Media Builder or TI9 CD

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by hiptech, May 18, 2006.

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  1. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Perhaps someone can help me understand what you are supposed to do with a TI 9.0 box CD that is older than the most recent rev.

    Since the CD is contains the product as well as being bootable, how do you recreate a bootable product CD using the latest rev?

    After installing rev 3625, the nearest I can find is Acronis Media Builder, does this recreate the original CD?

    Thanks
     
  2. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    I haven't got 3625 yet but if it is the same as previous builds it creates a bootable CD that allows you to perform backup, restore, validate, etc functions without Windows.

    Just file away your original old version CD, the important thing you got with the purchase is the serial number which you will need to install the updated versions. Keep it in a secure place.

    Note that if the version on your CD is prior to build 3567 it will be unable to perform any operations on 3567 and later images since the format of the image files was changed with 3567.
     
  3. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Thanks for the quick reply. However, as I mentioned there does not seem to be any option for recreating the original CD.

    The closest operations are "Create Bootable Rescue Media & WinPE ISO Builder." Now since I installed this rev on top of the original program, perhaps it leaves this feature out? o_O
     
  4. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    I don't understand why this is a concern. Burn your downloaded new version .exe file to a CD for safekeeping and as I said keep your serial number safe.

    As long as you are registed with Acronis you can also download the latest version at any time.

    The CD created with the "Create Bootable Rescue Media" is the one required when you need to do any TI operation requiring a bootable CD.
     
  5. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    I've just built a new system and have created a custom slipstream with the latest drivers and hotfixes. After I've performed some customizations and load a few essential utilties, I want to perform a disk image backup using the latest version of ATI-9 so there will be no compatibility issues.

    As you mention; "note that if the version on your CD is prior to build 3567 it will be unable to perform any operations on 3567 and later images since the format of the image files was changed with 3567."
     
  6. Chutsman

    Chutsman Registered Member

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    You do not want to "recreate the original CD". What you want is to create the Bootable Rescue Media CD once you have the latest build installed so that the bootable Cd will have whatever "new goodies" are in the latest Build.

    I think you are confusing the fact that your original older CD that also contained the installation software, was bootable. This is not the Bootable Rescue CD.

    The bootable rescue media CD allows you to boot (without letting Windows start), to gain access to all the backup/restore/clone features of TI.
     
  7. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    The latest version is always a moving target so you have to pay attention to what is happening. From my limited experience of one format change, TI seems to make it backwards compatible so you can handle the old images with the newer version if it has a changed format. If this remains to be the case you don't have much to worry about.

    In my previous life as a systems manager we always used to archive the existing applications etc whenever there was a significant change so we could always go back if we had to. It rarely happened. What this means to you is to just save your bootable rescue CDs you create with each new version.
     
  8. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Thanks alot guys, the Bootable Rescue Media CD was what I was looking for. Too bad Acronis doesn't have this documented somewhere as I have come across a number of similar posts seeking same info.

    As a a matter of fact, even their nomenclature regarding disk image creation is somewhat inconsistent. They refer to it in their help menu but the GUI calls it a "full backup archive." I realize it's one in the same but "noobs and those less enlightened," such as myself always have this small bit of doubt when we aren't able to follow this stuff step by step.

    Anyway, I did download v3633 which according to Acronis adds DVD capability but a note indicates "you will need DVD UDF recording software installed for burning images on DVD disks. Examples of this software are Roxio Direct CD or Ahead InCD."

    New question, as mentioned earlier my plan was to create drive image of a new system without installed software. How can you backup to DVD disk unless one of above mentioned software is installed?
     
  9. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    Assuming you do have software such as Nero or Roxio, you could create the image of your C drive and store it in another partition. (You apparently can store it on C by ignoring the warning if you have the space but you won't be able to restore it from C. This isn't a problem because you later will copy it to DVD.)

    So create and Validate the image, then install your burning software and burn it to DVD. I always use the burning software's verify when I put an image on DVD.
     
  10. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    Where did you see this note about the UDF software? I just wrote and validated an image to DVD-R and although I have Nero installed, the InCD component is not installed. I realize this is not all that definitive since what TI is looking for may be available.

    I just uninstalled Nero and rebooted. TI is happily writing another DVD-R so it seems the note is not true.
     
  11. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Look in the Help Menu under "Backup" and "Backup archive location" near bottom of the page and you will see the note.

    Since I don't want to install any software just yet on the new rig, I have been running ATI-9 off the Bootable Rescue Media CD I created. Selecting the "full version," I have the same ATI Home GUI as installed version.

    However, here is where it gets interesting. Before I discovered the DVD UDF recording software note, I managed to create a backup onto a DVD+R with the a ".tib" extension. But when I try to restore it, ATI doesn't see it?

    If I load the DVD in my old PC, I can see the file with Windows Explorer and even verify it (with installed version of ATI) but not on the new rig.

    Obviously, I may resort to creating a C-Drive image onto some removable media and try to make a bootable iso from it, but it would be nice if the program could do this using only the rescue media cd and an image DVD - without having to install it.

