Solved Windows 8.1 upgrade

[lfchisholm]

Good morning Peter2
I created my first Image of windows 8 pro. it took 8 min. 11 sec. file size was about 50gig. no error msgs. or strange things happened. I browsed the file and it assigned drive H as the ext. hard drive is on G.
this morning when I turned on my system and opened Computer I see that H is still there. I had thought it would go away after browsing. I would like to try a restore sometime after the first of the month as then I have time to re install if things go wrong. Thank you again for all the help.
Larry.

 

[Peter2]

Peter2; I have a hp 23in all in one which came with 8 basic. I had bought 8 pro so I used that key to add features.
1 cd/dvd burner 1T hard drive. added the external drive and it is :G right now. have usb 3.0 On the software's site they recommend windowsPE and also just downloaded a iso of it as they said it takes a long time to download as it has to download image software with it.
In your notes one of the first things is the rescue cd so I am working on trying that. I printed the notes out from word and in big letters.
Ok I will work on the image. I have browsed the program and got to setting up a folder on the G drive but didn't enter it correctly but will try again. and early in the morning I will let you know how things went.
Larry

>>I understand. Don't worry about drive letters as they can change. It is the image you want to find.
For now, I repeat, step 1 is to open the imaging program and go to 'other tasks' where you can burn a rescue disc. Let me know when that is done. Choose Linux.
P.S. If you talk with others we can get confused. Google Win PE and you will see what it is. I am not a tech and am trying to give simple directions for creating and recovering an image.
So for now. you need Win installed, a cd disc, and Macrium. Open Macrium and go to "other tasks" and create the Linux rescue disc. if you want to do otherwise you will need to listen to someone more experienced than me.

 

[mick823]

Paragon Backup and Recovery 2013 Free is a good software and easy to use. You do have to register an email address in order to get an activation code. I have been using it for years and it works great with Window 8.

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition - Free Download

 

[lfchisholm]

Thanks Peter2. I will do this sometime this morning. I may be reading other things but that's all . Larry

Peter2; I have a hp 23in all in one which came with 8 basic. I had bought 8 pro so I used that key to add features.
1 cd/dvd burner 1T hard drive. added the external drive and it is :G right now. have usb 3.0 On the software's site they recommend windowsPE and also just downloaded a iso of it as they said it takes a long time to download as it has to download image software with it.
In your notes one of the first things is the rescue cd so I am working on trying that. I printed the notes out from word and in big letters.
Ok I will work on the image. I have browsed the program and got to setting up a folder on the G drive but didn't enter it correctly but will try again. and early in the morning I will let you know how things went.
Larry

>>I understand. Don't worry about drive letters as they can change. It is the image you want to find.
For now, I repeat, step 1 is to open the imaging program and go to 'other tasks' where you can burn a rescue disc. Let me know when that is done. Choose Linux.
P.S. If you talk with others we can get confused. Google Win PE and you will see what it is. I am not a tech and am trying to give simple directions for creating and recovering an image.
So for now. you need Win installed, a cd disc, and Macrium. Open Macrium and go to "other tasks" and create the Linux rescue disc. if you want to do otherwise you will need to listen to someone more experienced than me.

 

[lfchisholm]

Good morning again. The Rescue DVD has been created and was successful and looking at it there are files on it.
let me know what to do when you have the time.
I will be at the computer much of the day.[
LarryQUOTE=Peter2;282322]

Peter2; I have a hp 23in all in one which came with 8 basic. I had bought 8 pro so I used that key to add features.
1 cd/dvd burner 1T hard drive. added the external drive and it is :G right now. have usb 3.0 On the software's site they recommend windowsPE and also just downloaded a iso of it as they said it takes a long time to download as it has to download image software with it.
In your notes one of the first things is the rescue cd so I am working on trying that. I printed the notes out from word and in big letters.
Ok I will work on the image. I have browsed the program and got to setting up a folder on the G drive but didn't enter it correctly but will try again. and early in the morning I will let you know how things went.
Larry

>>I understand. Don't worry about drive letters as they can change. It is the image you want to find.
For now, I repeat, step 1 is to open the imaging program and go to 'other tasks' where you can burn a rescue disc. Let me know when that is done. Choose Linux.
P.S. If you talk with others we can get confused. Google Win PE and you will see what it is. I am not a tech and am trying to give simple directions for creating and recovering an image.
So for now. you need Win installed, a cd disc, and Macrium. Open Macrium and go to "other tasks" and create the Linux rescue disc. if you want to do otherwise you will need to listen to someone more experienced than me.[/QUOTE]

 

[Peter2]

Imaging

Hi Larry
My images are only 15 GB and my pc has 1T or 960 GB.
Are you sure the image was 50 GB or 15? The time sounds right.
Click computer and hover the cursor over the image and than see how big it is.
If you have created the disc, know how to boot to it so you can see Macrium from the disc, have created an image, then you are ready to recover. I would wait to be sure we are all set.

The size of your image concerns me. Let me know how big it is when you hover the cursor again.

Also, how big is your operating system? Click computer then right click properties to see.

 

[Peter2]

clone vs image

Larry
When you are going through the process of imaging you are not taking a picture of every bit of the drive. You are taking an image of the system. If you clone you are taking a bigger picture and not what we are trying to do here.

We want to "image" not clone.

Cloning is useful to transfer one drive to the other. We are not doing that.

Be sure you chose image and if not sure then delete the image and perform another.

 

[lfchisholm]

Hi Peter2 I did see clone and also image and I did chose Image
c: =54,359,306,240
the file created is mrimg disk partition size = 25,881,845
this file is in a file called Windows Pro Image Files.
I believe we are OK.

the first figure I saw was 49.79gb and that was on the scale imput and output.
the mrimg file above is the actual output.
Larry

 

[Peter2]

When you use the pc and click Computer then see the image and hover the cursor over it, does it say 15 GB or 50 GB?

 

[Peter2]

I just wanted to remind you that the source of what you are imaging should be the first box or disc which contains the recovery partition as well.


Let me know how you recover from the program within the disc -don't use the Macrium program within Windows.

 

[lfchisholm]

w

when I click computer I get c: d: revovery partition
then G: the new hard drive
I go to Windows image file folder then click on file created and get from general 24.2 (25.991,008,256)bytes

also in the Other Tasks drop down there is no image file verification.
only create rescue disk, check for updates, parameters.

also when viewing the file in the folder above if you click on it then check a box it creates another drive say I and then you can view the same files that were created in image file.
I also noted that at the beginning of the created file there is the Macrium Logo present.
Larry

 

[Peter2]

First I apologize as verification of the image is not under other tasks. Click on the image in the program and it will say verify on the right side.
I think you are referring to mounting an image with the mention of other letters. Don't get involved in that.

The rest sounds ok. Go to computer and if an image has been mounted right click and unmount it. Otherwise sounds ok.

You might want to check with another good tech as I am only a user of the program and done the best I could. The profof will be in a recovery but I would want to Google YouTube and view and ask another's opinion.

 

[lfchisholm]

Good Morning Peter2
I seem not to be able to find files that you are talking about.
when you talk about an image file and if mounted unmounts it makes me think of when I use Linux OS
so far all that I have done has been in Windows 8 Pro.
I feel good that on my external hard drive I have a folder named Windows 8 image files.
In that folder there is an image file that I created using Macrium and it placed the output in that folder.
the file has a Macrium logo at the beginning of it.
I also did a rescue DVD and chose the option of Linux and that was OK.
If I follow your instructions I would power off the PC then at power on hit the F12 key to get the screen where I can choose cd dvd highlight it and put the rescue dvd in the drive and it should then boot from dvd and give me a screen showing the image file on G: and ask where to restore .
is that how you see it?
Before I would ever do a restore I would like to create a new image file as I did before and then do the complete process of restoring and see what the outcome will be.
My plans would be to do this next week when all month bills and files and spreadsheets have been completed and I would then make a backup of my files I save every week.
starting from factory default and getting back to where I am today is about a 3 hour process and I have done these many times.
I am confident that you have led me in the right direction.
how do you feel?
Also I purchased the standard copy early this morning as they gave me a really cheap price.
Larry

 

[Peter2]

image

I think you can forget mount/dismount.

One thing, put the cd or dvd in the pc just before you restart so the pc will se the right boot order and open the blue box with the Word Macrium in it. Hit enter and Macrium will open within the pc on your screen.
Then, click Computer to expand and search for your image file.
Perhaps it will say my Book, or what you created in Computer, or just show the image itself. If trouble = click rescan. Follow prompts and it will take about 20 minutes to recover.
I would open Macrium, click on the file you want to verify then look to the right and see the word verify. It will take as long as the image took.

I think it is a good idea to create a new image - try to include the date.
See if it is the same size as the first.
Sounds good so far.
Do you have the dvds that you made when you got the pc in case you have an issue? Or at least have the operating system disc.

 

[lfchisholm]

Yes I have the 4 DVD's that I created the first thing that I did. Also HP has a recovery manager that comes up and in a series of questions it has the option to use then or restore factory default from the D: Recovery Drive.
one thing on the first window of Macrium it list in this order across the top
1 Windows Re Tools 2 System 3 None 4 Windows (C 5 Recovery Image (D

then on the second box
1 - My Passport (G

In between these two windows there are two options Clone this disk Image this disk


When I did the first Image Creation I unchecked all choices in the first window except number 4 Windows (C

then I chose Image this disk and hit enter and then I set the path to (G and entered the file name and included the date and time. it also time stamped the image file. and at the end let you know if it was created successfully.


Question should items 1, 2, and 3 also be included in the Image creation as they seem to have to do with windows and they are small files.
1. is NTFS Primary 347.5 MB 2. FAT32 (LBA) Primary 39.1 MB 3. Unformatted Primary 128.0 MB
1023.0 MB 360.0 MB 128.0 MB

Also since I purchased the software I do have support and forums for one year.

I will try and see if I can boot from the Rescue Disk but when any questions for start or go or restore appear.

 

[Peter2]

image

It is great that you have the recovery dvds you made when you got the pc.

Regarding the source or what you are trying to image you should click "Image all local drives on this computer" not the Windows choice. When you are going to image there are only 2 choices, so choose the top one "Image all local drives on this computer".
I am sending as picture of what mine looks like but I don't have a recovery partition. Yours will include more, probably.
Include everything in your source or what you are imaging.
There is also a place I think you saw which said "image this disc" That is ok too but just be sure to include everything you want to image -be careful of unchecking things. It is better to image more than leaving something out.

 

[lfchisholm]

I notice on the left side that there are two choices all drives and then those that are for restoring windows partition and on the second one it does not include choice 1 and 5 I was not sure if the recovery partition might be protected and it would not allow it.
so I agree that all drives is a better safer creation.
Again thank you for all of your help. I will not bother anymore until after the weekend.
I want to complete all my end of month and I will try the rescue dvd.
I am assuming thatwhen it completes that the boot order will automatically be back to original?
or do you have to do F12 and reset it.
I will write them down before changing.
Larry Have a great weekend!

 

[Peter2]

imaging

You are never a bother - I hope I have helped.

Yes, once you boot, tapping F12, it returns to normal. You can change the boot order in the BIOS permanently but don't do that.

The reason there are choices for different partitions(check boxes) is that skilled users place data on one partition and other information on other partitions. Then they pick and choose which to check.

We are taking a picture of your whole system in its entirety in case you have a virus or trouble. Then you just take out the disc, tap F12 and begin to recover as it was before - all of it.

Imaging will allow you to recover, as it is, rather than the dvds which return you to factory.

When you recover, you will eventually see a Macrium white page, and click on Computer - it will expand and you will see Passport or My book or your Image. Hover for the date you want if it is not obvious. Follow the prompts, even the scary one which says something like you have to .... Just read carefully and it will be easy. Try to remember what you did as you go along for remedial purposes or for future use.

Btw, if you have any sensitive data put it on 2 flash drives(in case one fails). I mean passwords, banking etc. that you do not want in the pc etc.

Write when you want and good luck.
PS check your 'personal messages' at the top of the page although I do not think it is necessary now - you seem to have a good idea of what to do.
Peter

 

[Peter2]

Larry
When you recover, don't forget to check the same things you di when you imaged. You want your entire system.
Peter

 

[lfchisholm]

Peter2
there is a security boot option in the bios of windows 8 and bios rev above 8 that prevents changing the boot options and also booting from a rescue cd/dvd. there is also Legacy boot options which will allow you to boot. I was or can change these two and boot from the Linux and also the Microsoft one. you have to disable secure boot in order to run Legacy. keeps out all the malware and other things.
Right now I have problem reports into Macrium about an error now I get about empty clusters when doing cluster run. I ran chkdsk as they said and neither drive of mine came up with any errors.
should hear first part of the week. things are changing and many even on the forums are surprised.
they boosted the priority on what I was doing in the HP forum and now working with a group out east. and also I get and send private msgs. I think to some VP as he got involved with all the mis information from tech support chat.
when I ge a good image I will let you know. I hope to try all this before windows 8.1 in the middle of the month.
Larry
QUOTE=Peter2;283042]Larry
When you recover, don't forget to check the same things you di when you imaged. You want your entire system.
Peter[/QUOTE]