Same files on disk - Image file twice as big as before - Same compression setting

Hi everyone

I just built a new computer and I like to make progress images as I install software in case something goes wrong I can go back to a clean partition.

I installed Vista, the motherboard drivers, utilities, and video drivers, True Image (Version 10), and Disk Director (Version 10) on a virgin 640 GB hard drive and then made the OS partition 200 GB.

I made an image split into DVD sized files and I ended up with one full file and another with 138,000 KB.

I had a problem and I wanted to try a clean install.

I formatted the OS partition and reinstalled everything above except one of the mother board utilities that was causing me a problem. Therefore, I expected my new image to be smaller.

The new image was one full file and another with 3,185,000 KB.

I"m certain that my compression setting was the same (normal) for both images and I tried making another image just to be sure with the same result.

How can the same files result in an image that is nearly twice as big (over 3 GBs larger)?

 

It probably can be attributed to the Restore Points. On your 640 GB drive, Vista will reserve 15% or 96 GB, for Shadow Copies and Restore Points. Each time that you install software a Restore Point is created. Depending on the number of installs and their order, you could have ended up with a different amount of space occupied by the Restore Points for your two examples.

If you're up for experimenting, turn off System Restore and all of the Restore Points will be deleted. Then turn it back on. Make images after doing this and you should find more consistency in the size of the image.

 

That was it! Thanks a lot K0lo!

 

BTW Any idea why I can create the image in 3 minutes but it takes over an hour to restore it?

 

Probably a mismatch between your hardware and the Linux drivers used in TrueImage during a restore operation. You could:

a. Make sure that you're using the latest build for your version of TI (4942 is the latest for v10)
b. Try the trial version of TI 11
c. File a support request with Acronis (log into your account on their web site) and ask them to make you a custom iso image of the recovery environment that supports your hardware
d. Build a VistaPE disk that will use the Windows drivers for your hardware

If a, b, or c don't solve the problem then VistaPE is highly recommended. Try forum member MudCrab's fully-illustrated instructions here. VistaPE will give you the best recovery environment and should result in restores that take the same amount of time as backups.

 

Thanks for that little tidbit k0lo I certainly didn't kniow that the restore point would be deleted by turning it off.
Funny thing though I have been suggesting that the large image made by tI could be caused by the restore point Etc. in Vista and have always been completely ignored for some reason.
I put my restore point on my Vista down to 1 gig and my images became much smaller.

 

True enough. It's somewhat difficult to generalize about how much space is needed. I've been a fan of Vista's Shadow Copy mechanism as another seamless way to back up important files in the near-term and have allocated 6 GB for the storage space on the System and Data partitions. I have found that the Data partition, in my normal day-to-day use, requires about 1 GB per week. So with 6 GB I get previous versions of files going back in time by 6 weeks. This is more than enough to be covered by full images every 2 weeks or so. The system partition does not fare as well because there are too many changes (log files, installing new software, etc) and I find that it requires about 0.5 GB/day, so the 6 GB only gives restore points and previous versions going back about 12 days. Your mileage may vary...

 

I followed the steps but after
Type in vistape.net/archive and click the OK button.

I only see "Optional" and "LiveXP"
I do not see VistaPE 12 Beta or VistaPE 11 as shown in the screen shots.

Do you have to be on a Vista machine to see them? I'm building the disk from my old XP machine since I don't have much software on the new machine yet and I'm still resolving a few issues.

 

The vistape.net site may be down. I can't get any of the servers or even the website to load right now.

 

Thanks for the response writer of clear and easy to read documentation.

 

While waiting for it to come back up I have read over the documentation and I'm confused about something...


"The Acronis programs you want to include in your build must be installed on your computer in order for the scripts to work."


If my hard drive crashes and I want to restore from my image to my new hard drive True Image would not be installed on my computer. How does that work?

 

It has to be installed on your PC to be able to create the vistaPE disk. Doesn't have to be on the target disk when you want to restore.

 

Ehhh.. O.K. Thanks. I'm guessing that was a stupid question that I asked at three o'clock in the morning.

 

Naw. Thre's usually only stupid answers at that hour ;-)

 

I've added an example to the webpage so it should be more clear.

 

Hmmmm... still down. Are there any other options besides patience?

 

I sent you a PM.

 

Some things came up this week and I wasn't able to get back to this until this morning. The server was back up so I followed the steps in the tutorial exactly.

When I build my .iso I'm getting a whole slew of errors such as this...
[Failed] FileCopy - Failed to copy [%BaseDir%\Temp\VistaPE\BootWimSrc\Windows\System32\poqexec.exe] to: [%BaseDir%\Target\VistaPE\Windows\System32\poqexec.exe]
...
[Failed] FileCopy - Failed to copy [%BaseDir%\Temp\VistaPE\BootWimSrc\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft.windows.i..utomation.proxystub_6595b64144ccf1df_1.0.6000.16386_none_b80a29519535473c\sxsoaps.tlb] to: [%BaseDir%\Target\VistaPE\Windows\winsxs\x86_micr

I would attach my log file but I'm not seeing the ability to attach files on this forum.

I did this on my brand new Vista Home Premium Q6600 4MB RAM that I built. The only software I've installed on it thus far are my motherboard and video drivers, Disk Director, True Image, Firefox, WinBuilder, and ImgBurn.

I did try burning the .iso to a CD-RW and booting to it. Shortly after the green Vista screen graphic showed up it failed with a BCOD.

 

florida_guy:

Have a look at this page in MudCrab's guide for additional things to check.

If you want to post a log or portions of a log, add the .txt extension to the end of the log file and then click on the "Manage Attachments" button in the "Additional Options" window that appears right below the forum's "Reply to Thread" window.

Were you using your Vista DVD as the source? The 32-bit version?

 

I will look at the link. Thanks. Thanks for the tip on attaching.

Yes, I used my Vista Home Premium 32 bit OEM DVD as my source.

 

I read through that page again and I did everything as described when running my initial build. I have attached my complete log for that build to this post.

 

Try again on the attachment -- it didn't.

 

Well I don't see my attachment so I will try again...

I guess it helps to read the error message. It was too big so I broke it into two files.

 

Is your Vista DVD the pre-SP1 version?

I have a MS OEM Vista Home Premium 32-bit DVD (pre-SP1), but I usually use my Ultimate DVD and/or the WAIK.

Have you tried just using the WAIK?

 

My Vista DVD "Includes Service Pack 1".

I will try using the WAIK but I didn't want to have the limitations you mentioned in the tutorial with some scripts.