Frequently Asked Questions

What is entire machine backup?

Entire machine backup is the complete backup of a computer — including the operating system, system files, programs, and boot files — enabling entire machine restore during disasters. In case of an operating system crash, you simply need to run the bootable recovery and select the target hard disk for restore. This will create a partition similar to the partitions of the original computer and restore the OS to its earlier state.

Entire machine backup enables seamless OS restore by backing up both the system and the boot file. Backup to the cloud is direct and does not require any additional storage for a local copy.

In addition to cloud backup, IDrive allows the selection of network computers or network-attached storage (NAS) locations as the destination for entire machine backup.

For recovery limitations, click here.

How do I perform entire machine backup?

To perform entire machine backup,

1. Launch the IDrive desktop application.
2. Sign in with your IDrive username and password. If your account is configured with private encryption, provide the private key.
3. Click 'Clone/Computer Backup'.

4. The 'Clone/Computer Backup' screen appears. Click 'Entire Machine Backup'.

5. Go to 'Backup'. Based on the desired target location, select the 'Online Backup' or 'Local Backup' or 'IDrive Express™ Backup' radio button.
   
   

   Note:

   a. Cloud backup is direct and does not create a local backup copy.
   b. In the case of local or Express backup, choose a target drive for backup from the dropdown list.
   
   
   
   
6. Click 'Schedule Now'.
7. The 'Schedule Backup' screen appears. Create a schedule for performing regular entire machine backup and click 'Save Changes'.

How do I perform an entire machine backup to a local device?

To perform entire machine backup to a local device,

1. Go to the 'Entire machine backup' screen via the 'Clone/Computer Backup' section.
2. Under 'Backup' select the 'Local Backup' radio button.
3. Click and choose the desired local backup location. Click 'Schedule Now'.

4. The 'Schedule Backup' screen appears. Create a schedule for performing regular entire machine backup and click 'Save Changes'.

How can I perform Entire machine backup to a network mapped drive/NAS Drive?

In order to perform an entire machine backup to a network mapped drive/NAS drive, you have to map your network location to your system.

To perform the backup operation,

1. Click the 'Clone/Computer Backup' button. The 'Clone/Computer Backup' screen appears.

2. Click 'Entire machine backup'.

3. Select the 'Local Backup' radio button.

4. Browse the backup location for selecting the network mapped drive/NAS drive as the location.

5. Click 'Schedule Now'.
6. Enter your username and password to authenticate network mapped drive/NAS drive.

7. In the 'Schedule Backup' screen create a schedule for performing regular entire machine backup and click 'Save Changes'.

How can I perform entire machine backup to a Network location or Network attached storage location?

To perform the backup operation,

1. Click the 'Clone/Computer Backup' button.

2. The 'Clone/Computer Backup' screen appears. Click 'Entire machine backup'.

3. In the 'Entire machine backup' screen, select 'Local backup'.

4. Browse a backup location to create the entire machine backup.
5. Click 'Verify access to a network location for backup'. The 'Network Details' popup will appear.
6. Enter your NAS/Network UNC path (''<\\IP Address or Computer name\dir'')>, username, and password to validate.

7. Click 'Schedule Now'. Schedule the backup to perform the backup operation to a network computer location and click 'Save Changes'.

What is the minimum space required for creating a shadow copy of a volume?

IDrive uses the VSS service to capture point-in-time data of the system. It requires a minimum space of 1 GB, per volume, for shadow copy creation.

Which hardware RAID versions support Entire Machine backup?

The following RAID versions support Entire Machine backup:

1. RAID 1
2. RAID 0
3. RAID 1 + 0
4. RAID 0 + 1
5. RAID 5

For recovery limitations, click here.

How do I restore the entire machine backup folder from the local backup to an external drive?

To restore the entire machine backup folder to an external drive,

1. Launch the IDrive desktop application.
2. Sign in with your IDrive username and password.
3. Go to 'Backup', click and select the location where the backup was performed and click 'OK.
4. Go to 'Restore' and select 'Local Restore'.
   
5. Select the 'IDMachineBackup' folder.
   
6. Click and select the external drive.
   
7. Click 'Restore Now'.
   

How can I perform Entire Machine Restore from a Network Location?

