Windows 10: System Image Problem

Bill,
No go!

The parameter is incorrect. (0x80070057)

Is there anyway to read the recovery file to see what it expects?

--
Nick

 

Sorry to hear that Nick,

Back to square 1 - 0x80070057 states there is a problem with the System Reserve - that's what we tried to get around by deleting the partitions on the disk.

The restore should have created the partitions as they were in the image.
There are two possibilities in my mind

1) The disk has issues.
Do you have access to another PC where you can create a utility disk. I think Partition Wizard might come in handy. It's small enough to fit on a CD

If not, you can boot to the install disk again and use diskpart to create and format a single partition on Disk 0, then use Chkdisk to test for faults.

2) The image has issues.
Do you have an older image?

Yes there is a way to look at the image - I'm not familiar with it, but there is a tutorial about extracting files. I'll take a look at that and see what can be used to see the layout - probably in an xml file.

I was also thinking it might be easiest to Clean install Win10. At least that way, you would have a working Windows and could stop booting to the install USB.
To do that, I recommend getting a fresh ISO - also requires another PC to download and create the USB
If you don't have another PC to use, the USB you have will have to do.

Think about those things while I go look for the tutorial on looking at the Image backup.

If you want to get a head start, I'd like to see what Disk 0 looks like now after the restore attempt

Boot to install USB
Shift+F10 at first screen

diskpart
sel dis 0
lis dis
lis par
lis vol

** grab the information before closing Command


exit
exit
Close install (X in upper right)

You were kind enough to type the last information gathering.
To save keystrokes, all I need to see is the actual data.

Something like this should suffice:

I only need Disk 0 size and Free space
Disk 0 596 GB 596 GB

For partitions:
Partition 1 Primary 580 GB 31 KB
Partition 2 Recovery 450 MB 580 GB
for volumes:
Vol 3 Ltr C 580 GB
Vol 4 Ltr H 450 MB
Of course there might not be any partitions or volumes - won't know until you look.

Bill

 

Bill,

Something is strange. Here is info.

Disk:
Disk 0 596 GB 15 GB

Partitions:
Partition 1 Primary 580 GB 31 KB
Partition 2 Recovery 450 MB 580 GB

Volumes:
Vol 3 Ltr C RAW 580 GB
Vol 4 Ltr H NTSF 450 MB

--
Nick

 

Perhaps .... but if the image restore got so far and then threw the error, that would account for the same layout. Don't know for certain.

Do you recall when you last tried the restore (deleting the partitions) if the list par and lis vol showed the same or if the list did not show any partitions on disk 0?

There's one one thing you could try - I asked you to delete the partitions last time. I wonder if the disk was unallocated if that would help get past this error.

You would boot to the install USB
Shift+F10

Since there are drive letters, you should check the partitions for errors
This will take some time to run

chkdsk c: /r
chkdsk h: /r
Then
diskpart
sel dis 0
clean

lis par
(there should not be anything on that disk now)

exit
exitNext
Select Repair
- drill down to Restore System image

Here's a tutorial on System image restore - for reference (works the same in Win10)
System Image Recovery - Restore Image on Computer in Windows 8

Steps 6 - 9 is what I was talking about when I asked if there were other images you could choose
Step 8 is where you might be able to specify reformat - which is what I alluded to in a previous restore image attempt.
The Note box explains what I said might be able to

Step 11 can tell you the layout in the image

Here's the Tutorial about extracting files from an image. I think it might come in handy to get the eMail backup once you get a working Windows on that disk - either an Image restore or a Clean install.

System Image - Extract Files Using Disk Management

Here's a tutorial on a Clean install
Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums

There are a few key points
1) Disconnect all external devices
2) have only Disk 0 and the install media available
(I don't know if the HP Pavilion disk is internal or external - you probably told me, but I'd have to go look.
If it is internal - disconnect the sata cable before installing)
3) Clean Disk 0 (see above diskpart clean) before the install
4) You've already upgraded to Win10 - when teh install asks for a key - press skip or next.
You don't have a key to enter ... The original upgrade created a Digital License on the MS activation server(s)

I'll leave it up to you how many times you want to try the Image Restore or just do a Clean install.

You're really doing great.

 

Bill,

Am I to understand, or am I deluded in my wishful thinking that I can manually restore my hard drive by accessing the .vhdx file?

