Windows 7 Replaced failed drive - new one incomplete restore
- Thread starter Fenway16
- Start date
Great! Good job. If you cannot make a Recovery Disc, it could be a problem with your DVD burner or a problem with the USB port or the USB flash drive. If it's a DVD burner, can you burn a regular disc, such as a music disc or movie disc? Can you copy an existing disc to a 2nd disc? If not, the DVD burner could have failed and would need to be replaced. In some cases you can clean it with an Optical Drive cleaning kit as here: Maxell DVD-LC DVD Lens Cleaner | Quill.com
Next, I would try to replace the USB flash drive if you tried to use that media for your Macrium Recovery Disc. If you do that, and it works, your 1st flash drive is bad and you should trash it.
If the replacement flash drive works, you're good to go!
Stick it in a drawer for when you need it later!
If the 2nd flash drive (brand new) still fails, you could have a dead port on your 2305. This happens sometimes! Try all other ports; I think that model has 4 USB ports on it; you have 3 more to try with the new 2nd flash drive. Hopefully, one of those will work!
Alternatively, if you can neither make a Recovery Disc or USB drive, you can use the built-in Menu Boot from within Macrium to create a boot-time entry into your Windows Boot Manager that will allow you to rescue your Windows from a software crash or virus attack. I use this option on all my computers now, and it works very well! Here is a YouTube video that describes how to do this:
Please ignore the last setting the guy makes at 1:53 into the video; otherwise you will not see the Boot Menu choices on your startup when you first power on your computer or after a restart!
Also, no one has a screenshot of the PE 10.0 Boot Menu; (I'll have to take one with my phone and upload for you!), but here's a screenshot from the Macrium site showing an older version of PE Boot Menu; it's PE 2.0, an early version for XP: Windows Boot Menu
This will show you at least what your Dell will do when it's turned on after enabling the Macrium Boot Menu or after a restart. You can select the Macrium Recovery option (it should say W10 on yours) and after 3-5 min. it will boot up into the Macrium PE environment, which is Linux-based and looks just like the 2 YouTube videos I posted for you!
Once, you are in the Macrium PE environment, you can choose Backup your Image file, plug in your 500GB External drive, and after a couple of minutes Macrium will find your USB drive; and you can browse to a folder you've created on the 500GB drive previously such as: "MACRIUM BACKUPS", or something similarly easy to find. When you run the Backup process as per the 1st YouTube link, it will create and store the Backup Image file into the MACRIUM BACKUPS folder or directory on the 500GB drive and that's it, you've now saved your Backup Image!
Should your current Windows become corrupted or scrambled by a nasty virus; you simply turn on your computer, select the Macrium PE Recovery Option on the Boot Menu with your mouse or keyboard, and load Macrium. Click on the Restore Image option, plug in your 500GB USB drive, and browse to your MACRIUM BACKUPS folder or directory, click on the Backup Image file, and follow the steps as per the YouTube backup image video. After 15 min. to 1-2 hrs. Macrium will finish the Restore process and tell you it's complete. When you click on OK you can then exit the Macrium program and your computer will reboot-hopefully-back into a fully restored Windows just as it was when you made your last Macrium backup image! And you're back in business!
One thing you need to know here; some folks ignore making the Recovery Disc or USB drive if they hit a snag on making it as you did. [this has happened on some computers to me as well!]. And this is, if you rely on only the RECOVERY BOOT MENU to save you, if you suffer another hard drive failure, this option won't work if your hard drive fails since the Recovery Boot Menu is physically located on the failed drive and will not be able to load on a brand new replacement drive! In this case, you will need that Recovery Disc or USB media in order to access the Macrium Recovery program (PE environment) in order to find and load your Macrium backup image file on your 500GB external drive. 
Without this physical Recovery Media (DVD or USB); you will not be able to Restore your backup image file to the brand new empty hard drive! So, this is a case where you absolutely have to have it! 
It will be worth the time to get that Rescue Media made then.
If you cannot make the Rescue Media; you will at least have the capability to restore your Windows if it gets hosed up or scrambled by a virus, BUT NOT IF YOUR HARD DRIVE FAILS!! If that happens you'll need to purchase factory Recovery Media from Dell at a cost of $29-$99 as I think I previously mentioned. But even this option is not perfect, as all your installed programs and data will need to be put back onto the factory Image manually. This can take from 2-3 days to 2 weeks or more!
I'm telling you all this not just for you, because I think I'm teaching a Class on Macrium Backups 101 here, and I'd like to use this thread to outline a future Workshop at my local Computer Club!
Also, too, other forum users who are noobs to Macrium, can read through this thread, now replete with all the YouTube video links and see just how to do it on their own computers! 
This is also how I come up for ideas for new Workshops and Classes!
So enjoy! Let me know if you run into more problems. I'll try to help you as best I can as always.
Have a Good Week!
<<<<BBJ>>>>
Next, I would try to replace the USB flash drive if you tried to use that media for your Macrium Recovery Disc. If you do that, and it works, your 1st flash drive is bad and you should trash it.
