System Image Restore Failing After Installing New SSD, Please Help!

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cmp2993

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Jan 23, 2011
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I am having issues with the Windows Recovery Environment. I created a system image on 4 DVDS, created the bootable USB recovery drive, then swapped out my old 1TB HDD in my laptop with a 500GB SSD (only 39GB was being used on the old HDD, so the new SSD is plenty big enough).

So far so good, I boot from the USB recovery drive and select System Image Recovery and it asks me to insert the final DVD in the set. After I do that it finds my image and allows me to click next.

The PROBLEM begins after selecting my system image backup and clicking next, I get the message:

"To restore this computer, Windows needs to format the drive that the Windows Recovery Environment is currently running on. To continue with the restore, shut down this computer and boot it from a Windows installation disc or a system repair disc and then try the restore again."

I don't understand how to fix this, I've searched the web and found a few threads with the same issue but nothing helped me solve this. The only issue brought up was that the SSD should be the same size as my old HDD, which mine is not (I'm going from a 1TB HDD to a 500 GB SSD). I can't imagine this being the issue since my HDD only was using 39 GB when I made the system image backup. Any help would be appreciated, please help!
 
Solution
dodger46
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Think you should have reduced the Partition on which Windows was installed to less than or equal to the size of your SSD and then created a System Image of the new (Smaller) partition. Ideally create another partition to move your User files off the OS partition and make it small enough to put on a USB flash. Further tips for reducing the size of C can be found here
http://www.thessdreview.com/ssd-guides/optimization-guides/the-ssd-optimization-guide-ultimate-windows-8-edition/
All useful to optimise your new drive, no reason why you shouldn't use the reduction tips before you create your Sys image, even if you use disks you'll use less!
 
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I don't have any user files since before I made the system image I did a restore to factory settings. The only thing I downloaded was all the updates and Windows 8.1 then made the image (39 GB). So I still need to reduce the partition size? I've never done that before so that means I need to put my old HDD back in the laptop ugh! Is there any good guides for reducing a partition?

Also, was it a mistake to install all the Windows updates and Windows 8.1 before making the system image or does that not matter?
 
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Only matters regarding size on disk.
Windows Key plus X, choose Disk Management.
Right Click on 'C' and choose 'Shrink Volume'
Enter a value to shrink by to leave less than 500Gb on 'C' (500000Mb is 488Gb)
If you end up with an amount of Unallocated Space on your SSD after you restore, use Disk Manager to expand C into it.

 
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SSD unlikely to be exactly 500 Gb so less would be safer, you would need to check the SSD properties to determine it's exact size.. 430Gb would be safe, and like I said, you can always take up any unallocated space after...
eg. my '120' Gb SSD is only 109 Gb in reality.
 
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The lowest it's letting me shrink the old 1TB HDD is 456GB I hope my SDD has that available! Will update once these CD's burn and I put the new SSD back in the laptop to attempt recovery.
 
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Ok I did the shrink then made a new set of recovery discs and it stills shows up the same error when trying to restore to the ssd! Any other ideas? Ugh

It might be time for me to buy a USB to SATA cable and attempt using the migration software that came with the SSD.
 
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That's disappointing, especially as it's the 'Official' M'soft means of restoring your System. I have used the method before, but always with a USB drive to store the System Image.
Must be something in BIOS. When you receive the error msg, has there been a re-boot after selecting 'Next' with the laptop booting from the wrong device? ie the System Image disk instead of the USB Recovery. (Though it shouldn't be able to boot from a System image disk!)

 
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Replicated DVD System Image Restore on a HP DV7. (Checked that it can't boot from the DVD!) Only difference being it's an 8.1 machine. Proceeded up to the point of re-installing, but bailed out at the final step. Below some images for comparison. There was no reboot.

Boot from Recovery Drive
Choose Language and progress through Troubleshoot and Advanced Options to Restore from System Image, insert Final Dlsk of Image when prompted and click Retry.

9yDvpM3.jpg


Your Backup Disk details should appear.

ACPoQAR.jpg


Click Next

RQ6vhQU.jpg


Leave Format unchecked if it’s a new disk then click Next

YB8bugG.png


Click Finish to proceed with Restore


 
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Yah see when I load in the last disc and the details appear, it's when clicking next on that window the error occurs. I can never get to the next screen with the option to format the drive. It's definitely booting from my USB recovery drive because I attempted to boot without it and nothing happened until I plugged it back in.

This is so frustrating that Microsoft would completely screw someone over if their drive failed because if that was my case id be screwed and have to buy windows again! I've read a couple more threads online with the same issue and they all have went unsolved and some people said they just kept trying and eventually it worked. I know never to rely on their tools for backup that's for sure! Shame Microsoft, shame!
 
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The Solution: Do NOT use Microsoft's built in system image backup tool in Windows 8! It works for some people, but as we can see from this thread and many others on the Internet (search Google), the tool is way too flaky to be a reliable form of backup or recovery. Instead, purchase a USB 3.0 to SATA cable if your SSD didn't come with one. Use the cloning software that comes with your SSD, then install the drive in your computer and it will start up just like normal (but much faster, my boot time went from 25 seconds to 8 seconds! Applications open instantly, before your finger lifts off the mouse!)

Here's the link to the USB 3.0 to SATA cable I purchased from Newegg (Note that it's only for 2.5" drives since it's powered solely by the USB 3.0 (2.0) port and doesn't have to be plugged into an outlet like the ones that support 3.5" drives!)

dodger46: Thanks for sticking with me and trying your best to help me use my initial method to recover a system image. Although it never worked out, I learned a valuable lesson to never rely on that tool. That will save me many headaches in the future now that I know how flaky their system image backup tools is!

 
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You're welcome. I stuck with it as it has worked for me in the past, but I suspect that the new UEFI systems have a part to play in it's demise in some circumstances. Meanwhile cloning is fine when you have a reliable source to clone from, which is where the compressed System Image was supposed to come in. Guess the only alternative is to keep a copy of the working drive on an external and clone it if needed!
 
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Solution


Great guide thanks! Do you agree with and recommend every one of those changes they talk about? Some of those were done automatically by the Samsung Magician software while others were not. Didn't know if I should leave the optimization to the software or not.
 
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Well, anything that prolongs the life of your SSD must be welcome, I employed all the steps in the guide before the Magician software became available, and as you say, some of the feature were duplicated, but all appears to be functioning well, it's only 60 Gb and has done a lot of work! Some of the space saving options might not apply with your drive as it's considerably larger! You might employ an SD card to house your User Folders, 64Gb quite inexpensive now...and they don't clutter your desk like an external USB drive...

 
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