When you start our software the system reads at first all the connected drives. Such an issue can be caused by a medium the software cannot handle. It is possibly a USB drive which prevents a correct hardware recognition. Eject the drive cleanly and connect it again. If the issue persists, remove all the USB-drives and try to start the software again. If it starts properly, connect the USB-drives one by one until the one which leads to difficulties with the software is indicated. Please remove or disable especially cardreader if there is one.

Cardreaders with an inserted encrypted online-banking card can cause such problems quite often.

With the versions 14 of our Hard Disk Managers we introduced the new archive format “Virtual Disk” (VD). This format offers a lot of advantages over the ancient PBF format.

The versions 14 focussed on the old PBF format as standard backup format while the VD format was accessible as “New Backup Format”.

The new VD format is now standard in the versions 15. On the long run we plan to transfer completely to VD.

Of course the old backup format will not expire in the short term. It will still be available. But we don’t recommend to use it to create new backups.

The possibility to restore old archives will be assured for a long time.

To access the old PBF format and the respective options please click the tool symbol top right in the menu bar and select “Legacy Mode”.

Scenario: you’re trying to perform an operation using one of Wizards, and cannot proceed because “The wizard has found a hard disk it cannot work with” message appears

This can be caused by numerous reasons. To find out why the operation cannot be performed, select “Why the program cannot use my disks” to show description.

Possible causes:

Copy Hard Disk wizard

Refusal if:
– Only one hard disk detected, or other disks are virtual containers of unsupported by HDM format
– Only dynamic disks are installed, or only one basic disk connected
– All hard drives are empty or not installed at all
– No support for GPT to MBR conversion, and only two disks with different partition table type are connected

Warning – if at least two suitable disks detected:
– Some disks are dynamic
– No support for GPT to MBR conversion, and disks with different partition table type are connected

Copy partition wizard

Refusal if:
– No unallocated space detected at all on connected disks
– Only dynamic disks are connected, or unallocated space is present only on dynamic disk
– All hard drives are empty or not connected at all
– All partitions are encrypted using unknown algorithm (not BitLocker) and unformatted

Warning if:
– Some disks do not have unallocated space
– Some disks are dynamic

Migrate OS wizard

Refusal if:
– Operating system version is not recognized or not supported by current product version
– All partitions available for migration are located on dynamic disks
– Only one hard disk connected, or only dynamic target disks are available

Warning if:
– Selected OS takes too much space and requires excluding some files

P2V Copy wizard

Refusal if:
– All connected disks are dynamic
– Basic disk connected, but has unsupported OS installed
– All hard drives are empty or not installed at all
– All partitions are encrypted using unknown algorithm (not BitLocker) and unformatted

Warning if:
– Some disks are not supported

P2V Restore wizard

Refusal if:
– No supported OS detected in the archive

Backup to VD wizard

Refusal if (when trying to set up disk/partition backup):
– All hard drives are empty or not installed at all

Merge partitions wizard

Refusal if:
– All connected disks are dynamic
– All hard drives are empty or not installed at all
– No supported unencrypred file systems detected
– No neighbouring partitions with same unencrypted filesystems and type (promary or logical)

Warning if:
Some disks have no available configurations suitable for merge

Split partition wizard:

Refusal if:
– All connected disks are dynamic
– All hard drives are empty or not installed at all
– All file systems are encrypted or not present at all
– All partitions are system protected and cannot be resized

Warning if:
– Some disks have no partitions suitable for splitting

If you need help in resolving the issue, please submit new request to our Support team. Attach the screenshot and stubact.log file located in the “program” subfolder of the installation path.

Scenario: Opening any virtual machine driver from HFS partition, you get error: VMware Workstation – “Cannot open one of the virtual disks needed by this VM because it is larger that the maximum size supported by the host file system”

Cause: Windows file limitation for HFS is 2 GB

Solution: The most common cause is that, as the error message outlines, the underlying file system on which the VM is being run from doesn’t support larger files than 2GB. Your VMs VMDK disk will, in the majority of cases be bigger than this. For example a hard disk formatted with FAT32 will throw up this error.

