F11 is there analternative yet?

Been a while since I've been here, but a new laptop prompts me to ask the question again.

Acronis uses F11 for boot time recovery, F11 is also used by some computer manufactures for their disk based re-installs! both can't exist, if you use Acronis then you'll not get to your reinstall partition without some fancy footwork.

Is there any way to make Acronis use a different key sequence even say Ctrl F11?

 

If you opt NOT to install the True Image Startup Recovery Manager then you can keep F11 for the computer makers recovery. You can always use the bootable True Image cd to access the backup Image in the Secure Zone for recovery. But even better is to NOT use the SZ at all and keep your Images on a usb drive.

 

I have never used either flavour of F11 but I think you will find there is no conflict between the two uses.

The reason being that they are applied at different points in the boot process.
Not based on practical experience I assume that the manufacturer's recovery F11 has to be selected right at the start of the boot sequence. The TI F11 is available later.
I avoid the TI F11 boot feature because in certain cicumstances it can introdce problems of its own.
I do however use a secure zone on a second internal drive for all my backup imaging. Once I found workarounds for some of its bad features it is for me the ideal managed storage area. It runs perfectly on a fit and forget basis and is IMHO better and easier to use that the backup locations "feature".

Xpilot

 

I doubt your request will be granted. But who knows?

 

Thanks, but for your own education there is certainly a danger if you use F11 for ATI it will re-write the boot and over write the loacation an OEM uses, if you remove the F11 ATI function it will not re-write the OEM unless you have saved and can reapply the original boot record.

Just a warning.

 

Thanks that's what I figured! disk method only or USB

 

F11 is free on my Asus Notebook. What is F11 used for on your computer?

 

It is not a danger, it is a fact that implementing the ATI F11 feature will modify the MBR. That is why I said in my previous post..I avoid the TI F11 boot feature because in certain cicumstances it can introdce problems of its own.

I thought your query was it possible to use F11 for OEM recovery and also for starting TI recoveries the answer is yes it can do both but with reservations as stated.

Xpilot

 

OEM recovery partition

 

That was not my query it was if Acronis after many years had come up with an alternative like assigning another F number at user choice level.

From bitter experience I can tell you ATI and an OEM recovery will both NOT share the F11 key.

 

Hello djmorgan,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Backup software.

There is a way to assign another button to Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (ASRM) invoking. I can provide you with the step-by-step instructions if you tell me what key you'd like to assign ASRM starting to. Please note that the following keys cannot be assigned to invoke Acronis Startup Recovery Manager:
- Alt
- Ctrl
- Shift
- Caps Lock
- Scroll Lock
- Num Lock
- Print Screen
- Pause
- The Win key
- The Menu key
At the same time key combinations can be used.

Thank you
--
Nikita Sakharov

 

How about F9 or F3? I don't think any OEM uses either of those to start any boot process.

As I support and own Dell computers which use F11 to start the Dell recovery process, this would be very helpful.

 

Hello John,

Thank you for contacting us.

Here is step-by-step I promised to provide you with:

- Find f11.cfg file (it is located in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome) if you use Home version of the software.

- Open it in any text editor and find the following section:
[bootmgr]
echo Press F11 for Acronis Startup Recovery Manager...
default continue
delay 30
bootmenu 389

- If you wish to run ASRM pressing F9 at startup please replace section with this one:
[bootmgr]
echo Press F9 for Acronis Startup Recovery Manager...
default continue
delay 30
bootmenu 323

- If you prefer F3 just use this variant:
[bootmgr]
echo Press F3 for Acronis Startup Recovery Manager...
default continue
delay 30
bootmenu 317

After that you should save the file and reactivate Acronis Startup Recovery Manager.

Thank you
--
Nikita Sakharov

 

That is bloody fantastic and so simple! thank you

 

Hi Nakita,

I agree with djmorgan. Thank you very much for this simple procedure.

 

Hello jmk94903 and djmorgan,

Thank you for your answer.

I'm glad to hear you liked it. Many thanks for your comments.

Thank you
--
Nikita Sakharov

 

Whoa there fellas ... even though another key combo is assigned for the Acronis SRM, isn't the MBR changed and therefore the original purpose for F11 be rendered ineffective? Just curious.

 

There may be problems on some computers. I think it depends on the BIOS and how it interacts with the recovery/diagnostic partition(s). If the chain-loading works properly, then using a different key probably gives it a better chance of success. It's one more option to try, at least.

 

But isn't the F11 recovery mostly useless, since it restores to out-of-box setup? I've never used Acronis in this manner, but can someone here confirm that this idea is correct?

1. Backup the PC's original RECOVERY partition to a tib and put it on a shelf

2. Use the free space to good advantage i.e. expand the C: drive

3. Create an Acronis Secure Zone on a second drive (not the drive that C: is on)

4. Activate Acronis Startup Recovery Manager giving you F11 access to the SZ as needed

5. Periodically back-up one's System partition to the SZ

Do I have this right? How I long for the good old days when software came with a hard-copy manual so I could study it thoroughly at my leisure!!!

 

Not at all.

1. That may be what a user wants or needs sometime.

2. It may do more than that. It may allow restoration of individual apps, drivers or files that may have somehow become corrupted or lost. It may also allow installation of items that were not needed by the user originally, but now are.

It's likely not a significant amout of space anyway, given the benefit that the recovery partition provides. On a new VAIO laptop the C-drive partition is 223 GB while the Recovery partition is 9 GB.

 

I stand by my "mostly useless" comment as even those (few) folks that use a PC "as-is" out-of-box quickly create files and favorites and desktop settings and emails and whatnot that are completely lost when using F11 to restore a PC to "factory-fresh" condition. The only time I see this as useful is in those rare situations where you'd want to sell your PC to someone else.

But in any case this wasn't the purpose of my post. Is the approach re: establishing a Secure Zone the best way?

 

I don't think your use of the Secure Zone is "the best way". I've found that Secure Zone can create problems, and it doesn't enable you to manage the files normally. If the approach works for you, great. There are many ways to manage recovery preparation to suit different users and different situations.

For the small amount of space the recovery partition requires, and the fact that it can be useful for purposes other than just full factory restoration, many people prefer to leave it intact.

 

Do you ever actually make a helpful SUGGESTION or are you just here to pi$$-on others?

If not the Secure Zone then what way to use F11 to restore from an ATI backup in an emergency? Sheesh...

 

You asked if what you proposed is "the best way". I answered you. I'm sorry if you don't like the answer. When you asked the question, did you not consider that someone might answer "no"?

 

There is no suggestion in here that I can see for a better way to do it, therefore your posts are a complete waste of bandwidth tuttle!