Whats going wrong with my recovery partition?

Newbie Forum
#1

I have taken guidelines from expert exchange solution to create restore partition.

Below is the extract:　
I never figured out the solution i was really looking for but the solution I figured out will do. It’s detailed below. The steps are for an XP system and there are some minor changes in procedures for Vista and Windows 7.

How to Create an Automated Custom Recovery Partition to Reimage Windows XP Systems

Items Needed:

Ghost Solutions Suite 2.5 (recovery kit folder)
NewSID 4.10
BartPE w/Ghost
2 USB Flash Drives (min 2GB)
Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK)-Done
Windows Vista System
Laptop/Desktop

STEP 1 - Build a System to Image
On the Master production system w/ recovery partition
" Create 2 partitions on the system prior to the installation of Windows.
" Make partition 2 (recovery partition) 10GB and the rest for partition 1 (windows installation)
" Install Windows and all applications on partition 1
" Configure Windows and all applications to your Common Desktop Environment Standard
" Defragment the drives
" Make sure to select to have no drive letter for partition 2

STEP 2 - Create a WinPE BootImage
On a development workstation
" Install Windows AIK
" Launch Windows PE Tools Command Prompt
" Type: copype.cmd x86 c:\winpex86
" Type: imagex /mountrw c:\winpex86\winpe.wim 1 c:\winpex86\mount
" Next, copy ghostoem32.exe from the recovery kit folder to c:\winpex86\mount\windows
" Next, edit startnet.cmd in c:\winpex86\mount\windows\system32 folder to read:
@ECHO off
Wpeinit
ghostoem32.exe -clone,mode=prestore,src=1:2\WINXP.GHO:1,dst=1:1 -quiet -sure -rb
" Type: peimg /prep c:\winpex86\mount\windows
" Type: YES
" Type: imagex /unmount c:\winpex86\mount /commit
" Type: copy c:\winpex86\winpe.wim c:\winpex86\iso\sources\boot.wim
" Type: YES
" Type: oscdimg -n -bc:\winpex86\etfsboot.com c:\winpex86\iso c:\winpex86\winpex86.iso
" Copy the winpex86 folder to the USB flash drive

STEP 3 - Format WinPE Boot USB
On the Vista System
" Copy the winpex86 folder from the USB flash drive to c:\ on the Vista system
" Open a command prompt
" Type: diskpart
" Type: list disk
" Type: select disk 1 (assuming USB is disk 1, or whatever number the USB flash drive is listed as from list disk)
" Type: clean
" Type: create partition primary
" Type: select partition 1
" Type: active
" Type: format fs=fat32
" Type: exit
" Type: xcopy c:\winpex86\iso*.* /s /e /f e:\ (where e:\ is the USB device)

STEP 4 - Create WinPE Boot Partition on the Recovery Partition
On the Master production system w/ recovery partition
" Insert the WinPE Boot USB
" Insert blank 2nd USB flash drive
" Insert BartPE disk (no need to boot to BartPE)
" Select Ghost from BartPE disk
" Select Local>Disk>To Image
" Select the WinPE Boot USB flash drive as the source and blank 2nd USB flash drive as destination
" Name the image Restore.gho
" Create the image
" Once complete, in Ghost, select Local>Partition>From Image
" Select the Restore.gho image as the source and the 10GB 2nd partition on Disk 1 as the destination
" Restore the image

STEP 5 - Create Image of System
On the Master production system w/ recovery partition
" Boot the system to BartPE
" Select Ghost from BartPE disk
" Select Local>Partition>To Image
" Select disk 1, partition 1 as the source and the recovery partition as the destination
" Name the image WINXP.GHO
" Create the image

STEP 6 - Configure MBR to use the Recovery Partition
On the Master production system w/ recovery partition
" Copy SRFixMbr.exe and SRFixMbr.xml from the recovery kit folder to C:
" From a command prompt, go to c:
" Type: SRFIXMBR.EXE
" Type: YES

STEP 7 _ Testing
On the Master production system w/ recovery partition
" Reboot the system, press F3 when prompted
" WinPE should launch, then Ghost should automatically reimage the system and reboot
" Log into the system , the 2 files SRFixMbr.exe and SRFixMbr.xml should no longer exist

　
Everything goes fine but when I use the F3 key to restore , startnet.cmd pauses after the ghostoem32 command line.
　
Ur expert suggestions will b appreciated.
　
　
　

#2

Way too many steps just to create a recovery solution. I have no idea why it’s not working for you but suggest looking at something like Clonezilla, http://clonezilla.org/. Read the instructions for the Live edition and about creating a recovery solution.

