CTM

Why are snapshots not visible on my hard drive? I have used Version 2.8 for sometime and defragmented and optimised my hard drive as usual with what appears to be the same results as normal. Can anyone explain why defragmentation is not supposed to work? Why does it work in the CTM program when applied to snapshots ?

Thanks wrightrh5

Read the first 3 pages of every board of CTM (at your leisure time), I’m sure your knowledge and understanding of CTM would be greatly enhanced.

Well James321888 I did as I was told and did some reading. A number of points come to mind. Contrary to what all the experts say my windows defragger does work and proviiding I take a snapshot afterwards and use it, it appears that I have a defragged system. I had CTM installed on three family laptops, one with XP3 and two with Vista SP2. Snapshot restoration worked ok on all three but any operations that involved other software and MBR were nasty. As well as the restore function I like to have a drive backup so that I can avoid reinstallation of the operating system and all this entails. I therefore took two backups of the XP system using Macrium Reflect which is very good with offering options for the MBR in the backup. One was a normal backup of the current snapshot (Windows file sytem), the other a sector by sector raw backup. In both cases I opted for retaining the existing MBR in the hope that the CTM boot console would be included. Well the first backup (current snapshot restored ok except that CTM did not function and had to be reinstalled. The second backup sector by sector which I expected to be ok was disastrous. No restoration ,no MBR. nothing. MBR could not be repaired. Make of that what you will. So for me CTM just won’t do. I’ve uninstalled it from all three machines. Any software that tampers with the MBR should know what its up to.

Another user lost :cry:

the people need to understand that ctm take a total control of what is readed in the hard disk, when a program reads or write in any sector of the hard disk, thats not really is the case,

so if anyone what to run a
1:sector backup
2:defragmentation
3:wipe free space
4:full disk encryption
5:or do any task that require a low level read/write (sectors),

its absolutely obligatory to uninstall CTM first or the program doing the task will think its done correctly when it isn’t

Thanks kinemitor. Absolutely right.

Wrightrh5, I appreciate you did read through threads in the forum, because I really think it would help just anyone who has genuine interests in CTM. CTM and similar software like Rollback Rx and Eaz-Fix all hook up their paths in the MBR, as for them to work properly they have to initiate before the Operating System.

Though ordinary users are strongly advised not to make backup image of system with CTM installed ! More computer-savvy users did make image (with CTM installed) that’s operable when restored, it involves “cold-imaging” and sector-by-sector backup of whole hard disk together with MBR backuped and restored. The process is rather time-consuming and involves some know-how and therefore not suitable for ordinary users.

As with your decision to uninstall CTM, it’s really your personal choice. ( Computer users should NOT rely on CTM as the final solution in case of system crash, the last defence is always the good-old image backup done with CTM uninstalled )

For your information James I selected Reflect for my backup because it was able to carry out sector by sector backup. It also allows a choice of MBR . I chose to keep the existing MBR with CTM installed . A logical choice would you not agree? I’ve used Reflect many times before and with CTM installed is the only occassion that caused a mishap. CTM has a lot going for it but judging by the forums it is not yet reliable and to attempt to operate it without problems imposes too many restrictions. I dont know what CTM does to the MBR but the fact that you can end up with an MBR that is corrupted and unrepairable is unfogiveable.

Did you install and use Macrium Reflect on the system that you backuped ?

Yes, I’ve been using Reflect for sometime.

Paid or free version?

It needs to be done with “cold imaging” !

Free version. As I explained before one of the backups ( the one I expected to succeed, but didn’t )
was done with "cold imaging ".

Hi, the free version of macrium is not capable of doing a “cold” image.This is done outside windows enviorment
by booting the image programs rescue disk and then create an image of the OS drive/partition.

Hello Shemp,
With respect the paid for version of Reflect will not create an image from the rescue CD. Both the paid for version and free version CD’s are exactly the same and do not contain the option to create an image. The only software I know of that will do this is “Shadow Protect” which is quite expensive. It would seem the only option is to uninstall CTM to carry out a successfull restore operation. As CTM is free some people might consider this an option. I don’t. Its very restictive and can be hazardous as I’ve found out.

Hi, :slight_smile: yes the paid version will indeed create an image from the rescue disk.It requires using the Bartpe or the Winpe rescue disk that comes only with the paid one.
Hope that is of some help.

Back again Shemp. Apologies , I’ve never used the BartPE rescue disc so didn’t realise. This is now also offered in the free version. Have also discovered that Paragon backup and restore Advanced Free V11 will also do the necessary.