Windows 10: Help needed with AOMEI Backupper

I guessed re-installing would be worth trying ---- just waiting for a reply on Aomei forum before giving it atry.

 

I strongly advise you hedge your bets and use Macrium Reflect Free AS WELL AS Aomei.

When I found Macrium worked reliably on my tablets (Linx and HP Stream 7), I took opportunity and tested

Paragon, Veeam, Clonezilla, Easeus Todo, Aoemi (yesterday), Acronis (admittedly older version), Windows, and Macrium Reflect Free.

Macrium was the only one that worked properly on both devices. The 32bit uefi install gave some a headache, and would not create a 32bit uefi recovery tool, assuming 32bit was only legacy bios. Others just crashed during restore, or during boot.

Eaesus worked on one device, but not on other (but would restore main drive partition if efi partition was left untouched).

Of course, my testing is no guarantee that same applies to your tablet.

Whatever you choose, you should independently back up data and backup your drivers as tablets often use drivers not in standard MS iso.

Also create a barebones usb recovery drive from control panel, recovery, create recovery drive, and select to copy system files.

 

I have downloaded again and re-installed but the result is the same, so I may well take the advice to try Macrium instead / aswell even though I find Aomei easy to use. I have downloaded Macrium and given it an initial once over. It does not look very user friendly to me.


I found its Driver display quiet obscure. It only showed one drive and it did not look like the C drive I am familiar with. It shows what I presume are partitions which have FAT file systems --- I did not know C has FAT as well as NTFS. Some explanation of what the screen snip shows would be appreciated.

 

That is a totally standard eufi installation.

Uefi requires a fat32 partition contsaing boot information. The second is the msr partition normally hidden (actually for future use).

The last partition is for enabling you to reset pc and contains software to rebuild the OS - it does not contain a compressed copy of OS.

When you select to image this disk, all four partitions will be ticked.

You can untick them, but that is for more advanced users.

I will post a short video to help you.

Dropbox - Screen_2016_02_07_11_25_31.wmv

You cannot see my cursor, but you can see the checkboxes etc.

 

Well I did a clean install for my Windows 10, months ago, so windows 10 made my partition layout which looks close to yours, but windows put my C-Drive on the end. *Smile

 

For a clean install, that is the case. For an upgrade, it depends on what order was there before. The order is not important.

 

Informative ---- thank you.

 

I have made a start with Macrium --- just the Recovery Drive, not the full backup yet. I am using DVDs (and will will use USB with Aoemei) and was rather taken off-guard because it started saving the moment I inserted a disc. I was expecting it to do what Aomei did when creating a Recovery Drive, namely check the disc first and format it. So I have ended up with a Recovery Drive which has other files on it and want to ask if this will affect its use? Also, will Macrium inform me how big the backup will be / how many discs will be required?

Roughly how long should the backup take? The Recovery Drive seemed to be taking ages until I found there was Save button in a Window hidden from view.

 

Macrium image backups are stored on hard drive, not on DVD disks. Sounds like what Macrium was doing was making it self bootable for your dvd, it copies the files it needs from your OS to make itself bootable, You could also use a USB stick to store your image backup, if its big enough. Best option is to use an external drive thou. OR if you have a 2nd hard drive on your computer, you could use that too.

Update: seeing how you have a tablet, your only choice might be a USB stick, 32 gig would hold 1 image backup I think. 64 I know would. Unless you wanted to invest in a external usb drive. *Smile

 

Confusing. I dont regard a 'backup' on the hard drive,which may have failed, as being a backup, I thought the point was to have a backup somewhere away from the affected PC. And I have encountered another, related issue having just read this quote from the Macrium Help pages:"Important Windows cannot boot from a USB connected drive. This is a restriction imposed by Windows. If you clone your system disk to a USB connected external drive then, to boot your clone, the physical disk must be removed from the USB caddy and attached to your Motherboard SATA port."
My DVD Drive is an external one, connected via USB cable. Does this mean the Recovery Drive I have created will not worK?

 

Not that confusing really, as I said a 2ND drive.....not on your OS drive. But you don't have a 2nd drive. I can boot from any USB port on my computer with no problem IF the usb stick is bootable. You are talking about Windows OS being bootable from a usb port.....BIG Difference here. I am not talking about booting a Windows OS from a USB port. We ARE talking about using Macrium Reflect and booting Macrium NOT Windows 10. Hope this explains it better. Once you've made your Macrium dvd see if it does boot....test it out. as I don't know if your tablet will?? I know Macrium WILL boot from a memory stick (USB) on computers.

 

How do I tell if it is booting from the DVD? I have launched the Tablet with the DVD in place and bootup was the same as before I created (what I thought was) the Recovery Drive --- which now has fies called Boot and Efi. Would I not have to change the boot order, something I have not done before?

 

As I am not familiar with your tablet I do not know how you would get into your bios to change your boot order. If you did boot into Macrium Reflect from your dvd, you would see only Macrium Reflect screen.....Also with some computers you need to hit a specific key during boot, to see your choices for boot options. Being yours is a Tablet, I have no idea what your Tablet is capable of doing....or not doing.....Maybe someone who knows more about tablets can help....*sarc

 

As I do not see the Macrium Reflect screen when I start up with DVD attached I presume it is not booting, and instructions say it cannot boot from USB attached drive --- which seems odd to me since it is supposed to boot from a USB Flash Drive (but then it is too much to expect simple logic to apply). Anyway I can do it with a USB drive. I bought a 30GB Kingston drive a while back to use with AOEMEI so I guess that should do the job?

Can you explain the difference between Cloning the C disc and a Disk Image and which I should opt for? I only want to backup the OS and a few apps / programs --- everything else is now on an SD Memory Card. If it is possible I hope eventually to have the C drive exclusively for the OS.

 

I think we need to start again at the beginning.

Forget cloning. Use image backups.

Firstly we need to install Macrium on your tablet (already done).

Next we need to create a Macrium Rescue Drive (usb stick is really best option).

Start Macrium and from 'other tasks' menu option, click to create a usb recovery drive.

You can put it on same usb as the Rescue Drive but recommend a second usb stick (32GB will do the job)

Image backup tablet to external usb stick.

That's it basically to backup.

Restoring is a little more complicated as you need to know how to boot from a usb drive, and that can be complicated depending on tablet. If Windows is working, you can get there via recovery options.

If windows is not working, you may have to get to bios to select booting from the Rescue usb stick by a different method eg pressing power on and volume up at same time (as tablets have no physical function keys).

You can add Macrium as a boot option (other tasks menu) which makes it easier to start Macrium in recovery mode.

Also, you will need a usb mouse, and a hub and (probably an otg cable to connect hub to tablet).

Then you boot from Rescue Drive, select image file and then restore it.