Paragon back up.

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Hi,

I have had to reinstall Windows 11, however I made an image back up on Paragon on a separate hard disk. It is there for 8th January, I now what to install this image to my new installation of Windows 11.

I have no idea on how to do this, so I would be most grateful if someone could lead me through the various steps please?

 

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You need a Paragon boot USB.
Connect both the USB and the backup disk, power on the machine and press Esc, Del or F11 to boot to the USB.
Follow your nose to restore the image to the machine.

For future reference, this method does not require you reinstall Windows first.

cheers, Paul

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If your PC only has one USB port, copy the backup image onto the Paragon Recovery USB (if it won’t fit, use a larger USB stick for the Recovery USB.)

Note: if you haven’t already done so, you must create the Paragon Recovery USB first as the process will erase the USB.

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Thank you both – much appreciated.

Great to hear from you again Paul.

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Today I tried reinstall my image backup.

Things went well until this message came up – Restore partitions from virtual containers. Virtual container data …

Could you please advise as to what I should do next?

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My guess – from a quick search – is that Paragon has detected Virtual Machine files (VHD etc) and is asking if you want to restore the data from inside the images.
The answer is no.

cheers, Paul

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Sorry I omitted to state that this message also says – An error has occurred.

There is no option to click to go any further.
So seemingly these partitions in this image backup have to be repaired.
Your thoughts on how to do this would be greatly appreciated please.

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What sort of error message?
Screenshot?

cheers, Paul

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This error message appears when I am trying to install the backup that I made, using Paragon Restore, see attached.

This is as far as I can get, and I do not know how to proceed from here please?

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That seems like a strange disk arrangement.
Normally I would expect to see disk 0 with 3 or 4 partitions. The first for boot, the 2nd for C, 3rd or 4th for recovery. You have only 1 partition on disk 0 with C on it.

To recover that system I would only restore data to disk 0 (C), the WD disk.

cheers, Paul

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Hi Paul,

This is good news, as I failed to point the restore image to the correct hard disk.
As you well noted there seems to be some confusion here in the labeling of the hard disks present.
So I attach screen shots of what I have found.
I really thought that my original C: drive was on a Samsung SSD.
As you can imagine I really want to get this restoration back on the original C: drive hard disk.

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Can you post a shot of the Disk Management screen? Explorer isn’t much use here.

cheers, Paul

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I hope this helps – attached.

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Your image shows the 232.87 GB disk (Disk 3) is your Windows OS drive.

So when you attempt to do the restore, you need to select the 232.87 GB drive as the destination for the backup.

If that doesn’t work, then either the backup image you made is not that particular drive or it’s  corrupt.

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n0ads wrote:

Your image shows the 232.87 GB disk (Disk 3) is your Windows OS drive.

So when you attempt to do the restore, you need to select the 232.87 GB drive as the destination for the backup.

If that doesn’t work, then either the backup image you made is not that particular drive or it’s  corrupt.

I have tried to restore to what your suggesting:

Your image shows the 232.87 GB disk (<span class=”gdbbx-bbcode-font-color”>Disk 3</span>) is your Windows OS drive.
So when you attempt to do the restore, you need to select the <span class=”gdbbx-bbcode-font-color”>232.87 GB drive</span> as the destination for the backup.

However it is coming up as the Original first of all, then described it as Local Disk (F:) 232.02 GB (100.94GB used).

Whereas for some reason they have re-installed my Windows 11 on another disk – WD Data Drive (C:)

Now when I go to do this, unfortunately the same error message appears: Restore partitions from virtual containers. Virtual container data …

Another potential issue.

On the BIOS it is stating Windows Boot Manager (M.2 Samsung SSD 980 250GB) .

Can you please advise here, as there seems to be some confusion?

 

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This isn’t meant as a solution to your current problem, but I remind you of the good practice of NAMING your drives (e.g., C: System, D: Data, E: Backup, etc.) to perhaps prevent just such a problem as you have here.

Zig

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It looks like you have W7 on the Samsung (Disk 2) and W11 on the other Samsung (Disk 3).
The W11 disk shows as GPT (IMG_7225) and the W7 as MBR.
Is your BIOS set to GPT/UEFI? This is correct for booting W11.

Your image backup should show 3 partitions for the W11 backup. Does it?
Does it have a backup for all your disks, or only one?
Which partition are you attempting to restore?

cheers, Paul

 

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The W11 disk shows as GPT (IMG_7225) and the W7 as MBR I concur.
Is your BIOS set to GPT/UEFI?
I don’t know, how can I tell please?
But I do see UEFI BIOS Utility – EZ Mode.
I attach some images of what I believe is the image backup, which is on the Seagate Back Up (D:) drive.
When  I click on it it does not open.
When I backed up I only backed up my (C:) drive.

Regards, David

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Your pics suggest the disks have been swapped around because the backup is from Disk 0 and the restore is to Disk 3. Apart from that, it looks like you have selected the correct backup.

I would suggest you only restore partition 3 from the backup (232GB) and put it on partition 2 of Disk 3. The other partitions do not contain your Windows backup, they are ancillary.
This option requires you select “restore single partition” from the restore wizard.

cheers, Paul

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Sorry to keep troubling you like this Paul, but I have spent an hour trying to implement your suggestion.

I have come unstuck with: This option requires you select “restore single partition” from the restore wizard.

In Googling this they are suggesting:

To access the Restore Wizard in Paragon software, open the program, navigate to the “Backup & Recovery” section, then select “My Backups” where you can choose the backup you want to restore and initiate the wizard by clicking “Restore” or a similar option; this will guide you through the process of selecting which files and partitions to restore and where to place them on your system.
Key points to remember:

• Access point: Open Paragon software and go to the “Backup & Recovery” section.
• Select backup: Choose the backup image you want to restore from “My Backups”.
• Start wizard: Click “Restore” to launch the Restore Wizard.
• Using File Transfer Wizard (this tool is also available on Recovery CD)

1. In the Main Menu select Tools -> File Transfer Wizard
2. In the Wizard click Next
3. Navigate to the archive folder
4. Double-click *.PBF file. It will open archived data in tree-view
5. Select the required file/folder and click the green arrow button to copy it to clipboard
6. Click Next.
7. Select where to save file: Local/Network Drive or CD/DVD, click Next
8. Specify the location (or select CD/DVD Burning device), click Next
9. Set option ‘Overwrite existing files’ if needed, click Next
10. Verify transfer summary information, click Next.
11. Click Finish to complete the Wizard.
12. Wait until operation will be completed
13. Click Close

Could you please advise further.

Moderator Edit: to remove HTML from copy/paste. When you copy/paste, please use the “Text” tab or the Menu button “Paste as Text.”

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I was following the restore blurb on the Paragon website – I don’t have it installed.
Page 45 of this PDF, “Restoring a failed system”.

cheers, Paul

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Thanks Paul for all your help.
I am now going to try to reach out to Paragon themselves, as this restore is proving far from easy.
Regards, David.

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Reaching out to Paragon seems as difficult as trying to install this image itself.

Could anybody please provide me with what they think might be the best Forums to contact, that may be using this Paragon software?

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I’ll install it on a spare box and see what it does. Back soon.

cheers, Paul

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I have to say the interface does seem a little confusing.

Once you fire up Paragon it shows the Backup page. The page should show the backup you last created – you have plugged the USB disk in haven’t you? Select this backup.
Clicking on the “Backup set” tab shows the backup details. In my case I have a disk with 5 partitions.
Click “Restore”.
Click “Disks” in the top left. This lets you choose partitions to restore. Deselect everything except C, partition 3 in your case.
Click “Original location” in the top right to select the destination.
Choose “Different location” from the top right drop down and then “Select destination” below that. You want partition 2 on disk 3.

Hopefully you can now restore.

cheers, Paul

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I send you some more images, this time hopefully it helps, see attached:

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You are attempting to restore the entire disk. Try selecting only the C partition by clicking on the “Disks” icon in the top left, as shown in IMG_20250202_203215-1-scaled.

If this won’t work, mount the backup image and copy everything from C in the image to the C partition on disk 3 in your machine (partition 2). This will replaced all the Windows files (hopefully).

cheers, Paul

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Thank you.
Selecting C partition did not work – see attached screen shots.
Moving on.
Mount the backup image and copy everything from C in the image to the C partition on disk 3 in your machine (partition 2).
Can you please guide me through this, by the various steps I have to take?
Finally: This will replaced all the Windows files (hopefully).
But what about the rest of the Image please?

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Before you do anything else, make a new image backup – if you haven’t already.

You do not need to replace all the partitions to restore Windows, just the C partition is enough.

Your screenshot shows the disks selection page. If you click on the “select disks” dropdown you will be able to select volumes, per my previous reply.

To mount an image you need to have booted from the USB recovery and be viewing your backup on the “My Backups” screen.
Select “Advanced restore options” tab at the very top.
You should be on the “Restore operations” screen.
Select “Explore/Restore Files” and navigate to the job file on your backup disk.
Click “Next” to view the virtual images. Expand the C backup.
Select all folder (no files), except Recycle Bin.
Now you need to choose the destination. The existing C is the place.
Click “Export” and hopefully all the files will be copied. Then you can reboot.

cheers, Paul

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Thank you.
Made the back up, went to check it was there, it was, clicked on it and up came the .pdf details.
So I then went to click on the image I want to install, please see attached details.
Next in trying to install my image backup. I attach two images of what happened.
I got as far as Files and Folders.
” Select all folder (no files), except Recycle Bin” did not appear.
So I then clicked on each of the four heading and lines – nothing happened.
please advise.

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You haven’t chosen “select volumes”. You are still trying to restore disks.

The backup you made appears to be a differential / incremental. You need a new backup that is separate from the one you are trying to restore.

cheers, Paul

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Thank you again.

This is as far as I can get.

Select “Explore/Restore Files” and navigate to the job file on your backup disk.

Click “Next” to view the virtual images. Expand the C backup.

This is in fact on my Seagate Back Up (I:) drive, see attached

The final attachment is the only thing that comes up, I’ve tried clicking on each of these lines and nothing happens.

So I cannot see -Select all folder (no files), except Recycle Bin.

You write: You haven’t chosen “select volumes”. You are still trying to restore disks.

This is never appearing in what I’m doing.

You need a new backup that is separate from the one you are trying to restore.

Really confused here – sorry.

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In your last image you need to expand the contents of Local Disk (C:) by clicking the > symbol.

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Thank you.
“In your last image you need to expand the contents of Local Disk (C:) by clicking the <span class=”gdbbx-bbcode-font-color”><strong class=”gdbbx-bbcode-bold”>></span> symbol”.
When I do this nothing happens – see attached.

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On the “View backup contents” screen, click on “Files and folders”.

cheers, Paul

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I have clicked on “Files and folders”, when no line is highlighted, then with (C:) highlighted.

On both occasions nothing happens, Next is not highlighted – see attachment.

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You should now be able to expand C to select the folders you want to view. When you have selected the folders, Next will be available.

cheers, Paul

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You should now be able to expand C to select the folders you want to view. When you have selected the folders, Next will be available.

C does not expand
None of these lines expand.
Files and Folders when you click on it, nothing happens.

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These are screenshots of my tests with Paragon Backup 18.
They go along with the description in post #2745518.

cheers, Paul

 

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Now you need to choose the destination. The existing C is the place.

Now this is the point when it freezes with me – why? See attached.

Regards,
David.

 

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Try one of the other items shown.

cheers, Paul

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I did, nothing opens up, including the tab Files and Folders at the top.

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I have no idea why the Paragon backup isn’t showing the contents of your backup.

Do you have a spare disk to which you can attempt the restore?

cheers, Paul

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Do you have a spare disk to which you can attempt the restore?

Now before I go any further, I want to send you some details of my disks, please see attached,

Then the last two screenshots are of where my image restore is being held, this is in fact in a portable drive at the moment. I assume I could replace into the PC in a fixed drive position.

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Without knowing what you use all the disks for it’s hard to suggest which disk would be suitable. What we do know is never use the backup disk for anything except backup.

You may be able to use disk 2, E & F, the Win 7 disk. You would need to make a backup first. I would backup to disk 1, I, Seagate Back Up. Then test you can access the files – don’t boot from the backup USB for the access test, use Paragon when Windows is running normally.

cheers, Paul

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Hi Paul,

If you don’t mind I want to take some time out in going further.

This is not to doubt what progress you have provided me, but I think it might be useful to try and spread this net further a field, in so much there might be those that can confirm what we have done, but more so that could throw some further light on this anomaly.

So please bear with me, let me exhaust a couple of other contacts I have found, and get back to you either way.

Regards,
David.

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Hi Paul,

I would like to bring you up date whilst I have been off line.
I have tried as best I I can to find alternative and other solutions. I have written to Paragon through various options, but never heard back.

A couple of links first:

https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/173

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMY6Zv7hvjI

https://www.paragon-software.com/?tracking=cj&x-aff=cj&x-cjevent=52155fb0fc9e11ef821500e40a18b8f7

https://paragon-software.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

https://paragon-software.zendesk.com/hc/en-us?return_to=%2Fhc%2Frequests

From a Forum post:

Frankly, if the software doesn’t work as it’s supposed to I don’t think anyone else is going to be able to help you. Questions for you.

