Windows 11 Not booting - image (Marcium) restore fails and new install conundrum

Hi

Background
Freshly installed Win 11 and all programs etc August 2021. Running absolutely fine.
Been running fine however picked up an Adobe process which seemed to running after unsinalling all adobe products - CCXProcess. (My stupidity but lets move on).
So deleted the offending app.
Rebooted machine and failed to boot.
Note I have not been able to capture the error codes - but in short no bootable device found (Samsung 970Pro 1TB).
Tried to repair boot using Windows boot usb, Marcium (fully licensed) boot repair and went down the diskpart repair process - same issue over and over.

So I thought its either a faulty drive or corrupt MBR.

I then tried to reimage the drive from the original backup last August.
This failed and same issue (again tried repairing and so on).

So whilst there are 3 partitions showing on the hard drive I thought maybe if I reinstall win11 and boot to desktop, I could just reinstall the o/s partion and not resintall the MBR.
Partition 1 fat32 mbr circa 32mb
Partition 2 windows install
Partition 3 (cant recall) but appears to not be used circa 512mb.

Latest Win 11 would not install on my system - I can see since April 2022 this is a known issue.

Next step - updated bios to latest - factory settings - installed Win10 - all working and backed up.

Restored the macrium image from August 2021 partition 2 only and also tried the backup from the latest CCXprocess removed parition and do not restore MBR - again same error "couldnt find installation".

Tried to restore whole image to hard drive from both August 2021 and the latest backup which produced the error- same issue BSOD and unable to locate install.

Attempted boot menu every boot to ensure booting from the master os drive (970prO).

No luck.

Restored the working win10 and all good.
No windows 11 update available for my machine and I seem to have no way to reinstall the machine to win11 at this time.

In short it will take me over a week to reinstall win10 and all programs running and configured.

Fortunately I have backup of all my data (this runs in to TBs) but can be resolved.

What I want to achieve is restore the system to the August 2021 image where everything is installed and configured for windows 11 this will then be a shorter update process for all programs and date retrieval.

Ok Thanks for moving thread - I thought the 0x0........ errors were BSOD my bad.
Updated Ive backed up the new working win10 image and trying to restore the whole recent image to see if I can capture the Windows Blue Screen boot message.
Note - I have both Win 10 and Win 11 latest installers on USBs if required.

You speak of MBR partition. This is where the problem lies as to why you are not being offered the upgrade. When you clean installed 11, did you alter the Windows 10 iso by replacing the Windows 10 install.esd file with Windows 11 install.wim file so that you could install Windows 11 on a mbr disk? A clean Windows 11 install using a clean Windows 11 iso would have installed as gpt. You have to be partitioned as gpt in order to upgrade. You can verify that by running the PC Health check here.

If your disk is partitioned as mbr, you can reformat your disk as gpt (removing all partitions) and restore a mbr partitioned Macrium backup to a gpt partitioned drive using this method. How to Restore an MBR System image to UEFI/GPT (Convert, GPT, MBR, Restore)
You would first have to change bios setting to UEFI.

Okay so reinstalled from the most recent backup. Corrupt.
Cant repair in macrium or windows.
Have tried boot inage from new hard ware
Error screenshots
4 new items by Mysta Fx

Could you answer the question I asked in post 3. When you clean installed 11, did you alter the Windows 10 iso by replacing the Windows 10 install.esd file with Windows 11 install.wim file so that you could install Windows 11 on a mbr disk?

glasskuter said:

Could you answer the question I asked in post 3. When you clean installed 11, did you alter the Windows 10 iso by replacing the Windows 10 install.esd file with Windows 11 install.wim file so that you could install Windows 11 on a mbr disk?

Click to expand...

Hi sorry i hadnt seen the post as uploaded on mobile whilst out and about.
As far as I am aware I have not altered any files you mentioned.
The drive was converted to GPT at one stage and converted back as far as i recall when installing win10.

Thanks. For your Win11 Macrium backup to restore correctly, the destination disk has to be the same (MBR or GPT) as it was when the backup was created. Of course, that is also assuming that the Macrium 11 backup is valid which you say it isn't. (Hint: when making backups always verify them within Macrium.)

If it were me, to avoid any future problems, here's what I would do.
1. In Windows 10, I would make a current backup so that all personal files and folders are up to date.
2. I would clean install Windows 11 using a current iso. Before install make sure bios is set to uefi. In the installation process, delete all partitions and install on unallocated space. Windows 11 will install as gpt.
3. I would then install applications. I know it's a pain reinstalling applications but it is what it is.
4. Install Macrium on 11. Then mount the backup you just made and recover your personal files into 11.

Once you are up and running in 11 with everything the way you want, make a new Macrium backup. It is wise to make these backups regularly.

Hi
Still out and about. However the back up was verified.
Unable to clean install or upgrade to win 11 using latest ms installer. Apparently a known issue by MS since 3rd april.
Ive got all data files and win 10 is working so all good in that respect. Over 500 programs to install reg and configure.
Ill comeback later once Ive checked what you mentioned.
Thank you

Just to redirect my intention was to get a working install of win 11 and simply restore the previous backup core partition only excluding the fat32 partition 1.

What is the status of the computer now?

Are you booting using a clean install of Windows 10 or a restored image of Windows 10?


Post an image of disk management:
a) widen rows: disk 0, disk 1, disk 2, etc. > make sure that no characters are cut off
b) widen columns: Volume and Status > make sure that no characters are cut off



Run:

tuneup plus: https://www.tenforums.com/attachmen...-files-use-bsod-debugging-tuneup_plus_log.bat

diskpar info: https://www.tenforums.com/attachmen...atch-files-use-bsod-debugging-diskparinfo.bat


Please post results as share links using one drive, drop box, or google drive.



V2:

MYSTA said:

Just to redirect my intention was to get a working install of win 11 and simply restore the previous backup core partition only excluding the fat32 partition 1.

Click to expand...

Yes, I understand that, but you said

MYSTA said:

The drive was converted to GPT at one stage and converted back as far as i recall when installing win10.

Click to expand...

A clean install of Windows 11 would have been as gpt but you would have had to change it to UEFI in bios. That's why I asked if you used that workaround of altering the iso in order to install it as mbr.

You will have to mount your Win11 Macrium image by right clicking on it and selecting 'explore image'. The first screen that pops up is your partition structure when the image was made. The presence of a small partition formatted as fat32 indicates that the drive partitions were gpt at that time. (See attachment. It should look something like it. ) If you do not see an fat32 partition, then the drive was mbr when the backup was created.

Then look in bios. If it's set to uefi, your Windows 10 installation is also gpt. You can also look in disk management of your active Win10 partitions to see if that fat32 partition exists which indicates the disk is gpt.

The disk structure at the time of the image and the current disk structure have to be the same to restore. If they are not, your only option is to use the conversion processs in the Macrium document I posted in post #3.

Note: In the past I have had times where Macrium's "fix Windows boot problems" worked and times it didn't. If that turns out to be the case for you, you will have to manually fix the bootloader. Step by Step: Repair Windows 11 UEFI Bootloader

Hi thanks for your time.

Fresh windows 10 install.


tuneup plus: Meet Google Drive – One place for all your files

diskpar info: Meet Google Drive – One place for all your files



PS Jsut seen you subsequent post above - popping kids to bed so likely revisit in a few hours.

Really appreciate your time and help.

M

Please make sure that links are available without logon.

When available please upload or post a share link for the V2 log collector.

zbook said:

Please make sure that links are available without logon.

When available please upload or post a share link for the V2 log collector.

Click to expand...

Sorry thought I copied a public link, hopefully this works

Sorry, it didn't work.

I'll need to sign off this thread.

Others may be able to provide the help that you're seeking.

Ok shame. Im copying the shared link on android so not sure whats up. Just seen the option so much easier on PC.
Share link for anyone on the internet (doesnt show up on android).


Upload lot easier - attached.