1. Connect the WinRE boot disk (USB bootable flash drive) to the computer.
2. Launch the computer from the USB to boot to the Windows Recovery Environment.
3. The Entire Machine Restore wizard will be displayed.
4. Sign in to your IDrive^® cloud backup account.
5. In case your account is configured with private encryption, you will be prompted to enter the private key. Provide the private key to proceed.
6. Select 'Local Restore'.

7. Click . Select location popup will appear.

8. Click 'Verify access to a network location for backup'. The 'Network Details' popup will appear.

9. Enter the UNC path ("\\IP Address or Computer name\dir") of Network\NAS location, your username (domain\username), and password for network authentication. Click 'Validate'.
10. Select the entire-machine-backup folder (IDMachineBackup) from the network location.
11. Select the hard disk to which you wish to restore the entire-machine-backup folder.
12. Click 'Restore Now'. A popup message will request confirmation as restoring a machine backup will overwrite all existing content of the drive. Click 'Yes' to proceed.
13. You can view the progress of the restore on the Entire Machine Restore window. Once the restoration is complete, select your hard disk in BIOS and boot your computer to get the operating system.

How do I create a bootable USB flash drive to restore entire machine backup?

To create a bootable USB flash drive,

1. Plug a USB flash drive into a running computer.
2. Run the 'Command Prompt' window as an administrator.
3. Use the following command to view the list of disks :
   DISKPART > list disk
4. Use the command given below to select a drive:
   DISKPART > select disk X
   Here 'X' is the drive number or drive letter of the USB flash drive.
5. Use the command given below to delete all the data from the USB flash drive:
   DISKPART > clean
6. Enter the command given below to create the required partition.
   DISKPART > create partition primary
7. Use the command given below to select the required partition:
   DISKPART > select partition 1
8. Use the commands given below to restore MBR machine backup partition (legacy):
   DISKPART > format fs=ntfs quick
   DISKPART > active
9. Use the commands given below to restore GPT machine backup partition (UEFI):
   DISKPART > format fs=fat32 quick
   DISKPART > active

Why am I being prompted to activate my Windows license after an entire machine restore?

Your Windows license links your product key, which stores your activation codes, to your machine's hardware configurations. Therefore, in case of a hardware change, Windows may prompt you to re-activate your license.

To resolve this issue in the case of a retail license, simply enter the product key on the new machine and reactivate the Windows license.
Note: Retail licenses can only be installed on one machine at any particular time. Avoid activating Windows on multiple computers with the same product key.

In the case of an OEM license, however, your product key is linked to your machine's motherboard and is non-transferrable. To secure OEM license activation for a restored machine, you will need to contact your OEM-license provider. IDrive cannot assist you with third-party licensing issues.

Can I perform Entire Machine Backup on my computer with BitLocker or EFS (Encrypted File System) encryption enabled?

No, you cannot perform an entire machine backup on computers with BitLocker or EFS (Encrypted File System) encryption enabled. To perform an entire machine backup, you must disable the BitLocker or EFS (Encrypted File System) encryption from your computer.

What files are excluded from entire machine backup?

Pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys, and symbolic link files to different volumes are not considered for entire machine backup.

Does entire machine backup support dynamic disks?

Yes, entire machine backup supports dynamic disks with simple volumes.

For recovery limitations, click here.

Which software RAID versions support Entire Machine Backup?

The following software RAID version supports entire machine backup:

1. RAID 1
2. RAID 0
3. RAID 5

Does IDrive support entire machine backup for MAC users?

Currently, the entire machine backup is only available for Windows users.

I am getting the message 'No bitmap data available for the drive. Run the 'chkdsk' command on logical drives (NTFS) to perform an incremental scan' in my backup logs. What should I do?

IDrive may perform a full system scan, if there is any inconsistency in the file system within the backed up machine. To resolve this issue and perform an incremental scan,

1. Navigate to 'Start' > 'Command Prompt', and run as administrator.
2. Run the following command:
   chkdsk <DISK>: /f /r
   Where, <DISK> specifies the drive letter of the partition to be checked. Checking the drive C: may require you to reboot the machine.

Does the entire machine backup perform backup of Microsoft Onedrive?

Entire machine backup will backup OneDrive if the OneDrive file \ folder is saved on the local drive. You will need to disable OneDrive's 'Files On-Demand' feature to save the files / folders locally.

