Basics: AlienRespawn Tip: Using a USB 3.0 Flash Drive

*** Update: 1/25/2014 Click HERE to read more. ***

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if this has been shared, but I've seen conflicting posts about using a USB 3.0 flash drive as opposed to a USB 2.0 flash drive. With that in mind, I decided to give a shot to using a USB 3.0 flash drive and the following is what occurred... AlienRespawn accepted the USB 3.0 just fine, and everything seemed to be going smoothly until I tried to restore the system using said USB. For some reason, AlienRespawn gives the USB 3.0 flash drive a corrupted Boot Manager file after creating a system backup using AlienRespawn. Therefore, I was forced to do the following:

What do you need?

• A Windows Operating System installation disc.
• An 8GB (or greater capacity) USB 3.0 flash drive.

Process: After you've backed up your system using AlienResepawn...

1. Insert the USB 3.0 (with the system image) into a USB port.
2. Insert the Windows Operating System disc.
3. Load (boot from) the Windows OS disc as if you were going to install Windows.
4. Before beginning installation, enter the "Repair your computer" option.
5. You will come to a menu, just hit "next."
   
   
   Spoiler

   
6. Let the Startup Repair run and it will automatically detect that USB 3.0 flash drive. This may take several minutes, I believe mine took about 15 minutes.

Once the repair is complete, your USB 3.0 flash drive with the AlienRespawn system recovery on it should work flawlessly. Note: I still recommend creating recovery discs! It will require two DVD-R's of 4GB capacity each.

Hope this helps. :thumbsup:

 

Thank you, Sir!! I have 2 USB 3.0s that didn't work as a respawn.......now I can salvage them...thanx again.

 

Yeah, no problem. I literally just tried it this morning and it worked. I may have missed a step or something, but it's pretty self explanatory after step 4.

Hopefully Alienware can resolve this issue now that their systems are all USB 3.0.

 

SWEET! Thanks for this helpful information. +1 Rep :thumbsup:

Added a link to index: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...reads-posts-see-post-1-index.html#post8338685

 

Cool! :thumbsup:

 

This is good to know...I plan to have both DVDs and USB backups to be safe.

 

It would seem as though they have solved the issue I was having in this thread with the newest Alienware systems which have the latest AlienRespawn. I created a USB 3.0 recovery drive on my latest system replacement and I wanted to see if it would work without issue, and guess what? It did. So, if you update AlienRespawn or have a new system (deployment date of January 2014 or later), you should be able to avoid this process. :thumbsup:

J.Dre

 

Nice thread, I found it after encountering a respawn issue with my new AW14 which was deployed in August 2013. Windows 7 HP factory installed. As I always create recovery media (two sets - one USB, one DVD) at the outset, I wanted to test them before wiping the recovery partition on the stock HDD.

Respawn created the images just fine. I used an 8gb 2.0 drive and two DVD-r's. Went to test out the USB and ran into problems. The process started well enough, but then a message saying something similar to "can't complete if using a 3.0 port". Now, that's pretty dumb, especially as ALL the USB ports are USB 3.0 !!

So, I open up AWR and check for updates - comes back with no updates available and that I have the latest version of AWR which states 9.4.67

Anyway....the version that is installed on my Win 7 based machine is obviously the older style GUI and not the Windows 8 looking GUI of the version of AWR found here: http://www.alienrespawn.com/en-us/Index2.html - I recall from my experience last time in trying to install the new version on my old M18xR1 that it was all FUBAR'd after installation. Messed up GUI and would not work.

Is that still the case?

Well, I went ahead and uninstalled the older version of AWR and downloaded the newer Windows 8 style GUI version from the link above. Installed it - rather hesitantly expecting a messed up GUI like before - success!. I'll have a stab at re-creating recovery media and see if it is usable......



Okay, successfully re-created a AWR USB drive (2.0) and F12'd to test....no joy....still telling me to use a non-USB 3.0 port. ??? - checked for updates for AWR (yet again) and up to date. Does this specifically require a USB 3.0 thumb drive ???

 

Yeah, I think the new version requires USB 3.0.

The issue in the main post is in regards to USB 3.0 & old version of AW Respawn. The newer version and USB 3.0 has no issues whatsoever.

 

Gotcha. Thanks Bro - have to go buy a 3.0 drive now......

 

Sure, no problem. By the way, if you need a good USB 3.0 drive to use, I bought some of these and have been using them for Alienware's for a while now: Amazon.com: ADATA Superior Series S102 Pro 16GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive (AS102P-16G-RGY): Computers & Accessories

You probably already know this, but for others who don't, 8GB's will suffice to backup your Alienware, but the 16GB is only a few dollars more.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll see if I can lay my hands on one (or two or three ) of 'em in the UK.