    BTW, judging from some similar posts; How to write directly to dvd and " direct dvd writing from build 3633 bootcd?" this may be an ATI issue?
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2006
  12. Chutsman

    Chutsman Registered Member

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    Some of the confusion arises in how the translation is made into English. For example, in one of their canned responses describing Cloning, it says that the Clone procedure transfers the original C drive to the drive being cloned.

    This would make me think that the contents of the C drive will be moved to the other drive, leaving the C drive empty.

    I haven't seen this particular canned response recently but I hope it has been modified, changing the word transfer to copy.

    And for that bit about UDF being in the Help file, I'm sure this is just an oversight and will be corrected now that you brought it up.
     
  13. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    OK, I think I may have discovered the problem and possibly the solution. :)

    When booting ATI from Bootable Rescue Media CD the program loads into RAM. Which should allow for disk swapping the ATI rescue disk with the drive image DVD, which is what I did.

    Well, according to ATI 's help menu, look under "Recovery - Restoration type selection" (for those following along), I believe this is to be the root cause (2nd paragraph under Restore disks or partitions):

    "to restore a partition (disk) from an image, Acronis True Image Home must obtain exclusive access to the target partition (disk). This means no other applications can access it at that time."

    Apparently what occurs is after ATI boots from the Rescue Media CD and loads the program into ram, it is not releasing use of the optical drive. My 2nd disc drive is currently in my older PC but will be migrating to the new system soon so I should be able to verify by booting ATI from one drive and restoring the backup from the other.

    Why do I believe this to be true? After hacking away at this issue for more time than I care to admit, I have come very close to sucessfully validating it through an alternative means. I finally (and successfully) restored the drive image (without loading ATI on a new XP build) using the Bootable Rescue Media CD and restoring the drive image with a flash drive!

    Just to verify I installed an anti-virus program prior to the restore and was able to bring the system back without it. :cool:

    Bottom line, the program works but it sure seems like a lot of work to get this to happen. Maybe Acronis needs to develop a "Quick Start Guide" with step-by-step instructions for the most frequent procedures?
     
  14. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Well my optical drive theory does not appear correct. After reinstalling my 2nd drive, booting up with ATI Bootable Rescue Media, I am still only successful at creating an Image Backup onto a blank DVD.

    For some reason, ATI does not recognize the DVD when attempting an Image Recovery in this mode. I've rebooted twice with the ATI Bootable Rescue Media, tried swapping the Image DVD from one optical drive to another and ATI refuses to recognize the .tib file!?

    When I boot into Win XP, I can see the file on the DVD with Win Explorer so I know it's there. So while the latest update does allow for DVD backup, it's not very helpful when attempting a recovery :mad:

    This would be a good time for an Acronis rep to step in and explain what the heck is happening here...
     
  15. Chutsman

    Chutsman Registered Member

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    True Image will record directly to DVD media ... and you what it to Restore from it too ... just joking ... however this feature is relatively new so I would expect a lot of bugs that have to be worked out. It is really much better to use an external usb drive or a second internal hard drive for your backups ... save pulling out your hair. :) :)
     
  16. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    Even if it was perfect, I'd still use HDs for my backups just for the speed factor.
     
  17. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Thanks guys,

    LOL, I suppose you're both right - it would be too much to ask a software program to operate as indicated :rolleyes:

    Be that as it may, Chutsman you are right it does work from my flash drive, my external usb drive, my raid-0 internal hard drives, in fact everything but the damn DVD! (why is there no icon for pulling your hair out?)

    Hey seekforever, you're right about the speed factor of hard drives but I thought the purpose of a backup was security and reliability :cautious: ?
     
  18. seekforever

    seekforever Registered Member

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    I do seem to recall saying words to that effect in the past but on the other hand I do consider HDs to be very reliable. Having said that I would not consider having one backup on either HD or DVD to be adequate.

    Glad to see you're really getting into TI. I haven't made a successful DVD backup but I'm going to let you guys that really want it to sort it out for me.:D :D
     
  19. Acronis Support

    Acronis Support Acronis Support Staff

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    Hello hiptech and everyone interested,

    Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

    We are very sorry for the delay with the response.

    Please be aware that the issue with the inability to restore backups saved to DVD when Acronis True Image 9.0 Home is running in Linux based Acronis Rescue Environment, i.e. when using Full version of Acronis Bootable Rescue Media or Acronis Startup Recovery Manager, has already been investigated and fixed. The fix will be implemented in the next build of Acronis True Image 9.0 Home which is expected to be released in a few weeks. We are very sorry for your inconveniences.

    Please also note that there will be no need to re-create backups after installing the new build containing the fix for this problem. Backups saved to DVD using builds 3625 and 3633 will be recognized correctly with the next build of Acronis True Image 9.0 Home. The point is that the problem persisting in builds 3625 and 3633 is not related to the process of writing backups to DVD, but to the process of "mounting" DVD in Linux based Acronis Rescue Environment.

    EDIT: I forgot to mention that you can ignore any references to a third party UDF packet DVD writing software required for writing backups to DVD directly as starting from build 3625 it is not needed any more. We will correct all types of Acronis True Image documentation (including it's help file) in accordance with this fact as soon as possible.

    Thank you.
    --
    Alexey Popov
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2006
  20. hiptech

    hiptech Registered Member

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    Thank you Alexey!
     
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