Restore just boot.ini

[WilliamRoberts]

Hi,

Running XP Home, single boot, True Image v9.

Wow....great program. I've done several full disk restores lately and it's done the do every time without a single hiccup.

Tonight I made a bad edit to boot.ini, couldn't boot, and thought I'd restore just boot.ini from TI backups. Sounded quicker than using recovery console. But, I couldn't find boot.ini anywhere in TI backup. Since it recreates it during a full restore...it has to be there somewhere. WAG: Are hidden files also hidden in TI backups?

Tks

[Acronis Support]

Hello WilliamRoberts,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please make sure that you use the latest build (3567) of Acronis True Image 9.0 Home 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.

Please create the bootable rescue media with the latest build, boot your computer from it and then restore your boot.ini file. It locates in the root directory of your system partition.

Thank you.
--
Tatyana Tsyngaeva

[WilliamRoberts]

Good morning,

I have the latest build and have backed up and checked archives.

If I open TI through start/programs/Acronis and select restore an individual file or folder....boot.ini and other system files are displayed in C:\

If I use either F11 or the boot disk, boot.ini is not shown anywhere?? (Along with a few other system files that are located in C:\)

I'm trying to understand why it (boot.ini and other individual files) shows up when using TI within Windows....but not when using F11 or the boot disk?

[PhilipManwaring]

Since you can see it from within Windows, why not restore it from within Windows? If Windows won't let you overwrite it, you could restore to another folder, boot to DOS and make the copy while Windows isn't running.

[WilliamRoberts]

I can see it now, because I did a "full" restore of C:\

Once I restored the root drive, I checked:
start
run
acronis
recovery
Acronis Secure Zone
Restore Specified Files or Folders

Then I expanded C:\ to view available individual files in the backup, which are listed below. The first five are available through F11 or boot disk, but the last eight are 'not'.

config.sys
installer.txt
adobedebug.txt
adorage-protocol.txt
autoexec.bat
==========================
io.sys
msdos.sys
ntdetect.com
ntldr
vsnap.idx
cirtpart.dal
boot.ini
pagefile.sys

Although I've already fixed my bad boot.ini problem, I'm trying to determine why some files show one time, but not another. It's all the same image file, just accessed differently.

Is this normal?

[TheWeaz]

Well, I just booted from the CD, went through the same recovery steps and I get the same results. (I didn’t check for all the files, but boot.ini and io.sys were missing)
When you boot from the CD you’re in Linux, right? Is there some kind of Linux setting that would hide certain files? Similar to the Windows “hide system files” (or whatever it is).

[Howard Kaikow]

Originally Posted by WilliamRoberts

Hi,

Running XP Home, single boot, True Image v9.

Wow....great program. I've done several full disk restores lately and it's done the do every time without a single hiccup.

Tonight I made a bad edit to boot.ini, couldn't boot, and thought I'd restore just boot.ini from TI backups. Sounded quicker than using recovery console. But, I couldn't find boot.ini anywhere in TI backup. Since it recreates it during a full restore...it has to be there somewhere. WAG: Are hidden files also hidden in TI backups?

Tks

Set windoze explorer to show hidden files, and while you are at it, to show file extensions.

[TheWeaz]

Originally Posted by Howard Kaikow

Set windoze explorer to show hidden files, and while you are at it, to show file extensions.

The problem is that the files do not show up when using the Recovery CD. They do show up when running TI in Windows.

[WilliamRoberts]

Originally Posted by TheWeaz

When you boot from the CD you’re in Linux, right? Is there some kind of Linux setting that would hide certain files? Similar to the Windows “hide system files” (or whatever it is).

Interesting question. I don't know. There is a small window as Recovery is booting that says (roughly) "Enter Linux kernnel command line" and "Quiet" is pre-entered. I assumed that "OK" had to be clicked to finish loading recovery. But I just clicked "cancel" and I couldn't tell any difference (TI recovery still loaded).

I did make a backup this evening of using the select files or folders option. I selected just boot.ini and it is does show in Recovery. (It took 50 minutes though for TI to backup just boot.ini)

[Menorcaman]

Originally Posted by TheWeaz

Well, I just booted from the CD, went through the same recovery steps and I get the same results. (I didn’t check for all the files, but boot.ini and io.sys were missing)
When you boot from the CD you’re in Linux, right? Is there some kind of Linux setting that would hide certain files? Similar to the Windows “hide system files” (or whatever it is).

Hi TheWeaz,

Well, this is all very strange . I've just booted from my Build 3567 rescue CD and opted to restore "Files & Folders" from a full "Disk or Partition" archive. No problem seeing all the system files.

Probably not relevant in your's and William's case but worth checking nevertheless - have you set any exclusions under Tools > Options > Default backup options > Source files exclusion ?

Regards

[WilliamRoberts]

Haven't set any exclusions. They are not actually excluded...they are there... just don't show in Recovery. It's a puzzle.

[Menorcaman]

Originally Posted by WilliamRoberts

<SNIP> It's a puzzle.

Strewth!! You can say that again . Hopefully someone can come up with a reason/solution.

Regards

[Howard Kaikow]

When using the recovery CD are you using "safe" mode or "windows" mode.

In "safe" mode, it is my understanding that you are booting with *ix and *ix may be hiding the hidden files.

Try the full windoze mode and make sure that windoze explorer is set to show hidden files and file extensions.

[Menorcaman]

Originally Posted by Howard Kaikow

When using the recovery CD are you using "safe" mode or "windows" mode.

In "safe" mode, it is my understanding that you are booting with *ix and *ix may be hiding the hidden files.

Try the full windoze mode and make sure that windoze explorer is set to show hidden files and file extensions.

Pardon .

The rescue CD "Safe" mode uses a combination of DOS and the user's motherboard BIOS routines.

The rescue CD "Full" mode (and the F11 Startup Recovery Manager) is based on Linux, which I can confirm does (or at least it should!) show hidden files and folders.

[TheWeaz]

I’ll try to test later, but I wonder if the location of the image has any bearing (Secure Zone vs. external HD).
I have all my systems set to display everything and always boot into Full mode. I was trying to duplicate the OP’s procedure, so I was using a partition backup stored in the ASZ and using the “specified files and folders” option.

[TheWeaz]

I have 2 partition images created minutes apart, one in the ASZ and one on an external HD. I get the same results from both images.
From within Windows: Recovery, select image, Restore Specified Files or Folders, either Original Location or New Location (both have same results), Contents Selection screen shows “boot.ini”.
From 3567 Recovery CD Full Mode: Recovery, select image, Restore Specified Files or Folders, either Original Location or New Location (both have same results), Contents Selection screen DOES NOT show “boot.ini”.

[Menorcaman]

Seems that we have uncovered another "anomally" in True Image 9 .

The reason I could see my boot.ini file after booting into the Linux recovery mode and trying a Files and Folders restore from a Disk/Partition image was that its file attribute was not set to Hidden. If I repeated the exercise after setting the attrib to Hidden it was no longer visible. Same thing happened to Config.sys if I set its attrib to Hidden.

So it looks as if you can't restore Hidden files from a Disk/Partition image after booting into the Linux recovery mode.

Regards

[TheWeaz]

Good sleuthing!

[WilliamRoberts]

Bingo Menorcaman. That solves the puzzle. Worked for me also to remove hidden attribute. Perhaps Acronis will correct this in a future update.

[n4wi]

Originally Posted by WilliamRoberts

Hi,

Running XP Home, single boot, True Image v9.

Wow....great program. I've done several full disk restores lately and it's done the do every time without a single hiccup.

Tonight I made a bad edit to boot.ini, couldn't boot, and thought I'd restore just boot.ini from TI backups. Sounded quicker than using recovery console. But, I couldn't find boot.ini anywhere in TI backup. Since it recreates it during a full restore...it has to be there somewhere. WAG: Are hidden files also hidden in TI backups?

Tks

boot.ini is in the root of C drive but it is a hidden file. I have my file options set to see hidden files but you still can not see it. I mounted a backup and could not see boot.ini. So I went to the DOS prompt and run a DOS program called Norton Commander, a very old program but it works from the North Commander Window I see it as a hidden file both in the mounted backup as well as my C drive. You need a copy of a dos program that will let you see hidden files. Then you could copy it. My email is: n4wi@bellsouth.net
Fred

[Acronis Support]

Hello everyone,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay with the response.

Please be aware that the issue with hidden files not being shown in the Full mode of Acronis Rescue Environment is already known and will certainly be fixed in the future builds of a particular product. I'm afraid that the exact time frame for the fix to be implemented is not decided yet. We are very sorry for your inconveniences.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov

[Menorcaman]

Thank you Alexey,

Perhaps someone from Acronis Support could post back here once they know the bug has been fixed.

Regards

[Acronis Support]

Hello Menorcaman,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Sure, I'll certainly notify you when the problem will be fixed.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov

[Acronis Support]

Hello everyone,

Please note that this issue was fixed and the fix will be included into one of the next build of the appropriate version Acronis True Image.

We may recommend you to log into your account, go to "Subscriptions" at the left and checkmark the two following items: 'Notify me about critical updates for my registered products' to be up on updates list.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov