How do I Create a 'Raw' Image with ATI 10

According to this Acronis FAQ, ATI 10 provides the option to create a raw (all sectors) image, but hard as I've looked I can't find any instructions as to how to do that in the User Guide.

Can any of you knowledgeable ATI users tell me how to go about doing that?

TIA

 

As far as I know, TI will only do a RAW sector-by-sector backup image if it does not recognize the partition type. If it does recognize the partition type then it will only backup used sectors.

 

That's not the impression I get from the following Acronis True Image 10 FAQ alluding to a sector-by-sector method:

 

Jo Ann,

The wording Acronis uses is not always "correct" (maybe it's the translation?).

Anyway, take a look at these if you haven't already.

 

MudCrab,

Thank you for pursuing this issue further. I now see where your first reply came from. All I can say is that if you are correct, and it seems that you are, the Acronis FAQ I referenced is certainly deceptive and misleading!

Regards,
JoAnn

 

Hi Jo Ann,

The info provided by MudCrab is definitely correct and, yes I agree, the Acronis FAQ is misleading. Amazing what a difference it would make if they just added the words "by default" to the final sentence.

Regards

 

Thanks Menorcaman, that is most unforturnate... I seem to recall pvsurfer mentioning that he created a raw image, but I believe he said he uses a corporate version of ATI.

 

AFAIK, TOI cannot do such a "forensic" image.
Try Shadow Protect.

 

Hi Jo Ann (btw, that's also my wife's name!):

I can't speak for ATI 10 Home as I use ATI 9.1 Workstation, but ATI-W has the capability to create a raw image. It does this by way of a command-line mode, where you need to use the TrueImageCmd.exe utility (located in the folder where Acronis True Image was installed). So you (or any other ATI 10 Home user) can check your installation folder to see if it includes that file. I would think if Acronis included that utility with ATI-10H, then it also should be able to create a raw image.

That said, using TrueImageCmd.exe is a big pain in the 'you know where'. Because it is so awkward to use, I no longer use it. However, if you do have the utility and want to try it, let me know and I will do my best to guide you through it.

Fwiw, some time ago (in the True Image Wish List thread) I pleaded with Acronis to provide this capability in GUI mode but apparently it fell on 'deaf ears'!

Regards, pv

 

pvsurfer,

I'm glad you spotted this thread and responded. As you suggested, I checked my ATI 10 installation folder and (unfortunately) trueimagecmd.exe is not there. But judging from your negative comments about using command-mode, I guess that missing command-line utility is no big loss!

I'm sorry Acronis hasn't replied to my post, but it now appears conclusive that ATI 10 does not include any method for the user to specify creation of a raw image (contrary to Acronis' very misleading statement).

Thank you,
Jo Ann

 

May I ask why you want to be able to create a "Raw" image of a recognised file system ?
I am probably missing some thing here I have never felt the need to have this option.
OTOH the "Raw " mode kicked in sucessfully as advertised and enabled me to image and recreate the data from a completely screwed up computer. The only problem was the excessive time it took as all sectors were included instead of just the occupied ones.

Xpilot

 

Jo Ann,

I've never tried this, but could you get a sector by sector backup by editing the partition table/type (by using DD or a similar program) so that TI can't recognize it?

I would assume that upon restore you'd have to set it back so you could access it.

 

You will notice in my signature that I use RollbackRx (as it's a far superior replacement for System Restore). RollbackRx takes very fast (less than 15-seconds) snapshots of my C-drive and can restore my C-drive (or any of its partitions) in about a minute. The only downside of RollbackRx is that it modifies the MBR and creates its own proprietary area on C: to store its snapshots. Without the capability of creating a raw image with ATI, my backup loses all of my RollbackRx snapshots (except the current one). Other RollbackRx users who use Paragon Drive Backup or ShadowProtect tell me that their disk images capture the RollbackRx snapshots by using Raw Mode (which ATI 10 lacks).

 

I doubt that would do the trick because of RollbackRx's proprietary disk area for its snapshots (see my explaination to Xpilot). Besides, even if doing that worked, it's just too risky and too much effort. I'd rather switch than fight it. As I mentioned above, their are other disk-imaging products that provide a Raw Mode (without having to use DOS commands)!

 

Jo Ann, as you know (from my posts in Wilders Software & Services forum) I am an avid user of Rollback Rx Pro (v7.2.1). Realizing that the ability to create a Raw Image from within ATI's GUI-Environment was something I (and all Rollback Rx users) needed, I asked Acronis for that feature on a few occaisions last year. In Sept 2006 (in the Acronis True Image WISH LIST 'sticky' thread) I again requested a change to True Image's Create Backup Wizard, as follows:

In direct requests to Acronis, I suggested to them that some competing products (e.g., Paragon Drive Backup) had that feature, so why not True Image? Unfortunately, I never received any replies from Acronis so I can only presume it's a low priority in their 'queue'.

~pv

Edit: I believe that just about every 3rd party 'instant restore' product out there (e.g., Eaz-Fix, FD-ISR, GoBack, RestoreIT, etc) uses their own proprietary file system for their snapshots, so I'm pretty sure this ATI limitation affects all such users, not just Rollback Rx users!