TIH 2009 Takes 4 Minutes to Initialize

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by EarlVa, Jul 21, 2009.

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  1. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    After working well for several weeks, True Image Home 2009 is now taking about 4 minutes to start up. It reports it is in the "initialize" stage, then reports it is "removing obsolete scripts", where he hangs and hangs. I am using Build 9796, which I updated to in an effort to solve this problem.

    Some background that may be helpful. Before this problem developed, I added a second hard drive (USB, external). I used TIH to delete several small files on this 2nd drive, but when I tried to delete a large folder and its files, TIH froze up and had to close. I subsequently removed the second HD.

    I am running Windows XP Home, SP3.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. jrnuke

    jrnuke Registered Member

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    Have you tried to uninstall it using Acronis Clean Up utility and then reinstall the latest build? This should remove all "obsolete files".
     
  3. bodgy

    bodgy Registered Member

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    Before you go the uninstall/Cleanup route, try deleting any tasks that you already have. These contain drive info as well as the schedule and could cause problems as TI is instantiated if there was a drive playing up.

    If you decide to go the uninstall/clean up route, then I'd manually delete any task(s) and check that the installed scripts for files and folders backups are deleted.

    The installed scripts will lurk in;

    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\BackupScripts

    The task scripts are in:

    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Scripts. If you set TI up for All Users, if just for yourself then change \All Users\ to your log on profile.
     
  4. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    Thank you jrnuke and bodgy for your suggestions.

    The program is no longer reporting that it is "removing obsolete scripts"; it simply reports "initializing" while it continues to take about 4 minutes to start up.

    Since it takes precisely the same amount of time to start each time, it would appear to me that the program is running through some routine that eventually times out. Some possibilities:

    It may still be looking for my 2nd hard drive (set up as F), a USB external drive that I have removed. It is still listed on My Computer as an active drive; should it still be shown there although I have physically removed it?

    It may be trying to complete erasing a folder and its contents on F:, a task that was stopped by a freeze up and a forced program close.

    Or it may be that the freeze up and shutdown (just mentioned) resulted in a damaged file or files.

    Does any of this suggest any other course of action?

    Also, if I uninstall, then re-install, I presume that I will be completely starting over. Meaning that all my previous saves will be lost. Is that correct?

    Thanks for any and all help on resolving this problem.
     
  5. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Have you restarted the computer? Does the disconnected USB drive still show up after a restart?

    Does disabling the Distributed Link Tracking Client service help?
     
  6. Faust

    Faust Registered Member

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    Make sure you have disabled Distributed Link Tracking then turn off System Restore - this should solve your problems. You can turn SR back on once you have fired up Acronis.
     
  7. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    Thanks MudCrab and Faust.

    Yes, the disconnected USB drive still shows up in My Computer after a restart.

    I disabled Distributed Link Tracking Client earlier; it did not help. I will try coupling that with turning off System Restore and see what happens.
     
  8. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    When it's disconnected, does the USB drive also show up in Disk Management?
     
  9. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    Thanks Faust for your input. I disabled Distributed Link Tracking, then turned off System Restore. Sorry to report it did not resolve the problem. I started TIH twice with same slow 4-minute start-up.
     
  10. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    MudCrab, The disconnected USB hard drive is NOT shown in Disk Management.
     
  11. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Does the disconnected drive still show up with an assigned drive letter in the MountedDevices key in the Registry?

    Start the Registry Editor and look in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices and see if it shows any entry for the letter that gets assigned to the drive when it is connected. For example: \DosDevices\F:
     
  12. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    I am contemplating an uninstall only as a last resort. But if I do, will this render all my past saves unusable? Will I, in effect, be starting over? Also, would it be ok to remove TIH using the regular Add/Remove Software Program in Windows XP?
     
  13. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Uninstalling TI won't remove any of your backup files (TIB files), if that's what you're worried about.

    It's usually okay to do a regular uninstall first. If that doesn't work, then you can try the Cleanup Utility or a manual uninstall.

    ---

    Did you see my previous post about checking the MountedDevices Registry entry? I'm curious if the drive is still being listed as assigned when it's not connected.
     
  14. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    MudCrab,
    Yes, I do have the entry \DosDevices\F: in the Registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Mounted Devices. My now unconnected 2nd USB hard drive was operating as Drive F:.
    EarlVa
     
  15. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    Since the drive is showing up in My Computer but not Disk Management, what happens if try to access the F: drive from My Computer when it's not connected?

    Does F: access another drive or do you get an error message?

    ---

    If it were me, I'd remove (delete) the \DosDevices\F: entry from the Registry, reboot and see if the problem still exists. (Note: If you try this, do it with the drive disconnected.)
     
  16. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    Thanks, MudCrab, for your continued suggestions.
    In My Computer, the F: drive is labeled a "Removable Disk" and when I double click it, the response says "Please insert a disk into Drive F:". Its properties report 0 bytes used and 0 bytes free. While there is nothing connected to this USB slot now, I have used it for other devices (such as a camera) in the past. Do you still think I should delete the F: registry entry?

    I do not have much experience with the registry. I presume the proper procedure would be: (1) Create a backup copy of the overall registry key I am changing by using the "export" option in regedit, (2) Move the cursor to the entire line where the \DosDevices\F: entry appears, (3) From the menu choices choose delete, (4) choose exit from the menu. Is that correct?
    I get a little insecure when I think about working on the registry!
     
  17. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    It wouldn't hurt to backup the MountedDevices key and its sub-entries.

    You can delete the drive entry by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option from the pop-up menu. You may also want to delete any \??\Volume... entries as well. Doing this may require you to use Disk Management to reassign the desired drive letter to an external drive when you reconnect it.

    Before you delete the \DosDevices\F: entry, can you post a screenshot of what the Registry Editor shows? Here is an example:
    regedit_deletedrive.jpg

    I assume all the the devices that may have used the F: drive letter at some time in the past are currently not connected.

    A screenshot of Disk Management showing your drives may also help. I know you said the USB F: drive didn't show up, but it may still help to see it. Is any other drive showing up with the F: assignment?
     
  18. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    MudCrab,

    I have removed the \DosDevices\F: entry from the Registry. Sorry to report it did not solve the problem. The only difference is the screen now says "Removing obsolete scripts" instead of "Initialize" during the long startup delay, which is still about 4 minutes. I have started the program several times thus far hoping it would wipe out all available obsolete scripts! But no such luck. After going through the "Removing obsolete scripts" stage it very quickly says "Initialize", then starts up. So maybe I have had two problems instead of one: One centering on the Registry and another having something to do with the "obsolete scripts". The scripts I have created, by the way, are very basic -- and all functioning properly. I do not have the faintest idea where any "obsolete scripts" would be coming from.

    I would welcome any further thoughts you might have.
     
  19. MudCrab

    MudCrab Imaging Specialist

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    I could be wrong, but I think the "Removing obsolete scripts" scan during the startup of TI is new to the latest build(s). I'm not sure what it's supposed to do. Perhaps it's looking for invalid tasks/scripts and trying to clean them up to stop other errors caused by "phantom" tasks.

    You may be at the point you need to try the uninstall and reinstall. If that doesn't work, try the Cleanup Utility link in Post #2 and check that all tasks actually get removed (as in Post #3).
     
  20. EarlVa

    EarlVa Registered Member

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    Re: TIH 2009 Takes 4 Minutes to Initialize (RESOLVED)

    MudCrab,

    I am highly pleased to report that the mysterious 4-minute startup in Acronis True Image Home 2009 has been eliminated! Now everything seems to be working okay.

    This problem was solved by uninstalling the program using the process described in Acronis Knowledge Base article 1727: Acronis Clean Up Utility and then re-installing from my original cd Version 12.0.9608. Earlier, I had uninstalled the program using the software removal process initiated from the Windows Control Panel -- but this did not solve the problem.

    I also deleted all of the tasks I had originated prior to this latter removal, which may or may not have had something to do with the resolution.

    My special thanks, MudCrab, for your assistance -- and to all the others who contributed.

    I am going to see how things go for a while before updating to the current version.
     
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