Plug Image: Bug in TI 9.2337

OS is Win 2000 SP4.

Recently, I installed Acronis True Image 9.

Since then, I've been getting strange error messages periodically. The messages are for Event ID 50. The messages seem to come a few at a time, but at uneven intervals.

Event 50 issues WARNING messages of the form:

"{Lost Delayed-Write Data} The system was attempting to transfer file data from buffers to \Device\HarddiskVolumeN. The write operation failed, and only some of the data may have been written to the file."

Where the N in VolumeN varies, most recently, it was 15, 16 and 19, previously, it was 15,16, 19 and 21. The message is from ftdisk, I guess that's some windows service.

I tested both Ghost 10 and True Inage 9.

Using dmdiag, I can see that it is True Image that is generating, e.g, HarddiskVolume15 when I plug in the volumes from the backup.

Although I was able plug volumes yesterday.
Today, TI refused to do so until I uninstalled and re-installed TI.

Happily, I was then able to plug volumes and use dmdiag to confirm the above.

Of course, it gets worse.

After unplugging the virtual volumes via TI’s GUI, I then exited TI and took a peek at the event log.

Although, I have not yet seen any further Event 50 errors, I am seeing what are dozens, perhaps over 100, Event 11 errors (Source: Disk) of the form:

“The driver detected a controller error on \Device\HarddiskN\DR21.”

Where N is 6 or 14 or …, there’s likely an error for each of the virtual drives, but I am not aware of any way to save the event log detail to a file, so I cannot llok at it.

The actual hard drives are 0 to 5 and they have no errors.

It would appear that the TI Plug Image mechanism leaves something to be desired.

 

Hello Howard,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please make sure that you use the latest build (2337) of Acronis True Image 9.0 which is available at: http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/support/updates/

To get access to updates you should create an account at:
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/my/
then log in and use your serial number to register your software.

Could you please clarify when exactly you have received the error message? Please describe your actions step-by-step.

Could you please reproduce the problem and collect Acronis True Image log which can be saved from Tools -> Show Log -> Diskette icon.

Please create Acronis Report and Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post.

Please create an account, then log in and submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with the solution.

Thank you.
--
Tatyana Tsyngaeva

 

Here's further info:

Subsequently. I also received the following errors in the event log.

Event 26 issues INFORMATION messages from Application Popup that state:

"Windows - Delayed Write Failed: Windows was unable to save all the data for
the \Device\HarddiskVolumeN\$Mft. The data has been lost. This error may be
caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please
try to save this file elsewhere."

In this case, the N in HarddiskVolumeN was 18, 20, and 26, all virtual volumes created by Acronis.

In addition, I got the Event 50 errors I mentioned in my original thread on HarddiskVolume18, 20 and 26.

 

I already told you what version I used in my original posting.

1. Start TI.
2. Create virtual volumes.
3. Close virtual volumes.
4. Exit TI.

There is nothing in theTI log.

As occurred before, when I again start True Image, I am unable to create any plug ins. Previously, I had to uninstall, then re-install TI to be able to create plugins. so, this problem is also reproducible.

If I get a chance, I'll uninstall, then re-install TI and see what I can do.

 

OK, here's what I've done:

1. Uninstalled TI
2. rebooted
3. deleted TI files in ApplicationData, and verified none were in Program Files or Common Files
4. Used Acronis Report program, created reportBeforeRunningTI.txt
5. System Information created SystemInformationBeforeRunningTI.txt
6. dmdiag created dmdiagBeforeRunningTI.txt
7. Verified what was last event in event log, so I would know where to startlooking.
8. Started TI.
9. Clicked on Plug Images
10. Now, something unexpected. Windows popped up a message stating that a new device had ben found and I needed to reboot.
And lLug Images failed. My guess is that Windows/TI had not yet inmitialized the Acronis device after the reboot. I'd not previously seen this behavior.
11. Rebooted.
12. System Information to create AfterDeviceAddedSystemInformation.txt.
13. Started TI.
14. Clicked on Plug Images. Virtual drives were created for 9 of the 10 logical drives on the 3 hard drives. Not enough drive letters available to do the last drive.
15. Clicked on OK.
16. dmdiag created AfterPlugImage.txt.
17. Exited TI.
18. dmdiag created AfterExitTI.txt.
19. Used Acronis Report program, created reportAfterRunningTI.txt
20. System Information created SystemInformationAfterRunningTI.txt
21. SAved Event log listing for errors since starting TI in EventLogDuetoTI.txt.

All referenced files are being sent to Acronis in PlugImageBug-1.zip.
The event errors list has 482 Event code 11 errors.
I expect that the code 26 amd/or 50 errors mentioned elsewhere in this thread will show up sometime later today.

Note that I've seen the 26 and 50 error codes by installing TI in two different Win 2000 systems on my multiboot PC.
I did this to eliminate the possibility that GHost 10 was interfering with TI. The other OS does not have Ghost 10.

I wil report this problem to TI's support by attaching the .zip file to the report and giving them the URL for this thread.
I am willing to communicate with support in te following manner:

1. By posting here, they can read the thread.
2. By internet email at the address I used to registyer my product.
3. DEpending on where they are, by telephone.
4. I will not communicate using private messages in this forum or at a web site.

 

Just completed reporting problem to Acronis,now to decide whether to go straight to bed or to eat before doing so.

 

Hello Howard Kaikow,

Please be aware that having a meal before going to bed will be detrimental to your system.

Best regards

 

I know that, but my stomach was grumbling so loudly, the noise would have kept me awake.

Of course, I woke up at 15:00, so now my body is way off schedule.

 

IMNSHO, the evidence would indicate that TI is issuing some requests to
write on its virtual drives and update the MFT on those drives. But I might
be ending TI before those commands are finished. Of course, that would be a
TI bug, especially since the virtual drives are read-only,

My initial concern was that the references were to my actual drives. As the
references are to the virtual volumes, they do not affect my real drives.

I also suspect that, on the system that also has Ghost, the problem is more
visible as Ghost likely issues commands to use the same drive letters for
virtual drives and that causes windoze to try to finish off the orphan TI
requests.

I've already reproduced the problem by installing TI on a system without
Ghost.

Bye thee waye, running dmdiag when Ghost is running, I see that Ghost uses a diferent nomenclature for the virtual volumes. So the errors are not references to Ghost drives.