Acronis True Image 2017 Restore Problem

Somehow, on all of my computers, the layout of the 4 partitions looks like this:

Recovery (450MB)
EFI (99MB)
MSR (16MB)
Partition C.

Before I installed Windows, I cleaned the whole disk, and then let Windows installer make the partitions automatically. BTW, the MSR partition is 128MB on all of my data disks. But on OS disk, it's 16MB.

Also, I believe Brian's computers also have the above layout - that is, if you let Windows installer automatically set up the disk partition layout when you install to a empty (not pre-partitioned) disk.

 

I have the same layout on VMware Win 10 x64 UEFI with system disk 60 GB (excepting size of Primary = 59GB).
I think, size of MSR depends on size of whole disk.

 

I am afraid it's not really related to the size of the HDD. I installed 6 PCs, with very different hardware setups (CPU, RAM, size of hard disk from 120GB SSD, to 240GB SSD to 500GB HDD), including both desktop and laptop. the sizes of the first 3 partitions (Recovery, EFI, MSR) are all the same. That is, as long as you install Windows 10 v1607 on an empty disk (not formatted, so no existing partitions on it).

Also note, that you have the 128MB MSR partition located up front before the Recovery partition, which is in different order from all my Windows installations. I guess what happened was, you formatted your disk as data GPT disk first (Windows will create a 128MB MSR partition on data disk at the beginning of the disk upon formatting), then installed Windows on this formatted disk with existing partitions. This way, the Recovery, EFI and C: partitions could only be created after the existing MSR.

I am sure if you clean your HDD/SSD first (but don't manually format it yet), then boot your Windows installer UFD, select the unformatted HDD/SSD as installation target drive; let Windows installer automatically partition the disk; the partition layout will be the same size and order as I show in post #51.

BTW, the size of the Recovery, EFI and MSR partitions do vary depending on the version of Windows you install. Windows 10 v1507 creates 128 MB MSR if I remember correctly. But in Win10 v1607, the size of MSR is 16MB.

 

oliverjia,

On my test computer, a Win8 UEFI install to an empty HD produced a 128 MB MSR. A Win10 UEFI install to an empty HD produced a 16 MB MSR.

I've experimented and you can delete the MSR and Recovery partition and Windows still loads normally.

Edit... You must delete the partitions in Windows, not offline.

 

thank you Brian for correcting me on the size of MSR in Win10. Yes I recall now it was Win8/8.1 that would create 128MB MSR. And yes - it makes sense that the deletion of MSR under Windows won't prevent Windows from loading, since MSR essentially is an unformatted free space.
However, I think a disk imaging software should faithfully record the disk layout and all its contents 1:1 and should not omit any "non-essential" partitions that the disk imaging programs determined to be. The fact that MSR is a hidden partition indicates that there could be some potential utilization by the OS in the future. This is the exact reason I like IFL, Macrium and Drive Snapshot. They recognize all partitions and backup them all to reserve the original disk partition structure.

 

oliverjia,

In reply to your Diskpart image. Here is one from IFL.

 

Thank you Brian for confirming the sizes of the first 3 partitions.

 

"Warning! After operation completion, operating systems will not boot from the destination disk in BIOS"
It means, that You can't boot in BIOS-mode, but You can boot in UEFI-mode.
But this warning confuses all us. We need recheck such warnings.

 

Well, in my case, the OS wouldn't boot in UEFI mode either. again, maybe it's just my MSI boards, but I agree that this warning message is confusing. UEFI motherboards started to appear 4-5 years ago when Windows 8 was released, so it's about time for Acronis to do some overhaul to deal with GPT/UEFI/Secure boot setups, including maybe some GUI design.

 

I guess this is it? No formal response from Acronis regarding this issue, and the developers are still going to sit in front of their desk and do something else "important"?

Acronis used to be the gold standard in MBR days. Now in UEFI/GPT days, it still won't spend some real efforts optimizing its code for modern computer hardware. Even Drive Snapshot, a mere 400 kB portable application can do 99% of what Acronis can do, and better than what Acronis can do. It backups and restores totally fine on all my computers with vastly different hardware configurations. Every time the system boots fine after restore.

So the developers at Acronis can not beat a mere 400 kB application? LOL.

 

Hello all
I have read through the thread with interest. I have ATI2016 and have used Acronis for the best part of 7/8 years.
My BIOS is UEFI. I recently restored a complete disk from a backup from my bootable media booted in UEFI mode.
The damn PC would not boot after. I had selected the MBR and Track 0 option. Big mistake apparently.
After a lot of faffing about after 3 days I got it working by using a command prompt with RebuildBCD etc.
It is quite ridiculous that it is so easy to backup the hard drive and yet so damned hard to get a recovery working.
Why?
Thanks
John

 

Because when companies become larger in size, they start to treat their customers with arrogance and ignorance. They will ignore your bug reports and do some other, more "important" coding to beautify the GUI.
My solution is simple. Ditch Acronis, embrace products from small, hard working companies such as Terabyte and Drive Snapshot. My solution has been working great so far.

 

Peter2150
You would recommend Macrium then?
John

 

It's a great example. I am done with Acronis myself. I've been using the free version of Macrium for a bit, and will buy the paid version if it goes on sale. Acronis is not dependable in its scheduling features or restore capabilities.

 

Now I've been called a lot of names here and about... but FROBBIE is definitely a first.

...and yes, Macrium REFLECT is my 1st line of defense.

 

Sue him...

 

... and your second?

I had ditched ATI but got bought it again on some special offer. But there is to much going on there so would like to know your personal 2nd pref.

 

PDD, as with Peter, my second line of defense is IFW. I have used it for years and years (v2) and it's been solid through many, many restores. Even used it during my old Rollback RX days. In the area of Incremental imaging and restore, it works well but Reflect is superior in those areas.

I have yet to move to the "dark side" yet (over to the new v3) with IFW... it's just a bit too new for me to use in a production environment, but I expect they will iron it out very quickly. Terabyte Unlimited has a great team.

 

Anyone else use Symantec System Recovery (successor to Ghost) as a secondary imaging solution?

 

I only tried cold imaging of whole disk from a boot USB. It's an OK product. Now it's re-branded to Veritas System Recovery v16.