If the replacement flash drive works, you're good to go! Stick it in a drawer for when you need it later! If the 2nd flash drive (brand new) still fails, you could have a dead port on your 2305. This happens sometimes! Try all other ports; I think that model has 4 USB ports on it; you have 3 more to try with the new 2nd flash drive. Hopefully, one of those will work!Alternatively, if you can neither make a Recovery Disc or USB drive, you can use the built-in Menu Boot from within Macrium to create a boot-time entry into your Windows Boot Manager that will allow you to rescue your Windows from a software crash or virus attack. I use this option on all my computers now, and it works very well! Here is a YouTube video that describes how to do this:
Please ignore the last setting the guy makes at 1:53 into the video; otherwise you will not see the Boot Menu choices on your startup when you first power on your computer or after a restart!
Also, no one has a screenshot of the PE 10.0 Boot Menu; (I'll have to take one with my phone and upload for you!), but here's a screenshot from the Macrium site showing an older version of PE Boot Menu; it's PE 2.0, an early version for XP: Windows Boot Menu
This will show you at least what your Dell will do when it's turned on after enabling the Macrium Boot Menu or after a restart. You can select the Macrium Recovery option (it should say W10 on yours) and after 3-5 min. it will boot up into the Macrium PE environment, which is Linux-based and looks just like the 2 YouTube videos I posted for you!
Once, you are in the Macrium PE environment, you can choose Backup your Image file, plug in your 500GB External drive, and after a couple of minutes Macrium will find your USB drive; and you can browse to a folder you've created on the 500GB drive previously such as: "MACRIUM BACKUPS", or something similarly easy to find. When you run the Backup process as per the 1st YouTube link, it will create and store the Backup Image file into the MACRIUM BACKUPS folder or directory on the 500GB drive and that's it, you've now saved your Backup Image!
Should your current Windows become corrupted or scrambled by a nasty virus; you simply turn on your computer, select the Macrium PE Recovery Option on the Boot Menu with your mouse or keyboard, and load Macrium. Click on the Restore Image option, plug in your 500GB USB drive, and browse to your MACRIUM BACKUPS folder or directory, click on the Backup Image file, and follow the steps as per the YouTube backup image video. After 15 min. to 1-2 hrs. Macrium will finish the Restore process and tell you it's complete. When you click on OK you can then exit the Macrium program and your computer will reboot-hopefully-back into a fully restored Windows just as it was when you made your last Macrium backup image!
And you're back in business!One thing you need to know here; some folks ignore making the Recovery Disc or USB drive if they hit a snag on making it as you did. [this has happened on some computers to me as well!]. And this is, if you rely on only the RECOVERY BOOT MENU to save you, if you suffer another hard drive failure, this option won't work if your hard drive fails since the Recovery Boot Menu is physically located on the failed drive and will not be able to load on a brand new replacement drive!
In this case, you will need that Recovery Disc or USB media in order to access the Macrium Recovery program (PE environment) in order to find and load your Macrium backup image file on your 500GB external drive. Without this physical Recovery Media (DVD or USB); you will not be able to Restore your backup image file to the brand new empty hard drive! So, this is a case where you absolutely have to have it! It will be worth the time to get that Rescue Media made then.If you cannot make the Rescue Media; you will at least have the capability to restore your Windows if it gets hosed up or scrambled by a virus, BUT NOT IF YOUR HARD DRIVE FAILS!! If that happens you'll need to purchase factory Recovery Media from Dell at a cost of $29-$99 as I think I previously mentioned. But even this option is not perfect, as all your installed programs and data will need to be put back onto the factory Image manually. This can take from 2-3 days to 2 weeks or more!
I'm telling you all this not just for you, because I think I'm teaching a Class on Macrium Backups 101 here, and I'd like to use this thread to outline a future Workshop at my local Computer Club!
Also, too, other forum users who are noobs to Macrium, can read through this thread, now replete with all the YouTube video links and see just how to do it on their own computers! This is also how I come up for ideas for new Workshops and Classes!So enjoy!
Let me know if you run into more problems. I'll try to help you as best I can as always.Have a Good Week!
<<<<BBJ>>>>
Last edited:
I see where the confusion lies with your answer regarding recovery disks. My dvd burner is fine - when I said "after my recovery disk failures", I was referring to the failure to launch on the new Seagate drive. The recovery disk was apparently looking for the first and failed drive and could not could not work with the new drive. Sooo. I can make a recovery disk on the 2305 as that hardware works. Will do so. Next. I format the WD My Book to clean it up for the Macrium backup routine, yes? I think I get the rest of it. If the drive dies as mine did, ya go to the store and get a new one - run the recovery disk and then go to the WD 500 gb drive and restore win7 from there, yes? Also, I am on Win7 Home Premium. Thanks.
#20Fenway16, Yesterday at 5:52 PM
#20Fenway16, Yesterday at 5:52 PM
northangrywolf
New Member
Hello, it seems that you cannot install the system correctly. Actually, are you sure that the formats of new drive is the same with the old one or not? your system is just in one dynamic partition of the old one. Of course there should be one dynamic partition in the new one. Or this process will never finish. You'd better find the professional help. But there is one way to help you: the third-party software: EaseUS Partition Master. the Pro version creates WinPE bootable disk when system fails to work. and under your situation, it will help you. Besides, it can help you change the formats of partiton to be the same with the old one. And if you have such SSDs, it also can help you migrate the OS to the SSD without data lost, so you will not be worry about such things happen. Google it and you can see the official website. And the reason why I know a lot about it,,,,because I use it !. aha.
GOOD LUCK!
GOOD LUCK!
Last edited:
Similar threads
Windows Server How to upgrade Donain Controller from functional level 2003
