Laptop-Backup freezes when using PCMCIA USB 2.0 Adapter

To speed up the backup of my T30 Thinkpad (only equipped with USB 1.1) to an external USB-disk I bought this 4 Port PCMCIA USB 2.0 Cardbus 5111 from ebay.

I boot from CD, choose to backup my C-disk into an image file on the external disk and start the process. All works fine first, then after 10 to 15 min the laptop (and the backup) freezes and I can only push the power button to escape that situation.

The same thing happened (using the same PCMCIA Adapter) on an Acer laptop of a friend.

As the adapter becomes pretty warm, I suspected a thermal problem. But copying large files thru that card under Windows works fine, so the hardware seems to work despite the heat.

The backup works fine using the build-in USB 1.1 ports, but of course lasts then several hours.

Does anybody have an idea why the laptops freeze while running that PCMCIA to USB adapter in the TrueImage Linux environment?

 

Hello pengquadrat,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please make sure that you use the latest build of the respective version of Acronis True Image which is available at: http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/support/updates/

To get access to updates you should create an account at:
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/my/
then log in and use your serial number to register your software.

Please boot your computer from the Acronis True Image rescue disc and press F11 key when the selection screen appears. After you get the "Linux kernel command line" prompt, please modify it in the following way:

quiet acpi=off noapic, click on the OK button and choose "Full Version".

If that does not help, please create Acronis Report and Linux system information (sysinfo.txt) as it is described in Acronis Help Post.

Please create an account, then log in and submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with the solution.

Thank you.
--
Tatyana Tsyngaeva

 

Tatyana,
thanks for your fast response and sorry, I forgot to mention, that ...

• I already have registered.
• I am running build 2337 of TI Home V9.

I thought that the "quiet acpi=off noapic" approach was only used when the external drive would not be detected at all.
Anyway I tried as you suggested and with these optiones the backup competed successfully, no more freeze.

By the way, a few weeks ago I already created a sysinfo.txt for solving another problem, but I was not able to send it, as windows claimed, the file (written by Linux) was emty, although the explorer showed that it had quiet some bytes, not 0.

What am I missing?

Thanks again for your help.
Joachim

 

Hello pengquadrat,

Please note that acpi=off noapic parameters disable ACPI and APIC (Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller) which may help with a particular hardware configuration.

Since these parameters helped you we would like to provide you with a special Acronis True Image Bootable Media image (in common ISO format) with these parameters.

Please check your private messages.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

Thanks for that special image.
Using a CD burned by that image, the backup now works without any problems.
Good service, thanks again.
Joachim

 

The problem described above can still be found in build 3633, but unfortunately now even the standard cure acpi=off noapic won't help.

Even with this parameters the backup freezes now after 10 min or so.

Now what?

Joachim

Update: I did several attempts and all of a sudden it worked. I have no idea what was different this (last) time.

 

Hello Joachim,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please accept our apologies for the delay with the response.

If you are able to reproduce the problem, please create Acronis Report and Linux system information (sysinfo.txt) as it is described in Acronis Help Post.

Please submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with the solution.

Thank you.
--
Tatyana Tsyngaeva