Can't Get Bootable Rescue CD to BOOT...

Equipment:
Gateway 450 SX4 Laptop
XP Home v2002 w/SP2
512M Memory
Hard Drive: 30gig IDE Hitachi Travelstar IC25N030ATCS04-0
DVD/CDRW Combo Drive: QSI SBW-241
Burning Software: Nero Ultra Edition v6.6.0.8a

I got Ghost 2003 to do bootable Image backups of my entire HD to CD’s. Problem was that it would always burn the CD’s (8 of them) with no problem but would always fail one CD or another when doing validity check of the Image backup. Mutiple tries always gave the same results and all I was doing was making coasters instead of backup CD's.

So, I am giving True Image v8.0 Build 826 a try. Well, all 8 of the CDs it makes passes the validity check but it can’t make a workable boot CD like Ghost could. Too bad Symantec and Acronis don’t get together and pool each other’s strong points, ie. Acronis does the code for making the backup while Symantec does the code for making the boot disk. Then there would be a workable program.

Anyway, The boot CD that Acronis makes will not boot and I know why… it doesn’t put the boot files on the CD needed to make it a boot CD. Also, I tried both methods of making a boot CD (Full Version & Safe Version) under the True Image “Create Bootable Rescue Media” wizard and both types have the same exact files on the CD and both don’t have the needed boot files that makes the CD(s) a “Boot” disk. Here is what is on both CD’s:

Readme.txt
Recovery Manager\Bootmenu.exe
Recovery Manager\Bootwiz.sys
Recovery Manager\f11.cfg
Recovery Manager\Kernel.dat
Recovery Manager\mouse.com
Recovery Manager\ramdisk.dat

Anyone got any ideas what is going on?

Regards,

 

Dixieppc-

The Acronis rescue environment is a Linux contraption. This may explain why some typical "boot disk files" like command.com seem to be missing. No DOS (like old Ghost or old Drive image) nor WindowsPE (like Ghost9). The bootable rescue media are written with the appropriate boot sector and generally boot fine. In addition I've been able to use the wdormann variant of the technique to put the resoration image and the rescue environment onto a single DVD, and that has worked fine for me.

If the rescue media builder is creating dud CDs for you, I can't explain it, other than to say it is abnormal. Hopefully someone else on the forum will have an idea for you.

Marc

 

Thanks for the reply……

Okay on the Linux thingy.... However, I have XP set to show hidden files and even if the boot files are of the Linux variety and hidden, they should still be visible in the root of the CD. Nothing showing in the root but that Readme.txt file.

I also forgot to mention in my setup that I do have the laptop configured to look at the optical drive first for booting.

Thanks again for the reply and Regards,

 

Hi dixieppc

Please don't start, Symantec can bring nothing but crap. IMSO

If you can not get Ti to make BootCD you have something set wrong, Either do a search.

Or Try making it in safe Mode.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Hello Dixieppc,

From the info provided it's clear that the boot rescue CD has been created correctly. All you will see in the root is the readme.txt file and the Recovery Manager folder that contains the files you listed.

When you say the CD doesn't boot what exactly do you mean? Does your laptop just boot straight into Windows or does it freeze partway through the rescue CD boot process and, if so, what did you see on the screen?

Regards

 

Hello dixieppc,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Could you please let us know what happens when you try to boot from bootable CD? Your bootable CD have the all files. Also please try the "acpi=off noapic" workaround and let us know the result.

Thank you.
--
Irina Shirokova

 

Hi Irina.... I got the problem solved at a forum where Gateway computer victims hang out. The problem was not a True Image software or Boot Disk made by True Image thing. The problem was a Gateway thing.

According to replies to my question about this, My Gateway Laptop has a Gateway Proprietary Bios which will not recognize any CD, DVD or Floppy Boot media which is not made bootable via a dos type format (I'm trying to explain something here that I don't understand so please forgive my way of telling the story). Anyway, if the CD, DVD or Floppy is not an MS-Dos or PC-Dos type format of booting, then the work-around with this version of bios is to hit <Esc> or <F10> when booting the computer up. That way it will give you the option to manually choose to boot from the Non MS or PC-Dos bootable CD, DVD or Floppy.


I gave this a try and it worked.... Got a little drop down menu before the system started loading windoze that gave me 6 options of which one was to boot from the optical drive. After choosing that, the True Image made Boot CD booting up fine and presented me with the system level True Image console.

Again.... It was a Gateway thing and not a True Image thing. They told me that there was an flash upgrade for my bios that rectified this but flashing a bios was not recommended on the gateway laptops unless absolutely necessary because the bios is hard wired and if you screw the flash up, you got a pile of junk on your hands. I can deal with doing the <Esc> thingy without chancing a blown Bios Flash Upgrade and turning my Laptop into a doorstop.

I am told that this has also been seen on certain Dells, HPs and Compacs that have certain Bios chips so this may be something to remember here when getting questions about True Image made Boot disks not booting.

Oh Yea!….. I was asked just what happened during the failed boot of the True Image Boot disk…

Answer… Nothing…. The system looked at the optical drive to see if there was an MS/PC-DOS bootable disk there and seeing that there wasn’t (according to information provided by the Bios), it went on and booting up into Windoze from the hard drive. <Esc> or <F10> forces it to accept other boot formats.

Regards,

 

Hi, dixieppc

Thank very much for coming back with your fix.

PS: Told you there was no need Symantec.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Hi Dixieppc,

Well I never!! Seems we learn something new each day .

As TheQuest said, thanks for advising the fix. Worth knowing about in case someone else comes up with a similar problem.

Regards

 

Hi,

I've the same problem, the boot CD doesn't boot.
However, the SAFEMODE boot cd DOES boot, but then I don't have network support!

Tried the "acpi=off noapic" fix but doesn't work.
The interesting thing is, on that box I'm running Linux (DSL) and had to add
acpi=off to the kernel parameters to start it up, the system runs fine now.
Also tried some other Linux kernel options (noscsi, nopcmcia, nodma) but without success.

Now, I've 2 questions:
1) Are there other Acronis parameters I could try?
2) Is it possible to boot the safemode CD and start network drivers manually?

When looking at the Acronis messages thrown up during boot, I can also
see a suspicious "unknown error 1" in the first quarter of attached screenshot.

The system is a National Geode 266Mhz with built-in graphics controler, 5GB IBM HDD, 256MB RAM, Pioneer CD, no Floppy).

Thanks for some hints!

Cheers
pio

 

Hello Pio,

Dixieppc's problem was that his computer ignored the boot rescue CD altogether and just continued booting into Windows. However, looking at your screenshot I would say you have a different problem i.e. TI fails to boot into the Linux based rescue mode.

As you've tried the acpi=off noapic command without success, you now need to follow the instructions given at II(a) or II(b) in the Acronis Support Sticky titled <Please Read Before You Post> and forward your results to support@acronis.com.

Regards

 

Hello,

just wanted to let you know the result/solution for MY problem:

My system is based on a 266Mhz GXm CPU (National Geode/Cyrix) with cx5530 chipset. Somehow TI rescue CD gets stuck in full mode when scanning the hard drive. In safe mode it boots up fine but unfortunately without network support.


The following kernel parameter solved the issue in my case:

"quiet acpi=off cs5530=off"

Best regards
pio

 

Hi pio,

Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback. Just wish a few more folks would do the same!

Regards