True Image 8 Rescue Problem

I am trying to use Acronis True Image 8 (most current rev.) on my notebook and storing my image files on a Freedom 40Gb external USB FHD2 device. I upgraded from the light version to the full version and then proceeded to make a rescue CD and store a complete backup on the FHD2 device. In fact I created two separate images just in case.

Now I need to use Acronis as my notebook will not boot into Windows XP. By using the rescue CD I can get to the GUI interface and can select My Computer C: (really the FHD2 drive) and, under the back-up folder, I can see the tib files that I created. When I select either of them however, I get a blank screen that asks me to highlight a partition or a disk to restore but there is nothing there to select.

I disconnected the FHD2 drive from my notebook and connected it to my desktop and the tib files are there. What is the problem? I have done the "acpi=off no apci" and that has not helped.

I need some ideas as I use my notebook for work.

Thanks - Vince1

 

Vince,

1. Can you "browse" the image?

2. Did you do an "Integrity Check" on the image at any time?

3. Did you "totally unininstall the "light version" before installing the full version? I have seen numerous posts here regarding removing any old versions first before installing a new one.

 

No, I installed the upgrade over the light version = problem #1 as it created an OEM version of the rescue disk. I solved that problem and am able to boot into TI8.

I did verify the images on the external drive and they are OK. I am having problems now with TI8 allowing me to select my real C: drive (internal laptop) as the destination drive so that I can restore from my virtual C: drive (external drive). My real C: drive is greyed out on the menu leaving only the external drive to be selected.

I have Go Back on my laptop and I think that this may be problem #2 as TI8 says it doesn't recognize the format of that drive.

Thanks for your ideas,

Vince1

 

Hello Vince1,

Thank you for choosing Acronis True Image (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/).

We are really sorry for the inconveniences.

Could you please clarify whether you can choose your internal disk as a destination or not? Your first post shows that you can't but the second one tells that you can. Also please disable Norton GoBack for it may result in some problems when using Acronis True Image.

Please describe in details what you are doing to restore the image.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Yes, I was able to restore from my external drive to my internal drive using TI8. It will then boot into Windows XP and everything looks OK but as soon as I turn it off and restart the notebook, I get a black screen with a blinking curson.

I boot from the rescue CD that I made from TI8. I go through the restore Image GUI that comes up. I restore from my D: drive (FHD2) to my internal IDE drive in my notebook. It takes about 50minutes to do it and then I click OK and I am into Windows but I cannot reboot without going through this process again.

I even tried to use Windows System Restore to go back to a date prior to installing TI8 but that didn't work either. Go Back is disabled but it still will not boot unless I run the rescue disk and then to an image restore and then only until I turn the notebook off.

Help,

Jeff

 

Sorry but I just tried something that I thought you would like to know.

If I reboot my notebook without the CD rescue disk and quickly hit F11, I get a GUI that asks if I want to Use Acronis TI8 or if I want to continue to boot into Windows XP. I selected Windows XP and now it loads. Is this normal? If so can I uninstall TI8 to go back to my normal boot sequence with does not add this manual step into the process? I am nervous about deleting the software as I may never be able to get back to Windows XP again.

Jeff

 

Hello Jeff,

Could you please insert a diskette into the floppy drive and run the file available by the link below?

http://www.acronis.com/files/support/mbrautowrite_en.exe

Once the floppy is written, boot the computer from it and confirm that you want to fix the master boot record. Please do not forget to set the floppy drive as your first boot device.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

First of all, Thanks so much for your help! I think I'm making progress.

Unfortunately my notebook does not have a floppy. Can I do this from CD?

Jeff

 

Hello Jeff,

Yes, you may use the CD.

Please use the following ISO image to create a special CD:

http://www.acronis.com/files/support/mbrautowrite_en.iso

You can read how to record a CD with an ISO image at the following links:

http://trb.org/publications/burning_iso.html
(Nero Burning ROM and Roxio Easy CD Creator)

http://members.home.nl/lsnoek/iso.htm
http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm
(other applications)

Once the CD is written, boot the computer from it and confirm that you want to fix the master boot record.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

I went out and purchased a USB floppy and followed your instructions using my home desktop PC.

I downloaded the uto_write file, executed it which placed files on my floppy. Those files are:

anykey.com, bootmenu.exe, bootwiz.cfg, bootwiz.sys, xfd093en.zip, and XFDISK.exe.

I then connected the floppy drive to my notebook, put the floppy in and rebooted using the floppy as my first drive. I got a message on boot-up that says Loading Acronis... then it asks me if I want to overwrite my MBR by pressing any key. I press return the floppy spins and I see a blinking curson on the screen below the verbage above. I then physically remove the floppy, physically turn off then on my notebook and I get a black screen with a blinking white cursor.

Did I do something wrong? It won't boot into Windows.

Jeff

 

WAIT WAIT WAIT - It may be working. I let it sit for about 15 minutes and I believe that I can now get into XP. I will send another note in a couple of hours after I test it a bit more.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

It worked!!!

I was able to fix my Windows Boot with the executable that you pointed me to and thereby boot directly into XP.

Post Mortem: Part of my problem, I believe was upgrading/not removing the OEM Acronis software with a full version that I purchased over the web. In addition my CD rescue disk was, in fact, for the OEM version even after upgrading over the top of the OEM version. How my Master Boot Record got corrupted, I don't know but that file fixed it.

Thanks for all your help,

Jeff

 

Dear Jeff,

We are really glad to hear that you have finally resolved this issue.

Thank you.

--
Andrew Berezovsky