Once Clonezilla is up (Ver 3.1.0) Arrows in the laptop (Dell AlienWare 16-r1...
A partition and disk imaging/cloning program
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Hi It's been a while!
Just got a new laptop Dell Alienware 16 r1 Downloaded and Installed Clonezilla zip ver 3.1.0 on a 1T Samsung T7 external drive. Booted and Managed to select through touchpad, the UEFI option for the Samsung T7 and Clonezilla did come up; however, I cannot select which option to use ie. arrows for up and down do not work and it just sits in the first option and I want to go down to the 3rd option.
Any suggestions?
Have you tried the latest testing Clonezilla live? e.g., 3.1.1-9 or 20230721-*?
https://clonezilla.org/downloads.php
Steven
Steven
Just finished downloading and using it, the same thing happened, once C is up, the up/down arrows do not work!!! Yesterday I deleted and re-installed 3.1.0-22 just in case it was a download glitch, but it did the same thing again.
When I press the letter e it goes to the bottom of the choices, but of no use! It is stuck there. So it is interacting with the keyboard but the arrows do not function up or down. This is using the laptop's keyboard, not an external or added keyboard. and it just happening within C.
The laptop has a 13th Gen Intel (TM) i7-13650HX; 16 GB RAM x 64-based processor
The Alternative stable (Ubuntu based) will download, but will not unzip all the files to the (empty) space for C on the SSD partition
Steven Thanks for the suggestion. Let me give it a try!
Steven
Just finished downloading and using it, the same thing happened, once C is up, the up/down arrows will not work!!! Yesterday I deleted and re-installed 3.1.0-22 just in case it was a download glitch, but it did the same thing again.
When I press the letter e it goes to the bottom of the choices, but of no use! It is stuck there. So it is interacting with the keyboard but the arrows do not function up or down. This is using the laptop's keyboard, not an external or added keyboard. and it just happening within C.
Just in case, the laptop has a 13th Gen Intel (TM) i7-13650HX; 16 GB RAM x 64-based processor
The Alternative stable (Ubuntu based) will download but will not unzip to the (empty) space for C on the SSD partition
We do not have such an issue here.
Is this issue reproducible on different machine there?
Or maybe you can try to use different type of USB flash drive?
Steven
It is the same Samsung T7 (1T) i used in the previous laptop (replaced with this Dell Alienware m 6r1 one). The T7 has a small 800 M,B Bootable partition. i erased the other C version, downloaded the newer version of C and tested it with the results I have shared with you. The T7 worked ok with the last laptop. They both have the same UEFI type boot system. Since, I have erased C , made a fresh download of the same latest Stable version, but it still keeps doing that glitch . Suggestion are more than welcome as I would really like to generate an image now that I finish configuring it.
No idea... I believe this might be hardware compatibility issue, since here I have tested many different types of machine, and there is no issue like you have encountered.
If it's OK for you, you can take the hard drive from the machine and put it on different machine to take the image.
Steven
Steven
Talked to Samsung and they said it is not them possibly causing that type of glitch! Then talked to Dell, and after a while the person indicated that "recently" they started to "discourage" the use of 3rd party cloning apps. They do offer a cloning option, I already tried it and it is very very limited, will only copy Dell stuff related to the OS and will complete avoid including settings, and other apps! I do not know why they offer this ( as a separate procedure in Boot management) as it is no different from activating Recovery!
I latter called and talked to someone else and after talking for some time, she mentioned that Clonezilla should be able to create a "patch" to take care of that intrusion from Dell. Asked if it was for Dell in general or just in Alienware, but I did not get and adequate answer. So you might hear more about this glitch from others.
The option you mentioned for me to remove the SSD ( which is simple enough) and clone it somewhere else, is not realistic for me. Only have that laptop with the UEFI boot system!
Is this something that you guys will be interested in undertaking! After all, the program (Clonezilla) does load up OK, it is just that I can not select which option to run. It will not automatically run that first option, which at any rate would not be useful to me, as I need the 3rd option "Large Font and RAND!"
Your thoughts are appreciated!
Last edit: Dan Pesante 2023-07-27
Have you tried to connect a USB keyboard to that machine? Maybe it works?
Steven
There is one USB keyboard already connected to it, and I tried using it. It has made no difference. Some commands only work from the laptop, but once C is up and gotten past the Language selection, the USB keyboard usually works OK .
I have kept looking for ways to get around not being able to make a selection with the keys, I have not been able to accomplish anything. I have even tried using 2 different SSDs to bring C up and do the cloning. I am able to bring C up OK, but they both behave the same once C is up. Seems to me that if C is loading and running, figuring what's preventing the keys from working should not be a big deal, but I have no idea what is going on or why, hence asking you for suggestions as to how to address this situation. I have noticed that every once in a while the keys do work!, but most of the time (98-99) they do not, regardless of SSD being used.
New info! I was finally able to to get the keys to work and C to run. When C is up, pressing key e it will take the active line directly to the bottom of the choices, once there, press p to make the line go up once, with each strike of p When at the right choice, 3rd down for me, press f and C will run.
That way I was able to create and image of C:\ or system drive. I also did a Restore of that image and it worked OK!
So far so good.
However, when I removed the SSD the machine was shipped with, a Samsung PM9A1 ( 1T) ( it is quite "generic and limiting" as it can not be managed or optimized in any way with Samsung Magician) and replaced it with a Samsung 980 PRO (1T) ( both same size) and tried to "Restore" the previously created image from the PM9A1 to the 980 PRO. I have not been able to make it work, so far.
After attempting various options including Beginner mode and device-image) and Expert mode and Device to Device, ( initially tired Beginner mode and device-image, but C gave a message saying the partition in the target device was too small. Both disks are 1T and the size of the image being transferred is less than 1/4 of the size of the disk. Do not understand the message, as the 980 PRO is formatted ( by C) before Restoring the image and the image in the Reservoir corresponds to the info previously in the PM9A1.
C may or may not RUN when an option in Expert mode is attempted, (non do in Beginner mode) When it runs in Expert mode, C stops after a while and returns a message saying it can not find partition nvme1n1p1
photo 35.26 Expert mode
Photo 58.30 Beginner mode
From the results of sfdisk, it looks like the destination disk size is smaller than that of source disk?
In that case, you can try to use the option "-k1" (in the expert mode for older version of Clonezilla live if you use that). However, it does not always work since it's always a challenge for Clonezilla to do so. You can find that in the FAQ:
https://drbl.org/fine-print.php?path=./faq/2_System/119_larger_to_smaller_disk_restore_clone.faq#119_larger_to_smaller_disk_restore_clone.faq
Steven
Steven: So... how do I address the fact that both SSDs are the same size 1000 vs 1024), total space wise, but C tells me that partition nvme0n1p4 is smaller than required, when size wise that specific partition might be a tad smaller, but the info being transferred into it, I know well will fit in that space. (check above photo 15.58.30 for the message by C)
In essence, if following the message, I agree, but that is what is confusing me.
I already tried, using Expert mode & adding -icds to the options and then selecting -k1 in the next window, but it did not work. (That is the photo you are referencing !)
Yes the disks are numerically different, one is 1000 the other 1024, but in practical terms (space wise) they are the same or not different, plus the image that was created and being transferred is less than 1/4 of the available space!!! ......................
I tried, using Expert mode & adding -icds to the options and then selecting -k1 in the next window, but it did not work. Any pointers or suggestions?
You can try the method 2 here:
https://drbl.org/fine-print.php?path=./faq/2_System/119_larger_to_smaller_disk_restore_clone.faq#119_larger_to_smaller_disk_restore_clone.faq
Steven
Steven
I read the instructions to Restore an image from a larger to a smaller disk, using Image to Disk. Before I do anything, I would like to bounce a few ideas with you;
The objective here is to replace the SSD PM9A1 (1T) that originally came with the laptop, with the more capable and flexible 980 PRO (1T). So, I made an image of the PM9A1 (102 GB) into a Samsung PSSD T7 (other images in it too, but only the 102 GB is being restored to the 980 PRO (1T). That image is of C: and has many smaller partitions Dell placed in it, but the whole disk was copied. The size of both SSDs should be the same, but it looks like there are some differences C can detect.
