Yet another newbie...

I'm running XP Pro SP1 on a P4 3.4GHz, 2GB DDR-RAM, 400GB S-ATA RAID0, Sony DVD writer and Sony CD writer (both P-ATA). I also have 3 external USB HDs. The RAID is partitioned C/D/E, 50/50/300GB - C contains Windows and drivers, D is apps, E is data. I've just installed TI8 build 796, and would appreciate some guidance.

1) I created both full and safe boot CDs. The safe version works, but the full fails with the message "hub.c: connect-debounce failed, port 1 disabled". Can anyone tell me what this means please?

2) Booting from the safe CD, TI recognises my external USB drives as well as the CD & DVD drives. I was planning to use DVDs for the image of C, it will need 2 spanned discs to judge from the test I've made. Is this better than using a USB HD?

3) I note that build 800 is out. Is it worth updating for my setup, and if I do, do I need to make new boot CDs?

Thanks...

 

Hello Rik,

Thank you for choosing Acronis True Image (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/).

1. The error with hub.c message is known and if it doesn't affect the functionality (i.e. all the devices are available) you may disregard it. This will be fixed soon.

2. You may choose any way you find more convinient: both external hard drive and DVDs should work since they are recognized after you boot from Acronis Bootable CD.

3. It is worth updating to every new build that is released because every time some bugs are fixed in it. Please create new Acronis Bootable CD with the latest build you have installed. The update is available at http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/support/updates/ after you register your version of Acronis True Image at http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/registration/ The registration and update download are free.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Hi Ilya

Thanks for that, but the boot process just hangs at that point, only using the safe-mode boot CD allows me to get to the program.

Thanks. I lied earlier, wasn't paying enough attention In fact, TI (when booted from the safe-mode CD) doesn't see either the CD or DVD drives (a Sony CRX230ED and DW-D22A respectively). It does see the RAID HD (while it's there - of course I'm using TI for when it's not) and the external USB HDs, though it's having problems with the third one, a 250GB drive partitioned into 50/10/175GB - it assigns a drive letter to the third partition, but can't seem to see anything on it. All HDs are NTFS.

Three questions then:

1) Any ideas on why TI isn't seeing the CD/DVD drives? It's obviously seeing the former as it's booting from it, but does the safe-mode not support CD/DVD?

2) Are the necessary RAID drivers put on the CD by TI? It's not asking for them, but then while the HD is functional, it might not need to. If they're not there, what would happen if I lost C?

3) Any ideas on what's happening to that external HD partition?

Already downloaded, just didn't want to update till I knew what action I needed to take re. the boot disk.

No, thank you...

 

Hello Rik,

Please create new Acronis Bootable CD with the latest build of Acronis True Image using the "Create Rescue Bootable Media" tool. After that please try using it and let us know all the problems you encounter with the new CD.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Hi Ilya

With build 800 installed (I removed 796 first), the problems are identical - the machine can boot from the safe mode CD, but doesn't see the CD or DVD drives. It does see my external USB HDs plus the RAID0.

The screen shows the following if I try the full mode CD:

hub.c: connect-debounce failed, port 1 disabled

after a long pause

hdc: drive unit not ready for command
hdc: lost interrupt

this repeats, then

hdc: ATAPI reset timed out, status=0x80
this repeats with different status

I tried following the advice on pressing f11 with the full CD, I wrote down what I saw, as follows (it was 3am, so forgive any errors):

hub.c: USB hub found
hub.c: 2 ports detected
hub-uhci.c: USB UHCI at I/O 0xd000, IRQ19
usb-uhci.c: Detected 2 ports
usb.c: New USB Bus registered, assigned bus no. 2
this repeats for the other 6 USB ports, different addresses, IRQs and bus numbers
usb-uhci.c. v1.275: USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver
$/bin/incmod(?) Ehci_hcd
Using lib modules/ehci_hcd
ehci_hcd00:1d.7:enabled 64 bit PCI DMA
Waiting for USB/IEEE1394 devices arrival
hub.c: connect-debounce failed, port 1 disabled
hub.c: new USB device 00:1.d7-1

then I see repeats of this type of information, identification of CD/DVD drives and finally

$/bin/insmod ext3
no module by that name found

this repeats for:
reiserfs
xfs
dts(?)
sunrpc
snapapi
mdcore

$/bin/rm(?) -rf /etc/codepage /etc/pcmia
$/bin /sh

system then hangs with the timeout messages shown above

Does that help any? By the way, the boot doesn't seem entirely happy with my MS wireless keyboard, it reports keyscan errors if I use Shift+PgUp/PgDn too much, hence I couldn't get all the screen text.

I'm assuming that safe mode doesn't load the CD/DVD drivers, which is why I don't get those - would that be right? How about the RAID drivers, is TI loading them from the boot disk, or are they being picked from the HD?

While you're here , I'd be grateful if you could clarify the situation regarding the MBR. From what I have read in the forum, I think I need to backup the entire drive, rather than individual partitions, in order to be able to restore that. Correct? (If it is, then it would be a nice added feature to be able to backup the MBR separately.)

Thanks. I hope they let you have some time off at weekends!

PS - It's an Intel mobo, with the Canterwood chipset, Intel RAID controller & drivers.

 

Hello Rik,

Thank you for the explanation.

Actually you should be able to use CD/DVD drive after booting from Acronis Bootable CD (Safe mode) providing this drive is not USB external one.

Please try the "acpi=off noapic" workaround (please see https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=55317 for the detailed explanation) and if it doesn't help please send the output you have obtained to support@acronis.com along with the link to this thread indicating that you want to contact Marian Fadeeva.

As for the MBR, if you have an image of a single partition and restore it to the same disk where it was before you will be able to boot the computer. If you restore the image to another drive it is not guaranteed that you will be able to boot it. However, in both cases all the data including system files will be transferred.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Thanks, Ilya. Will do.

LATER...

The 'quiet acpi=off noapic' works, TI loads after a pause, and it sees my DVD & CD drives, together with the S-ATA RAID and the external USB HDs.

Now all I need are the instructions to work those settings into the bot CD. Perhaps they could be made available as part of the sticky?