Acronis True Image won't format discs

Greetings,

I have a few Memorex dvd+ rw dvd's that I had used in a previous burning of my hard drive backup using ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE. These discs had been FULLY erased using Nero.

I was going to make a backup copy of my ide hard drive (80gb's, Win XP Pro) using these once used and now erased discs and have run into an unusual problem. (my burner is a fully functional "lite-on").

Every time I attempt to burn a hard drive image, the dvd rw discs, which are in good condition, get kicked out stating that the media "is poor" in effect. (Now remember, i have already "slow" formatted the discs and have only used these discs with "A.T.I." one time previously). I then reinsert the discs and used ACRONIS' format utility and I get the same thing and the disc kicks out.

I had this problem with a DELL back in January using ACRONIS T.I. and the only way the problem was solved was to use virgin and un-used discs.

This doesn't make sense as Nero erased the discs in question. I even attempted to use the program "ALCOHOL" which, when I used that program, said that ALCOHOL didn't recognize the disc format.

Anyone have any idea as to why (aparently) that ACRONIS seems to only work with "virgin" dvd-rw discs and not one that has been erased? Further, why will not ACRONIS erase nor format the discs?.....ANY advise (other then use fresh discs) would be appreciated!.....THANKS!

 

Forgive me if you feel you have already made this clear...

How are you trying to write to your disks?
1) Using them as DVDRWs through Acronis,
2) Using some sort of packet writing software, and accessing them through Acronis as some sort of removable media HDD.

I tried the second method years ago for all sorts of software and it just never worked.

If you are doing option 1), then there is a workaround. Make your backups to your HDD, and in the backup options select the option to split the files at DVD size (there is a drop down menu that gives the correct option). This way you will have a backup set that is split every 4.xx GB that you can then burn to DVD in Nero.

 

Try a different dvd burner. I've found that my Lite-On will sometimes not read some dvds that my NEC would. Also the Lite-On will not burn dvds properly whereas the NEC would. Most times though the Lite-On works.

 

Extra thought, and even further away from what you asked.

I don't know your circumstances, but for most an external HDD is a better option. DVDs degrade over time, and sometimes data on them does not read back in months/ years to come.

HDD are more reliable, they are also much faster. I just got an external USB 2 HDD, 120GB, bus powered (no separate power cord) for only £65.

 

***thanks for the reply, damn, that was fast!...i don't understand either of your questions. i should have mentioned that this is version 9. i ran through and have used this program before and it doesn't make sense that the lite-on drive will read, burn, etc. a virgin disc but, not one that has been previously used and erased as in my initial post.

 

***unfortunately, trying to utilize another burner is not an option at this time. i have taken the exact same discs and have run them through and "slow" erased them not only through my lite-on but, in another burner (PHILLIPS) i have in my DELL and get the same results although, i am not using ACRONIS in my DELL. somehow, the common denominator seems to be the discs.

 

***thanks for the reply...external hd not an option at this point.i have used ACRONIS before as in my intitial post and it only seems to work with virgin discs and not a disc that has been erased to be re-used. my discs were bought brand new in mid January of this year (2007).

 

Take a look at this post#3 which may shed some light on your issue https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=137868&highlight=Nero+format. This discussion was about V9 B3677. You didn't mention what version of TI you are running.

 

Same thing here.

We have the same here with an external HP DVD Wiriter (supports DVD-RAM). We are communicating with acronis support since August 2006. We had this problem with TI 9 (3649) and TI 10 with every build published since August 2006.

There is no possibility to write any DVD with TI (DVD+ DVD- DVD/RW DVD-RAM tested) on this writer.

Another external DVD Writer, an elder SONY (not supporting DVD-RAM) works excellent.

Until last week I thougt I'ts only a problem of the linux environment which is running from the rescue media cd because we never tried to make an image out of the windows installation of TI.

But now I found the HP DVD Wiriter isn't supported in Acronis TI 10 under windows either.

I've tested it with "Deep Burner Portable", a burning program which is running without installation - it worked. With Nero - no problem at all. With linux (booted "Knoppix") environment the writer works also good.