Macrium back up version from corrupted install Win 11 last Sept 2021:


Marcium Backup from corrupted install I was using until the incident occurred - This is the one I would like to retrieve:

Macrium back up from win10 fresh install and have restored this image again to test to day so working:


So looks like you are on the money "The disk structure at the time of the image and the current disk structure have to be the same to restore. If they are not, your only option is to use the conversion processs in the Macrium document I posted in post #3."

Hadn't realised - thank you. This is the issue then?

Edit Just dawned on me this doesnt make sense and I dont recall reinstalling since last sept but the structure from the image sept 2021 to the current now corrupted backup (did this before fresh install attempts to preserve data) appears to have the different structure you mentioned.
So let us ignore the sept back up as the 13/04/2022 is the ideal one to restore.
So I tried to restore the corrupted image this afternoon whilst out (hence android responses - hate forum posts on phones) and failed, hence restored the latest win10 which works.

So if the corrupted install win11 failed and the same disk setup noting fat32 LBA on the now current working os install are the same? The corrupted install could be salvaged?

It takes 3 weeks all in all to set up and configure. If thats what I need to do so be it - but with the latest win 11 iso issue Im stuck for a while on win 10 hence wanted to avoid the fresh win10 install if win 11 fresh install gets a fix in the future (or Im I concerned over nothing operating on win10 and then updating to win11 when fixed) - im just rebooting to ensure EUFI is set up which I think it is?

Just checked BIOS and EUFI and Legacy OPROM mode is seleceted under boot - device control.
Ironically on this reboot - win11 is downloading as I type!?

Both your working Win10 and your Macrium Win11 backup are gpt. They are alike except for the small size difference of the C partition which should not make a difference. However, your Macrium Win11 recovery partition backup (that's the last one) won't fit on the existing 517gb partition as it is 522 gb in size. Therefore you will have to resize the partitions. Here is the Macrium article telling you how. Restore Partitions with Resize and Reorder

Do not mess with the order of the partitions as they are correct.

This should work assuming your Win11 backup is valid. We have no way of knowing that. Even if it does not work, you will still be able to restore Windows 10 backup normally to the resized partitions as the backup of Win10 partitions will fit on the newly created partitions.

I'm curious about something. In your original post you said:
So whilst there are 3 partitions showing on the hard drive I thought maybe if I reinstall win11 and boot to desktop, I could just reinstall the o/s partion and not resintall the MBR.
Partition 1 fat32 mbr circa 32mb
Partition 2 windows install
Partition 3 (cant recall) but appears to not be used circa 512mb
The stated numbers not agree with your screenshot and what exactly made you think this was MBR.? Maybe you just got confused.
(Or maybe I am )

---

MYSTA said:

So if the corrupted install win11 failed and the same disk setup noting fat32 LBA on the now current working os install are the same? The corrupted install could be salvaged?

Click to expand...

We're going to try assuming the backup is valid. I've been thinking more on this myself. There is no doubt to restore the image that recovery partition has to be resized. I've never done it within Macrium, but to my way of thinking since the first 2 partitions are the same size, Unless Macrium requires that all partitions be deleted and rebuilt, it would be necessary to delete only the 953.25 gb one and the 517 mb one. Make the third partition 952.75 gb in size, name it OS and assign it a drive letter of C and assign the 4th partition whatever space is left if it will let you. It should tell you the exact amount of space available for the 4th partition after you create the third partition.
(If you can't do that and have to give it a number make it 900 mb. There may end up being a few mb unallocated at the end but that's ok.

Follow along with that last Macrium article I gave you. It should work.

@glasskuter Thank you. Im still installing and performing parent and child back ups along the way which is working on verification and restoring fine...Ive gotten a little cautious as this takes days to get back up properly, although almost there.
Likely be next week before I get time and hopefully completed.
I have partition manager and I think Macrium has the function, Ill check.
Let you know how I get on or hit a wall.

Appreciated.

So glad it's working for you. I'm honest when saying I know absolutely nothing about incremental/differential backups. All the years I've been making them, I've never done those. I do full backups once a week since they will let me get fully up and going in about 15 minutes. My personal files are on a secondary drive anyway.