Though not to worry all is not lost as you can tell VMware Workstation to skip checking any underlying disk file size limitations (ie: 2GB) by adding the following line to your VMs VMX file. Note: The VMX file is generally found in the same directory as your VMs VMDK file.

diskLib.sparseMaxFileSizeCheck= “FALSE”

If you are going to be moving VMs between PCs that have this 2GB file limitation then you should consider configuring any future virtual disks to use a set of files limited to 2GB per file. This setting is defined at the time of creating the virtual disk with VMware Workstation.

You can actually change the disk type after it has been created as well from the command line. In order to change your virtual disk to a growable virtual disk split in 2GB chunks, run the following command:

vmware-vdiskmanager -r sourceDisk.vmdk -t 1

As always, do make sure to have a working and recent backup before you run the above command. Just in case, so you don’t bump into problems if -for example- you run out of disk space.

Scenario: You perform copy or migration of activated Windows OS, and after booting from target disk, it asks to perform activation once again.

This happens because Windows operating system has noticed recent change of hardware.

When you make a significant hardware change to your computer, such as upgrading the hard disk and memory at the same time, you might be required to activate Windows again. This is designed behaviour of the Microsoft Windows.

For more information, see the following Microsoft KB article: Activating Windows: frequently asked questions

Scenario: You want to find out the build number of your Paragon program, for example for setting up a support request.

The following methods let you find the precise version (build number) of your Paragon program:

1. In our mayor programs you’ll find the build number this way:
   • Start the full scale launcher.
   • Depending on the version please start the menu item “Home” or “Tools” or “book symbol” => Help and Support => About (very old versions: menu item top right “Help => About this program”).
   • The build number is in the line after “Version Information” – for example “10.1.25.779”.

In den kleinen Werkzeugen wie “Go Virtual” oder “Migrate OS to SSD” geht das so nicht. Dort gibt es zwei Möglichkeiten:

2. open stubact.log
   • This log file resides in “C:Program FilesParagon Software[produkt name]program”. The build number is documented at the start of every program session in the line “Stub Version”.

3. “My Downloads”
   • In your customer account on “MyParagon” you’l find the menu item “My Downloads” in the left sidebar. If you select that one you will get your registered programs listed. Click on the “+” character before the respective product to unfold it. The line “Build:” shows your build number. Please consider that this is the most recent version of your program and not necessarily the version you have installed on your system.

The Paragon programs work very close with Windows. They make use of Windows services like VSS and Task Scheduler. Disks are managed with the command sets provided by Windows.

Of course Microsoft extends and improves these components our software depends on with every Windows release. Often these components are modified continously until the final release so the use of previews does not make much sense for our developers. They have an idea where changes have to be expected and prepare for that. But the fine tuning can not start before the final release of the respective Windows.

For these reasons a version of our programs providing compatibility with a new Windows version can be offered usually a while after the Windows release. Sometimes this can be hard to explain. The step from Windows 8 to 8.1 was widely announced as a minor release. But under the hood particularly the functions we rely on were heavily modified. That resulted in a serious delay of our compatible version.

We usually can adopt only our recent versions to a new Windows release. Our customers who own older versions will find “upgrade” buttons in their customer accounts offering a discounted purchase of the most recent version.

The following table gives an overview which build numbers of our software are compatible to a certain version of Windows. These build numbers refer to the Hard Disk Managers (HDM). Other products may start to be compatible with a slightly higher or lower number.

Compatibility with Windows:

* For HDM 12 came a version with build number 10.1.21.471, which does not exist for the versions 12 of the other programs.

How to find your program’s build number: [HowTo] determine the build number of a Paragon program.

“Crosslinked files” are a file system issue which can cause a damage of the file system in some cases. This error can occur during backups or partitioning.

