Restoring 'Protected System Files' to Proper Locations

I have an office comp that I use the Disk Director Suite 9.0 Operating System Selector on to Multiboot DOS/Win, NT/Win, and Linux Versions. I used the XP Corp install to make a Ghost image of a customers HDD, and the contents of both the Windows and Program Files directories of the customers HDD have been moved to the BOOTWIZ folder.
I completed extensive searches and read the documentation. I know that OSS moved the 'Protected System Files' to the BOOTWIZ folder. I accept that I made a mistake in the setup of OSS, and I should have set it to Not protect system files. But what I haven't been able to find is a method of returning the files to the locations they belong. You have a nifty utility to move the files from their proper locations... Do you have one to return them?

I forgot to mention, I have emailed tech support with the required system dump ref:[Acronis #285880].

 

Hello Merctech,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Multiboot Managing Software.

I have read your correspondence with Ivan and seems that he found the solution and sent it to you. If you didn't get the letter please let me know.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Yes, how did the issue get resolved though?

 

No Ilya, the issue is far from resolved. As a matter of fact, Ivan doesn't even seem to understand the problem. Every one of his replies centered on what I was doing, not on what DDS OSS did. When I get back to the shop, I'll post all of the email. However, I would love it if you could get a level 2 or 3 tech involved. I'm sure this isn't an isolated incident. What I have learned is that DDS OSS moves the contents of the <Windows> & <Program Files> folders to the OSS created <BOOTWIZ> folder. Now this is cool if you are installing multiple Operating systems (Win 98 ) on a single disk. According to my reading of Acronis' documentation this is what they intended. However, OSS will move the 'Protected system files' even on another HDD if the OS on it is Win 98. Where this becomes a problem is getting the proggie to move them back. OSS will return the files to the proper location ONLY if you select that OS as the boot OS when you disable OSS. I discovered this by testing it on my office system. OSS did move the files back to the proper location on my install of Win 98, but NOT on my clients HDD. Unfortunately, now OSS no longer sees all my installed operating systems, and now will not recognise either of the client drives that it busted. I can now see only one XP install and one Linux install, nothing else.

So to recap:

happy... No
satisfied... No
Pleased with DDS? Strangely enough, Yes, with one HUGE caveat.

 

I emailed the following to Acronis tech support (Not Ivan!) last Friday. I've received no reply. Sucks to be me.


From the reading of this forward you will notice that I and Ivan are experiencing a lack of communication.
In a nutshell what happened is this:

1. Used my multiboot comp to make a Ghost image of 2 HDDs. This went off without a hitch. No problems. I only mention it because OSS, when I booted my comp, moved the contents of the <Windows> and <Program Files> folders to subdirectories of the <BOOTWIZ> folder.

2. Since neither of the HDDs I imaged using Ghost are setup to run on my comp, and since OSS will only return the moved files to their proper locations in the <Windows> and <Program Files> folders if you tell the program to set that OS as the desired one when disabling OSS, I have a problem.

3. While reading the missive below, you will note that I have downloaded and installed the latest ver. of Disk Director Suite 9 (Build 538 ). Since I have done that, I haven't been able to see any of the Win98 installations. I can no longer access one of my linux installations either. To make this clear, I no longer see any win 98 installations in the Operating System Selector when I boot my main machine. When I install the latest build of DDS9 onto the customers HDDs, (reinstalled in their prospective comps,) The Win 98 installations aren't recognised either. Well of course not, There aren't any files in the <Windows> and <Program Files> folders. I have FDISK'd the drives, I tried moving the files. Hell, at this point I'd consider voodoo. I'll do anything!

This brings me back to a statement/question I made in an earlier email and online in the Wilders forum:

You have a nifty utility to move the files from their
proper locations... Do you have one to return them?


This can't be the first time this has come up, but to the code wizards that exist at Acronis, this should be a 10 minute walk-in-the-park cut and paste job.

Thanks for your help,


Larry

-----Original Message-----
From: Acronis Support Department [mailto:support@acronis.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 6:06 PM
To: larry@
Subject: [Acronis #285880] Serious problem


Dear Larry,

Could you please try to find these files at BOOTWIZ folder in a partition that you backed up. Acronis Disk Director Suite 9.0 (Acronis OS Selector) creates BOOTWIZ folder on every partition where a system installed and if you protect your system it moves system folders to the BOOTWIZ folder on a partition where this system is installed.

If you can not find it please describe in more details (step-by-step) what you did and what happened at the end because I did not clearly understand what happened.

