True Image says "The selected file is not an Acronis True Image archive."

I am using Acronis True Image 9.0 on Windows XP. The TI archive files are on a Maxtor 3200 USB external hard drive. I archived the files from a desktop and when the desktop crashed I tried to access the archived files from the external hard drive. When I tried to access the files I got the message "The selected file is not an Acronis True Image Archive File." Can you help?

 

What version of TI 9 are you using and was it the same version as the one that made the images?

When you say -

do you mean a desktop PC or the Windows desktop?

Acronis did change the format structure of tib files during v9 - though the later v9 should recognise the earlier v9 images.

Are you able to mount the files?

Colin

 

I am using Acronis True Image version 9.0 (build 2,337). That is the version that I have installed on my notebook computer. The archive files are from my Desktop PC which probably has a newer version of Acronis True Image, but I don't know for sure and I have no way to check it right now.

I don't know what it means to "mount the files."

 

OK, the last version of the English language v9 is 3854. I think the format changed around b2338, so if your desktop uses the later version, this may well be the cause of your current problem.

The only things I can suggest at the moment, is to download the current trial version of 11 - temporarily install that on your laptop and you ought to be able to access your TI 9 files or if you have made a TI9 rescue CD use that to boot your system and restore.

To mount an image in TI 9 - I believe the option was under the Operations heading, or a choice on the menu page. Mounting means in this case, making Windows access the tib image as if it was an actual hard drive. It will be given a temporary drive letter in Windows and you'd be able to access your files exactly as you do the files on your laptop or desktop computer. In most cases you won't be able to run programs.

However, if you are intending to restore the desktop to your laptop, you will probably run into the Windows SID problem of not having permissions to access the data. This can be solved easily if your XP is the professional version.

If you are trying to restore back to the desktop, then this shouldn't be a problem.

Colin

 

Thank you so much for your help. I was able to download Acronis True Image version 11 and it was able to read the archived files and I was able to mount the files.