and got burned. but the recovery CD & restoration from backup set is working almost fine: 1) the recovered hard disk boots with no issues. 2) But the OEM & RECOVERY partitions are empty. Where did I played with fire: 1) I installed my target restore disk in a e-sata enclosure, naming the disk seagate_dock. 2) I booted with the retrospect emergency CD. (new method with windows 7 & retrospect 7.7) 3) I did the restore selecting my esata disk as the target(seagate_dock). The main file recovery was performed on the e-sata drive with no issues. At the finishing stage, retrospect ignored the fact that I was recovering to my seagate_dock, and finished on my original C:(original & fine hard drive). Doing so my OEM & Recovery partitions are almost empty on my main 'C' drive. The stupid mistake I did: I should have disconnected my internal Hard drive prior to restoring. Remember, I was doing this restore only for a sanity check. A tough for a next release of retrospect emergency disk: Allow the user to save the retrospect logfile to a connected disk/usb drive. I had to take pictures of the log showing the write errors (when retrospect switched from my seagate_dock to my c:) Well, I just lost the ability to "restore to factory setting" my DELL. but anyone who does a disater recovery will end up in the same situation. Retrospect does not backup theses partitions. -Ben I will try to post links to my pictures (logs)later. note: I redid all step above with only a blank HD in my system (the thing I should have done initially), and I was able to restore/boot with no issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blachanc Posted June 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2010 (edited) these are the links to the picture of the screen I took: Retrospect_file_restore_confused: http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=jnmldmjqzkb&thumb=5 Retrospect_file_restore_confused_bottom_log: http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=x5oyyjutyna&thumb=5 Retrospect_file_restore_only_blank_disk_in_system: http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=knwwzt5eizm&thumb=5 Edited June 3, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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