To disable OneDrive's Files On-Demand feature,

1. Right-click the 'OneDrive' icon on your system tray and select 'Settings'. This will open the Microsoft OneDrive 'Settings'.
   
2. Uncheck the box under 'Files On-Demand'.
   
3. Click 'OK' to confirm disabling of the 'Files On-Demand' feature.
   
4. Click 'OK' under OneDrive Settings and save the changes. OneDrive files and folders will now be available on the local device and will be backed up during the next entire machine backup.

Further, you can choose the files and folders to backup from your OneDrive folder.

To select the OneDrive files / folders for backup,

1. Right-click the 'OneDrive' icon on your system tray and select 'Open your OneDrive folder'.
   
2. Select the folders / files you wish to backup.
3. Right-click and select 'Always keep on this device'.
   

These files and folders will now be available on the local device. The next backup operation will backup these OneDrive files and folders.

Why is the file count of the entire machine backup folder more than the files uploaded to the cloud?

In addition to the files uploaded from the machine, we upload supporting files (ACL). Therefore, the entire machine backup folder(IDMachineBackup) will show a higher file count.

Can I use the Archive Cleanup feature for entire machine backup data sets?

No, the Archive Cleanup feature is not supported for entire machine backup data sets.

Are there any limitations for entire machine backup?

IDrive Entire Machine Backup provides comprehensive data protection, securing all data on your computer with the ability to restore it in the event of a disaster. However, please note the following:

Recovery Limitations: The restoration and booting of your computer from an entire machine backup may not be successful in all scenarios. Factors such as dissimilar hardware, boot file issues, RAID configurations, or other unforeseen circumstances may cause the restore process to fail. It is not guaranteed that a successful backup will restore the system to its original state under all conditions.

Alternative Recovery Options: If a full system restore fails, users can still recover individual files and folders from their backups, ensuring that critical data remains accessible.

Users are advised to regularly test their backups and ensure compatibility with their system's hardware to mitigate potential recovery issues.

Check supported RAID versions here

How do I restore files and folders from entire machine backup?

You can easily restore your files and folders from entire machine backup.

To restore,

1. Go to 'Restore' and select 'Online Restore'.
2. Select 'IDMachineBackup' folder and choose the files/folders to restore.
   
3. Click to choose the desired 'Restore location'.
4. Click 'Restore Now'.

How to create a bootable WinRE restore media for entire machine restore?

In order to initiate a WinRE-based entire machine restore, you need to create a bootable USB or media device using the IDrive^® Restore Media Builder app. You can use this bootable WinRE-based recovery media to boot up a Windows computer on which restore needs to be initiated.

To create a bootable recovery media,

1. Launch the IDrive^® Restore Media Builder setup.
2. Select 'Burn to USB Drive'.
   
3. Choose the required USB drive as the target disk from the dropdown.
4. Choose the desired partition style from the dropdown.
   
5. Click 'Create Bootable USB'.
   
6. Click 'Yes' in the confirmation popup to format the selected USB drive.
   
   
   The selected drive associated with the disk will be formatted completely.

A bootable ISO file will be automatically downloaded and the entire content inside the ISO file will be copied to the selected USB thumb drive.

The progress will be displayed on the screen. You will be notified once the bootable USB device is created along with further instruction to use the bootable device.

If you are using a WinRE media with wireless network support, then follow steps 1 through 4 mentioned above and perform these two additional steps before clicking ‘Create Bootable USB’.

• Click the 'Select updated ISO' checkbox.
  
• Browse and select the 'SystemWinRE_Updated.iso' file.
  

How can I build a bootable WinRE media that includes wireless Wi-Fi support?

To create a WinRE media with support for a wireless network, follow these steps:

1. Launch the IDrive^® Restore Media Builder setup.
2. Select 'Driver Injection'.
   

3. Select the 'IDrive System WinRe ISO' by browsing.
   
4. Select the Wi-Fi drivers folder.
5. Click 'Add Drivers To ISO'.
   

An updated ISO with the selected WiFi drivers added to it will be created.

How to obtain or copy the IDrive folder from the WinRE environment?

