Acronis True Image 11 Home unsatisfactory

When required to perform in the worst scenario, lost operating system, this product is unable to readily restore the saved principal hard disk of a computer.

 

Some details about the problem(s) you experienced would be helpful if you want some help recovering your OS. Quite a few people on this forum actually seem genuinely helpful.

 

Hello Wilfrid and Vango44,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup software

Wilfrid,

Could you please describe the issue more precisely and tell us if any error messages are brought to the screen?

Let us assure you that we will be glad to solve any issue you encountered and we will make the program work flawlessly for you. Please feel free to submit a request for technical support with the the detailed issue description and the link to this thread. We will do our best to help you as soon as possible.

Thank you

--
Eugene Bogdanov

 

Description below.
No error messages seen.

My assertion about True Image 11 Home stands, namely:

When required to perform in the worst scenario, lost operating system, this product is unable to readily restore the saved principal hard disk of a computer

What follows are the latest exchanges between me and Acronis Technical Support; earlier advice omitted because none of it has been of any use whatsoever. I have not yet carried out the latest advice which appears to be based on the assumption that I am unable to use the software to create a restore disk.

I do not believe your code works in the version I have loaded namely build 8,027 but I would be pleased to be proven wrong.

I am fully conversant with your EULA which gives no guarantees that your software will actually work, namely:

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ACRONIS OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ACRONIS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

I am prepared to follow this matter to resolution purchasing support from Acronis should Acronis deem this necessary

As set out below, the recovery disk "mouse.com" program in particular does not work with my OQO2.




On 7 November Acronis advised:

We recommend you to install Acronis SnapAPI drivers update to
overcome this issue

Please install the below update with disabled logging and see
whether the issue persists.

http://download.acronis.com/support/SnapAPI.337_s_e.msi

If the issue still persists, please install the downloaded update
again with enabled logging, reproduce the issue and pick up the log
file without closing the error window. The log file will be created
on the C:\ partition. The name of this file will be snapapi[date-time].log


On 8 November I advised:

Disks C: and F: (archive location) checked through Properties and no errors found.

I installed Acronis SnapAPI drivers update without and with logging.
With logging a file "snapapi(date-time).log" is supposed to be created
after an error message is displayed.

Well I got neither - no log; no error message. The Acronis TI 11
program appears to run properly but instead of restoring C: just
reboots OQO to state before program run.


After rebbot a black screen with:

Starting Acronis Loader ...

appears.


An unreadable message flashes This is replaced by a another screen with:

{Logo} Acronis
Loading please wait...


Then a 4:3 ratio blue screen appears upon which after about 10 seconds appears
the 'Operations Progress Screen"

The heading in the middle box changes to "Current Operation Progress".
The message "Analysing disk F:" (or something like this) appears
briefly followed by an even briefer set of messages and a reboot to
state before operation started.


No error messages appear.
Log gives no entry of what has happened.
Ctrl/Break does not pause action.

What do I do now?


On 9 November Acronis advised:

Please try to perform the recovery using the Acronis Bootable Rescue Media and see if
the issue remains.


On 10 November I replied:

Described action attempted without success.

Acronis options extremely confusing.

Created recovery disk has 7 files.

"mouse.com" does not produce stable drivers for my OQO model 2 and is unusable as cursor only goes left to right across

middle of screen. Navigation around screen extremely difficult as normal shortcuts use unpredictable.

"bootmenu.exe" 2.16 Mb when run produces a display where my OQO model 2 internal hard disk drive is not recognised.

Drive details are

Internal drive,
HTC426060GBCE00 ATA Device,
nominal capabity 60 GB,
reported capacity, as set up by OQO, 55.89 GB,
volume "VistaOS",
normal operation designation C:

External drive
HitachiHTS541680J9SA00 USB Drive,
nominal capacity 80GB,
reported capacity 74.53GB,
partitoned,
1, FAT partition,
reported capacity 1.95GB,
volume "MANUSCRIPT"
normal operation designation E:

2, NTFS partition,
reported capacity 7.83GB,
volume "NTFS DATA",
normal operation designation F:

3, NTFS partition,
reported capacity 54.9GB,
volume "FREEDOM HDD"'
normal operation designation G:
site of 14.2GB *.tib archive file required to be restored

4, NTFS partition
reported capacity 9.78 GB
volume "BACKUP",

What I want to do is restore the 14.2 GB *.tib file on external HitachiHTS541680J9SA00 USB Drive,
to the computer internal drive HTC426060GBCE00 ATA Device,
ie restore the situation before computer crashed.

(* used to hide my computer name which is part of the archive file name.)

Confusion is caused by True Image apparently referring to computer designated drives 0, 1 and 2
as drives 1, 2 and 3.

On True Image 11 Home screen headed
"Partiton or Disk to Restore"
selection is only available of Disk 1 or components described as follows

Partition Flags Capacity Free Space Notes
None (C Pri/Act 55.89GB FS: None Partition: 0x7 [data obscured]
MBR and Track 0 MBR and Track 0

On True Image 11 Home screen headed
"Restored Hard Drive Location" the only available selections are on
External drive
HitachiHTS541680J9SA00 USB Drive,
nominal capacity 80GB.

The only method of exiting from recovery drive boot is to turn off my OQO model 2.
"<Alt>-<F4>" has no effect.

After all of this I retried restoration from the copy of True Image 11 Home
installed on my computer
Internal drive,
HTC426060GBCE00 ATA Device,
nominal capabity 60 GB,
reported capacity, as set up by OQO, 55.89 GB,
volume "VistaOS",
normal operation designation C:

The result was the same as always experienced, restoration failed.

What do I do now?

On 11 November Acronis advised.

We recommend you to download the Acronis True Image Bootable Media image (in ISO
format) available at <Snipped> ~ Links to special Acronis bootable ISOs of the rescue CD not allowed - Menorcaman ~ and burn it using appropriate writing software such as Nero or Roxio Easy CD Creator
which runs on your computer. After you create a boot disc from the downloaded file,
please check its functionality, identify it and keep it in a safe place.

This has yet to be done.

 

Ah, so your problem, is that the restore/rescue CD is causing you a problem.

The Snapapi drivers - are the imaging drivers for Windows, so if it's the rescue CD that is the problem, then these wouldn't have solved your problem.

The logging, is run in 'hidden' mode, in other words, you'll need to check your root directory to see if a log file has been made.

Just bear with me as I'm not as quick as some here. Does TI from within whatever version of Windows you are using work properly? That is make images, see RAID if installed, see external drives, allows images to be mounted?

What happens form the rescue CD if you choose the Safe mode?

Are you using an external USB hub of any kind? These have been known to cause TI problems - mainly from within Windows, but the Linux environment as well has had problems.

I'm not sure what an OQO system is.

Colin

 

I'm also not familiar with the OQO system. But it looks like you're trying to restore the drive with the OS on it. This requires a reboot into a non-Windows environment so the old system disk can be over-written.
It appears TI-11 cannot identify your C: drive from outside of Windows.

I just went through all this myself with an Intel Raid setup and can tell you that the "8052" version they linked you to is the only version that works for me. Even the newer 8054 version available doesn't work for me.

That said, you obviously don't have the same hardware as me.
Unless you have a multiple drive Raid setup it's possible you might have a BIOS setting on your computer that would allow True Image to see your drive but I'm not sure where to start. I mention it only in case you want to consider checking yourself.
Also, if it's not a Raid, could you move the drive temporarily to another computer to restore the image and then back again? I would save this as a last resort though since if it doesn't work, you might be left without a workable system.

 

1.Yes.
2.No.
3.quod est demonstrandum

Thanks.

1.Restoration of lost drive not easy - most would have given up by now. Acronis guilty of false and misleading advertising in my books because a restore after catatrophic failure is not possible for a casual user but takes an experienced computer professional considerable probing to achieve the result. I am neither of the above but want to be able to readily restore different configurations for my own purposes and am prepared to pursue the matter to resolution.

2.I am unfamiliar with Raid but I don't have a multiple internal drive set-up.
I don't understand .iso image files either but am trying to learn about them from the Roxio help files. Two attempts so far to create a restore disk from the image have been unsuccessful. I have other tasks to perform besides working with Acronis for free to solve their code problems so I won't be able to progress my solution for a few days.

3. I rest my case on my assertion. I acknowledge that Acronis and you have been helpful and I thank you for that. I will post details when restoration is finally successful which, due to provided support, I am sure will eventually occur.

 

Two unsuccessful attempts to create a restore CD from the image file
I just end up with a bootable disk which loads:
BusyBox v 0.60.5 (2007.11.07 - 11:37+0000) Built-in shell (lash)with a
/ # _ prompt for a list of built-in commands
preceded by loading of
ISOLINUX 3.52 2007-9-23 Copyright (C) 1994-2007 H. Peter Anvin

I have no idea how to proceed from here and as the link has expired I have asked for another to try again.

 

When you get to the prompt, issue the following:

/bin/product

That will start True Image.

 

Entering at prompt
/bin/product
Returns
SysSaverApp: unable to set video mode 640x480x4
and restores prompt
/ # _

Found intuitively that
To reboot enter the command
reboot
(Previously physically switching off and on was the only method known.)

On reboot keying <Space> reports
Video adapter: VESA VGA
with invitation to enter one of 8 video modes, columns and rows

Chose first
0 0F00 80X25

At prompt
/bin/product/returned same as above.

What next?

 

It would appear the Linux video drivers in the ISO are not compatible with your display. Maybe it's time to give up on Linux and go the BartPE root. The resolution can be set in BartPE. However, the default resolution is 640x480.

 

At this stage, thanks but no thanks.

I hope I have already persuaded Acronis that their software does not work because I want them to fix it. To go to a third party at this stage would muddy the waters too much.

I will get back to them with what I have found if their reading of this forum doesn't spot this post within a few days.

Long term I need to be able to restore different scenarios at will and serviceable Acronis software should do this readily.

 

The OQO model 2 is a UMPC (Weighing just over a pound and measuring 5.6 x 3.3 x 1 inches).

As the vendor supposedly does not support running linux on the product,
it does not surprise me that the TI Boot CD running Linux would not work.

Does seem like the TI11 requirements page should at least mention using Linux on the boot cd.

From the OQO knowledge Base

Can the model 02 run Linux?

Answer
The OQO model 02 is a standard x86 PC and fully capable of running Linux. There may be work required in order to get full functionality of all the hardware.

model 02 compatibility with non-Windows operating systems

question
Is the OQO model 02 computer compatible with any non-Windows operating systems?


answer
The OQO model 02 computer is a standard x86 PC computer designed for use with the Windows operating system. OQO has incorporated custom innovations which require the support of specific software drivers currently available only with Windows. Replacing the operating system may disable features on the OQO.

 

I believe my contention is well and truely proven fifteen days on and still unable to restore saved computer internal disk files.

Even with a later software build the problem remains.

The latest response to Acronis is copied below for information.

Latest Acronis True Image 11 Home build 8053 downloaded,
installed over build 8027 and rescue CD disk made and booted from.

No change from previously reported problem
namely that when using "Restore Data Wizard" at
"Restored Hard Disk Drive Location" there is no selection available
for OQO internal drive HTC426060GBCE00 ATA Device,
nominal capabity 60 GB,
reported capacity, as set up by OQO, 55.89 GB,
volume "VistaOS",
normal operation designation C:

Only selection available is for:
External drive
Hitachi HTS541680J9SA00 USB Drive,
nominal capacity 80GB,
reported capacity 74.53GB,

Track stick on OQO not supported by "mouse.com" on recovery disk as it does not produce stable drivers for my OQO model 2 and is unusable as cursor only goes left to right across middle of screen. Navigation around screen extremely difficult as normal shortcuts use unpredictable.Flip to help file occurs which cannot be closed.

Activity terminated at this point.


PS Can spell checker be installed as in SMF boards ?