#3

My Vista originally had a recovery partition.After I got Acronis True Image I deleted the recovery partition.
If I need to go back to the out of the box condition I have a set of bu discs I made with the recovery software that was from Lenovo.I no longer have this software on my OS but the discs still work.Or did when I used them quite a while back.
Now I try to keep a fairly current BU with Acronis on an external hard drive.
Acronis will also create a recovery partition if I need one.
So like Whappo posted way to many steps the way above.

Still thanks for posting it johnnyxtc.It might be just what someone is looking for.

#4

I have to ask is your computer your referencing to a factory built or custom built? That would clarify for users on here. I used Acronics 2009 home to make a image of my system after I installed the O/S and needed drivers and software for the mobo and attached hardware. In this way I don’t have to do a complete reinstall from the ground up. But if you have a factory built you should make sure you make a backup cd/dvd from the recovery partition or if there is none there now as Cholla said you can buy your recovery cd/dvd from the manufacture to restore you computer and then use something like Acronis to make a new image of your new setup which then means it’s customized to your needs and you will no longer need the factory install cd/dvd only in case your customed made restore cd/dvd fails or gets damaged and then you have to start over again.

#5

Well i tried all this on vmware . If this is successful then is worthwhile trying on a spare laptop.
It took 7 man hours to assemble all the above instructions & believe it i have done this 5 times to to finally reach the end…the problem is

Everything stops after execution of startnet.cmdWpeinitghostoem32.exe -clone,mode=prestore,src=1:2\WINXP.GHO:1,dst=1:1 -quiet -sure -rb is there any way to debug the events in the batch startnet.cmd?

Thanks for all the attention !!! appretiated !!!

Is there any other alternative to make the one key recovery from harddisk partition

#6

This thread is old but this is exactly what im looking for.
Im looking for a OneKey recovery feature that uses one of the F-keys at boot. The image can be load from 2nd partition or network. I dont understand which of the steps or how you create the F3 function appear at boot. How does it appear and how do i make it to boot bartpe?

#7

[QUOTE=linqz;2577395]This thread is old but this is exactly what im looking for.
Im looking for a OneKey recovery feature that uses one of the F-keys at boot. The image can be load from 2nd partition or network. I dont understand which of the steps or how you create the F3 function appear at boot. How does it appear and how do i make it to boot bartpe?[/QUOTE]

google would be your best friend for this old of help and searching for help on this.

#8

recovery partitions generally only properly work to restore the computer to it’s as-shipped factory state.

this IGNORES any updates to the OS any additions to your software

and most emphatically they do not take well to a new hard drive that is larger than the original HDD

Frankly once I discovered how a factory restore partion worked and what it was and was not capable of doing I have systematically eliminated them.

I simply maintain a recent “clone” to my complete OS on an IDENTICAL HDD to the one I’m actively using
and my “clone” is never more than a week to ten days old.

After I make a fresh clone I swap the two drives.

[QUOTE=Whappo;2475840]Way too many steps just to create a recovery solution. I have no idea why it’s not working for you but suggest looking at something like Clonezilla, http://clonezilla.org/. Read the instructions for the Live edition and about creating a recovery solution.[/QUOTE]

Yep, I’m a recent convert to Clonezilla, Acronis worked well for me when I was running Vista but I’m not sure what version would be required to clone Win7.

that was the reason for the topic I started about 10 days ago on cloning a Win7 OS

I had recently switched to Win7 and wanted to back up my OS the way I had been doing with Vista.

the beauty of a clone is that you are no longer restricted, like my Dell 1525 was, to the size
of the HDD the computer was shipped with (a 160gb HDD)

I switched mine to a 320gb. I keep my spare in a Dell HDD caddy and it takes me literally 20seconds to swap out the HDD So if one fails… and I HAVE had a HDD indicated through the self diagnostics that it was going to fail… I was able to fix the problem before it really became a problem…

IF you have a recent clone you can “recover” in about as much time as it takes to shut down, physically swap the drive, reboot to verify function, shut down agian, CLONE the good drive (~40min, because you NEVER want to be without a verified, cloned copy) and you are back in buisness.

I have a 320gb drive with the OS AND all my data on it that is my “quick” go-to recovery drive.

I ALSO have JUST the OS Partition cloned to an 80GB drive that is kept as a “master” that I update about once a month, and of course all my Data (E-mail, “favorites”, Audio & Video are backuped in multiple (layered redundacy) places.

My e-mail (and e-mail program) is backed up daily to two thumb drives
(15 YEARS of archived e-mail just barely takes up 300mb)
Any computer connected to the net with a USB port is automatically “mine” for gettng my e-mail,
and when I remove that USB drive there is no trace that I was ever there…

With preplanning and preparation “Recovery” should never take “hours”, so in that regard I consider recovery partitions to be useless.

Restoring the computer ot it’s virginal state isn’t particularly useful to anyone
Because you can often accomplish the same goal with an OS installation disc the
"drivers and utilities" CD-ROM that was shipped with your computer. i about the same time.

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