"Analysing Partition" Delay and TrkWks Error

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Brian R, Dec 31, 2007.

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  1. Brian R

    Brian R Registered Member

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    Folks,

    As with a number of other users, I suffered from huge delays while partitions were being analysed. Fortunately, some free time over Christmas allowed me to resolve the problem. I've included some notes below in case they may be of help to others. Couple of important provisos ....
    - I'm still not sure exactly what the problem was nor what it was that I did that actually fixed the problem.
    - Other users have found fixes which didn't work for me. So, it's entirely possible that what's below is irrelevant to your situation.

    OK, let's go...
    (1) I'm running TI 9.0 Build 3854 under XP Pro SP2.
    (2) Sometime in November, TI suddeny and consistently started spending hours on "Analyzing Partition". I don't think that TI was hanging as once or twice I left it for a few hours and it eventually moved past this stage. I even managed to successfully run a back-up (with the delay happening again as each partition was processed).
    (3) This delay also happened in Disk Director (9.0 Build 554).
    (4) Anytime that I checked, the problem was always associated with Event Log timeout errors for TrkWks and other services.
    (5) The problem did not happen when I ran TI from its boot CD.
    (6) After much mucking about, I became suspicious about one of the partitions on my main disk because of its somewhat chequered existence. Earlier in the year I had installed Vista on it (moving between XP and Vista by hiding and unhiding partitions). After leaving it idle for some months, I had deleted it and set it up as an ordinary disk attached to XP Pro. Intially, my suspicions about it were that it had a huge number of files on it (including one folder with 250,000 files) and that it had been set up about the same time as the TI problem started.
    (7) Deleting this partition again made no difference to the "Analyzing" problem. However, I had a vague recollection that Vista did something peculiar to the Master Boot Record, so I used my Windows XP DVD to boot into Restore mode. Ah ha, it asked me which system I wanted to use, the XP one or the Vista one (long since deleted, overwritten and re-deleted).
    I picked the XP one and ran FixMBR.
    (:cool: I'm a little vague as to exactly what I did then, but it involved re-formatting the "Vista" partition and deleting it again. At last, problem solved!
    (9) For the last few days, TI and Disk Director have both behaved immaculately. During that time, the Event Log has shown the occasional TrkWks (and other) timeouts, but with nothing like the frequency I'd seen before.

    Hope this helps,
    Regards,
    Brian R.
     
  2. sparkymachine

    sparkymachine Registered Member

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    Excellent.
    What is TrkWks?
     
  3. Brian R

    Brian R Registered Member

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    As far as this issue is concerned, I think that TrkWks ("Distributed Link Tracking Clients") is simply the first of a number of system services which manifest the problem. Translation: Sorry, I don't know.

    Regards,
    Brian R.
     
  4. sparkymachine

    sparkymachine Registered Member

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    Can't find the specific service you mention on my system but similar - I have them disabled
     
  5. Brian R

    Brian R Registered Member

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    They're automatically started on mine. Do you have "the problem"?

    Regards,
    Brian R.
     
  6. sparkymachine

    sparkymachine Registered Member

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    services cut.jpg

    No Problems
     
  7. Brian R

    Brian R Registered Member

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    Glad to hear it. I'll certainly consider disabling TrkWks if this happens again, however I strongly suspect that that would be addressing the symptoms rather than the cause!

    Regards,
    Brian R.
     
  8. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Brian R,

    Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

    We are sorry for delayed response.

    Thank you very much for sharing that information. Most likely the cause of the issue was the fact both Acronis True Image 9.0 Home and Acronis Disk Director Suite 9.0 do not support Windows Vista, and had problems correctly recognizing the changes it introduced into partitions setup. The problem shouldn't arise with the current versions, but if it does, the information you provided will help investigation and resolution.

    Thank you.
    --
    Marat Setdikov
     
  9. Brian R

    Brian R Registered Member

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    Thanks, Marat. It makes me feel a bit more comfortable to get a sensible-sounding explanation of what caused the problem (with the slight niggle that the boot version of TI didn't seem to have any issues).

    In any event, I've bought the upgrade to the latest version of TI and until that becomes stable and I can install it, I won't be going near my Vista DVD!

