Help needed with AOMEI Backupper

clayto · 08 Feb 2016

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.

OldMike65 · 08 Feb 2016

clayto said:

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. :)

clayto · 08 Feb 2016

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?

OldMike65 · 08 Feb 2016

clayto said:

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.

clayto · 08 Feb 2016

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?

OldMike65 · 08 Feb 2016

clayto said:

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....

clayto · 09 Feb 2016

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.

cereberus · 10 Feb 2016

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.

clayto · 10 Feb 2016

My tablet is a 2 in 1 with a full feature removable USB keyboard, with function keys ...... it is more like a small laptop and that is how I use it. Ironically just this morning the keyboard has stopped communicating. I had to use the on screen board to log in ...........and am having to use it now. I am not used to it so will keep this short ...... maybe I will learn a new skill.

I have a powered USB hub and USB mouse. Hopefully I will have the keyboard in use soon though I dont know yet how to go about it.