System Recovery 2011 - Cannot create System Image with boot disk

[GregC2]

Hello,

I am unable or do not know how, to create to restorable image of a Windows OS with using only the SSR 2011 recovery boot disk. I can create an System Recoverable image if I go into the OS and install the SSR 2011 client.

Example:

Say I create a Windows 7 OS, add all my programs (Office, Java, Adobe etc) and then run Windows 7 Sysprep in Shutdown mode. This would make it so that if I clone this image to another system, Sysprep will set it as a new OS for deployment.

I do NOT want to install the SSR 2011 client on my soon to be image as we do not plan to clone these deployments nor do we have/want to buy all the workstation SSR 2011 licenses.

So after creating my OS, the SYSPREP, the system shuts down as I wanted. I inserted the SSR 2011 boot disk and begin to clone the drive. When I go to another physical machine to deploy the image, I do NOT have the ability to restore a System Image. The image created with SSR 2011 in boot mode is simply a drive image or file image, it has no SSR Index (?) file for it to set all the boot and OS parameters.

Why is this? This is different than Ghost or Acronis? hopefully I am overlooking something.

Thanks!

[David_F]

Hi GregC2,

First let me say that this is not the correct product for you. You should be looking into either the Symantec Ghost or cloning software; SSR is not a cloning tool. Typically you would need a license for each system SSR/Ghost is to be used upon (image creation or restore) once outside of trial. With that being said, when you image the Windows 7 system are you including the system reserve partition? If so, restoring by filename method, as restore options are you:

1. Restoring the system reserve partition first w/ set active & restore MBR options enabled and RAO disabled.

2. Restore the OS partition 2nd w/ restore original disk sig only w/ RAO enabled but with the option, "Run minisetup," disabled?

-Dave

[GregC2]

The Acronis Backup and Recoverym, which is a direct competitor, does this without a client installed (I tested this myself).

Also AB&R can do backup of files and folders which BESR claims to do but actually doesn't IF the server doing the backup crashes.

Unfortunately BESR is a terribly inferior product in all ways compared to Acronis. Guess I have made my decision on what to buy at this UC here.

Thanks

[criley]

Also AB&R can do backup of files and folders which BESR claims to do but actually doesn't IF the server doing the backup crashes.

Not sure I understand this comment. Can you explain in more detail please?

[GregC2]

Yes sorry if it doesn't make sense.

1. Create a virtual machine (or use a real machine if you have one available)

2. Install BESR 2011

3. Have BESR 2011 use a File/Folder backup job, backup some folders on the VM to a network share.

4. Now, turn off that VM after the job is done.

5. On ANOTHER system (real or virtual) install BESR 2011

6. Try to recover the backed up files/folders that were created by the other BESR 2011 job. You can't.

Great product!

Did this on Acronis, no issue as the backups are separated and individual, meaning any system with Acronis installed can restore files/folders.

BESR has used this strange proprietary method for years and has never corrected it. Really a bad method esepcially if the source machine is snuffed out for whatever reason.

[criley]

You should be able to do this:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH73790