OK, I think I've wasted enough time, now, so I'm turning to "more capable" expertise than mine (obviously)..
As the subject line implies, I've been backing up Windows 7 Pro (64-bit) to a network drive dedicated to backups (in fact, this 5 TB drive is named"PCBackups"...). And since it made sense to have Win7 also create a 'backup image' as it performed the weekly backup, my thought was that if this scenario was to happen to me (first time with this Dell Opti, I might add...), I could save myself the 'grief' of having to install Windows "from scratch", the 400+ updates to both Windows and MS Office, all my software, all my documents, all the 'mapped drives', the network printers...etc.etc. ... ad infinitum...
So, two nights ago, the SSD I had installed in this 'rebuilt' OptiGX755, took a nose dive, so I picked up another at the local retailer (IMHO, it's amazing how inexpensive these have now become..Wow!) and I've been trying to figure out how to get this image back on the new SSD as 'easily' as possible. But, after wasting WAY too much time trying to figure this out myself (with no success), I just have to ask for some help... No matter what I've tried, I simply cannot 'boot' from the "System Repair Disk" that was created, and then successfully access the network-shared resource (which is this 5 TB disk) in order to make this happen.. So - uh - please... help a guy out...?
Just how the heck is this performed with this Opti GX755..? It must be something as simple as needing the network drivers in the 'Advanced' radio button so it can 'see' and access the network .. or am I totally 'off the wall' here?. I ask because, when I do an "IPCONFIG " command from the command line, it does not appear to receive a DHCP assigned IPv4 address,.. So that's why my 'hint' is that it's a 'network driver issue' ... and IF that's the case, then those who might be familiar with the Opti GX755 may already know it uses an Intel 82566DM-2 gigabit Ethernet interface. I've downloaded what I consider every driver I can find, but "try as I might", I guess I am unable to 'install' the proper network drivers so I can access the server where this image is held... BTW: I have had to do this on another PC, but the 'system restore disk' must've been able to supply the necessary network drivers, because it 'saw' the network almost immediately and I got to the backup disk with no problems. But that's obviously "not happenin' " with this Opti GX755.
Anyone care to "lend a hand' in helping me to get this 're-imaged'...? By this time, I'm certainly not saving any time or frustration, but I would like to know how this is accomplished since we have two more of these Opti GX755's around the office, and I have no doubt that we'll be so lucky as to NEVER have to do this again... And it'd be really great to have this done pretty shortly - like sometime this month? (sorry, my facetiousness is showing, again ... ). Uh - "step-by-step" would be a GREAT help, here... And thanks in advance to anyone who can give me 'the clue'...
