Dell Backup and Recovery Manager

I am having similar problems with a Latitude E6500 running Windows XP.  I was able to make an initial backup to a couple of DVDs, but am now trying to make a backup to an external 250GB USB drive (so space isn't an issue) which the utility formatted as NTFS for me the first time I used it as the backup target.  The backup runs for about 30 minutes and generates a lot of activity on the drive, the progress bar reaches 100%, and then the system reboots and indicates that the backup has failed.  When I check the USB drive contents, the ResSys.ini file has been updated but the DellBackups folder is empty.  It's as if it wrote the entire backup and then failed on the last step and deleted it again.

I called support, but was bounced around.  The first person had never heard of the "Dell Backup and Recovery Manager" software and so transferred me to hardware support, where I was guided through running hardware diagnostics (no issues there), and then transferred to a "pay as you need" software support line where the wait was over 10 minutes, so I had to drop the call.  I suspect it may have to do with having checked the "make backup bootable" box, but can't confirm that b/c the utility doesn't give an option to uncheck that box.  If anyone knows how to make this software work with an external drive, please post a reply.

Thank you, Tony

I have the same problem using an external HD, but it quits even sooner with the same non-descript error message.  In my case I chose to have the backup image non-bootable, so that rules out your suspision.  Trying with a new Vostro 3500 w/ Windows 7 pro.  Why can't Dell and these PCs get things figured out?  So much lost time and money.

I have never had good results using any Dell backup program. I made recovery discs using Win 7 and the Acronis True Image from that point.

Jeff

Nearly a year on and Dell Backup and Recovery Manager is at version 1.3 but the problem still exists. This is on Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. In my case, it fails during the early "Scanning files and directories" stage. Has to be forced to terminate via Task Manager and during one attempt, even refused to terminate via that. It even hung the shutdown when I tried to reboot Windows 7 - had to use the power off!

I realize that you want the software to work as it is supposed to, however, have you tried Windows 7 backup?

It will create a full backup of your system and create a bootable recovery DVD. The entire process is automated and it restores in no time flat using imagex technology from Microsoft. You do not need to purchase imaging software such as Acronis or Symantec Ghost. I use it to create a full backup of my system from time to time. Usually when I have to install a new OS on my machine for a week or two and then put my system back to the way it was. It take me about 30 minutes to restore a 90GB C dirve partition from my external drive connected via eSata. For once Microsoft got this full system backup utility close to right, you can even restore your files not just the whole system.

I'm having the same problem using the latest update of DBRM (v1.3)

• Vostro 3450
• 64 Bit
• Windows 7

I guess I can try the Win 7 backup as suggested by CSEALY above

- Jaymo313