How to Create an Acronis Bootable USB Hard Disk

Re: IPOD Shuffle, BartPE, PEtoUSB

They are all usb2.0 and i am working my way thru them, but the reference was to usb ports, as in one and two. but I can't see where a distinction is made there. Maybe it's just not possible in XP, if xp is going to reset the usb "ports" as it loads. but that was from one of those posts that you cited. Seems like a lot of folks have the same problem. I loaded the stick partition on a usb drive and i get the same result when i try and boot that. Well, one more usb slot to test...see ya later!

..UPDATE..all usb slots tried with same results. oh well. maybe its the build, but the bartPE CD works fine...arg.

 

Re: IPOD Shuffle, BartPE, PEtoUSB

Do you have another computer that will boot to USB that you can try the flashdrive on? Perhaps it's the particular hardware that's causing the problem.

 

Hi mudcrab! Well, I just gave up on the PEtoUSB route, as a new flash drive produced the same exact results, so I went back to your original procedure from the PDF file and guess what, with the new flash drive, it worked just great. So at least i now have a bootable usb drive with ati and DD on it. all is well, thanks!

it would be nice to the extra functions of bart, but oh well...it must be something in the PEtoUSB tool that messes things up.

 

mudcrab,

this question in no way should insult you... I am a neophyte...

but I read your guide and don't understand all the flash drive stuff...

For the past 2 years, I have just had acronis make an image of my c drive on an attached usb hard drive. I have an emergency boot cd.

I thought that if my hard drive burns up, all I would have to do is put a new one in, boot with the cd and copy back the image and I would be in like flynn...

what is all this about usb flash etc?

also, now, as you already saw in my other post, I have a hard drive bigger than my outside drive. I see your advice about a system partition...

How do I make that without formatting. How do I know what to put in that partition?


thanks.

 

Booting from a USB flashdrive (or USB hard drive) is sometimes just easier than using a cd. It's just personal preference.

In the case of my Guide, this lets you create a bootable USB Hard Disk that you can just plug in, boot the computer and restore your image from the drive without need to boot from a cd or a flashdrive. It's just a "plug in one device" solution.

I will reply to the other question in the other thread.

 

Can someone explain me why I dont find my "Removable Drive" in the list of drives listed in Step 3? I have attached my USB drive and formatted FAT32.

I also have another drive in my 2nd HDD ultrabay (using thinkpad T60)..but Acronis doesnt detect any of them. i have only listed:
- ISO Image file
- RIS Server

Why cant I find the removable drive?


I am using Acronis True Image Corporate Workstation 9.1 build 3887/ Thank You.

 

lautamas,

I had the same problem. But, after restarting my computer the drive with both partitions showed up.

HR

 

Rebooted so many times...retried...no luck..it doesnt show any removable drive.

 

MudCrab,

I just have to say, You have a gift for writing instruction manuals. I have never seen a manual as concise, accurate and complete(including screenshots) as this one.

Now, If I just had a manual this good for setting up the XP partition on a Vista installation, I would not have to worry about getting it wrong.

I know of a lot of software developers that should hire you to do their guides. Most of them are good programmers, but severely lacking in the writing department.

HR

 

I have not tried creating a bootable flashdrive using Workstation 9.1, but according to the manual it supports USB devices.

Does the USB flashdrive show up in My Computer correctly?

What size is the flashdrive (512MB, 1GB, etc.)?

Does it show up in the Safely Remove Hardware program?

Do you have Workstation 9.1 installed on another computer that you could try and see if the USB flashdrive works with it?

 

Thanks for the compliment. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed creating it.

Depending on the project, I'm open to the idea. It's part of the work I do. You can always send me a Private Message.

 

Hi Mudcrab..thank you very much for replying back to me. Very thorough and nice article. It needs a lot of time to works something like that.

Let me answer you one by one...
>>Does the USB flashdrive show up in My Computer correctly?
Yes it does..Let me make clear: I am having a USB external drive (80gb) and internal 2nd HDD (attached to ultrabay in my thinkpad 120GB). Both act like external drive. Each has the Drive letter D and E respectively.

>>Does the USB flashdrive show up in My Computer correctly?
Yes...they do..both of them listed and act normally.

>>What size is the flashdrive (512MB, 1GB, etc.)?
As mentioned above...USB External Drive is 80GB (FAT32) and 2nd HDD drive attached in the Ultrabay is 120GB (FAT32)

>>Does it show up in the Safely Remove Hardware program?
Yes..both do...

>>>Do you have Workstation 9.1 installed on another computer that you could try and see if the USB flashdrive works with it?
Havent worked on it..should try that tommorow and let you know the update...