In conclusion it seems to be a single problem of TI. Not a windows not a linux nor an usb issue.

The acronis support is always very kind and sends new builds and testsoftware again and again - I'll ask for a contract of employment when I reach one year banana software testing for them.

sarcasm:ON
But they have all my understanding - they needed their resources for a whole redesign of their homepage. I'ts always necessary to assign priorities.
sarcasm:OFF

regards, aggronix.

no smiley - don't know if I should cry or laugh..

 

*****version?..yes i did, see post #5...i read something on the ACRONIS site between the versions of 9 and 10 (I have 9 as mentioned in post #5) as food for thought. i have turned on and off the "ask for disc" message and get no difference in performance. maybe there is a possibility that lite-on burners or ACRONIS hae some sort of "conflict" that was/is undetected in 9 but, may not span across version 10. I secured a brand new disc last night and it worked fine, go figure! i know my previously erased discs have been erased on two different burners (phillips and lite-on) and are indeed blank and not working. i cannot figure as to why the program "ALCOHOL" would not even recognize the disc, sending me an error message that "alcohol does not recognize disc format - unknow format (or similar). it seems that acronis could/should make some sort of a patch for "recognition" purposes for varios dvd burners, maybe that is a place to start.

 

You didn't mention what build number of V9 you are running. There were issues in the 3XXX builds with direct to DVD burning and using Nero to erase them. Quite frankly backing up to DVD (especially RWs') is more trouble then its worth. An external hard drive gives you more flexibility and you can still burn the files to DVD later. If you not running Build 3677 or later B3854, I would suggest you update to one of those two builds before trying V10. Click on Help-->About and tell us what the 4 digit number is.

 

...backing up to ANYTHING other then a dvd rw is out of the question as i have stated in previous posts. the version is 9.0.2333 if i got that right. a friend of mine has a version 10 so, i may have to break down and try his to see if it works. if it does with an "already erased dvd+rw" then, it is ACRONIS and not the burner or any of my installed programs or the dvd disc.

 

Don't be so eager to backup directly to dvd discs. If the backup takes up more than 3 discs, when you restore them you'll get into what some users call the dvd shuffle where you have to swap discs in and out in what seems like a never ending process.

 

Hello Da Mail Man,

TI 9.0 Build 2333 requires the aid of third party UDF packet writing software such as InCD in order to create images on DVD (Direct to DVD recording wasn't introduced until Build 3625).

You mentioned Nero so I assume you have InCD installed and running in the background yes? If so then the previously recorded DVD rewritable disks need to be erased via InCD not Nero or TI (in Windows Explorer, right click on you CD/DVD recorder and select InCD Erase).

Regards

 

...now ya lost me!..i have nero installed and have burned and completely erased dvd rw's all day long. what about my statement that "ALCOHOL" didn't even recognize the disc format when i attempted to use that to erase the disc?.....i also used my PHILIPS dvd drive in my dell to erase the rw disc and that said that the disc was completely erased....i will look for this "in cd" you speak about but, if it wasn't included in any program as bundled or part of the program, then, it wouldn't be installed.

 

Well, if you haven't got Nero's companion program InCD you can download it from <Nero's Update page>. It's included as part of the Nero 7 Premium Reloaded package or as Package #3 of the Nero 6.6 update. Either way, TI 9.0 Build 2333 cannot image to DVD without the aid of compatible third-party package writing software and disks that have been formated/erased using the special formating/erasing feature of that software, whatever it is. I'm not familiar with Alcohol so don't know whether it includes a UDF packet writing (i.e. drag and drop file copying) utility.

Regards

 

i am using nero version 6.3.1.6 enterprise edition....i looked around in the program and see no "in cd" nor do i see a download for it on the site link you provided.....however, this version worked well before and no reason why it souldn't now...the issue is used erased disc vs. virgin disc .

 

No Da Mail Man, I believe the issue is using disks that have been erased by a normal CD/DVD recording utility (e.g. Nero Burning ROM) rather than by a UDF Packet Writing utility (e.g. InCD or Roxio Drag-to-Disk).

You will not see a reference to InCD in Nero. InCD has to be installed as a separate utility, during which it is set to run in the background each time Windows loads (you will see its icon in the taskbar).

