Not all disk operations can be performed within a Windows system. Sometimes a computer cannot start because its Windows OS is damaged, and that requires an emergency disk restoration. Running Windows itself prevents other software from making major changes to its system or other locked disks. And there are non-Windows computers that need to be served but where R-Drive Image cannot be installed and run. R-Drive Image provides a solution for these cases - its startup version. It's available in all R-Drive Image versions: Standalone, Corporate, Technician, and Commercial.

This article provides you with information on how to create and operate the Startup version of R-Drive Image.

The First Glance:
The Startup version is available in the same convenient and familiar graphic user interface as its Windows version.

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The most important tasks are supported: Create Image, Restore Image, Copy Disk, Create image from files, Partition Manager, and Check Image.

There's also a Text User (pseudographic) variant of the program for problematic, non-standard, and unsupported graphic cards.

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With the RDI TUI startup version, you can: Create an Image, Restore from an Image, Disk to disk copy, Check an Image file. A mouse and/or keyboard are supported.

Types of R-Drive Image startup versions
There are two types of R-Drive Image Startup version: Linux-based and Windows PE-based. They have different lists of supported devices and their own advantages and drawbacks.

The Linux-based version: it's smaller in size, doesn't require any additional Windows components to be installed, and a little bit faster. The Text User interface is based on the Linux version, too. On the other hand, it requires Secure Boot disabled and cannot work with BitLocker-encrypted disks.

The Windows PE-based version: it's much larger and requires that some additional Windows components be installed prior to creating a startup device. But it works with enabled Secure Boot and BitLocker-encrypted disks (provided that the necessary key files, passwords, and other credentials are available).

Creating a startup device/file of R-Drive Image
The Linux-based version
This operation is straightforward and performed directly from the R-Drive Image Main panel.

1. Select a device for the startup media. It can be an internal or external USB CD/DVD burner with a blank CD/DVD disc or a connected FAT32-formatted USB pen drive. Note that all data on these media will be deleted while creating the startup media.

2. Run R-Drive Image and select Create Startup Disks on the Main panel.

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The Linux-base version will be selected by default.

3. Select the device you want to create the startup media on and click the Next button.

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4. Click the Configuration button and adjust the troubleshooting options if necessary.

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You may read more about them in our online R-Drive Image help: Create Startup Disk.

5. Verify that all parameters are OK on the "Total operations list" panel and click the Start button.

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> R-Drive Image will start creation of the USB startup device, showing its progress.

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It shouldn't take long.

This device can now be used to boot your computer.

The Windows PE-based version
Creating a startup device based on Windows PE is trickier, as it almost always requires installing some additional Windows components, and thus a working Internet connection is required.

and click the OK button.

and click the OK button.

> Windows will start installing the necessary Windows PE components.

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Don't forget about your privacy!

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Don't forget about your privacy!

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Accept Microsoft Software License Terms

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Check that only necessary features are selected

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and click the Install button.

Windows will start installing the selected Windows components.

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Click the Close button when the installation is over.

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Now click the OK button.

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Windows may require downloading and installing some other of its components. The process for that is the same.

Then return to the Create Startup Disks panel.

5. Click the Next button

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and continue creation of the startup media in the same way as for the Linux-based version.

Licensing and activation
Every licensed R-Drive Image copy requires registration and activation to continue its operation upon its trial period expiration (1 month). You may read more about this process in our online help: R-Drive Image Registration.

The same activation procedure is applicable to the Startup version of R-Drive Image with one exception: no activation is required if the program starts on the same computer where the startup media is created, provided that the license hasn't been transferred to another computer.

As for other computers, each start of the Startup version on another computer needs the license to be transferred to that computer.

Such license transfers are subject to license terms and restrictions. In short:
Standalone and Corporate versions: The license can be transferred only forward. This means that the license activated on Computer A can be transferred to, and activated on, Computer B, but it cannot be transferred back from Computer B to Computer A.
Technician and Commercial versions: The license can be transferred forward and backward, that is from Computer A to Computer B and back to Computer A from Computer B.

You may read more about license transferring and activation in our article R-Drive Image Standalone and Corporate license transferring.

R-Drive Image Startup.
The Linux-based variant:
1. Make sure that the first startup device in the system BIOS is the required drive. Disable Secure boot in the system BIOS if your computer is certified to run Windows 8 and later.

2. Connect the USB disk or insert the CD disc and start your computer.

> A startup screen will appear:

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3. Select the necessary option and press Enter.

Windows PE variant:
1. Make sure that the first startup device in the system BIOS is the required drive. You don't have to disable Secure boot in the system BIOS if you use this variant.

2. Connect the USB disk or insert the CD disc and start your computer.

Don't forget to hit any key on the keyboard to make your system start from the Startup version media.

A standard Windows startup screen will appear.

Using the Startup version of R-Drive Image
If you're starting another computer (not that where the Startup media was created), the Activation window will appear.

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Obtain the Activation Code and enter it.

We will discuss two most often and important cases for the Startup version: restoring data to a system disk and using Partition Manager for the system disk. The third case, serving a non-Windows computer, is discussed in our article: How to backup and restore disks on Linux and Mac computers using R-Drive Image.

You may also consult our online help for R-Drive Image if need be.

Restore data to a system disk
For some reason, the hard drive turns into a raw disk without any partitions. It's necessary to recover data to the system disk from an existing image of this disk. The Startup version was created on this computer. We'll use the Linux-based variant.

1. Start your computer with the Startup media.

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and select R-Drive Image GUI (Graphic Mode). Wait for R-Drive Image to start running.

2. Select Restore Image on the Main panel

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3. Select the necessary image file and

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click the Next button.

4. Drag the image to the empty disk.

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5. Verify that the Copy all partitions onto original places (copy as is) option is selected

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and click the OK button.

6. Verify that all disk partitions are in their correct places

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and click the Next button.

7. Verify that all operations are listed on the Total operations list

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and click the Start button.

> R-Drive Image will start restoring the image, showing its progress.

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R-Drive Image will show the Disk image restored successfully message when the image restoring is over.

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Using Partition Manager
Due to a failure of a certain disk management software, the system partition (Disk C:) appeared somewhere in a strange place on the disk.

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The Disk Management utility cannot move or resize this partition. We'll use the Windows PE-based variant created on another computer.

It's a very good practice to back up all important files before any serious disk operations.

1. Start your computer with the Startup media.
The Activation window will appear because the Startup media was created on another computer.

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Obtain the Activation Code and enter it.

The Activation successful message will appear.

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The R-Drive Image Main panel will appear.

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2. Select Partition Manager on the Main panel.

3. Hold and drag the left edge of the system disk to the leftmost possible position.

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4. Verify that the system partition occupies all the available space

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and click the Next button.

5. Verify that all operations are listed on the Total operations list

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and click the Start button.

> R-Drive Image will start moving and resizing the system partition, showing its progress.

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R-Drive Image will show the Operation(s) completed successfully message when the image restoring is over.

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Windows will do some restoration work when starting your computer,

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and then successfully complete the startup process.

Go to the Disk Management utility to verify that the system partition is returned to its original place.

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