Windows 10 Re-Imaging Issue >> How to Install Driver?

[jmbtexas4]

Hi,

Windows is having trouble finding the image on my Western Digital My Passport Ultra external hard drive. It asks me to install a driver for it.

Should the driver already be on my computer, or do I need to download one from WD web site to get this to work?

I can see the external drive in file explorer during regular operation, the image is correctly named "WindowsImageBackup", and it is in the root.

Thanks!

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi,
What program did you use to create your Backup Image?

Yes, the driver should already be on your computer with W10. You shouldn't need to download any driver from WD site. I have 3 WD usb drives hooked to my W10 computer; 2 MyPassports (3TB, 1TB), and 1 MyBook (1TB) all running concurrently on my W10 machine. I didn't need to download or install drivers of any kind...USB PnP (Plug-n-Play) handles all that mishmash for you!

Have you tried connecting your MyPassport drive to a different computer? Even one with an older Windows (say Vista-W7x-W8x) yet? Can you see it on the 2nd test computer?

Post back what you are using (sounds like you are using Windows Backup, and that's not reliable) for your Backup software. And we can advise you further.

Regards,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[jmbtexas4]

Hi, I have three computers. I made images for all of them using the Windows image creation functionality. All images were successfully created. I have tried to re-image all three computers and have the same problem with each...Windows can't find the image that Windows created...ha ha. I have even tried all usb drives on one machine to no avail.

 

[allheart55]

Although Windows Backup has come a long way, as BIGBEARJEDI stated, it's not the most reliable when it comes to imaging.
You would be better off using a third party program such as Macrium Reflect. There is a free version. Macruim Reflect

 

[holdum333]

Hi Texas! Here's info I replied to last night on the thread we were on. I agree Macrium Is better, but you could give this a look!
Hi this is what I've been looking for I think??
If you want to keep multiple system image versions on the same drive or partition, then you can then do the steps below before creating a new system image to be able to keep them all together.

1. Navigate to the location of where you saved the created system image that you want to keep before creating a new system image. (see above)

2. Right click on the WindowsImageBackup folder and click on Rename.

3. Rename it to something like WindowsImageBackup-Copy-1 and press enter.

NOTE: This way you can just easily change the 1 an the end of the name to 2, 3, 4, etc... for each new system image that you make a copy of.

4. You now have 1 image that you can leave at this location or move to another location..

NOTE: If you renamed the WindowsImageBackup folder, then you must rename this renamed folder back to WindowsImageBackup in order to be able to restore the image.

If you moved the renamed WindowsImageBackup folder, then in addition to the above, you will also need to rename any other WindowsImageBackup folder at the original location before moving it back to the original location,.

 

[jmbtexas4]

Hi, yes, I rename the images after they are created successfully and then rename them when trying to re-image.

I have installed Macrium but like to solve problems and have redundancies. I figured I could use Windows image and Macrium, but since Windows isn't playing nice, I will use Macrium and something else in case I have a problem with Macrium.

Any ideas for a secondary solution to Macrium? AOMIE, ToDO, or Paragon maybe?

Thanks

 

[allheart55]

Easeus ToDo is another good one if you are looking for a free program. Link Removed

 

[holdum333]

Hi Texas! Just want to make sure and then I'll bow out!
then you must rename this renamed folder back to WindowsImageBackup in order to be able to restore the image.

 

[jmbtexas4]

Holdum, yes, I renamed the image back to "WindowsImageBackup." I posted a screen shot of this in the other thread yesterday. Why did you say it was spelled wrong?

Thanks guys!

 

[holdum333]

Hi Texas! I don't know why I said that. It was late. What I meant was all one word. with no spaces WindowsImageBackup
After you logged off, I remember I had a similar problem many moons ago, and I went searching and found the information.
Any way we gave it ago. I agree with the other members; a 3rd party image program is much better.
I'm glad to see you made a new thread and got some suggestions from other members. Team work is always good.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi Texas,
Looks like Holdum gave you some good advice. Renaming WIM folder or image file names is NOT ALLOWED! Period. As I said before, even if you don't do that, WIM doesn't work well, never has, and never will!

On recommendations for Image Backup products; 1st don't use WIM!!!
Next, being part of the Windows Insider Tester program (along with 5 million other folks); we thoroughly tested all major Image Backup programs on Win10 from 2014 to product release Win10 after July 29th and continue to test.

The products we have had success with are here:
1.) Macrium Reflect; current version v6.1.1225. This is the GOLD STANDARD of Image Backup programs! (many of us here us it and love it!)
2.) Acronis TrueImage. works great! especially with Kingston SSD drives which I have.
3.) EASUS ToDo (I haven't personally tested this one; but Mike Hawthorne and several others here on WF (WindowsForum) have tested it and many folks in the Win10 Insider Communtity also have used it with much success.

