desperate: backup file won't mount

i am in the exact same predicament as mentioned on this thread. however, i can't reply to that thread because a post would return with a message saying that the thread is too old.

anyway, the backup file of 236 GB is the only copy i have of the data now, and this data is essentially my lifetime work..

i had made entire backups of my windows partition before and it always mount properly after the "successful" message of creating the backup.

is there a way to extract the files from the archive? i will happily pay for such a thing IF it works.

the only thing i haven't tried is copying it to my local drive because, like in the other thread, i haven't got the space. i have tried copying the backup file to an external firewire drive and i still get the same error when mounting:

i need all the help i can..

 

Give us some more detail on your computer, TI and what type of backup it is

Firstly as it is your life time work I would make two copies of it to external drives. I see you used a firewire to make one copy. I would then put the original drive it is on aside and work on the copy if it is exactly the same as the original. Get a MD5Sum programme to check that the firewire transferred file is the same as the original. See http://www.irnis.net/gloss/md5sum-windows.shtml


Check your computer RAM with memtest http://www.memtest.org/ as TI is very sensitive to flaky memory. Run it at least all night

I would then try to get one of the copied files to an internal drive and then try to explore it. You may have to get another internal drive.

 

i'm using a macbook pro. the backup was created using TI HOME 2009's "my data" option to a usb drive. the original files resided on an external firewire drive, and the backup file is a copy of those. that firewire drive has since been repartitioned. after getting the mount error, i copied it back to the newly firewire drive to see if i can mount it from there but with no luck.

i have tested the ram on my machine just a few weeks ago. ran rember for two passes with no errors.

i'll try the MD5 check. meanwhile, if there is a way to look into the archive and extract files using another method, i will be extremely grateful for it.

 

mmm

I don't want too be pessimistic but recovering data from a truly corrupt TIB file has not been reported on very often in the forum.

I would try "live chat" with Acronis via their website as well as they should be more familiar with the programme running on a Macbook Pro under,I presume, Bootcamp.

I am not familiar with TI running under Windows in a MAC based computer.

The suggestions are from experience in a straight Windows based environment. Others may be able to help.

However one key piece of advice is to make sure you are using the latest TI2009 - version 9709 and I would still try to get the file to an internal drive

Best of luck

 

I have a nasty feeling that the wrong tool may have been chosen to make a backup of your data from your Macbook pro.

In the Acronis knowledge base they specifically state that Mac is not supported even if Windows is installed on the machine.

Xpilot

 

backing up an entire partition is not available when in boot camp, but "my data" where you can select files is. the data i backed up were all residing on a ntfs partition on an external drive. i had backed the data up because i needed to repartition the drive.

i know i made a stupid move by not validating the file, but i trusted TI HOME 2009 because it had done a backup of my windows partition and i could mount the backup file. i'm not pointing fingers but just saying why i didn't validate the file.

i still have the backup file, so i'm hoping very much that there is a way to look into it and extract all my files..

 

This is probably not applicable due to the size of your TIB file, but I will mention it anyway.

Recently, I tried to mount a backup and received a similar error (don't recall exact wording). It turned out I had accidently imaged a hidden partition and that image could of course not be mounted. After receiving error message, I realized mistake because image was much smaller than expected.

I hope that doesn't apply in your case.

 

thanks for chipping in.

how did you resolve it in the end?

 

i've tried installing the latest version, but i get the same error message when trying to mount the backup file, but without the error code (i assume it's because the latest build doesn't display the code).

 

My hard drive hadn't failed, so I just reran the backup. I suppose my situtation would have been hopeless (with an image of the wrong partition) if in fact my hard drive had failed.

That's why I was hoping you hadn't made the same mistake I did.

You said earlier you would pay for help. You might consider using specialized software or a service to try and reclaim the data from the failed drive.

You can search on the "software and services" forum for discussions relating to data recovery, or start a new one.

Good luck, I truly hope your situation has a happy ending. Lot of smart people on this Board, if a solution exists, they will help you find it.

 

thanks. i'll try looking for specialised service now. if you know of any, do send them this way.

 

I don't - but others will. As I mentioned, read or post in "software and services"

 

posted in "software and services". thanks again.

 

You can't Mount a files & folders "data" type backup (only partition images can be Mounted). You can Explore it from Windows or you can Restore files from TI (assuming the file isn't corrupted).

Have you tried Restoring instead of Mounting?

If you have TI 2009 on a Windows computer, you could see if it can successfully Explore and/or Restore your files if you can't get it to work on the macbook.

 

when i double-click the tib file or try to explore it, i get an error:

if i try to restore it:

 

Are these errors from the macbook or from a Windows PC?

Do you have room on an internal drive for the backup image? This drive would need to be accessible by TI running in Windows.

 

the errors are coming from a windows installation (booted into the boot camp partition on my macbook pro, so it's not a virtualised boot) with the latest TI HOME 2009 installed.

i can explore a recently made backup file on the very same setup booted into windows though. it's a windows partition backup and the backup file is about 20 GB. i made that 20 GB backup via vmware fusion, so i can select partition backup (which cannot be done if booted into windows via boot camp); i did that a few times just to test drive TI HOME 2009 and to get a feel of it. i'm still on a trial version now.

subsequently, i booted into windows (not via vmware fusion) and found that i can explore the 20 GB backup file. while still in the same windows boot session, i then created the 236 GB backup (and stupidly didn't validate it).

my macbook pro has only 160 GB, so there isn't enough space to do the internal drive thing. meanwhile, i'm asking around to see if anyone has a windows machine with enough space; i'd try anything now.

for now, i'm just looking to see if there are other possibilities, so i can sleep better soon.

appreciate all the supportive input so far. it's a great forum!

 

in case this helps in understanding my situation:

i have just created another backup a few minutes ago using exactly the same steps (same data backup method, same settings, same source drive, same destination drive as when i created the 236 GB), and i can explore the resulting .tib and i can extract files from it.

 

saddy, where are you located - city, that is. It would be a long shot but just in case one of the regulars here live near by .....

 

i am in london.

 

Was this test creating a backup file that was 236GB or larger?

If not, is there a size at which the process breaks down and stops working? For example: 30GB, 50GB, 100GB works, but 120GB fails.

 

Saddy

I am sure we are all feeling for you and are racking our brains to try to help

Have you got access to someone else running a Windows machine with TI installed where you can plug in an NTFS external drive (Firewire/USB) that has a copy of the TIB file so you can try to copy to an internal drive and EXPLORE.

Don't use the original firewire drive you had your data on even though you partitioned it or used it. There may be something on it available to specialised analysis and use a good copy of the tib if possible to try out options.

 

i'll try creating a 100 GB one now and see if that works, and if that fails, i'll start making it smaller. will take a while.

edit: actually, your sequence makes more sense, as it'll take me less time. will update!

 

i'm still looking for access to a machine with the space to let me do that.

unfortunately, i had copied the tib file back to the firewire drive that i had backed the data up from in order to see if running it from a firewire drive would work, since the usb drive i backed it up to didn't.

and yes, i feel really fortunate to have all your input so far!

 

i've decided to run data recovery on the hard disks i had my files on for now, since those are the only disks with the space needed for the mock backups. once that is done, i will create the mock backups.