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Does Restore Image overwrite ALL partitons?

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MrPB

Technical User
Jun 29, 2002
56
US
I have WIn7 Home Premium and Vista dual boot on different partitions of the same physical hard drive. I want to restore an image of Win 7 to overwite a partition, but it appears to be telling me that it will Format and overwrite ALL partitions including the Vista partition. Is there any way to restore from a Win7 image to a selected partition?
 
That really depends on how the image was made, and how its being restored by application. What are you using to image ad restore?

If the image was taken from the single Win7 partition, and the software is pointed to that partition it should just restore that particular partition.

However, if th image was taken from the entire drive before any of these partitions were created, then it will erase everything on the drive, and return it to how it was when the image was taken. That is no partitions, and no Windows Vista.

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Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Behind the Web, Tips and Tricks for Web Development.
 
I used the built in Win 7 Create System Image app. When the image was created the disk had 2 partitions (C: OS and D: Data), but I only imaged the C: part. Now it has 3 (C: OS, D: Data and J: Vista each with 300GB). When I try to restore the image that was created from the C: partition which is actualy only 60GB, The only destination listed is Disk 1 900GB.

Looks like I'm SOL. Is there a free way to create an image of the Vista partition and make it bootable (if I restore it)? This being insurance in case the Win 7 restore overwrites Vista.
 
Sadly then your Vista partition will become unbootable either way.

As its dependent on C to boot. When a dual boot is created boot files are placed in a single partition. Vista will have likely placed its boot files on C. Re-Imaging that will wipe them out.

You'll likely have to run the Windows Visa setup to recreate its boot files, and then run the Windows 7 setup to recreate the dual boot options.

This of course assuming the restore process does not wipe out the other Vista partition in the process. Otherwise you'll have to recreate it before trying to restore.


Either way I suggest you backup the entire drive if possible just to be on the safe side.

I don't know of any good free tools for this. I use Acronis True Image for my operations, though its not free.

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Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Behind the Web, Tips and Tricks for Web Development.
 
Phil,
Thanks for the info. I'll research Acronis True Image.

Phil aka mrpb
 
Startup repair might be able to fix any booting problems that occur.

Startup Repair.

Startup Repair is a Windows recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting.




Startup Repair: frequently asked questions

See this if you have no install DVD for Vista.

Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download


Some Imaging software.

Terabyte Unlimited


Acronis True Image 10 Home


Backup forum

Backup – Windows and Windows Server
 
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