Sounds like a commercial here, but 5 million Win10 testers can't be wrong!

Lastly, I am not only using the Macrium backups on all my personal machines at home, but I have now deployed it in all of my Customer's computers as well.

Hope this proves helpful to you.
<<<BBJ>>>

 

[holdum333]

Hi @BIGBEARJEDI I agree 100% with all you said my friend. The only reason I created a thread about windows image was because it's easy to use and a lot of users don't want to take the time to learn how to use a 3rd party image program.
It's not good a good image program, but it's better then no back up program!

 

[jmbtexas4]

Ok, thanks. So, as long as I verify the image created by Macrium, I *should* never have a problem restoring the image?

I have been creating images with Windows for a while and never even attempted to find the image no less restore it. Luckily, my machines have been working good, but the experience has made me concerned about having to actually restore an image in the future and running into problems.

In addition to an external drive, do you recommend putting images in the cloud too in case you lose your machine and external drive in a catastrophic event?

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Sure, we're here to help-and we often fight over the privilege of doing so!

Yup; funny you mentioned that. I've got 2 Cloud backups of my Images; Master on Microsoft OneDrive account, and the Secondary images on my Dropbox account. Great Idea!! Yes! And if you're as paranoid as we all are; you should follow the Grandfather Principle, which states you should always create a minimum of 3 backups, with at least 1 of them offsite to your home or apartment no less than 5 miles away. We do this in Business to save money on our Insurance premiums; and depending on what Insurance company you have if you have Homeowner's or Renter's Insurance and you have you computers insured *this is often an addendum to the Standard Policy and you have to pay more for it*, you may be eligible for a personal discount off your insurance policy even at home*. So, in your case you'd be ok with 2 Cloud backups (2 offsite) and 1 on your external hard drive.

Lastly, if you've never tested your Image Backup and overwritten your computer's hard drive with the Backup Image you saved (whether it's WIM or Macrium or whatever), it's most likely completely worthless UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY TEST IT FIRST!! I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS STRONGLY ENOUGH!

The Verify Image check either on backup or restore options does NOT guarantee it will work when you really need it. In my experience the Verify Image check causes more problems than it solves. I personally don't use it anymore due to many corrupted backups and restores. Macrium and Acronis work 100% of the time without it!

If you are not able to do so from the information we provided to you here, I urge you to take your Backup Image along with your computer to a licensed Computer Tech in a repair shop near you and have them test it. In just about every instance I can think of in 40+ years, an untested Backup when not tested first ALWAYS seems to fail when recovering from a catastrophic or natural disaster or virus failure of some kind!! That's worth paying a few bucks just for the peace of mind you'll have knowing your Backup Image(s) will actually work and the storage you are paying for to keep them is actually going to be worth it in an Emergency! Trust me on this.

Hope that was helpful.
Let us know how it goes.
<<<BBJ>>>

 

[jmbtexas4]

Ok, thanks for all the useful info. And by testing it, you mean to restore the image to my computer and wipe out what is there right now? Or is there another way to test without doing that? I know it's silly, but I have screwed up many a good thing by testing stuff when there was no problem to begin with. Ha ha. Maybe I can try it on one of my less important machines first.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm always pushing EaseUS TODO Backup, as everyone here knows, but it is the easiest backup software to use that I've ever found. It only takes a couple of clicks to back up your C:\ drive with a System Image.

It's never failed me, (not something I can say of some pay software that I've used in the past) and I've use it a lot while beta testing various versions of Windows, and it's free.

Link Removed

It will create it's own recovery boot disk, in either Linux or Windows PE format.
And it will check it's backup when done if desired looking for any errors.

I update it regularly but always keep the last one I've used.

Mike

 

[holdum333]

Hi Texas! You can go right up to the point of finish and then cancel to test your image. That's a good test. I usually agree with my friend @BIGBEARJEDI , but this time I'm going to disagree. I always verify my Macrium Reflect Image. If you read my thread about Macrium, you will see how to mount your Macrium image as a virtual drive and see every thing that's on that image. In 12 years of using Macrium, I have never seen it fail to restore a image. Believe me I have restored several images!

 

[holdum333]

Hi! Texas! Team work is good. We all agree that learning how to use a 3rd party image program is the best thing you will ever do.
Macrium has saved me a ton of times. Which ever program you chose, it will be good!
Macrium has good tutorials on the web about how to use it and you can always find help here on the forum!

 

[jmbtexas4]

Great, thanks! I will use Macrium, ToDo, and maybe even one more for extra redundancy and good measure!

 

[holdum333]

Great, thanks! I will use Macrium, ToDo, and maybe even one more for extra redundancy and good measure!

That may be a little much! If you have data you can't afford to lose, there are some good programs for that also.
I usually create a image once a month or when I'm going to do some changes that I may want to undue in a hurry!
Different strokes for different folk!
I'm sure you will Get-er-Done!