You have now informed us that you are using Nero 6.3.1. Therefore as I said previously, you will find InCD in Update-Package #3 on the Nero 6.6 update page http://www.nero.com/nero6/eng/nero-up.php. Click on the word "All" at the top right of the list of packages and the contents of all four packages will be revealed. Under Update-Package #3 you will find the current version of InCD (4.3.23.2), which is compatible with your version of Nero 6.

Having said all that, you must have had some make or other of UDF packet writer installed and running at the time you used TI 9.0 Build 2333 to image direct to DVD+RW. Also, those DVDs must have been pre-formated via this packet writing utility otherwise the image creation task would have failed. It is probable that the packet writing utility was set to auto-format a blank RW disk on insertion. If this was the case, then I would recommend it be set to the manual format option if possible (as you can in InCD by setting its option to "Do Nothing" when inserting a RW disk). Anyway, I guess all you really need to do is find out how to erase the DVDs via the UDF packet writer that was used to preformat them originally.

Note: If you wish to install InCD then you MUST first uninstall or disable any existing packet writing (i.e. drag-and-drop file copying) software.

Regards

 

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As Menorcaman has mentioned B2333 requires a third party apllication write to DVD's. I suggest that you update to at least B3677 of V9 or the latest B3854. Both of the these builds support direct to Cd/DVD burning with no need to format. You will probably find this a better solution. The other option is to try a different brand of media but DVDRWs' are not the most reliable medium.

 

Hello again Da Mail Man,

We appear to be going around in circles here!

The fact of the matter is that any version of TI 9.0 earlier than Build 3625 is incapable of creating an image "direct" to DVD unless all the following conditions exist:

1. TI is being used in Windows mode.
2. Compatible third-party UDF packet writing software is running in the background.
3. Blank DVD-R media, or DVD+/-RW that has been preformatted (or subsequently erased) via the packet writing software, is being used.

As you have previously stated that you were originally able to create an image direct to DVD+RW using TI 9.0 Build 2333, I'm afraid you now need to determine how you managed to satisfy conditions #2 and #3. Once you have sussed this out you should be able to figure out how to erase those used DVD+RW disks correctly.

If you are interested, this <earlier reply> of mine provides some additional info on how to image to DVD.

Regards

 

THANKS for the reply!.......i have secured and installed incd but, have been a little busy chasing down a new, more serious problem...see for yourself;
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=976742#post976742

 

Regarding InCD, I used Nero Ultra 6 and now have 7.5.

Nero Ultra 6 automatically installed InCD - didn't give you any option to not install it.

Nero Ultra 7 does NOT install InCD by default, but requires that you download and install it separately.

From what I understand, this was due to the many problems that are commonly traced back to InCD. If there is any other burning software on your PC, conflicts with InCD can be pretty severe.

As for ATI burning to DVD - I just tried it for the first time and it failed. Couldn't see that the DVD I had on my writer was empty; kept insisting it was full. I have both Nero 7.5 Ultra and Roxio EMC 8, but I do not allow the packet-writing drivers of either to start and run in the background. When I need on, I start it up and then immediately remove it from the msconfig startup file afterwards. They DO have a tendency to cause conflicts with other applications.

I did not know that it was required to have a separate packet-writing app running for ATI to be able to burn to DVD. That's kind of poor, really, in my opinion. ATI does most everything it does so well, I would think that they would either give it the capability to burn to DVD independently, or just recommend that you use a separate burning application.

I know that I can burn backup files to DVD using any number of DVD burning programs. Does anyone know if doing so affects the burned backup files in any way? Or are they OK to restore from?

BTW, I currently store my ATI images on both my E: drive, which is a third internal drive that I use just for backup files, and also to a Seagate external 500 GB drive. I would like to be able to use DVDs only for the purpose of having my data only away from my home office. (Buddy had a very small fire but firefighters hosed down the office to be safe - of course that destroyed all his backups, internal and external!).

Thanks

 

Hello J-Mac,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please see this FAQ entry regarding the ability of Acronis True Image to write directly to DVDs.

Thank you.
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Marat Setdikov