In a separate thread here I described a workaround I found for restoring the User datar from one image and sytem files from another. I didn't want to clutter that thread with this separate issue that occured when restoring my system volume. I am posting
this to see if I was doing something wrong, or is this a flaw in the Restore process.
Because of unrelated issues I had to do several system restores. Each time I had the exact same experience. I am running WHS PP3, and the client is a Dell laptop running OEM (i.e., not upgraded from Vista) Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Each time
I ran the Restore CD, after selecting the backup to restore it would display drive letters and volume names that were different from what is on the laptop. For example, it might show c:Recover and d:OS instead of Recover and c:OS. I could get the restore to
run by going into the advanced tab and changing the drive letters and volume names to match up with those on the laptop. But then when it would reboot it would tell me the MBR couldn't be found. At this point, I would have to run the Windows
Repair and after 3 reboots/repair cycles it would have repaired the MBR and would boot into Windows 7. Of course, after each reboot it would have to reload Windows from the DVD which takes a long time.
I thought perhaps the WHS Restore CD had been updated to accomodate Windows 7 so I downloaded the November 2009 ISO from MS, and tried the restore with it - same problem.
Here is what Disk 0 looks like on my laptop:
- 157 MB Hidden Partition
- RECOVERY Primary
- OC (C:) System, Boot, Page File, Active, Crash Dump
- Data (E:) Logical Drive
All are shown as Healthy. I was only restoring OC (C:).
Was I doing something wrong, or is there a conflict between the WHS Restore CD and this configuration? I would really like to be able to restore in the future without all the drama ;-).