True Image 11 - Backup Archive Corrupted?

Hi guys, I've recently been trying to do a backup using Acronis True Image 11 Home, Build 8,053 on Windows XP Pro 32. However each time no matter what I try I keep getting a "Backup Archive is Corrupted" message.

Basically I started off by attempting to backup "My Computer" to my 500gb External USB Hard Drive, (The backup file is under 200gb) I selected to password protect the backup and validate it upon completion, however this is when the error messages are produced.

First I tried backing up the entire drives, which consists of two 500gb internal HDs in Raid 0/Stripe (So it basically shows as one large C: drive) and two hidden partitions which I assume are diagnostic areas created by the Dell, (the manufacturer).

However after encountering the corruption messages, I was advised on another forum to try backing up only my C: drive, and that it could have been the USB connection to my external drive causing the problem, so I ran the backup again, setting it to only backup my C: drive, and to store the file on my internal drives. However I still encountered the same messages so it obviously wasn't the USB connection to the external drive causing the problem, it must be some file or something on my computer causing the corruption.

However through reading the PDF and searching on here I still can't tell what exactly may be wrong, I ran a chkdsk only a few weeks ago before I got this software and it came up clean, also my drives/raid status show as "Healthy" upon startup, so all I have are the logs that are in complete gibberish to me and don't point to any file or anything specific whatsoever, only serving to say "Image Archive Corrupted". So can anyone more knowledgable help please to at least try and pinpoint it? I've done all I can think of.

Backup Log:

Results Screenshot:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3540/acronisbackupqe6.jpg

Screenshot of my Setup, (as said I did try only backing up the C: drive to the C: drive to rule out any problems with the other two partitions or Freecom External HD):

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4320/driveshz2.jpg

I have also ran the Acronis Report tool so let me know if ya need me to post that as well. Ran memtest a while ago too and that found no errors.

Edit: I've been reading around and seems this type of corruption is a big problem here, especially with large amounts of data like mine.

However this is exactly the reason I bought this software, to hopefully save an exact replica of my PC so I can restore everything if need be, especially all my games, programs, registry and drivers and so on as I need this computer for my Uni work as well, meaning it would be very bad if something becomes unusable. (I'm very afraid of RAID 0 failing on me). But the thing is it seems from a lot of peoples experiences that even if the backups DO manage to save and validate fine, they don't always restore from ok and without corruption messages, especially from external drives so even if I do get this working I'm not very sure I can safely rely on it.

If theres no reliable fix to make sure my data is secure, are there any other programs that can achieve the same type of backup (imaging the entire machine to restore it with a click of fingers in the event of something going wrong) but at a higher reliability so I can feel that my data is safe?

From what I've read, these corruption messages that can be caused by just about anything, (especially in huge chunks of data like mine) I'm now feeling this is more like Acronis False Image.

 

Hello BobT36,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for delayed response.

Please notice that it is possible that the archive is being declared corrupt because of faulty data transfers. Please run a memory diagnostics such a Memtest86+ available free from www.memtest.org for several hours (for example, overnight). There should be no errors reported. Please also run Windows chkdsk utility with parameter "/r" on the hard drive the archive is stored at.
If there are no errors with memory/hard drive reported, please try copying/moving the archive to another location, and validating it again. Please also try using Acronis Bootable Rescue Media to validate the archive.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Hello
i have the same Problem !
I have an external Storage : Verbatim
Inside is a Western Digital Harddisk SATA 500GB.
I think there is a problem with the USB-SATA converter inside the external harddisk. Next days ill get an PCI SATA controller to test the hohle thing with a internal SATA contoller with a dircet connection.
I will put the external harddisk into my PC on the PCI SATA controller and then i will try to restore from the SATA harddisk to the C: Drive (IDE).
I´ll post my result in here. Hope that it is a succsess.
I also tryed out to mount the external HDD into a Linux System and host the device over a ftp Server. This was an fault, the Acronis programm says Archive corruptet. By the way, my Memory was defective !! I tried it out before i read this here. Memtest 86+ no Result, but other programm says my memory is defect. (Second slot)
Greetings and sorry for my bad typing in englisch.
Hightech

 

Problem solved !!
Built in intern SATA RAID PCI CONTROLLER, connect the extern Harddisk to the intern controller, no problems ! No corrupt arcive ect.
Acronis does NOT work with extern usb Storage ! Specially not with external usb harddisk with SATA harddisk.
I spend a week on this. The Acronis is not good to work with external devices.

 

Sounds like the problem is with the external box.

True Image works with lots of external USB and Firewire drives. However, there are exceptions, and you seem to have found one.

If you have another USB drive, try that. Perhaps you could borrow one from a friend to test.

Try a different brand case for the drive.