Restoring System Partition

I'm using TI 8 (build 796) under WinXP SP2.
Running on HP Omnibook xe41000 - 512KMB memory

I tried to restore my system partition C: from a complete TI copy of the HD:
- SaveToDisk - 24MB - Primary - Hibernation
- C: - 5GB - Primary - NTFS - WinXP
- Extended - 19BG - Primary split into:
- D: to S: Logical NTFS (ex D: Fat16) - data & apps
spare 4.5BG at the end

T: CD
U: USB

TI Image files: 4 files (max 640MB) in same partition on 1 DVD.

1st Attempt: Restore couldn't create a virtual V drive

2nd Attempt: TI said partition in use (fine) so I choose the reboot option
- get Acronis Loading, please wait ....
- get TI "window" outline but content all black

3rd Attempt: as 2nd attempt but said verify
- get Acronis Loading, please wait ....
- get TI "window" with menu and icons and mouse pointer but mouse (both real USB mouse and touchpad) and keyboard not operative.

4th Attempt: tried to boot using TI Recovery CD
- the PC fails to recogise this as a bootable CD (maybe because I created a bootable CD on another PC which has a burner)

5th Attempt: tried to boot using TI Recovery floppies (x7)
- same results as 2nd Attempt

I believe that the stand-alone version of TI is running Linux. Seems to me that it does not run on my PC. Is there any reason for this? It's a fat lot of use having all these backups if there is no s/w to recover them!

Luckily my WinXP was still useable, so eventually over some hours tried new strategy:
- Used Partition Magic to allocate spare 4.5GB as U:
- Used TI to restore image of C: (5GB) to U: (4.5GB)
- Used Partition Magic to copy U: to C: and then expand back to 5BG
- Rebooted but Windows thinks there are now 2 Windows XP OSs.
- Select 1st OS but get message re missing hal.dll
- Used proper XP CD (had one luckily) to get into recovery mode and run bootcfg /rebuild to recreate boot.ini
- OK - phew!!

Alan

 

I can tell you that part of the official response will be to upgrade to the latest ver/build, which is 9/2337. I use 9/2323 and it works to restore a laptop system. I don't know if there is a workaround for the version you are using. Have you ever tested it before to do what you want to do now?

 

There is a later build for V8 than 796 something like 937 or later which can be downloaded.

 

Thanks guys:

Have you ever tested it before to do what you want to do now?

I've never done a system partition restore before.

I could try the latest build for TI8 but I don't see why I should pay for TI9 to get working a fundamental function in TI8. I'll happily pay for extra functionality that I need/value.

This is not the sort of function that can be tested easily and safely.

[Edit]
If Acronis can say, "this is a known bug fixed in xxx release" then it would be worth a try but I'm not happy at trying random solutions (like manufacturers love saying "re-install Windows and see if the problem goes away")

I have copy of DriveImage in the cupboard. That was bought for an old PC but it didn't run after a processor upgrade. DriveImage and other software couldn't then do a soft re-boot into DOS. Might be worth reinstalling on my new PC.

TI is a fine product for fast backups and accessing images as virtual drives but it seems challenged in performing a re-boot and running in Linux(?).
[/Edit]

Alan