Let's suppose to have a system with BIBM installed, unlimited partitions and with several "independent" operative systems, meaning that each OS only sees its own partition.

The question :
"When booting the computer through an external device (i.e. with a WinPE CD), what/why are the partitions detected ?"

I'm asking because this happened to me and I could see the partition of one of the installed OSs; but the other strange thing was that in other similar events, the detected partition was different.

Is there a logic for this strangeness ?

mariella

@ mariella

Check your Boot Items. The partitions seen from a WinPE CD will be the partitions in the MBR of the last booted item in the Boot Menu. When you boot an OS you "set" the partition table for each HD. Only the partitions you have selected for that Boot Item will be seen.

@ Brian,

I imagined that, but I'd liked to have a confirmation for it.


Brian wrote on Nov 12^th, 2016 at 5:44pm:

The partitions seen from a WinPE CD will be the partitions in the MBR of the last booted item in the Boot Menu.

... and this explains why the partitions seen might change with the next booting.

I think this is an important point to know in all the cases when you have to use an external booting media for recovery reasons or, in general, to access specific partitions (otherwise hidden or not visible).
 
Thanks,

mariella

@ mariella

Did your Boot Items check out OK? No partitions in the MBR that shouldn't be there?

Do you have all OS on HD0 or on various HDs?

Do you have a common Data partition seen by all OS?

@ Brian


Brian wrote on Nov 16^th, 2016 at 3:11am:

Did your Boot Items check out OK? Yes No partitions in the MBR that shouldn't be there? No Do you have all OS on HD0 or on various HDs? Various HDs Do you have a common Data partition seen by all OS? Yes

and, for some boot items, I have the EMBRM on all the HDs, too

Anyway, your first comments (on Post #2) were satisfying my curiosity...

@ mariella

Sounds good. That's similar to my setup as all my HDs have an EMBR and most of my OS are on HD0.

I use BootNow to switch between OS.

@ Brian


Brian wrote on Nov 17^th, 2016 at 1:47pm:

I use BootNow to switch between OS.

I use the "Normak Boot Menu" within BIBM.
Are there extra (and interesting) additional features by using BootNow, instead?

@ mariella

I use the Normal Boot Menu too. BootNow is run in Windows. Download it from ...

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads-bootit-bare-metal.htm#addon

Right click BootNow.exe and create a Shortcut. Let's say you have a Boot Item called Win7. Right click the Shortcut you just created and click Properties. In the Target field you will see... (I put it in that folder)

D:\BOOTNOW\BOOTNOW.EXE

Type the Boot Item name so you have...

D:\BOOTNOW\BOOTNOW.EXE Win7

... and click OK. To boot Win7, right click the Shortcut and Run as administrator. Your system restarts and Win7 boots. You don't have to select it from the Normal Boot Menu

Let me know if you like it.

@ Brian

thanks for the explanations but if direct booting (from within Windows) is the only (interesting) extra-feature with BootNow, I wouldn't be much interested on it, because I do not see any valuable (and interesting) added value.

@ mariella

Which TeraByte app do you use for restores? How frequently do you restore an image? Do you perform the restore manually or automated? Just curious.

@ Brian

I'm curious to know why you are so curious!
And, besides, are you so sure I use Terabyte tool for recovery ?

Joking apart, I think that in order to answer your questions, at first we have to define the "boundary conditions" of the general matter of "backup".

Production or test system?
Single or multi-boot?
What operative system?
Data backup or system imaging ?

Sorry for my preciseness, but over the time I think to have gained some experience/practice on the topic, even though I am always ready to learn...

@ mariella

I'm very interested in automated restores. Restores without clicking through menus or using boot disks. The easiest TeraByte method is to use BootNow with an IFD script in BIBM. The fastest TeraByte restore method is to use BootNow with a script in an IFL partition. No problems if this isn't one of your interests.

@ Brian

I understand, but automated backups/restores are not in my first-aid kits.
In fact, my imaging/restore tasks are only manual and offline, whatever is the tool/software applied.

My understanding (with the meaning of the Latin "forma mentis") is that, generally, automated tasks should have to be applied only for simple & repetitive/recursive & no-dangerous/risky tasks...

@ mariella

We certainly differ. My image backups are never manual and always online. Never offline. I continue to use the computer during the backup imaging process, which is running in the background without the GUI appearing.

I don't regard restores as risky so I'm happy with automated restores. Even restores at 3 AM (while I'm asleep) from a Scheduled Task.

@ Brian

Good for you!!!

Probably we differ because we've different targets & expectations.

I think this is one of the cool aspect of life.

Brian wrote on Nov 19^th, 2016 at 9:31pm:

@ mariella We certainly differ. My image backups are never manual and always online. Never offline. I continue to use the computer during the backup imaging process, which is running in the background without the GUI appearing. I don't regard restores as risky so I'm happy with automated restores. Even restores at 3 AM (while I'm asleep) from a Scheduled Task.

Sorry, I know this is an OLD thread, but, I just read it and you've tweaked my curiosity.

With everything (backup & restore) On-Line, how do you recover from a hard drive Crash, or Someone Steals your PC?
In the above scenario, I'm assuming that you have only one PC.*

* I won't even address the in-advisability of doing an automated restore @ 3AM, to a perfectly good PC, or why you'd even leave your PC ON while you sleep. :-/

I have many backups, all done with Ghost 11.5, and all my info is right here, where I can quickly access it, if needed.  I'll never be DOWN for any more than a few minutes, regardless of what happens to my PC or Hard Drive.

Curious in FL

8-)

OldCasper wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2017 at 9:31am:

or Someone Steals your PC?

We have a similar situation at present. The motherboard failed in my son's computer about a month ago. It's a warranty job and Asus still haven't fixed it. His OS was Win10 installed in UEFI mode so an image was restored to one of our spare computers and he is up and running again, with all his games. The restore to different hardware was done with TeraByte OSD Tool Suite (which can remove the old installed drivers). As that computer had previously run an activated Win10 his restored Win10 is also activated.