Restore a single file issue

I'm a registered user of TI9.

Backup a single a file and restore it is a great feature but it seems not to work properly.

I've made a backup of "System" hive (registry) located in "C:\Windows\System32\config\"

All went fine as well as its verification.

Due to a boot issue I need to recover that registry hive.

Using F11 I was able to restore that file successfully.

However the boot was not possible and there was no error message (even the XP boot screen was not shown, just a blank screen).

I had to go to the XP console and then recover that registry hive from a backup (copy) made with Registry Workshop.

All went fine. I was able to start XP again.

For me, the TI9 file backup is a great feature but it didn't work.

Something is wrong.

Maybe the support team could make a test with the same registry hive and then try to recover it (using F11...).

TI9 version: 2277.

I'm afraid what would happen when I need to restore an image made with TI9... Can I keep trusting in you Acronis?

 

Anyone?

 

Hello Carlospr,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

I have created the task for our Testing Lab. I will let you know the results of their investigation as soon as possible.

Thank you.
--
Irina Shirokova

 

And what about the tests results?

 

You cant do that - in windows systems this procedure is strongly tabooed.
Registry hives are part of "system state" and it must backup and restore all
together. Acronis TI dont contain chance to save "system state" at all.

 

Sorry but it's possible and I do it all the time. And sometimes I have to restore just the "System" hive and it always works.

I do it using Registry Workshop to make the backup (a copy of the system hive) and the XP console to resotre the copy via command.

So TI can make this task easier but it's not working (I did not test the feature again since my initial post).

It's another TI issue. Just that. "Tabooed"?

 

Not always but yes, in many situations it can work. Question is not about what we can do or what we cant do - question is to do things in right way
from beginning to end, compatible with standards.
And fact is that right now (verision through 9) Acronis TI dont contain "system state save" in file-level backup.

 

I don't understand your point. "System" hive is just a file (a very important one I know) but that's all.

"System Restore" feature copies this file all the time as well as some applications (including TI).

If TI can make an image with Windows on it can make a simple copy of one system file for later use.

No big deal at all.

Take a look at this KB: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;307545&

But if TI can't make a copy of a system file then it's another issue; but, I think the support team is making tests as far as I know.

Let's wait for their answer.

 

Wrong, its not just file - its database. In windows there are more objects
that this hive file and all those objects must remain in consistent state.
This is exactly why any other databases cant backub just by copying database files, but instead there are special database-agents those work together with database kernel.

 

Using TI to backup the registry is like using a steamroller to crush a peanut. There are other programs out there specifically for backing up the registry. Let Google be your friend.

 

.....and the bests are:
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager
Veritas NetBackup
EMC Dantz Retrospect

p.s "system state" contains those objects (also for Acronis to be informed):

----------8<----------------------------------------------------------------
You can back up Windows 2000 and Windows XP system objects together or individually. Microsoft recommends that all system objects be backed up together to maintain a consistent system state. The following are valid system objects:
v Active Directory (domain controller only)
v Certificate server database v Cluster Database (cluster node only)
v COM+ database
v Event logs (system, security and application)
v Windows Registry
v System and boot files
v System Volume v Removable Storage Management Database (RSM)
v Replicated file systems (FRS)
v Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
----------8<----------------------------------------------------------------

 

The problem is not what tool to use for backup purpose but to RESTORE when Windows XP won't boot.

And for that TI has its boot tool (F11...) which is easier then XP console.

For the issue I've pointed in the MS KB (see above) TI is a nice solution.

I don't need only a backup software but a copy of system hive that I can use even if XP won't boot.

That's an unique problem.

 

Unique All well-behaved file-based backup systems can backup complete
"system state" including system hive. File-level backup is new for TI, of course company who just started in new area cant just tomorrow compete with companies who work in this area many-many years. But beginning is good and I just hope and wait. You can even now protect XP from disaster -
in sector-level backup the need for system state save (or hive save) isnt so important. Really, if to look things absolutely perfect then in sector-level backing up databases isnt possible at all, but only if you do this while active windows session, with F11 theres not any problems.

This hive file you cant backup with file-level while windows session because registry hives are locked/blocked files and TI dont contain support for open-file-backup in file-level, it support this only with sector-level. You cant also view this hive with notepad while windows session.

 

Sometimes I think we talk about different things.

I can backup this hive while windows session using Registry Workshop. And I can restore this copy when I need using XP console.

Sometimes my PC won't boot due to a corruption of the "System" hive.

The easier way to solve the issue is to restore a copy of the "System" hive that I made with Registry Workshop.

It's a similar solution that Microsoft gives (see article's link above).

I don't want to restore an entire image just because the hive issue.

With TI it'll be easier due the F11...

In addition, TI makes a backup and say it was successfully backuped it. But it can't restore it properly via F11. Maybe due to your justification ("system state"...).

So, If TI can't do the job at least it could say "Can't backup current file" (if you try to make a manual copy or open it via notepad XP will say it's not possible).

I've purchased a software that seems to make the task I need but it's not working.

Anyway, I'm still waiting an official answer that Acronis promised.

 

How about the case where you have only the full disk image and want several folder(s)/file(s) restored from it. In some situations you cannot know apriori what files to back up. It's and after the fact situation that you need to recover from, without restoring the whole disk image.

 

Hello Carlospr,

Please accept my apologies for the delay with the response.

We do not recommend you to backup Windows registry using the file-based backup tools, since this approach does not allow you to keep the registry integrity.

The point is that, as Geto has already mentioned above, Windows registry is a database and thus it can not be backed as an ordinary file.

You might also find the following articles interesting:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;256986

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

Please also note that if you want to be able to restore your Windows to the working (bootable) state after the system crash occurred then I recommend you to create a partition\disk image which is a sector-by-sector snapshot of the partition\disk and thus allows you to restore your system to the exactly same state it has when the image has been created.

You can find more information on how to use Acronis True Image 9.0 in the respective User's Guide.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov