True Image 9.1 network backup extrimely slow

Tried to post in another thread, no answer. This time (may be) better.

True Image 9.1 3886 running on a

- Dell Dimension 4400 (P4 + 768MB RAM + HD Ultra ATA 120GB 7200RPM + network adapter @ 100Mbit/s) with WinXp + SP2 + latest patches + NOD 32 2.70.32 + Zone Alarm 6.5.737.000

network backing up on a

- Dell Dimension 4400 (P4 + 768MB RAM + RAID 5 array controller 3Ware Escalade 9600s with 4x320GB@7200rpm SATA disks + network adapter @ 100Mbit/s) with Windows 2003 server Standard Edition + latest patches + NOD 32 2.70.32 + Windows 2003 firewall.

Options selected
- Backup (first time, no existing set)
- Disk image
- Differential
- Maximum priority & network speed
- Fast incremental/differential backup enabled.

Just to backup 28GB of disk image, the projected time was shown between 12/15 hours.

Unacceptable..

Unbeleivable, also because CPU and network was complitely offloaded on both sides and network file copying operations FLY
Went home.

The day after, 24 hours later, ATI9 was still running with 1:51 left, when it stopped working!!

Apart form getting stuck, there must be a reson why it is so slow. It looks like ATI9 is sleeping.....

Can somebody help?

 

Sounds like the network card isn't supported.

First, upgrade (free) to the last build of TI 9 and try again. If the problem is resolved, the new build has better NIC drivers for your system.

If the backup still takes months, try the new version 10 Trial. If that's fast, then upgrade to TI 10.

 

What it means the NIC isn't supported? The backup goes on but slowly...

I am using the latest build: 3886.

More money? I've just paid 100USD.........

 

Forgot to mention: running from Windows

 

Hello Blutarsky,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Workstation Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for the delayed response.

First of all, please make sure you use the latest build (3887) of Acronis True Image 9.1 Workstation. To get access to updates you should first register your software.

Note that you should also update all components including Acronis Agents, Acronis Management Console, Acronis Backup and Group Servers, Acronis Universal Restore (if any) as it is obligatory for all components to be of the same build in order to interact correctly. Also it is recommended to create new Bootable Rescue CD after installing the update.

If the issue persists with the latest build, please create Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post on both computer (name the created files appropriately).

Could you please back up workstation locally and later copy the created image archive to networked shared folder on server with Windows 2003 Server? Please let us know how long it takes.

Having collected the above information submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

I've performed the updates and went through a full image backup (partition size 120GB, used only 28GB) at boot time and it was performed in 1:40; 50% bandwidth usage on server side.

Then I've started WIndows XP and I've performed a differential backup with perfromance set to maximum. Dunno why but ATI9 backuped 600MB (why so many if just went through a full image??) in 35 minutes. Network usage (client side) 3%.

Conclusion:

- At boot time ATI9 soars and roars, in Windows it is a tortoise.

Questions
- on a differential backup, does ATI9 requires to read the whole full image?

 

Hello Blutarsky,

Yes, in order to create differential backup Acronis True Image analyzes the initial full backup and includes all the changes made since this full backup archive into differential backup.

Please note that since imaging operates on a sector level the incremental or differential backup created after an active usage of operating system might be considerably larger than usual. Please also have a look at this thread for details.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

FWIW, I struggled about a year ago w/version 9 with horribly slow network backups and gave up. I (foolishly) upgraded to V10 becasue I'd really like to get this working, but network backups are still impossible -my full backup would take something like 50 hours! I previously sent all the files requested by Acronis Support and they never had a solution. Seems like after all this time, they still don't. Pretty unvelievable as there have been quite a few posts about this problem.

Is ANYONE at Acronis Support willing to admit that this is a problem and if so, is anyone willing to try to fix it rather than give lip-service??

 

Wow, that's a bad new.
Could it depend on ATI architecture?

I did have a go with boot time network backup and it was a ligthning. The backup was so speedy that the server (receiving data) was down on it's knees in terms of bandwidth usage.

But the runtime version no. Myabe ATI has some problems locking the volume? Or maybe the backup would be so CPU intensive that the system could become unusable...or what?

I really hope they'll solve the problem or will ask for a refund.

 

Lots of luck on the refund!

Back w/version 9 I checked what was being written to the server with the Sysinternals FileMon program and found that TrueImage was writing to the server every 11 seconds. Each write was almost instantaneous, but there was an 11 second delay between each write. I told them this but they never responded.

Their customer service is about the worst I can imagine.

bert

 

I hope ours is just one of few cases..... Acronis built its fortune on TI product line.

Can it really be so badly designed?

 

Hello bertsirkin,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Since you were in touch with Acronis Support Team please let me know your Acronis request # which was sent to you in autoreply to your letter? I will find out how the investigation of your issue is going and provide you with further instructions if needed.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

Hello Blutarsky,

Please download the latest version of Acronis drivers, unpack the archive, install unpacked MSI package and perform the backup to the network share.

If the issue persists, please do the following:

- Replace C:\WINDOWS\system32\snapapi.dll with the one from the downloaded SnapAPI archive;

- Reproduce the issue and collect the log file;

- Get the log file without closing any application windows (including the error message windows if there are any). The log file will be created at C:\ . The name of the log file will be snapapi [date-time].log

Please also collect the log file from Acronis True Image 10.0 Home, which contains the operation results. In order to do so please do the following:

- run the program;

- select Show log on the toolbar or from the Tools menu;

- select the log with error messages;

- click "Save the log entry to file" (the diskette icon)

In addition, please Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post on both computers.

Then submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

Aleksandr, I've done what you asked but didn't receive any answer from support. It's two days now.....

 

Programming 101. Just a mostly (but not completely) unrelated example.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/165942

Whether you use write() or fwrite() don't flush, don't seek, don't stat, don't close until you're done. If you use fwrite() leave the buffering alone.

Methinks maybe Acronis doesn't own a Server 2003 with RAID 5.

 

I think you've answered in the wrong thread.

Nevertheless I'll take advantage to put in evidence that it is not a server side problem. In the same scenario, performing a boot time backup, the performance is excellent.

 

Hello Blutarsky,

Please note that as far as I can see Ilya Rudenko is working on this issue. Follow the instructions he provided to collect the information for investigation.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov