What is with all this talk of backtracker??

[CoryBee]

Why is it so important to make a backup and then restore it onto your new hard drive?

Why can't I just wipe everything and start from scratch. Then install Windows 8.1 and all the drivers from the ROG site?

I did this with my G750JZ and have never had an issue, I think I got 1 or 2 BSOD while running 3 - 4 Virtual machines at once. But I routinely do this so...

Someone want to hit me with a bucket of enlightenment?

[Richdog]

Making a backup of a stock machine just secure you against any worst-case scenarios, so you can restore the system to working settings. It's not rocket science.

[QC_AGENT]

You want the ability to restore it w/ the factory setting for the following reasons:

A) You might want to sell it in a year or two and offer the opportunity to the buyer to get the Laptop in full factory condition, like new.

B) You might get an hardware problem. You will need to recover the LapTop at factory settings to make sure your problem is not bound to your clever set up and to facilitate the Asus Warranty services

Personally, I always keep the ability to restore my valuable stuff in new condition. I Keep the OEM box, small plastic bags, tiewrap, foam and owner's guide. I just sold my G75 to finance my G751. The buyer was very pleased to get it in pristine like new out of the factory condition.

[CoryBee]

QC_AGENT wrote:
You want the ability to restore it w/ the factory setting for the following reasons:

A) You might want to sell it in a year or two and offer the opportunity to the buyer to get the Laptop in full factory condition, like new.

B) You might get an hardware problem. You will need to recover the LapTop at factory settings to make sure your problem is not bound to your clever set up and to facilitate the Asus Warranty services

Personally, I always keep the ability to restore my valuable stuff in new condition. I Keep the OEM box, small plastic bags, tiewrap, foam and owner's guide. I just sold my G75 to finance my G751. The buyer was very pleased to get it in pristine like new out of the factory condition.

I figured that was the case, thank you.

I just wasn't sure if there was something special about these I overlooked.

[hmscott]

CoryBee wrote:
I figured that was the case, thank you.

I just wasn't sure if there was something special about these I overlooked.

CoryBee, there are also odd things that occur with clean installs that don't happen with the stock Asus build, likely due to drivers streamed during their builds that take priority over default Windows drivers causing different issues than the Asus build, and Asus can't help you debug those because they aren't running your special from scratch Windows install.

Some with from scratch Windows installs have USB 3.0 speed issues that those with the Asus build don't, there is no clear fix for this.

Those with the G750JM started getting fewer crashes with 344.11 driver, and most have no crashes on 344.65/70/75, but those with a from scratch Windows install still have occasional BSOD's.

The Asus utilities I uninstall can be uninstalled in a few minutes, and I can restore from the Asus Backtracker or a Macrium Reflect cloned image and get to the same Asus build as Asus has for support in a shorter time than I can do a from scratch Windows install.

I uninstall: Asus Splendid, Asus Power4Gear, Asus Live (update), Asus Gaming Mouse, Cyberlink Power2Go, AsusDVD, Asus Vibe 2.0.

Having the same install as Asus when reporting problems, reporting test results, and sharing tests steps and observations is possible with the original Asus OS install. As soon as you tell Asus you have your own install they discount everything.

The same for sharing on the forum, if you have a different install than the others on the forum, then your results may be in question and not comparable to everyone that has the Asus install.

There is no performance advantage to doing a from scratch Windows install.

The Asus Backtracker backup lets you set your original HDD aside, and make any HDD/SSD an original Asus Windows boot drive. It is the only media backup for recovery available, you can't purchase a recovery DVD/USB from Asus.

Be sure and test your recovery flash drive after creating it successfully,, to make sure restore works - some USB 3.0 drive controllers fail the restore even after successfully completing the create. Remove any original HDD/disks from the laptop when doing a restore - the restore will blow away the partitions on any disks it sees when starting the restore.

Creating the Asus Backtracker flash recovery drive is the first thing everyone should do with their laptop before risking losing the ability to create it 🙂

[ammar_2520]

QC_AGENT wrote:
You want the ability to restore it w/ the factory setting for the following reasons:

A) You might want to sell it in a year or two and offer the opportunity to the buyer to get the Laptop in full factory condition, like new.

B) You might get an hardware problem. You will need to recover the LapTop at factory settings to make sure your problem is not bound to your clever set up and to facilitate the Asus Warranty services

Personally, I always keep the ability to restore my valuable stuff in new condition. I Keep the OEM box, small plastic bags, tiewrap, foam and owner's guide. I just sold my G75 to finance my G751. The buyer was very pleased to get it in pristine like new out of the factory condition.

Hi
is it works with the new ASUS G751 JT that version without SSD?
to move system and recovery partition from HDD to New Ssd?any experience with Windows 8.1

[hmscott]

ammar.2520 wrote:
Hi
is it works with the new ASUS G751 JT that version without SSD?
to move system and recovery partition from HDD to New Ssd?any experience with Windows 8.1

ammar, several people have reported that Asus Backtracker works great to backup the recovery partition on the original HDD (you have to do this while booted on the original HDD), and then they use the recovery flash drive they created to restore to their new SSD, and it boots fine. A couple of things to note.

The Asus Backtracker creation of the USB 3.0 16GB flash drive may erase other USB devices, a couple of reports of this, but they likely accidentally selected their other USB storage for the restore, don't do that, be safe and remove all other USB storage from the laptop before starting to create the USB 3.0 16GB flash recovery drive.

When doing the restore to the new SSD, physically remove the original boot HDD and any other HDD/SSD that is in the 2nd bay, as the first thing that Asus Backtracker recovery flash drive will do is to erase all the internal disks it see's, create new partitions, and then start the restore - it will erase your original HDD if it is installed. Best to put the new SSD where the old HDD was installed, and put the original HDD aside to keep safe.

Have fun 🙂

[ammar_2520]

hmscott wrote:
ammar, several people have reported that Asus Backtracker works great to backup the recovery partition on the original HDD (you have to do this while booted on the original HDD), and then they use the recovery flash drive they created to restore to their new SSD, and it boots fine. A couple of things to note.

The Asus Backtracker creation of the USB 3.0 16GB flash drive may erase other USB devices, a couple of reports of this, but they likely accidentally selected their other USB storage for the restore, don't do that, be safe and remove all other USB storage from the laptop before starting to create the USB 3.0 16GB flash recovery drive.

When doing the restore to the new SSD, physically remove the original boot HDD and any other HDD/SSD that is in the 2nd bay, as the first thing that Asus Backtracker recovery flash drive will do is to erase all the internal disks it see's, create new partitions, and then start the restore - it will erase your original HDD if it is installed. Best to put the new SSD where the old HDD was installed, and put the original HDD aside to keep safe.

Have fun 🙂

i did like advised me previously,
1. I downloaded Asus Backtracker after reading these forums.
2. I installed Asus Backtracker on a Sansdisk Cruzer 32gb thumb drive that I just bought that is usb 3.0 and 2.0 compatible.
3. I returned my factory HDD to factory default using the Backtracker off my thumb drive without issue to make sure the thumb drive would read appropriately.
4. I then uninstalled my HDD drive and installed my new SSD drive into the bay that the HDD drive had come out of.
5. I plugged my thumb drive in along with the newly installed SSD drive and powered up.
6. Asus Backtracker started up but then gave me an error that it could not read from the USB thumb drive.

but the result is the same.
Tried several USB 3.0&2.0 flash drives on all USB ports on laptop,and 2 different SSD (EVO 840 & SANDISK ULTRA ii) but all attempts failed.
And showed me the same error.....



Any thoughts on what I can do next?

[hmscott]

ammar.2520 wrote:
i did like advised me previously,
1. I downloaded Asus Backtracker after reading these forums.
2. I installed Asus Backtracker on a Sansdisk Cruzer 32gb thumb drive that I just bought that is usb 3.0 and 2.0 compatible.
3. I returned my factory HDD to factory default using the Backtracker off my thumb drive without issue to make sure the thumb drive would read appropriately.
4. I then uninstalled my HDD drive and installed my new SSD drive into the bay that the HDD drive had come out of.
5. I plugged my thumb drive in along with the newly installed SSD drive and powered up.
6. Asus Backtracker started up but then gave me an error that it could not read from the USB thumb drive.

but the result is the same.
Tried several USB 3.0&2.0 flash drives on all USB ports on laptop,and 2 different SSD (EVO 840 & SANDISK ULTRA ii) but all attempts failed.
And showed me the same error.....



Any thoughts on what I can do next?

ammar, answered first post here:

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54292-G751JT-CH71-Asus-Backtracker-to-SSD-problem&p=454279&...

[CoryBee]

Many thanks scott!

Now, I need to run my hard drive in MBR mode not GPT. Can the backtracker software clone onto an MBR formatted drive?