Once you close the WinRE Restore wizard, the Command Prompt will open.
Use the following command to copy the IDrive folder to the USB hard drive path:

xcopy

Here is an example:
If the USB drive letter is E:\, use the command given below:

xcopy "X:\ProgramData\IDrive" "E:\IDrive" /s /e /i

How can I find the path of the Wi-Fi driver used by my computer?

To be able to connect to a Wi-Fi network via WinRE, you need to add the relevant driver for your machine to the IDrive^® Restore Media Builder. Use 'Windows Device Manager' to know which Wi-Fi drivers are used by your system.

Follow the steps detailed below to find the Wi-Fi driver associated with a target machine:

For Windows 8 or Windows 10

1. Right-click the 'Windows Start' button.
2. Select 'Device Manager' from the list.

3. Select 'Network Adapters' in the 'Device Manager' window and click the carat (>) next to it to view the list of all the network adapter devices in the system.

Note: A device having an exclamation mark indicates that the device or its drivers are not installed properly. Fix the issue by installing the updated drivers or reverting to the previous drivers before progressing.






4. Select the 'Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4 Wireless Network Adapter' from the list as it is used for Wi-Fi (wireless connections) on the computer in the cited example.

Steps to find the driver used for the selected wireless network adapter:

1. Double-click the preferred 'Network Adapter'.
2. Select 'Driver', in the 'Properties' window.


Note down the 'Driver Date' and the 'Driver Version' for future reference.

In the given example, the details are as follows:

Driver Date: 28-Oct-2016

Driver Version: 4.0.3.262

3. Click 'Details' in the 'Properties' window.
4. Select 'Inf name' from the drop-down menu in the 'Property' section.


The driver for the Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4 Wireless Network Adapter in the given example is:

OEM42.inf

Dated 28-Oct-2016

Version 4.0.3.262

Steps to find the location of the driver in the Windows OS

This guide uses the Pnputil to find the Wireless Network (WiFi) driver. Pnputil is a utility that helps to manage device drivers in a Windows OS and determine the driver file location.

1. Open the Admin Command Prompt in administrator mode. Note: The path 'C:\Windows\system32>' indicates that the prompt has been opened as an administrator.
2. Run the following command:

pnputil /enum-drivers

3. A list of all the device drivers on your computer (including both the 'Published name' and the 'Original name') will be displayed.
4. Find the 'Published Name' OEM42.inf from the list and verify the date and the driver version. Once confirmed, note down the 'Original Name' of the driver, as this will help you to discover the driver location. In the cited example, the original name of the Wireless Network (Wi-Fi) driver is 'netathr10x.inf.'
5. To locate the Wireless Network (Wi-Fi) driver, run the following command:

dir infame /s

6. In the example below, we have run 'dir netathr10x.inf /s' and received this output:

The output will show the path to the driver file location in the 'Windows Driver Store File Repository'

7. Note down the folder path and install the IDrive Driver Injection tool to provide the Driver folder. Add the Driver folder to the WinRE-based Recovery media.

How can I restore the IDMachineBackup folder which is restored from IDrive Cloud or Express Device to External disk?

To restore the entire machine to an external disk you must download and double-click the WinRE ISO file to mount it. Copy the entire content to a USB bootable flash drive and follow the steps below:

1. Connect the WinRE boot disk (USB bootable flash drive) to the computer.
2. Launch the computer from the USB to boot to the Windows Recovery Environment. The Entire Machine Restore wizard will be displayed.

3. Click '2-step restore.'

4. Click . Navigate and select the entire machine backup folder (IDMachineBackup), pre-downloaded from your IDrive cloud backup account or local backup or express backup for restore.

5. Select the hard disk to which you wish to restore the entire machine-backup folder.

6. Click 'Restore Now.'

A popup message will request confirmation as restoring a machine backup will overwrite all existing content of the drive. Click 'Yes' to proceed.

You can view the progress of the restore on the Entire Machine Restore window. Once the restoration is completed, select your hard disk in BIOS and boot your computer to get the operating system.

What are the various Wi-Fi authentication methods supported by IDrive WinRe?

The different authentication methods supported by IDrive WinRe are as follows:

• WPA3
• WPA2-Personal
• WPA2
• WPA2-Enterprise
• WPA2PSK
• WPA-Personal
• WPA
• WPAPSK
• Open System Authentication