imaging software doesn't see second hard drive

shmu

New Member
Power User
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126
8.1 installed on SSD,
Easeus backup doesn't see my HDD any more, so I can't make an image of it. It only sees the C drive and my external hard drive, but not the internal HDD (Hitachi 500 GB) that I use as a second drive for storing personal data.

I tried with Macrium Reflect, and same problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Check to see if the drives are listed in the BIOS. You should also check to ensure all connections to the drive are secure. Then try again.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise
all drives work perfectly fine, I can access them without any problem, and Windows sees them, even in the Windows built-in system image tool.

It's only the third-party imaging software that doesn't see them.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I got one.
lucky for me, the C drive where my OS resides is on my new SSD, and it seems pretty healthy. EaseUs and Reflect would be more than happy to image it for me. It's just my older hard drive that is hard for them to see. I backed up the data on it to an external hard drive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
That is very strange, you might want to try creating a bootable rescue cd or usb.

Create a Windows PE Rescue Environment

That Windows PE only supports up to Windows 8. The new Windows PE supports Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 needs WinPE5.

Capture M002.PNG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    ME, XP,Vista,Win7,Win8,Win8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Notebooks x 3

    Desktops x 5

    Towers x 4
Hi there, I emailed Easeus support (I have a paid edition) and they promptly provided the following answer:

"Thanks for contacting us.

Please check whether your HDD is a dynamic disk. If so, then your Home edition does not support it.

In that case, you need to upgrade to our Workstation edition.

Please let us know your case.


Ken
EaseUS Support Team
EaseUS Customer Support Center:
http://www.***********/support.htm



well, windows disk management tells me that my HDD is in fact dynamic. not that I know what this means, or what to do about it, if anything...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Dynamic Disk means the partitions can be spanned over multiple drives. This feature allows you to increase the size of a partition which can stretch beyond the limit of a single drive.

In your case you might consider upgrading to Workstation Edition so you can easily create backup images of your system.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise
Dynamic Disks cannot be converted to Basic. You would need to reinstall Windows. Although since you were not aware of this setting I would think it was being set by the manufacture. The best thing to do would be to purchase software which is capable of creating backup's with the setup you have.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise
I don't have windows installed on that disk. in such a case, could I change it to basic?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
DynamicDiskConverter.jpg


Although there is one free imaging program which will back up dynamic disks, I don't know of any freeware which will convert them.


Dynamic Disks cannot be converted to Basic. You would need to reinstall Windows. Although since you were not aware of this setting I would think it was being set by the manufacture. The best thing to do would be to purchase software which is capable of creating backup's with the setup you have.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
siw2, thanks for the tip about AOMEI Backupper . I will check that out.
tell me, what is special about the recovery media you are suggesting? I already have a bunch of rescue disks and rescatux and stuff like that..
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
It will include Aomei backupper once you have installed it, and the Aomei partition Assistant if you have installed that. Lot of other tools and a menu also included. Some you can't get anywhere else. If you run it on 64 bit 7/8/ it will also support efi boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
siw: the file I downloaded from your dropbox seems to work only for 64 bit. I am running 32 bit.
Will aomei make the same recovery media for me?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
okay, they want a lot of money to upgrade to workstation, and they are giving me dodgy treatment as well,
but here's a workaround for the limitations of EaseUs Todo Backup free and home editions:

download the workstation (or server) edition 15 day trial.
in the installation process, agree to install management console or whatever they call it.
now, use the trial edition to backup your system, to your heart's delight.
you can make an emergency disk, too.

when the end of your 15 days is approaching, don't uninstall it. Just reinstall your old, limited edition on top of it. It will tell you that it wants to uninstall the trial version. say okay.

Now, when you open your reinstalled limited version, go to the management tab.
You will see all of your old backup plans there.
To the right of each plan, as you hover the mouse over that plan, you will see a "backup" tab with a drop down menu allowing you to rerun the plan, either as full backup, or incremental, or differential.
they still work, use them!

you can't make a new backup plan that includes a dynamic disk, but you can keep on doing what you were doing.
and probably you can edit an existing plan, I didn't try.

you can restore the dynamic disks you backed up, even from the limited edition.

(If your dynamic disk has a volume that is expanded beyond the limits of one disk, this might not work. I did not explore that scenario.)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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