Can NTFS backup to FAT32 OK?

because it says it's ok when it's doing it but when I go to validate it it fails within seconds. Should I reformat my spanking new external HD to NTFS and try again? I'm running XPSP2 which is on NFS itself.

Many thanks.

BB

 

There should be no problem making an Acronis Image to a FAT32 drive - if the image is big enough it will be split into ans many images as are required.

If you are using an external USB and are having problems try another USB ( shorter if possible) cable. For testing purposes try to make an image to another partition on your machine just to make sure that Acronis is working correctly.

Try plugging the USB cable into another port. Try removing any other USB devices ( printer, scanner etc) and see if that helps.

 

And definitely use a rear USB port. The ones on the front panel have a long internal cable that can be the source of errors.

 

Tried the cable that came with it, which is much shorter, with exactly the same result. I can't go pulling everything out of the back whenever I need to do a backup, this software should be able to work in the environment it might expect to find itself in.

BB

 

Now that the USB cable issue is put aside, lets go back to the original problem which is that the image will not validate.

You can make the USB drive NTFS but that is unlikely to correct the problem however stranger things have happened.

Image validation requires reading the archive and calculating a checksum and then comparing it with the value of checksum which was created with the archive and stored within the archive file. If anything causes the calculated checksum to be different by only 1 bit then the archive is declared corrupt.

Things that can cause this are in order of liklihood IMO are: Bad RAM, disk not being read correctly (including USB problems) or TI doesn't play nice with the MB chipset.

Check your RAM by running memtest86+ available free at www.memtest.org note the + and the current version is 1.65 do not use the older memtest whose version is around 3. This diagnostic is best run overnight and it does not matter if you have been experiencing no problems with other apps. Bad memory locations can go unnoticed and TI really gives memory and disk a workout.

Run chkdsk X: /r on all your partitions. Substitute the drive letter of the partition for X, a reboot will be required for C.

The least problematic location for an archive is an internal disk since it rules out any problems with USB chipsets and very large files. Try making and validating your archive to an internal HD, or another partition. If you don't have another drive or partition and you have enough room make it on your C drive. Ignore any warning and let it create the archive - you will not be able to use this archive to restore so it is only good for test purposed or copying off to DVD.

 

OK I'm trying memtest - the right one! Thanks.

BB

 

I did 14 passes with no errors. Doesn't look like memory problems, does it?

BB

 

I still think you should try to make an image to another partition. If this works - and it should - then you will, at least, be able to eliminate bad memory as a possible cause.

 

I did one of the C partition to the D partition, with no problems at all. Validated fine. So it looks like I have to pull all my machines and my bench out and go swapping the usb cables around to see if I can find a configuration where they all work. Also I have to diet so I can get in there too, being around the 24 stone mark - eeek! Bummer :-( I'll report back in a few days.

BB

 

I'm glad to hear that C to D works but sorry that it might be a USB problem.
I do think that this may in part be an Acronis issue ( ie Acronis can be sensetive when it comes to USB) but there is no doubt in my mind that in general USB is a pain and I will not be sad when it is replaced by e-sata and/or other faster and more stable means of communicating.

I'm looking for an excuse to buy a Seagate eSATA 500-GB External Hard Drive
ST3500601XS-RK

http://tinyurl.com/whx2y

 

Nothing works. I swapped and swapped and nothing works, the backups are always corrupted.

BB

 

Hello BB,

I'm afraid it looks as if you may have a less than ideal motherboard/external USB HD enclosure chipset combination. If at all possible, try a different make of external enclosure.

Have a read of these two lengthy previous threads to see what I mean.

<Who DOES NOT have a problem with corrupt images...>
<External USB/Firewire drives that work >

Regards

 

Get a free checksum calculator such as XCSC from:

http://www.irnis.net/soft/xcsc/

and calculate the checksum for one of your tib files. Then transfer the file to your USB drive and run the checksum program on the same file now located on the USB drive. If they don't match then you have a USB problem. The successful validation of an image on an internal drive pretty well rules out other things like memory.

If you do find bad checksums, try reducing the size of the test file and see if there is a size where it works but anything larger doesn't.