    Small query: I thought that I had thoroughly searched this site for a solution to my problem, however I didn't come across any mention that Vista+TI9 could cause the "analyzing" issue. Did I miss something or is this the first time that it has been mentioned?

    Thanks,
    Brian
     
  10. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello Brian R,

    This is indeed the first time the delay with analyzing partitions is mentioned with such combination of factors.

    Thank you.
    --
    Marat Setdikov
     
  11. BruceO

    BruceO Registered Member

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    Hi, Brian, Marat, and Sparkeymachine,

    The solution (or effective workaround) in my case of "the problem" is to disable the Distributed Link Tracking Client service (TrkWks).

    I also had "the problem" with the True Image 11 build 8027 under Windows XP Pro SP2 updated through 20 Jan 2008 : True Image would stall for 10 minutes or so when opening, with the message "Analyzing partition D:..." in the lower left corner. If I just waited it out, it would stall for good again later in the disk clone process. The stalls were always associated with series of 7011 timeout errors in the system error log, which always started with a timeout from TrkWks, which is the Distributed Link Tracking Client service. This service tracks shortcuts and OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) links, maintaining them even when the targets are moved to other directories, drives, or computers. While useful in a large network, this is not so important on a home PC. Microsoft's info pages about it acknowledge that it can cause problems with backup schemes that involve exact copies of disks - just what I use True Image disk clones for. I got hints of this with occasional Windows messages like "Volume ID of E: reset, since it duplicates C:. Used by Distributed Link Tracking.”

    Other changes in partition sizes and so on initially seemed to help, but the problem persisted intermittently, stalling on different partitions at different times.

    Finally I tried disabling the Distributed Link Tracking Client service with msconfig. The problem ceased. When I re-enable it, the problem returns. This is repeatable. I have now disabled the service permanently, and True Image works normally.

    This is probably why Sparkymachine has no problem: he has the service disabled already. Users of XP Home don't see it because the service is disabled by default in XP Home, but it is enabled by default in XP Pro.

    I cannot explain why the problem appeared suddenly, after a period of trouble-free use of True Image with Distributed Link Tracking enabled. One possibility is that Distributed Link Tracking will only encounter problems when the cloned drive is connected to the computer and one tries to start True Image. I might simply never have done that before, since I normally make a clone, check it using Windows Explorer, and then store it away. Next time I make a clone, the drive is only connected a few moments before being overwritten by True Image; Distributed Link Tracking might not yet have encountered the problem and started mucking about with the drive ID data.

    This is a very easy fix to try, and easy to abandon if it does not work.

    Good luck,

    Bruce
     
  12. Brian R

    Brian R Registered Member

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    Marat, Thanks for that, it's good to know that I hadn't missed something obvious.

    BruceO, Excellent explanation, you've made me feel that I understand something about TrkWks and why it impacted on me so much! I had toyed with the idea of disabling TrkWks, but only briefly as I couldn't get clear guidance on the implications of doing that. Work permitting, I'll have another go at a Vista partition, confident that I have a quick fix available, if necessary.

    BTW, my own "sudden appearance" of the problem happened when I reformatted the Vista Partition. I had very deliberately tried to keep my XP and Vista partitions hidden from each other, but perhaps TrkWks had seen the Vista partition and was "missing" it!

    Regards,
    Brian.
     
  13. Rhubarb

    Rhubarb Registered Member

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    BruceO
    Thank you for the tip. I have today unticked Distributed Link Tracking Client service (TrkWks) and all the delays have gone.

    In my case, I had removed the HDD which contained the Secure Zone - then installed a different HDD to put the Secure Zone on.

    I suspect that if I could have deleted the Secure Zone before removing the HDD then I would not have had this problem.


    I have now happily reinstalled TI, created Secure Zone and a full backup all is whizzing along. I then tried ticking TRKWKS .... and slow, slow, slow. So I have unticked it again.

    So, does anyone know whether I need (for anything) TRKWKS or will TI continue behaving perfectly without it ? (I have XP Pro, TI 8 and the Secure Zone / image is on a separate HDD).