Thank you again for responding. I appriciate it..

Michael

 

It sounds like you are using USB hard drives. Acronis Media Builder won't show any hard drives in the list (USB or otherwise).

You need to try a regular USB flashdrive (PNY Attache FlashDrive, Crucial Gizmo!overdrive, etc.). The size doesn't have to be too large. Mine are in the 256MB to 2GB range and they work fine with Acronis.

 

Well..can I use an external drive like the one I have to boot up acronis?

 

Yes you can (assuming your computer boots USB hard drives) after you create the bootable USB flashdrive. You need the flashdrive so you can create the image to put on the USB hard drive.

 

lautamas,

All references in Step 3 is to the Flash Drive only. The drives you are expecting to see is the flash drives; floppy drives; cd/dvd drives . The usb hard drive is not expected to appear as Acronis does not consider the USB hard drive as bootable media. MudCrab's guides helps us to overcome the Acronis limitation. On my computer, when creating a bootable flash drive (as in Step 3), the flashdrive is listed last--just below the floppy--both listed as removable drives.

​

All your answers in post #37 refer to Disk Drives whereas the questions asked in post #35 all referred to the Flash drive. Are we confusing the miniature keyring size flash drive (also known as "thumb drive or travel drive, etc.") with the usb hard drives?

Your 80G external drive can become the Acronis Bootable USB Hard drive as begun as illustrated beginning in Step 5.

 

Hello Mudcrab,

I've tried creating bootable rescue media on a usb flashdrive but get 'No bootable partition in table' when trying to boot from the flashdrive - I'm using TI10 (Trial) & vista.

 

turnjac,

I have not tried that particular combination (Vista and TI Trial) so I don't know if it would work differently.

Are you using a standard USB flashdrive? (Not one with any security software or programs that start when you plug it into Windows.)

What format did you use (FAT/FAT16 or FAT32)?

Has the computer successfully booted from other USB devices (flashdrives or USB hard drives)?

Does the USB flashdrive show up in the BIOS of the computer as a Hard Disk?

 

Standard 128MB flashdrive, tried both FAT16 & FAT32.
First time trying to boot from usb device.
Flashdrive doesn't show up in the BIOS as a HD.

 

turnjac,

In order to boot from a bootable flash drive or bootable USB hard drive, temporary changes are often required in the BIOS.

Different brand BIOS have different options but my Phoenix Award BIOS has these options listed under the Advanced BIOS Features menu:
1. Option where you choose the Floppy/Cd/Hard drive as the first/second/third boot devices.
2. Option listed as "USB Flash Disk type" where you select "HDD" from a choice of HDD or floppy.
3. Option menu listed as "Hard Disk Boot Priority" . This option lists ALL the drives on your system (1-5 etc). My flashdrive is listed as "USB-HD0" and listed last. The drive listed as "1." is the boot drive used during bootup. To change the boot drive from the current drive to a different (USB) drive: Use the arrow keys to select/highlight a different boot drive; then use the pageup/pagedown keys (or + - keys) to move the selected drive (USB-HD0) upwards so that it becomes "1." in the listing.
4. Save your BIOS changes--usually by pressing the F10 key or as otherwise listed on the BIOS menu instructions.
5. After you are finished booting from the USB device, then the changes made in #3 will need to be reversed.

 

I sent you a Private Message with a test to try.
Please let me know how it goes.

 

Dear GroverH,
I think I didnt read through everything correctly. After completely read the guide, I know roughly what the manual is all about. Anyhow, I have sucessfully created the image into my USB HD from my USB Flashdrive.

One question though...
I have my 2nd HDD 120GB partitioned into 2 partitions. One partition is only 120mb and the other will be the rest of the space.
If I'd like to update the build of Acronis....I dont have to reformat the whole HD..correct? I can just build the image over to the 120mb partition?

 

Unless Acronis changes something with the booting process, you don't even have to restore the image. Just create a new flashdrive and then copy the files to the Acronis partition on the USB hard drive. This may change with TI 11. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

Thank you..we shall see and try. Nice article..thank you again..

 

Thank you for your excellent work. I just purchased this product and need understand a couple of things .. and assume that I am using your process using an external USB disc for bootup and restore.

1. WHEN do I need to do a "new build" and run the Media builder?
a. EVERY TIME I do a complete image backup (anticipate weekly) OR
b. when I decide to change the partition size on my external disc.
If "a", why?

2. I'm thinking of NOT having a SecureZone on the external disc so I can manage the image file names rather than allow TrueImage to manage them. What do you recommend?