Thank you.
--
Sincerely yours,
Ivan Belinsky

Acronis, Inc.
395 Oyster Point Blvd., Suite 115
South San Francisco, CA 94080 USA
http://www.acronis.com

Acronis Support Department
e-mail: support@acronis.com
> [larry@ - Tue Jun 14 05:48:50 2005]:
>
> Ivan,
>
> I'm not sure I understand. The primary issue here has nothing to do with a
> backup (or image in reality.) The files are in the BOOTWIZ folder on the
> Ghost images because OSS moved the "protected system files" to the BOOTWIZ
> folder on the original (customers) hard drives. I have no issue with the
> location of the files on my own drives. And I have been very pleased with
> the Disk director with OSS since version 5. But, I really need the files
> moved back on the drives that are not mine. The data and installations on
> one of these drives is priceless. The data is easy, I was rescuing data
> from a dead drive when this happened. But for OSS moving the system files,
> I would have resurrected a crispy crittered drive to 100% original status.
> But the real value in this drive is the proprietary software installed
> over Win98SE. Since the Tech stock crash of 2002, these packages have been
> unobtainable... at any price. And their price was astronomical in 1999.
>
> > Could you please uncheck system folders protection in OS Selector and back
> I have unchecked the file protection, but the files were not returned to
> their original locations. I hope the latest build will solve my problem.
> I've just gotten it downloaded. I'll let you know.
>
> > This folders must be located in BOOTWIZ folder (and one of subfolders).
> This references what?
>
>
> Thanks for continuing to help me,
>
>
> Larry
>
> > Dear Larry,
> >
> > Could you please uncheck system folders protection in OS Selector and back
> > up your hard drive again. Then please restore this backup on another hard
> > drive.
> >
> > This folders must be located in BOOTWIZ folder (and one of subfolders).
> >
> > Thank you.
> > --
> > Sincerely yours,
> > Ivan Belinsky
> >
> > Acronis, Inc.
> > 395 Oyster Point Blvd., Suite 115
> > South San Francisco, CA 94080 USA
> > http://www.acronis.com
> >
> > Acronis Support Department
> > e-mail: support@acronis.com
> >> [larry@ - Mon Jun 13 18:15:02 2005]:
> >>
> >> OK,
> >>
> >> I completed extensive searches and read the documentation. I know that
> >> OSS moved the 'Protected System Files' to the BOOTWIZ folder. I
> >> accept that I made a mistake in the setup of OSS, and I should have
> >> set it to Not protect system files. But what I haven't been able to
> >> find is a method of returning the files to the locations they
> >> belong. You have a nifty utility to move the files from their
> >> proper locations... Do you have one to return them?
> >>
> >>
> >> Please reply soonest,
> >>
> >>
> >> Larry
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Acronis Support Department [mailto:support@acronis.com]
> >> Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 12:45 PM
> >> To: larry@
> >> Subject: [Acronis #285880] Serious problem
> >>
> >>
> >> Dear Larry,
> >>
> >> Thank you for using Acronis software
> >> (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/).
> >>
> >> Could you please let us know the build number of the product, which
> >> you can find in the Help -> About dialog (it should be a 3-digit
> >> number)?
> >>
> >> Could you please download Acronis Report utility available at
> >> http://www.acronis.com/files/support/AcronisReport.exe and run it,
> >> create a report and send it to us? This would provide us with
> >> detailed information on the hard disk partition structure.
> >>
> >> Could you please also tell us exactly what you have done using Acronis
> >> Disk Director Suite 9.0 (step-by-step).
> >>
> >> Thank you.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
>

 

Hello Larry,

Ivan didn't get your new letter because it was a new letter rather than a reply. I have contacted Ivan and he will try to explain what he meant once again in a clearer way. Hope this will solve the problem.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

To close this topic, I need to relate that the fix recommended by ACRONIS tech support was to copy the files and paste them in their proper locations. Of course, I had already done this. My point was that this simple solution would be nearly impossible for an average user. I used a Knoppix boot CD to correct the issue, and I tested the same solution using an XP install and was successful. However, a newbie would be reduced to blubbering hysteria if they tried to do the same thing with only a Win98 Boot Disk. This brings me back, once again, to my original quest:

You have a nifty utility to move the files from their
proper locations... Do you have one to return them?

Back in the day, I would have noted this on a Bugtraq list. I assume this forum is occasionally read by someone who cares.
Thank you for your help.


Best regards,


Merctech

 

Hello Merctech,

Actually, to copy the files manually is the only way to move them back. However, if you uninstall Acronis OS Selector, the uninstallation program will bring the necessary files back automatically.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman