Windows 10: BkUps, 2 ext USB drives 1-for Acronis, 2nd for Sys Image Backup. Fails

We had a HDD crash at our church. I had a disk image of the PC. The restore failed, I was able to extract some important files by attaching the backup as VHD. I have Acronis 2016 on my PC’s at home, but not at church. I have rebuilt the Win 10 PC and installed all software. Since this disaster I want to install 2 external HDD’s. One for Acronis 2017, the 2nd Win 10 disk Image & file history. I installed Acronis 2017, backed up the disk. I then plugged in the 2nd USB external, File History was generated OK, but when I tried to create a System Image Backup got this error. “This feature is not available in a portable workstation environment” I’m using 120 GB SATA’s in an USB 3.0 enclosure until my 1 TB drives arrive. Any suggestions?

:)

 

Does System Image Backup include a File History backup

Old title : File History and System Image Backup

What do I look for on my external hard drive to verify that:

1) File History backup was successful (date and size) and that it included all my Outlook files and

2) that my System Image Backup was successful (date and size)?

3) Does Sys Image Bkup include a File History bkup?

Thanks

 

Strange "C Missing" in Restore window

Results of testing Acronis clone and Image restore.

Boot SSD 1 – verified that there is no C Missing.

Created a second restore point for this drive.

Wipe SSD 2.

Clone SSD 1 to SSD 2 using Acronis 2016 booted from Rescue USB.

Boot from SSD 2.

C Missing exists on SSD 2

System Protection turned OFF for C System.

System Protection ON for C Missing.

Wipe SSD 2.

Image SSD1 to External backup drive using Acronis 2016 booted from Rescue USB.

Restore image from external drive to SSD2 with Acronis 2016 booted from Rescue USB.

Boot SSD2.

System Protection turned OFF for C System.

System Protection turned ON for C Missing.



My Results of testing;

Macrium clone creates C Missing folder on cloned drive.

Macrium Image restore does NOT create C Missing on imaged drive



Acronis clone creates C Missing folder on cloned drive.

Acronis image restore creates C Missing on imaged drive.



Turning Protection OFF on C Missing removes it from System Protection window.

Must turn protection on for C System.

These are my results - Others may have different results.

 

Wait until you have Windows running from an HDD or SSD that is permanently installed in the computer on an internal SATA port. As you have discovered, built-in Windows image backup and restore is very unreliable and I wouldn't waste any time using it.

 

This issue has been around since before Windows 10. How to tell you PC it's not actually a 'portable workstation environment' using Regedit is here, along with this explanation...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...a-f6274987f1d6

Actually, you don't need to clean the disk as suggested. Diskpart has a UNIQUEID option that can show you the (apparently not so) unique ID for each disk, and let you change one of them if they turn out to be the same. If you need to, then change the ID of the USB drive, you shouldn't risk tampering with the Windows system drive.

Of course, if there's nothing you need to keep on the USB, then cleaning it is still the easiest option.

 

Did a clean re-initialized all good now. Thanks for the tip