    If I do need TRKWKS, does anyone know how to make it happy ? Do I need to edit the registry ? Anyone got instructions ??

    I am looking forward to hearing from anyone who can advise.
     
  14. thecreator

    thecreator Registered Member

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    Hi Rhubarb,

    Do you have a Home Network setup and Mapped external Drives, like NAS partitions as Drives to the operating system?

    Do you have a very large partition with a lot of information and files on it?
     
  15. Rhubarb

    Rhubarb Registered Member

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    Hi thecreator
    Yes, I have a home network
    No, mapped drives - Folders are shared from the server
    No NAS as such - a PC which acts as a server - 2 partitions with shared folders
    Large Partition ? 125GB each on server - 1 for video: 1 for music and data
    (actually, not much of the 250GB is actually used)

    Yesterday, the shares seemed to work fine ie the PC in question could access server files ok.

    The PC has a second internal hard drive only for the TI Secure Zone

    If I do not need TRKWKS then that is ok: BUT I still feel that I should set it running again just in case ......... provided I can make it work.

    Any help would be appreciated.
     
  16. Wobwill

    Wobwill Registered Member

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    Hi,

    I use DD10 and TI11

    I am pretty sure that I am suffering from the same problem as described in ths thread.

    Yestderday and today I have been reinstalling my operating system (XP pro SP2). This has all been going well. I did a clean install and have been setting things up reasonably happily. After creating an initial C drive on my HD, I later used DD10 to make 2 additional drives - DD10 foramtted and created the drives. I later used TI11 to do a full backup of C. All was well.

    Today both DD10 and TI11 have been very slow to analyse and use.

    This thread discusses stopping an unneeded service that might affect the speed of both DD10 and TI11 - please would someone tell me how to stop and restart this service.

    Thank you.

    Will

    PS I intend to map the E drive and drives on two other computers to run a home wireless network.

    PPS if i can give more information or make my post clearer please tell me.

    PPPS. I only had the problem after installing TI11 Acronis Startup Recovery Manager.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2008
  17. barneyz

    barneyz Registered Member

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    Last edited: Mar 8, 2008
  18. Euroman

    Euroman Registered Member

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    Thanks for the tips here.

    I've just reinstalled XP Media Center Edition 2005 on a Dell Dimension 5150
    & used SP3. (I used the Dell restore feature)

    After updating Windows & prior to installing any regular software, I installed DD 10 & partitioned my disk ok. I then installed TI 10 & when I went to create the first image it took forever analyzing the partitions. After at least 30 mins I stopped it & I tried running DD again & that was just as slow.
    Then I fortunately checked this forum.

    I set Distributed Link Tracking Client Service to manual as per barneyz post & now both TI & DD speed through the analyzing.

    Thanks again, Mark
     
  19. alan_b

    alan_b Registered Member

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    NOT TRUE on my Acer Laptop. I find the service is enabled.

    Windows XP Home edition was pre-installed by ACER, maybe they did it.
    Far more likely is that SP3 did it.

    When SP3 was installed, start-up was slow and ragged, and often most start-up icons failed to appear in the notification tray, even though the relevant items were running.
    Since reading these posts and recognising the symptom of an Acronis delay, I opened Services and found Distributed Link Tracking Client service had started and was Automatic. I immediately disabled it.

    Since then Acronis no longer hesitates
    and even better, the power-on start-up is much faster and smoother.

    Regards
    Alan.
     
  20. RedCreek

    RedCreek Registered Member

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    Thanks for this thread. It just saved me a lot of time and aggravation. I had the exact same symptoms but one glitch -- the hard drive it was hanging up on was brand new with absolutely nothing on it!

    I had a complete hard drive crash and since I had to install all from new, decided to replace both the main and the slave with bigger drives. After the install and restoring my backup (always backup regularly - I only lost about 12 hours of email) I used the ATI to format the new slave drive. I created 3 partition F,G,H. I then closed down ATI to defrag before backing up the new main drive. I couldn't restart ATI.

    Disabling the Distributed Link Tracking Client Service was an immediate fix and I'm back working again.

    If interested, I'm running XP Pro w/sp2 and the ACT home 2009 version. No network.
     
