failed restore from system image, and disk format issues

shmu

New Member
Power User
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126
I had some software issues, and I decided to restore my SSD from a system image I had made a few days before, with Easeus.

But after restore, windows could not access the boot file.
I tried a bunch of recovery disks and command lines, but nothing worked.

when I tried to reinstall windows, once again 8.1 (but this time 64 bit), it said that my disk was not formatted with NTFS, and so I can't reinstall. (I have an older mobo, from before the windows 8 era. maybe that's related).
after messing around a little in gparted, and then going back to windows install, I was able to successfully reinstall.

question: is the format issue the reason why I couldn't boot up after restoring from a system image?
If so, how was I able to boot up until then?

And what can I do to avoid this problem in the future? I always thought that you could rely on restoring from a system image in a pinch, but this time, it let me down big time. I would have been better off wrestling a little more with the software issue. (it involved a conflict between two versions of Office that I unwisely installed on the same system. Now I learned my lesson, and I installed the alternative version of Office on a virtual machine.)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
We recommend using Macrium Reflect for images or windows built in imaging. I like to use both.

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Who knows if EaseUS copied all the necessary partitions when you made the image. If it didn`t and you used that image, that`s why windows wouldn`t boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Pro x64 Windows 10 Pro x64 Build 9926
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway GT5404
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 @ 2.66 GHz
    Motherboard
    Intel D945GCL
    Memory
    4GB PC2 6400 @ 800 MHz CL 6-6-6-18
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI GTX660 TF3 2GB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway FPD1975W
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 900
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO 120GB SSD / WD 500GB
    PSU
    Corsair HX750
    Case
    OEM
    Cooling
    OEM
    Keyboard
    Gateway KB-0401
    Mouse
    Gateway MOAKUO
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Quantum Gateway 60 / 60
    Browser
    Chrome / IE11
    Antivirus
    MSE / Defender / MBAM
I doubt that is the issue. All of the poular imaging prgrams work well - including Easeus.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
yes, easeus has served me well many times in the past.

I did have other issues on my computer, problems with permissions and networking. but I can't see why that would mess up the boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Did you have a SR partition and a windows partition ?

Did you image both of them ?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Pro x64 Windows 10 Pro x64 Build 9926
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway GT5404
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 @ 2.66 GHz
    Motherboard
    Intel D945GCL
    Memory
    4GB PC2 6400 @ 800 MHz CL 6-6-6-18
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI GTX660 TF3 2GB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway FPD1975W
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 900
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO 120GB SSD / WD 500GB
    PSU
    Corsair HX750
    Case
    OEM
    Cooling
    OEM
    Keyboard
    Gateway KB-0401
    Mouse
    Gateway MOAKUO
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Quantum Gateway 60 / 60
    Browser
    Chrome / IE11
    Antivirus
    MSE / Defender / MBAM
yes, I imaged both of them.

does anybody out there understand this disk format issue?
It kind of has me puzzled. I had windows 8.1 installed on my machine. then I want to reinstall it, and all of the sudden I don't have the right disk format.
I mean, what was going on until now?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
after doing a little research, it seems that it is possible to clone a windows installation onto a disk with the wrong format, but it will have boot problems. Probably that is what I did a year ago, but I was lucky and got it to boot somehow.

in this case, I probably could have solved my problem by going through the initial stages of a fresh windows installation, and then restoring onto it only the C drive from my system image, without the boot partition.

then, I would have a fresh boot, with my old windows installation.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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