ATIH.9709: Image Backup Fails Verification

Have just installed a copy of ATIH.2009.9709 on a customer's PC, to do image backups to a WD MyBook 500GB Essential Ed drive. I successfully did a backup w/ a trial of build 9608 (?), but subsequent attempts as a scheduled backup task failed w/ a verification error, so I told the customer to buy the sware, did an uninstall, then a clean install of the downloaded build. No joy.

As I'm typing this from my home and have misplaced the note to self w/ the error code and tag #, I can only report the specs of the PC:

1. 1GHz Duron
2. 512MB of RAM
3. 120GB hdrive partition (~40% full)
4. two (2) USB 2.0 ports
5. and Windows XP Pro SP2

Thought it mite be a speed issue (as this is an old PC), so we tried the backup using a USB 2.0 extension cable (ie. the MyBook connected to the USB 2 port via an extension cable, to plug in w/o having to move the PC) and connecting the MyBook directly to the USB port. No joy. (BTW, in the case of the initial partition backup that did work, the MyBook was connected via the extension cable.) Used the WD Diagnostics to validate the state of the MyBook. No errors. Did a search of the forum, to see if there's a history of problems w/ the MyBook family. Not really.

Seems like a great program and can look forward recommending it to other customers, but would appreciate some feedback on this issue. TIA....:-- MR --:

 

In the past I have created archives that reportedly passed validation upon creation but failed when the same archive was to be restored. THAT'S annoying to say the very least.

From your post, it's not clear when you are trying to archive (in Windows or by using a rescue boot CD) but if it's from within Windows, there's some added complexity there that can be "removed" by trying the same operation by using the rescue CD.

I used the in-Windows method a long time ago but never felt comfortable with it as I know Windows can lock some files that are in use and may have troubles backing up software that's running. I have been using a rescue CD ever since.

You should see the Rescue Media Builder in the start menu under Acronis. Try that and see if it works better.

 

I see. Well, in fact, I was trying to do an image backup from w/in Windows, but I had no idea that the rescue disc can do backups as well ! I do grok BartPE/WinPE/Linux, so you already answered my next question, as I was hopeful that there was a LiveCD solution possible !

While this isn't the ideal solution, it should provide reliable results. One more question: when you discovered that your archives were corrupt, which build did you use and did you go back and validate those archives w/ an explicit scan (vs the immed-validate-after-backup) ? Just trying to see if there's any way to have fail-safe backups ? This customer just lost twenty years of biz data, so he's rightfully paranoid nowadays. Thanx again....:-- MR --:

 

While imaging a static HD using the TI CD is probably safer, there are very few problems reported because of imaging from within Windows.

When TI writes its archive it includes a checksum for every 256K bytes of data. The validation process reads the archive into memory and recreates the checksums and compares them with the stored original value in the archive. If all don't agree perfectly then the archive is declared corrupt. The original source data is not compared to the archived data as part of the validation process.

In other words, the validation proves the archive can be read into RAM properly. Anything that will cause a single bit error in this process using a multi-gigabyte file can be responsible.

First thing is to check the disk partitions, particularly where the archive is stored. Run chkdsk X: /r on all partitions replacing the X with the partition's drive letter.

Bad RAM will cause this and don't assume because you aren't aware of any RAM issues on the machines it is good. A good free RAM test program is Memtest86+, V2.11 available from www.memtest.org .

Some, particularly older, USB chipsets either on motherboards or in USB drives don't play nice together and can have trouble transferring larger files. You can test this by using a large TI archive file. Calculate its CRC32 or MD5 checksum by using any one of the free calculators. Transfer the file to the USB drive and recalculate the checksum. It must agree. If it does, copy the file back to the HD, and recalculate the checksum. It must agree.

Many TI users come unstuck when doing a restore because they never tested a restore to a spare HD. This is compounded by creating and validating the archive in Windows and thinking all is well (not surprisingly). The problem is that the TI rescue CD is Linux and it may not have adequate drivers for the hardware. In other words, it cannot read and process the archive file. The best test is, as mentioned, a test restore to a spare HD. The next best is to boot up the CD and do a validation. If it works, then run through the restore wizard up to the point where you have to click Proceed but Cancel out instead. These 2 steps show the archive can be read properly and validated and that the steps of the wizard see the pertinent archive and the destination drive and its structure. Once you have confirmed the proper operation of the TI rescue CD, Windows validation is adequate.

 

Verification errors may also be a sign of poor memory. I had similar problems with my Socket 939 AMD system using Seagate DiscWizard - images would be created but then fail verification, and I also had sporadic verification errors when burning DVDs. In my case, slowing the memory clock from 200 MHz to 166 MHz fixed the verification errors. I later replaced the memory and the new memory runs fine at 200 MHz with no verification errors. Depending on the system, you may be able to try running the memory at a slower clock speed to see if that makes the verification errors go away.

 

Hello all,

Thank you for using Acronis True Image

mr_roboto, you can overview the article Troubleshooting Issues with Corrupt Backups , it can help to find the reason.

Thank you.

--
Oleg Lee

 

This was ATI 7 or 8. It was long enough ago for whichever version I was using to be obsolete by now.

I went through various methods of validation (along with Acronis support's help) but, even though the archives "validated" the restoration of them was not possible. I believe, at best, I was able to mount the image somehow and save some data but my ultimate solution at that time was to forget it and reload OS and programs (my data is always on multiple other hard drives and did not need restoration).

Sorry, not an answer or solution....

 

Hello kevinkar,

Thank you for using Acronis True Image

Please describe the abnormal behavior in some words. Does any error message appear?

Thank you.

--
Oleg Lee

 

Sorry Oleg, I don't have that information anymore.

It was years ago when this happened and I have moved on. I believe I went through Acronis support for the issue and tried several techniques to recover the data and was ultimately only partially successful.

If I can find some information in my archives I'll pass that on but I doubt I have saved any of that info.

Kevin

P.S. I did find an old post here when I was having troubles with TI9:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=136474

I had similar troubles with TI7/8 but I went through support for help, not here in the forums.

 

Hello Kevin,

Thank you for using Acronis True Image

If you experience the same issue with the current version of Acronis True Image, please let us know about it, and we will find a solution.

Thank you.

--
Oleg Lee

 

Absolutely! Thanks Oleg. So far, with TI 11, I have not had any failures and everything I have done has gone relatively smoothly. Only issue I had recently was the mysteriously large incremental archives but I have learned to live with that and just ignore it.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

Hello Kevin,

Thank you for your feedback. You are more than welcome anytime.

Thank you.

--
Oleg Lee