To repair a damaged file system please execute "chkdsk /f /r". For more details about chkdsk please refer to [HOW TO] use CHKDSK.

The Archives database is maintained by the interface process (launcher.exe).

When you launch script using Run Now button, the archive is created using scripting engine (scripts.exe), and not added to the database.

For the archive to appear in the database, press F5 or Reload Disk (near the Apply button).

Scenario: You are trying to migrate OS to SSD of smaller capacity than the source drive, but with enough space to allocate the files from the source drive. You get “No free space” error.

Laptop users with additional OEM partitions on the drive often report this error.

Solution: Please use Windows Disk Management console (Start – Run… diskmgmt.msc) to Shrink C: volume to size lesser than SSD capacity.
Perform migration again, then Expand C: volume back.

The system will boot from the partition only if it has Active flag set.

To make partition Active:

1. Run Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Type:
   

   diskpart

3. Type:
   

   list disk

   Remember the desired disk number

4. Type:
   

   select disk #

   where # is the desired disk number

5. Type:
   

   list partition

   Remember the desired partition number

6. Type:
   

   select partition #

   where # is the desired partition number

7. Type:
   

   active

To remove Active flag:

1. Run Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Type:
   

   diskpart

3. Type:
   

   list disk

   Remember the desired disk number

4. Type:
   

   select disk #

   where # is the desired disk number

5. Type:
   

   list partition

   Remember the desired partition number

6. Type:
   

   select partition #

   where # is the desired partition number

7. Type:
   

   inactive

Scenario: you perform some operations in Windows, and when progress gets to specific stage, program stops working – “A part of Paragon system utilities has stopped working” window appears.

1. Go to Control Panel, open Administrative Tools, and then click Event Viewer.
   In Event Viewer, click Application.
2. Search: paragon
3. Find the corresponding entry and check the error description.

Component: ufsd.dll

Possible causes:

1. This component is used during performing operations on partitions with unsupported OS. The crash may occur if there are file system errors on this
   partition.
2. Check for geometry errors. Try fixing them by performing operations described in this article. Then perform chkdsk as described here.
3. VSS drivers: please refer to this article. Check output for vssadmin list writers and vssamin list
   providers.Enable HotCore
   Open Registry Editor (regedit), navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – SYSTEM – CurrentControlSet – Control – Class – {71A27CDD-812A-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F}
   Check the value of UpperFilters parameter. It must only contain “hotcore3”, no other values.
4. Recovery or System Reserved partitions are involved in the operation, and antivirus software is protecting them.
   Please try temporarily disabling software protection.

Warning: The driver \Driver\WUDFRd failed to load for the device Root\PARAGONBLOCKDEVICE\0000

Check Device Manager. Find these devices:

Universal Image Mounter
Universal Serial Bus Controller
User-mode block device

If there is an exclamation point icon on them, please install this update package.

If the problem still persists, please perform the operation using Recovery Media.

If the operation fails even in Recovery Media, go back to Windows.
Run the program.
Create the set of operations, but don’t Apply them. Generate script instead.
Navigate to the program fioder. Check scripts and scripts2 subfolders. Locate the created script file.
Move it to /program subfolder located in the installation path.

Delete “psi.out” from /program subfolder located in the installation path if it exists.

Drag and drop the script file to scripts.exe. Wait for the process to complete.

Send the following files to our Support team:

• Psi.out file that was just created in /program subfolder
• Windows event logs:
  Open Event Viewer. There will be three log files available – System, Security, and Application.
  We will need all three of them, so right-click on each, and select Save as File.
• Open the program, navigate to Home – Log Saver to save the log files.
  Send them to us.

Scenario: you create a backup using Backup to VD wizard, generate a script and schedule it, but only one backup is kept in destination directory.

