Serious problem with True Image v8 - NTLDR missing - SOLUTION HERE

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Hodders, Jun 16, 2005.

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  1. Hodders

    Hodders Registered Member

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    OK,

    I have had to restore a image earlier....

    All went fine, image verified etc etc. Went to reboot the PC and got a NTLDR missing error message.

    Searched the forums and found that several other people had had the same problem.

    FAO - SUPPORT - there really is a prolem here, once back in windows I confirmed that the image really was missing the files mentioned below.

    The only non-standard thing about my PC is that the system disk is a raid1 array on the IT8212 controller.

    After several attempts to solve the problem, this is the series of steps I took.

    1) I can confirm that ntdetect.com, ntldr AND boot.ini were all missing from the restored partition (checked by using the win-XP recovery console).

    After booting into ecovery mode using the OS install CD...

    2) I copied ntdetect.com, ntldr to c:\ from the i386 directory on the win-XP cd

    3) I copied a boot.ini file to c:\

    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

    Worked for me.

    4) I ran:

    fixmbr

    fixboot c:

    bootcfg /SCAN failed to find any installations :-/

    But on rebooting the PC, all was fine....

    Hope this is usefull to someone....
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2005
  2. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Hodders,

    Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

    Thank you for your investigation of this problem and your solution. We will certainly investigate your information and add it in FAQ.

    Thank you.
    --
    Irina Shirokova
     
  3. Hodders

    Hodders Registered Member

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    More research indiates that this is only a problem when making an image on a live system....

    If you boot the machine from the TI 'bootable media' the above files are included. Whilst I haven't tried restoring this image, it would seem that the problem is not there.

    Hope this stops some people having the nightmare I had last night trying to get a system back up and running....
     
  4. neuron2

    neuron2 Registered Member

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    Darn, there goes my unattended scheduled backup strategy into the dustbin. And I bought True Image specifically because it claimed to be able to back up a live system.
     
  5. neuron2

    neuron2 Registered Member

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    BTW, if you explore the image do you see boot.ini?
     
  6. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Hodders and neuron2,

    We will try to reproduce the problem and report it to our Development Team if necessary. What build of Acronis True Image did you use to create and restore an image?

    Thank you.
    --
    Ilya Toytman
     
  7. neuron2

    neuron2 Registered Member

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    I was reacting based on Hodders' report. But since then, I have mounted my image and the files discussed were present. Also, I use clone disk to backup my system drive, and it works just fine. It'll get me back in action within a minute of a system crash!

    So as far as I am concerned there is no problem. Thank you for your concern, Acronis, and thank you for your product, which meets my needs admirably and functions just as I expect it to (except for the 859 fiasco, which I assume you will correct shortly.)
     
  8. Hodders

    Hodders Registered Member

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    Using v8.0 build: 826

    I can confirm that boot.ini, ntldr and ntdetect are only there when I run the image creation from the recovery CD. If I make a live backup the above three files are not part of the image when I explore it.

    I'll look back here now and then to see how you get on with this....
     
  9. El Bolfo

    El Bolfo Guest

    Thank you very much indeed for your post. It really works with just copyingthe missing files and saved me a lot of hassle and time!
     
  10. jmk94903

    jmk94903 Registered Member

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    Have you Explored the image that you restored and are the ntldr, etc. missing from the image?

    If so, then it's possible to find the problem before restoring the image. Of course, that doesn't answer how to create an image that has the files, but it's a first step.

    Do you have other images where ntldr, etc. are present. Can you identify a difference in the way the images were made?
     
  11. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Hodders,

    I have contacted our Testing Lab and we couldn't reproduce it by now. Could you please describe whether you have any third-party boot manager? Also please let us know whether you created the image of the whole disk or only system partition?

    Thank you.
    --
    Ilya Toytman
     
  12. matteni

    matteni Registered Member

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    Thanks OP! You rock. Had this exact problem and followed your instructions and you saved my behind! Thank you so much!

    :)
     
  13. Allen L.

    Allen L. Registered Member

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    I just checked an image made from within the Windows interface and the files ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini are all there after mounting the image of C: (active partition only) and exploring it as Drive X: on my computer. My image was *only* of the C: partition, the complete disk option was *not* checked during the imaging. (I have a Data partition D on the same hard drive) This image was made with TI v.8.00.937. I am not running raid but I do have WinXP Pro loaded on a SATA hard drive as C: as the only active partition on a raid capable MB.

    Mistake I think some may be making, is in Explorer > Tools > Folder Options > View ...you *have* to have showing *all* files and that for sure includes the protected system files box has to be unchecked. You can't hide *any* files. If you leave this box checked you can't see the system files ntdetect.com, ntldr, boot.ini which are hidden and 'protected' no matter what method you choose to explore the image with.

    ...Allen
     
  14. milleron

    milleron Registered Member

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    I have TI-8 (build 791) installed on a computer on which drive C: is on a RAID 0 system. I most definitely DO get boot.ini, ntldr, and ntdetect included in live images (created while running TI in Windows). I cannot reproduce OP's problem, either.

    Ron
     
  15. milleron

    milleron Registered Member

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    If that were the only problem, then drives restored from these images WOULD BOOT without a hitch, wouldn't they? It looks as though there's something other than this going on.

    Ron
     
  16. Allen L.

    Allen L. Registered Member

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    I was *only* referring about the files mentioned in the first of the post. Of course the MBR restore might be necessary, as MBR might or might not be imaged. I *have* booted a restore as I mentioned to a newly formatted hard drive and it worked fine. I know sometimes that the MBR gets corrupted or not imaged...so you use the Acronis MBR recovery disk for a speedy recovery, or you can use the WinXP disk. When you make an image, if you notice the 'box' by the whole disk is only 'grayed' out when you image only one partition of the disk. I believe that is indicating that more of the hard drive is being imaged than just the partition checked. Same story with the old and reliable Drive Image 2002. You could image and restore the C active partition and not have to bother with the other partitions. That is what most users do with an imaging program. Data can be backed up so many different ways, but *not* an active partition. Image is the only way for a fast restore of an active disk OS system crash.

    ...Allen
     
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