Unable to boot Clonezilla on brand new Spectre X360-14 OLED with Core® Ultra 7 155H

[LROBBINS]

I actually own this computer, bought from https://www.hp.com/it-it/shop/ but your system will not accept the Product Number copied directly from the invoice!

This is a brand new Spectre X360-14 OLED with Intel® Core® Ultra 7 155H.  It is my fourth X360-14, and the only one that has this problem.  For many years I have been using Clonezilla as a safe, Windows-independent, disc image maker that boots from a mini Linux VM.  IT WILL NOT BOOT ON THIS MACHINE, but after a delay I get the message ""Timed out for waiting for the udev queue being empty".  Clonezilla works perfectly on my 6-month old S360-14 OLED with Intel® Core™ i7-1255U  and on a much older one with Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7. 

I have had an extended discussion with Steven Shiau, lead developer of Clonezilla, and neither he nor I have been able to find a workaround.  For example, I have tried Clonezilla with the latest Linux kernel, and with many older ones, and all fail in the same way.  His last message was "Well, in that case, it seems the Linux kernel just can not support your hardware. Maybe you have to wait for newer Linux kernel.", but I suspect it's a flaw in either the Ultra 7 or in the BIOS.

Do you have any suggestions for me?  If not, can you pass this up the HP chain to make sure someone is aware of this?  Lastly, if I can not get Clonezilla to work, do you have a recommendation of an imaging application that I can use on multiple Windows machines at a bearable cost?

Thanks,

Lenny Robbins

[personal information removed]

[WAWood]

Sorry, but we're just a bunch of part-time volunteers not associated with HP.  We have no channels for passing anything to the HP hierarchy.

The Windows imaging app I use is Macrium Reflect (MR) -- but they shutdown the free version the end of last year. Now, the free version is only a limited time trial. The paid version can be bought in license packs, which makes it affordable across a bunch of PCs, but it that still is going to cost something. -- I think it was around $200 for a six-pack of licenses. And it's a subscription plan now -- although that only applies to updates, not to continued usage.

A free alternative I use is Hasleo Backup Suite. It does not have all the features of MR but it is free and it does allow you to create a boot option to do system recovery from stored images. And they keep updating it with features every few months so that now, it nearly matches the features of MR Free.

[LROBBINS]

Thanks.  I was aware of Macrium, but I certainly will take a look at Hasleo.  I am looking for secure, bootable, compressed, bare metal backup, not bells and whistles.  I do know that Community is a community of users, but some HP employees do keep an eye on it too.  Ciao, Lenny

[LROBBINS]

Thanks for your suggestion of Hasleo Backup Sweet.  After reading some reviews I downloaded it as it does far more I need.  There were some teething problems using it, but hasleo support has been very prompt with workarounds and error message diagnostics.  I have made two system backup images of the OEM Win11 on this new Spectre, and am now overwriting it with Win10-LTSC.  Microsoft has not yet released an LTSC version of Win 11, and "normal" Win 11 would be a disaster for the most important use of these PCs - as my daughter's wheelchair-mounted, 2-switch controlled, speech device.  Pop up windows, notices, nags and what have you are the equivalent of gagging her. 

I'd prefer a Windows-indipendent imaging solution, but until one is able to boot Linux on this computer that's not available.  HP Customer Support just says:

Unfortunately HP doesn't support the Linux OS,

To find an alternative for the cloning software please contact our store support ...

It is not clear whether it is the Ultra i7, or the AMI Bios that's blocks linux install, or whether a fix is possible in the Linux kernel.  Steven Shiau (lead Clonezilla developer) is hoping for the last of these, but I can't wait because my oldest (1st gen) Spectre X360 is on its last legs.

Ciao,

Lenny