  21. KeefyBoy

    KeefyBoy Registered Member

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    Hi and Thanks!

    I was getting the same/similar issues with both Acronis 10. Sometimes it would work, scan the drives etc., and allow me to run tasks but more often than not it would hang on one drive - or at least, appear to do so as I would get bored waiting for several hours before it completed.

    I even upgraded to TrueImage 2009 [what version is that?] in an effort to resolve the issue, but got the same problem with that version.

    Now, having disabled TrkWks, my newly installed TrueImage2009 flies along just like v10 used to.

    I too am puzzled as to why a program that always worked suddenly started playing up ... could it have been something in SP3 which I installed on 11 January?
     
  22. K0LO

    K0LO Registered Member

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    You've got it. The changes introduced in XP SP3 and Vista SP1 are at the root of this issue.

    BTW - I have not seen this issue occur at all on Windows 7...
     
  23. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello KeefyBoy,

    Thank you for your interesting in Acronis True Image

    Make sure that you are using the latest build of the program http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/support/updates/

    Disable the Distributed Link Tracking Client service (Vista):

    1. Click on the START button and type "services".
    2. Click on "services" from the menu.
    3. Click "Continue" when the UAC prompt appears .
    4. In the list of services shown, find "Distributed Link Tracking Client" and double-click on it.
    5. Click the "STOP" button to stop the service.
    6. From the drop-down list choose "Disabled".
    7. Click "OK" and close the list of Services.

    Windows XP:

    Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative tools -> Services -> , find "Distributed Link Tracking Client" and double-click on it
    Click the "STOP" button to stop the service
    Then right-click it choose properties and set startup type to Disabled.

    Check disks for errors:

    - Go to the Command Prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd)
    - Enter the command: "chkdsk DISK: /r" (where DISK is the partition letter you need to check) for every partition that is visible in My Computer. Please note, that checking the C: drive may require you to reboot the machine.

    In some cases Acronis drivers may interfere with drivers of other software installed on your computer. E.g. Antivirus programs can seriously influence Acronis software from proper functionality. To overcome this issue you should download and install the latest builds of Antivirus software or temporarily disable it.

    If nothing helps contact Acronis support and ask them provide you the latest SnapAPI drivers for Acronis True image program you have. The SnapAPI module is in charge of all I/O operations on the hard disk of Acronis software working in Windows.

    Contact Acronis support and submit technical request using this link or contact us via Live Chat

    Best regards,
    --
    Dmitry Nikolaev
     
  24. JCAcUser

    JCAcUser Registered Member

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    True Image 2009 on Vista 64 Home Premium has same problems.

    I disabled Distributed Link Tracking Client service per your advice and startup of TI is no longer a 2 minute wait!

    Thanks, you guys rock! :)

    - JC
     
  25. vinceros

    vinceros Registered Member

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    I just happened to run into this thread while I was searching for hints on the problem debated here. Now that my troubles are (hopefully) over, I want to share my experience, as it differs in some ways with what is written here.
    First of all, I'd like to confirm that it is not necessarily true that TrkWks is disabled by default in XP Home. I run XP Home SP2 (OEM) and the service is set to Automatic.
    Both DD10 and TI11 have been running without problems for months until I replaced the second hard disk with one of greater capacity. After the replacement, I experienced the timeouts of TrkWks, dmserver and ShellHWDetection. Both DD and TI were affected. Actually, I assumed that the programs were stucked and I never waited for their completion but forced them to end through Task manager.
    The Acronis Technical Support suggested to uninstall the Acronis SW and reinstall the most recent build but didn't give any explanation for the above.
    The only difference between the old and the new disk (apart from the size) was that the former was FAT32 formatted and the latter NTFS. As I restored the image of the old disk on the new one, thus going back to FAT32, the problem disappeared and everything went back to normal.
    Incidentally, a word of caution. After having uninstalled TI by means of the Add/Remove applet of the Control Panel, following the Acronis suggestion, I used the Acronis Clean up routine to uninstall DD. The result was not only the removal of DD, but the entire uninstall key in the HKLM hive was wiped out. Also for this little "accident" I got no explanation from Acronis.
    Regards

    Vincent
     
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