Cant back up Windows 7 system partition???

gazjam

gazjam

gazjam

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Hi from sunny Glasgow!

I've been trying to back up my fresh install of Windows 7 using in build Backup tools and have run into a problem.

Previously in my installation, I had my Swapfile split between the C Drive(System) and my D Drive (Seperate HDD).
I tried to backup my Windows install but both these drives came up as needing to be backed up to make Windows run...not just the C Drive.

I thought..AH!
Its because the D Drive is registered in Windows as being used for the Swapfile...so I'll just disable that in Windows settings (use C Drive only), reboot and all should be ok.

Uhm...no.

Thinking again I searched the registry for any Non C Drive entries relating to the Swapfile, found a couple and edited them out.
That should do it, just a reboot.

No...same problem.
The D Drive is 1TB and I dont have the space to back THAT up!
I've ran out of ideas....can anyone help please?


Thanks.
 
Check the registry for any services pointing to your D: drive.

Also, from a command prompt run bcdedit and make sure it only lists Partition C
 
Thanks for the quick reply...

Bcdedit shows
Device: Partition=C:
Osdevice: Partition=C:

searching registry just now...

*EDIT*
Found an entry in Regedit saying D drive was a boot drive..changed it to C: and rebooted...still no joy.
Something different though..in Win7 Backup "Create System Image" window, both C and D are listed as "(System)" which they werent before...

Any ideas what to look for in Regedit to weed out this entry making Windows think the D Drive is a system partition?

Thanks...
 
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Not off-hand Im afraid. I just happened to know if the boot files were in the wrong place it could cause this. And also services running from another partition other than C:.

Not sure what else to suggest. I suppose you could try reformatting that partition - if you have somewhere to backup the data to.
 
Think Ive got to the bottom of it...

On the D Drive (a seperate hard disk used only for backup) when I unhid system files, I discovered the Boot files (Bootmgr sys file and the "Boot" folder were there.

No idea how this happened TBH, perhaps from an earlier install?

Anyway..I took ownership of the files and wondered if it was just a case of deleting them and booting with the Win7 DVD and selectng Startup repair option?

Possible?
Or would I knacker my install!

Think Im getting there...
The odd thing is that in Disk Management in Win7...the C Drive is listed as "Boot,Page File,Active,Crash Dump,Primary Partition) and teh D Drive is listed as "SYSTEM,Active,Primary Partition)

Any clues there? Why would D be listed as SYSTEM when the OS is installed on C...and is listed as "boot"?


aarrggghhh! :)
 
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The labelling is a little odd with disks. System can also mean it has boot files.

You can try nuking those extra boot files - as you say, a quick Startup Repair will fix it if it doesn't boot! :p
 
Oh dear what a horrible couple of hours ive just had!

I deleted the boot files on the D drive? Thinking I would just do a startup repair?
Windows wouldnt boot - BOOTMGR is missing :eek:

Spent ages looking at BCDedit options, Bootsect /nt60 commands, bootrec switches..all to no avail.
Startup repair did not work...Errors like "Bad Disk" and "Startuprepair Offline"

Thanks God for my Ubuntu Linux "emergency get online" CD.
A bit of Google-Fu later and...

Know what it was....?
the fekkin bios!

Boot order of my hard drives had changed, and the non system Drive was booting first.
Windows decided to put a boot loader on there...and that what was screwing everything up.

Everydays a schoolday I guess....Windows 7 floored by "old skool" BIOS.

Thanks very much for your help....it helped!


Gaz.
 
This is a really common issue actually. Many people accidently have the wrong HDD set as the first boot device, so Windows just assumes that's what you intended and puts the boot files there.

Still, problem solved :D
 
Hi again,

thats exactly what I did!
Backup of freshly installed and tweaked Windows install stored safely.

cool.

Swapfile wise, I've stuck a small 500mb one on the C Drive, and a System managed one on the D:
I've 6GB ram, so works out about 6654mb all in.

I do 3D, Photoshop stuff and I find the 6GB useful. THought I wouldnot need a swapfile, but a few Out of Memory messages later put paid to that! :)
 
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