Did you create a bootable USB media after you installed the software? Did you get a successful image backup done to the external drive? Does the PC boot from the USB media? That is the first step.

The other option is to browse the image backup from Windows. Install Paragon on the new Windows 11 installation. Open Paragon software and map a drive letter to the image. Then you could copy folders from the image backup.

Here is a video – mapping drive to image file
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7lgSvSpfJA

The main issue here is that you have to A) test your backups in the future and B) know how your software works when it’s time to restore. Apparently you didn’t do these steps and now, in a crisis, you are stressed out. Not picking on you, this is what a lot of people fail to do. It’s hard for your brain to function and learn when you are panicking about your data.

I hope some of this helps.
Please can you let me know where we go from here?

Kind regards,
David.

Moderator Edit: to correct link to video.

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That is pretty much what I suggested – there is only one way to test backups.

cheers, Paul

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Thank you, let me study all of this now myself, and see how I get on.

This also came in from another poster:

So you got an .iso from Paragon and just copied it to an USB-stick?

Google how to use ventoy, rufus or something similar.

Or with paragon itself: https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/66 https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/141 https://www.paragon-software.com/free/rk-free/

Then: https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/123

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Hi Paul,

A potential break  through – see attached.
On one of the links I was sent, it was an update for Paragon -https://dl.paragon-software.com/demo/Paragon-1083-FRU_WinInstallDemo_x64_17.9.3_000.exe
So you can imagine just how thrilled I am to see this red Restore Now being high lighted.
But I am also taking into consideration the warning sign – Attention all pre-existing volumes will be deleted during the restore on the destination disk!

Now this was an image backup I made, so what I want to know is please, that everything I have been using for the last three months, will in turn be wiped off the disk, new Thunderbird emails, bookmarks, and any saved new files files or folders, is that correct.
But then my old image of my hard disk should come alive, with hopefully everything working as it was.

Regards,
David.

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Glad to hear you finally got it sorted out.

Yes, everything on the destination drive will be replaced with the backed up contents of the source drive.

Just FYI, that’s normal when restoring an image backup, regardless of which particular backup S/W is being used.

BTW, according to your screenshot, the backup image was Basic GPT Hard Disk 0 but the destination is Basic GPT Hard Disk 3.

Normally, unless you’re replacing a particular drive with a “new/different” drive, you’d want to restore the backup to the same drive it originally came from.

If you actually do want to restore the backup to a different drive, you’re go to go.

If not, you should change the destination drive to the Basic GPT Hard Disk 0 the backup originally came from.

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Up2you2 wrote:

an update for Paragon…Paragon-1083-FRU_WinInstallDemo_x64_17.9.3_000

That is the version I have used for my screenshots. It should allow you to perform the steps in #2745518 above.

No matter what you do, make a new image first!

cheers, Paul

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Thank you both, I will let you know how I get on.

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In making my Paragon back up, I got these screenshot results.

Don’t really know what to do next, please?

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Erros in a backup is bad m’kay.

Can you post the log file referenced in the second ss?

cheers, Paul

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Thanks Paul – see attached.

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We need “hdmengine_brv.log”.

You can post the contents if it’s short.

cheers, Paul

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“hdmengine_brv.log” is not listed as such.

Perhaps it is in one of the folders?

Is so which one do you think it is in please?

Then which app do I use to open these folders, sorry but I have not done this before.

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I have no idea where it is, you will have to search.
Open Explorer, double click on C: and then type hdmengine_brv.log in the search box in the top right.

cheers, Paul

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Thank you, I have had some success – please see attached.

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All those CRC not match errors indicate the backup file is corrupt. This could be due to the disk you are using being flakey, issues with the connection to that drive, memory problems etc.

There is a line that says “run check archive integrity”, so I suggest you do that.
I don’t know where it is, but it is probably a menu option in Paragon.

cheers, Paul

p.s. you could just have posted the contents or attached the file. Multiple screenshots is much harder to work with.

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I have found the run check archive integrity – see attached, but I don’t know what to do next please?

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That is an automatic test of the archive immediately after it has been created.
I can’t find how to check an existing archive.

To work out where the problem is you need another disk that you can backup to. If that backup also produces errors the problem is on the PC and I would try another backup product to make sure it’s not Paragon.

cheers, Paul

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Cleaned up the hard drive, and also repaired it, and now finally I was able to make a good copy backup – see attached.

Doing everything slowly as no doubt you can tell, slightly nervous when I am doing all this for the first time.

Considering buying a brand new SDD to restore on, I will keep you posted.

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As it is now fixed, why do you need a new SSD?

cheers, Paul

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