Restored Backups will not boot - Need help with expert parameters!!!!!
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steven_shiau
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Greets all,
A while ago I decided to change from using Acronis True Image and start using Clonezilla for my backups.
Beside successfully cloning a hard drive to an SSD I hadn't performed any restores.
Well, my desktop Windows 10 decided to fully die, nothing could be done to recover it so I decided to restore my Clonezilla backup.
I had created the images using back then v2.6.6-15-amd64 and backed them up with Expert Settings and (I think) I had used the following (basically default) parameters:
x -c Client waits for confirmation before cloning (Default)
x -j2 Clone the hidden data between MBR and 1st partition (Default)
x -ps Play sound when the job is done (just handy)
I used the most recent backup and it successfully restored but the computer would not boot, just having a flashing cursor in the top left corner.
So, I tried again but changed some of the advanced options.
Now the image would not restore! So, I tried again but decided to check the images before restoring and the image was now corrupt. For the restoration attempts I had downloaded the latest version 2.7.0-10. It seemed like Clonezilla had corrupted my backup. Don't know if this is a known problem but the backup read ok the 1st time but after Clonezilla 2.7.0-10 had read it it became corrupt.
I had another backup 3 days earlier which was an earlier feature version of Windows 10 so this time (although it took ages copied the backup onto another external drive and this time used Clonezilla v2.6.6-15-amd64 (which I had backed it up with) and took screen prints of the expert parameters and again checked the image before the restoration.
It restored successfully but again would not boot. I tried again several times changing some of the expert parameters each time. I has been a week of restorations and all I get is the flashing cursor on the top left corner of the screen, no boot into the OS's on the drive.
The data seems to be there but it won't boot.
The drive is a complex setup as it has I think a total of 6 OS's on it with the Windows 10 boot manager (BCD) managing the boot selection.
Now I am nervous as 1) I can't recover my desktop and 2) I have been backing up all 7 of the computers in my house with Clonezilla and now when I have tried to restore, it won't boot up!
I cannot use the Beginner settings as one setting I know I need to change is to deselect -r (Try to resize the filesystem to fit partition size) as I have a large amount of unpartitioned space at the end of the drive which I need to keep.
I am desperate for help on this because not only have I lost my desktop hard drive with a LOT of programs, OS's and personal files on it, I need to know whether Clonezilla is a viable replacement for Acronis True Image as I have now backed up all our computers using Clonezilla.
I have attached the expert parameters I used on the last attempt at restoring the second oldest image.
I am sure I am doing something wrong in the selections I am making in the expert screen(?)
I would appreciate (ok I am desperate!) to know what I should be selecting in the expert screen for my restorations to work.
Remember I have a multi-boot (5 or 6 OS's, can't recall) setup with a Windows 10 boot manager.
I think the backup part I have correct, but the expert restore parameters are a lot more complicated.
Thanks for reading and if you know the answer PLEASE REPLY!!!! (I need my system back).
Regards,
fbagnato
OK problem solved.
Firstly I suspect the hard drive on the desktop I was trying to restore is failing. The backup that was reading as corrupt did restore again once I changed the hard drive. Strange though as the failing hard drive was the target drive and the backup reporting as corrupt was on another hard drive. Nonetheless I stand corrected in saying that Clonezilla did not corrupt the backup image.
Finally I managed to get a successful boot after restoration by setting the parameter -j1 (default: unchecked): "Write MBR (512 B) again after image is restored. Not OK for partition table differ from that of the image" on. Once that was selected as ON then the computer booted properly after the restore completed successfully. I have attached screen prints in case anyone else has the same problem as I was having.
I feel a little more at ease with Clonezilla now that I resolved the issue and was able to do a successful restore.
Regards,
fbagnato
OK, great. It's nice to know you have found the solution, and thanks for sharing that.
Steven
You're welcome Steven, thanks for writing such a great program!
I can also confirm that checking the parameter -j1 (default: unchecked): "Write MBR (512 B) again after image is restored. Not OK for partition table differ from that of the image" on, worked for restoring boot openmediavault omv 6 image with clonezilla. Thank you gentlemen!
It's great to see Clonezilla rocks for you.
Steven