Here's how to create a bootable WinPE disc that will read the .wim imageX restore file.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749311%28WS.10%29.aspx

Thanks. That looks more time consuming and certainly much more complicated than just reinstalling from the supplied O/S disc so I’ll pass on that.

It there a relatively straightforward way to use the Restore Partition?

It there a relatively straightforward way to use the Restore Partition?

Not after migrating to a different physical harddrive.

Not after migrating to a different physical harddrive.

What if you copy the drive so that the new drive has partitions that are exactly the same size as the original?

There are two options then I suppose to either extend the Windows partition to use the extra space or to create a new partition with the extra space.

Would either of those methods work?

You still need a way to boot to the restore partition.  Since the primary reason you'd need it is in case of a hard drive failure, and since storing it on the same drive as the operating system negates that, why not just do your install, configure it fully and install your applications, and then make your own image backup (using Acronis, or if you want, ImageX)?  That way if you ever need to restore, EVERYTHING gets put back your way - no need to reload the Dell image and then spend hours or days reloading and configuring your software.

Store the image backup on an external drive - then it's there safely kept in case of a drive failure.

You still need a way to boot to the restore partition.  Since the primary reason you'd need it is in case of a hard drive failure, and since storing it on the same drive as the operating system negates that, why not just do your install, configure it fully and install your applications, and then make your own image backup (using Acronis, or if you want, ImageX)?  That way if you ever need to restore, EVERYTHING gets put back your way - no need to reload the Dell image and then spend hours or days reloading and configuring your software. Store the image backup on an external drive - then it's there safely kept in case of a drive failure.

Thanks. I'm aware of all that you say and it's good advice but I'm simply trying to achieve what I stated in my OP. Cheers

In that case, you've been told what you need to do:  purchase a copy of software that can read the WIM file and easily produce bootable media (Acronis True Image), or prepare a Windows PE boot disc manually using Windows PE and Image X.

In that case, you've been told what you need to do:  purchase a copy of software that can read the WIM file and easily produce bootable media (Acronis True Image), or prepare a Windows PE boot disc manually using Windows PE and Image X.

I have Acronis True Image Home 11. Just to be clear, can I use that to create a hard drive that has the same functionality as the original disk that I'm cloning?

i.e. It has Windows 7 on one partition and a recovery partition that can be accessed in the normal way; via F8 etc

That's all I'm trying to do, nothing more and nothing less.

crow_smiling

You may need to upgrade to Acronis True Image 2010, that supports Windows 7.

Bev.

Yes, you do need the 2010 version - as for the rest, from the sound of it, you've already broken the quick-restore menu, so whatever you do clone now, will function exactly as it does now - that is, if the quick restore menu isn't functional now, it won't be after cloning, either.  You CAN however boot from an Acronis or WinPE disc and restore the C: partition that way.

You may need to upgrade to Acronis True Image 2010, that supports Windows 7. Bev.

My version of Acronis runs fine under XP/Vista both of which can read NTFS partitions so it should work fine.

I don't need to boot into Windows 7 to do what I want to do I presume otherwise it's a no go.

I don't intend spending money to do this.

crow_smiling

Good luck and hope it works out for you.

Bev.

I would not try cloning anything containing Windows 7 with Acronis pre-2010.  Though the filesystem is the same, the boot manager in 7 is not the same as it is in Vista -- if you decide to try it, be sure you have a 7 DVD handy as you will likely find you need to write a new boot sector to get the cloned drive to boot.

Yes, you do need the 2010 version.

Version 11 works fine for cloning a Win7 system drive.

from the sound of it, you've already broken the quick-restore menu, so whatever you do clone now, will function exactly as it does now

I still have the original drive (which has restore working) otherwise there wouldn’t be any point in me asking how I can clone it without breaking the restore feature!

I appreciate that people are trying to be helpful by talking around the issue with other ideas but I have a brand new system whose drive I wish to clone and replace so leaving it with exactly the same functionality as the original drive had.

This is because I am selling it and want it to offer the simple restore feature for the new owner.

I would not try cloning anything containing Windows 7 with Acronis pre-2010.  Though the filesystem is the same, the boot manager in 7 is not the same as it is in Vista -- if you decide to try it, be sure you have a 7 DVD handy as you will likely find you need to write a new boot sector to get the cloned drive to boot.

I originally cloned it using version 11 running under XP and it boots into Windows 7 just fine.

It's just copying binary data plus the boot sector so I can't see why there would be a problem.

I'm going to experiment by making an exact copy to the new drive (same size partiitons) and see if restore still works.

Then after booting into Win7 I can hopefully expand the Win7 partition to include the unallocated space. Does Win7 have the native ability to expand a partition in this way even if it's the system partition?