Original disk = Samsung PM9A1 = 953.87 GB (102 GB used; 827 GB Free)
Made an image of the PM9A1 disk to the Samsung PSSD T7 = 931.5 GB (750 GB Used; 180 GB Free) but just using or “Restoring” the one with 102 GB.
Removing the PM9A1 and replacing it with the 980 PRO (1T)
Then transferring or Restoring the image of the PM9A1 (102 GB) in the PSSD T7 to the 980 PRO. That’s when the message was generated that it was not able to create the last or 4th partition (roughly a 1.47 GB partition, of which 1,006.69 MB are being used, 495.31 Free.
So.. ( question) my next step is to go into the PSSD T7 with EaseUse Partition Manager to make it smaller, ie shift everything to the left some 30 GB to make “space”. And then attempt the Image Restore again, following the info in the link you provided?
I have another option, but I have no idea if it would make a difference, other than avoid the use of the PSSD T7 . That is, to leave the PM9A1 in the laptop, remove the other SSD currently in the laptop a Samsung 970 Evo plus, place the 980 PRO in that slot, and create an image of the PM9A1 directly to it. Would this route make a difference?
Thanks for your time. Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated
Dan
Last edit: Dan Pesante 2023-08-10
Steven
After reading on your recommendation, I was going to attempt a couple of alternatives withing the 2nd option you suggested:
Run C in Expert mode. Image Disk -icps and "use partition table from source"
If that did not work; Run C in Expert mode. Image Disk Defaults and -k1 in the next window.
But when I removed the original SSD PM9A1 and replaced it with the 980 PRO and tried to run C., the laptop would boot and C would appear on the scree but when I chose the 3rd option ( for Lrg Font) it would not run and display the message in the photo. Re-installed C in the SSD, tried it again = same result. Went in to the Boot Configuration, loaded original factory settings = same. If I remover the empty 980 PRO and replace it with the PM9A1 SSD, all is OK and the same external SSD with Clonezilla works OK!
Steven
Hi I dedicated the whole day trying a number of combinations to see if I could get C to make an image or a clone of the Samsung PM9A1 SSD with all its partitions, to a Samsung 980 PRO, and I was simply unable to do it. The closest thing I came to a “workable” solution, in terms of C working Start to Finish, was to make an image devise_image, of the OS partition, in the 980 PRO, but the laptop would not Boot when I replaced the PM9A1 with the 980 PRO! When I checked the 980 PRO in EaseUs, it only copied the “main” or OS partition, none of the others, whether I selected savedisk or savepart. Used it in Expert Mode and also failed to make it work.
If I used Device to Device whether Basic or Expert Mode, with -icds & Use partition table from source; or with -icds & Create partition table proportionately. It would fail ¾ of the way and indicate the target drive was too small, failing to create the last partition.
Even though C says that the 980 PRO (target) is smaller than the source and I tried the various combinations to deal with that condition or situation, it failed to make a clone of the disk with its partitions. If I attempted to generate an Image, I could not get C to include all the other partitions, just the one with the OS, & the laptop it would fail to boot when replacing the original PM9A1 SSD with the 980 PRO.
(The “situation” with C running & immediately crashing indicating No such file or directory (photo included = 09.48.09), was the result of an unsuccessful attempt I had just made using Device to Device. After a while I checked that SSD in EaseUs, & saw it had a partial image, formatted it and it worked OK, as a SSD. So that is no longer an issue!)
I have run out of options to test. Any other suggestions? What do you think is going on.
"If I used Device to Device whether Basic or Expert Mode, with -icds & Use partition table from source; or with -icds & Create partition table proportionately. It would fail ¾ of the way and indicate the target drive was too small, failing to create the last partition. " ->
The instructions from FAQ mentioned:
1. Use GParted to resize the source disk to make it fit the destination disk size.
2. When cloning, choose "-icds" and "-k0".
You did not mention GParted about resizing.
Have you done that?
Steven