Reason: script does not change file name

Solution: Edit script. Find the string with file name, it will look like this:

vd_store /path = “D:/Backup” /name = “Backup_HDD0_20160303_0938” /vendor = “PVHD”

Change to:

vd_store /path = “D:/Backup” /name = “Backup_HDD0_$(YEAR)$(MONTH)$(DAY)_$(HOUR)$(MINUTE)” /vendor = “PVHD”

Save the script. New backup folder  should be generated on next run.

When processing volumes with unknown file system, including protected system partitions or vendor partitions, it’s required to use RAW processing or skip them.

By default, required action is selected by user.

Using program settings, it’s possible to choose default action.

Scenario: You perform Backup to VD or Copy Hard Disk operations, and get “No free space” error

This error appears because there’s not enough space to create VSS snapshot on one of involved partitions, such as vendor/recovery partitions about 100-200 MB in size.

Solution 1: Disable Hot Processing

• If your product allows it, navigate to Home – Settings – Backup – Hot Processing options.
• Uncheck “Enable hot processing” box
• Repeat the copy/backup operation

Note: this solution does not apply to source objects currently in use, such as partition with operating system currently in-use.

Solution 2: Perform operations from Recovery Media

• Run Recovery Media Builder to create Recovery Media
• Boot from it
• Perform the desired operations

Launch HDM 15 based product – start recovery media builder Wizard and check “use ADK/WAIK” option

Press Next – if you don’t have WAIK/ADK installed press download button

Then browser will open with download page from Microsoft server

Press, “get Windows ADK for Windows 10” and then run ADKsetup.exe.

Select install to this computer in default folder – C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\

Install with default settings

Download and installation of needed packages will start, it will take some time

After installation finished close the Window and launch Recovery Media Builder Wizard again and press

Browse at ADK path window and select folder with installed ADK

Press ok and then press next

RMB creation process using WAIK/ADK as base for WinPe image should start now.

The Paragon programs work very close with Windows. They make use of Windows services like VSS and Task Scheduler. Disks are managed with the command sets provided by Windows.

Of course Microsoft extends and improves these components our software depends on with every Windows release. Often these components are modified continously until the final release so the use of previews does not make much sense for our developers. They have an idea where changes have to be expected and prepare for that. But the fine tuning can not start before the final release of the respective Windows.

For these reasons a version of our programs providing compatibility with a new Windows version can be offered usually a while after the Windows release. Sometimes this can be hard to explain. The step from Windows 8 to 8.1 was widely announced as a minor release. But under the hood particularly the functions we rely on were heavily modified. That resulted in a serious delay of our compatible version.

We usually can adopt only our recent versions to a new Windows release. Our customers who own older versions will find “upgrade” buttons in their customer accounts offering a discounted purchase of the most recent version.

The following table gives an overview which build numbers of our software are compatible to a certain version of Windows. These build numbers refer to the Hard Disk Managers (HDM). Other products may start to be compatible with a slightly higher or lower number.

Compatibility with Windows:

* For HDM 12 came a version with build number 10.1.21.471, which does not exist for the versions 12 of the other programs.

How to find your program’s build number: [HowTo] determine the build number of a Paragon program.

“Crosslinked files” are a file system issue which can cause a damage of the file system in some cases. This error can occur during backups or partitioning.

To repair a damaged file system please execute "chkdsk /f /r". For more details about chkdsk please refer to [HOW TO] use CHKDSK.

The Archives database is maintained by the interface process (launcher.exe).

When you launch script using Run Now button, the archive is created using scripting engine (scripts.exe), and not added to the database.

For the archive to appear in the database, press F5 or Reload Disk (near the Apply button).

Scenario: You are trying to migrate OS to SSD of smaller capacity than the source drive, but with enough space to allocate the files from the source drive. You get “No free space” error.

Laptop users with additional OEM partitions on the drive often report this error.

Solution: Please use Windows Disk Management console (Start – Run… diskmgmt.msc) to Shrink C: volume to size lesser than SSD capacity.
Perform migration again, then Expand C: volume back.