[djseeram]

I got it working using the Windows server backup. The problem was the drive I created the back up was set active. I made it inactive and it worked.

I when back to my original OS disk and it booted up fine. However, I am not able to do a full OS partition backup. VSS writer fails. i am able to do a system state backup though.

[djseeram]

@144Floppy wrote:

Hi
If you are looking for a 3:rd party software, I can recommend DriveImage XML from Runtime Software, http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm. It is a freeware and I have used it to move my R2 system from a HW-RAID-0 setup to a singel disk setup.

Thanks. I will try it. “from a RAID-0 setup to a single disk setup” that is where my ordeal started as well.

[djseeram]

“Try inserting the operating system disc and installing Windows Server 2008 R2 on the blank HDD first. Don’t worry about activating it, adding roles, features, etc. Just reboot the PC into recovery mode (aka repair your computer), and try to recover from the backup. The backup utility might need to see that the OS exists before it will begin the backup”

I tried this and initially was get the same results as before, it wasn’t seeing the backup. Then I switched the Drive to the same SATA port, previously the new disk on a different port, that the original os was on and it identified the backup. However after I select the image to restore, it dies saying that the drive is set as active in the BIOS. I have ICH10R raid enabled in the bios, but don’t have any raid volumes setup. I don’t see any option in the bios setting the drives as active. I will try it with RAID disabled, I am having other issues as well with RAID.

[djseeram]

Yes. i am trying to simulate a hard drive failure. Your diagram is spot on.

I will try this and report,

“Try inserting the operating system disc and installing Windows Server 2008 R2 on the blank HDD first. Don’t worry about activating it, adding roles, features, etc. Just reboot the PC into recovery mode (aka repair your computer), and try to recover from the backup. The backup utility might need to see that the OS exists before it will begin the backup”

[djseeram]

The drive with the backup was always in the system. I only removed the disk with the original os on it.

[djseeram]

@aviv00

“btw it wont work on another PC if u didnt do sysprep” – how does the software know that it is a different pc? Does my system become a different system if I replace my motherboard or hard drives? If that is the case it would be bad. I did sysprep on my last try and had the reboot the system and the os wouldn’t load.

@halladayrules
I tried the system restore way with no luck.

first attempt:
1. backed up os partition to a different 500gb disk.
2. removed the os disk from the system.
3. booted the system from the OS DVD and selected repair system.
4. it found the backup and i when to the next step it came back saying it could not restore from image. i hand two other empty 500gb hard drives in the system.

second attempt:
1. backed up system state to a second 500gb disk.
2. removed the os disk from the system.
3. booted the system from the os dvd and selected repair system.
4. this time it did not even find the backup.

What am I doing wrong?

[djseeram]

thanks.

[djseeram]

First try activating Windows to see if this solves it. If not answer the following questions.

1. Do you have following features installed (YES/NO)

.net framework 3.5 features – NO
Desktop Experience – YES
Windows Server Backup – It wasn’t when i initially tried it. After this procedure didnot work, I browsed around and found instructions on using Windows Server Backup. I then installed the feature.

2. Is the following services started in services.msc?

Software Protection Platform – Yes. but that could have happen after I installed the Windows Server Backup feature.

3. Can you see the System Protection tab?

I don’t remember seeing this before I installed the server Backup feature, but I am not sure.

I followed the instructions on this page to set backup.
http://www.winserverhelp.com/2010/03/windows-server-2008-r2-backup-and-restore/

[djseeram]

1. Are you running install.bat under an administrator account?

Yes.

2. Does spp.dll exist in c:windowssystem32?

Right-click command prompt run as administrator.
Type: sfc /scanfile: c:windowssystem32spp.dll

returns “windows resource protection did not find any integrity issues”

3. Did you unzip the file before running install.bat?

I executed install.bat after unzipping the files.

4. Is your copy of Windows activated?

No. I just installed it.

[djseeram]

I tried this and I get a “SPP.dll” missing error. any suggestions?

[Author]

Posts