--
Nick

 

That I do not know - I try a lot of things and I read a lot and sometimes it all gets blurry.

I think you could manually restore the hard drive, but I don't know the procedure. There are just some things I do not know *Wink

When in doubt I fall back to known methods. You've tried the Restore System image a few times and have been met with errors.
I've tried to compensate for the errors but the error persists

To be honest - I would do a Clean install on Disk 0 and move forward from there.
It would be easier for you to investigate the issue on a working Windows.

If a resolution can be found - the image will overlay the Clean install - no need to muck about in the image VHD

If a resolution cannot be found (bad image?) then you'll have to reinstall your apps and use another source for your backups.

Before deciding anything - did you do anything in post# 34?

If the disk is bad (chkdsk) then we;re just spinning wheels.

 

Hi,

Can you restore a backup to a RAW partition ??

Also, is there any need to run chkdsk if you're going to run a "clean" command anyway ?

Just wondering, that's all. *Wink

Cheers, *Wink

 

I believe you can.

Nick has tried the restore a few ways
- as the disk existed
- deleting the partitions

I don't think the restore on a clean disk has been attempted, I'm wondering if the MBR is fubar

The next attempt might be to manually recreate the 580 GB partition and the 450 MB partition.
This would answer the question about a raw or unallocated disk - the format partition option in the restore operation should have done that for Nick though .... I think.

Yes, chkdsk will tell us if there is an issue with the physical disk. A Clean install only writes to the disk. If the disk does have faults, those faults would still exist. Filesystem inconsistencies would be fixed, but not bad spots.

 

Hi,

Could indeed be the MBR.
Still, I'm wondering if the backup itself is healthy. Was that verified by TS ?

Cheers, *Wink

 

Nick has asked about determining the layout of the image. The install provides some information here:




or if there are more images, you can also see the partitions/disks that are part of the image here:




Do you another way to verify the image? That would be handy.

Thanks

 

Hi,

Short of restoring to a different drive I am afraid not.

Cheers, *Wink

 

Bill,

Well, I'm pretty sure now that the System Image is corrupt. The disk 0 checks out ok, so I guess I'll do a clean install, but I have a question. Why do I have to, in step 2, disconnect the sata cable of Disk 0, if I have to install on Disk 0?


1) Disconnect all external devices
2) have only Disk 0 and the install media available
(I don't know if the HP Pavilion disk is internal or external - you probably told me, but I'd have to go look.
If it is internal - disconnect the sata cable before installing)

--
Nick

 

Good, the drive is not the issue.

Why disconnect other drives?
Windows looks at all connected drives and decides where to place things. If you have only disk 0 connected, things can only be placed on disk 0. There are numerous threads where members help someone unscramble the disk schema because the install placed part on one drive and part on another drive. Just trying to go by the book and prevent more work for you.

I don't think you would have a problem, since the to be installed disk is disk 0 and it will be clean as described in post# 34 (Then ... diskpart ....)

but ... that's not the same as you will not have a problem *Wink

Have you had a chance to read over the Clean Install tutorial (link is also in post 34)

Any questions on the tut?

 

Hi,

This is what confused Nick, I think. Especially the "internal" bit.

I kept quiet as I assumed you'd realize it. *Nerd

Furthermore, to the best of my knowledge, there's no need to physically pull SATA or power cables to disable a drive. Disabling it in BIOS should suffice.
Assuming a little bit of attention paying during setup you can steer Windows to install exactly where you want it regardless how many disks are present.
Naturally, from a newbie POV, better be safe than sorry. Sure.

Cheers, *Wink

 

Aha! I'm glad you mentioned it

Sorry Nick ... I meant disconnect other drives.
You need the following connected

disk 0
Win10 install media (USB)
fdegrove,
can you guide Nick through the BIOS if he decides to go that route?

True about paying attention, but there are a lot of people that somehow manage to have the boot config on one drive and Windows on another.

By limiting the machine to only one drive to receive the install, then there's zero chance of that happening.

Maybe this will help
Disk 0 596 GB Unallocated Disk 1 7663 MB ESD-USB
ESD-USB was disk 2, but removing Disk 1 - 298 GB - HP Pavillion, either physically or through the BIOS, moves the USB drive up in the device tree

Bill
.