Warning: DVD option will take off OS!!!

Yes, thanks for the suggestion, Menorcaman. Following your advice from another thread, on USB I/O errors, I did run a Windows based MemTest overnight, with zero errors found.

Seems like it could be an error with a chipset, though, why would this only produce errors under Windows, and work well in Boot Mode? I did extensive tests of copying large files to and from the USB drive, in Boot Mode and in XP, with intermittent errors found with CheckSum.

http://www.irnis.net/soft/xcsv/

Today, I found a thread that suggested using BartPE rather than the Linux Kernal to run TI, as perhaps I can use drivers for my SATA controller card under BartPE. I am about to test this, having just made the image, and burned the CD, per instruction found here:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=135550&highlight=BartPE+Plugin

 

Christopher_NC,

Add the drivers for your SATA controller card to the drivers\SCSIAdapter folder in BartPE. Are you using the ReatogoXPE version of BartPE? It's much nicer than plain BartPE.

 

You can test the DVD Burn option if you want. Open Acronis, and make Full Backup directly to the DVD Burner.

But, ...If you do decide to ....then be sure to click the "VALIDATE BACKUP ARCHIVE BEFORE RESTORATION" ...because if you don't ...and then click on the "PROCEED" button you will wipe off the C:/ partition IF there is a Error reading the disc.
Acronis thinks you're ready to "Restore" ..so it takes the C:/ away. Then tries to Restore from the DVD. But when the Disc gives an Error....it quits. At which time, you'll have no way of putting it back ..unless you have it backed to the USB External (at this time you can simply reboot, and it'll pick up your USB External, and then you can restore the file). However, if the DVD was the ONLY thing you had...then you'd have to Reinstall Window because the C:/ would be gone.

 

No, I tried the BartPE from nu2.nu. Didn't help, as even with the SiiG SATA drivers copied to the BartPE plugin folder, TI couldn't see the hard drives.

I might try the ReaTogoXPE version tomorrow. Though, I am also leaning toward re-connecting the SATA drives to the motherboard, and finding other ways to run an external hard drive. Perhaps even as an internal drive, with the enclosure saved for USB if the system fails.

While I appreciate the conflicts among hardware, I do find it disappointing that Acronis doesn't have either support for mainstream PCI SATA controllers in Boot Mode, or, a clear hardware compatibility list so that we can select hardware that will work smoothly with Acronis products.

Might turn away some potential customers by setting limits, but, the alternative, of letting us experiment, and trouble shoot, for days, seems to leave many without a reliable backup product. I'm still trying to get this solved. I even looked for SiiG driver plugins for BartPE, but, perhaps, the ReaTogoXPE version can load drivers more effectively. And, if so, why doesn't Acronis build into their program a BartPE based recovery module for those of us with controller cards?

The motherboard I have does have some issues with the NVIDIA SATA drivers, hence, I thought I might do better using the SiiG card as my main SATA conduit. Works fine, in Windows, just not in the Linux Kernel Boot Mode. I would have thought it would be the other way around.

A question: Using BartPE, booting from CDR, there is an option to press F6 if you need to install additional storage drivers. I tried doing so, but that produced error messages. I'm guessing that since it's running from the CD, with no hard drive involved, there really isn't a way to write drivers to the program. Well, perhaps, while loaded in RAM, the program can accept drivers, or, in this case, not accept them.

Should I skip F6 in the future, and look for drivers that work from the Plugin folder?

Thanks, again.

 

I used to load drivers from F6 until I discovered the SCSIAdapter folder. Loading from a floppy works but my SATA ports are on the motherboard and I have no experience with controller cards.

In the ReatogoXPE setup there is a folder called plugin\reatogo_autoDriver. In this folder run autoDriver.exe. It should find drivers for your Network and Storage cards and add the drivers automatically. I'm sure you will be able to see your HDs shortly.

One of the Reatogo autohelp plugins is called Storage-DrPack autoHelp. Until 4 days ago it worked with plain BartPE but not Reatogo. It's now supposed to work with Reatogo so I'll check it out for you.

 

This plugin now works. It's been out of action for a few months. It contains just about every storage driver in the universe. This is an option for you if autoDriver.exe doesn't create appropriate drivers.

 

I have resorted back to 8.0 due to still being in the world of Win98SE where TI 9 will not load. This is an an already noted bug-to-be-corrected by Acronis but reading this thread it clues me that 9.0 needed some more beta testing in several areas before release. I agree with those who have said that a HD is a better, faster medium for back-up. I use the internal/external solution using ATA drives which I buy cheap at a surplus technology store [i.e. the drive has seen use and been reformatted for resale].

My ATA external drive is [MOVE] rube-goldberged [/MOVE] to the USB port without an enclosure. Just a bridge cable and power supply. Works fine and it packs with minimal space for the road when needed. I only use the internal drive for images and the Windows swap file. The system and rescue CD will always see the internal IDE drive and therefore can restore from it. If said drive should fail, the external can be swapped in its place and the needed partitions [including the C:\ boot partition] can be restored - or need not be swapped if your system can see the external USB/IDE drive.

And yes, the external drive [an 80G Maxtor DiamondMax ATA/133] can do double duty by being partitioned and used to store your laptop [or other desktop] images. Never toss out your old Gig HDs. They will come in handy for imaging. /ifurf

 

Hey guys, is this related to the DVD Burn problems with Acronis??

 

If it was the ONLY thing you had - then YES - but what sort of user would have only one image on a DVD ( never having tested the procedure previously) - and have not had the sense to make other images to other media ?

 

Agree. I use DVDs (occasionally) to hold backups of backups. I'd never rely on DVDs. DVDs written directly from imaging programs are made using packet writing software which has dubious reliability and if you write in packets to a RW disc then expect trouble.

 

Again, thanks for the great suggestions. Since I have steered this conversation off thread, perhaps you would join me at the thread I started to discuss my backup and hardware issues, which include using a DVD drive, but are not focused on DVD writing issues:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=136701

The thread is titled: E000101F4 no hard drives found - SATA

Thanks, I'll post my comments about BartPE plugins there.

 

I DID have the very same image saved to an USB External!!! How do you think I got the system back up? I tell all about it in this thread, but you gotta have enough sense to read it all.
Oh, Im quite sure there are people out there that will download it, and try the DVD Burn only!

 

There really is nothing wrong with relying on DVD's to make a Back-up!! Once its "Verified", and "Validated"...then it supposed to be good ...right?? The problem lies within Acronis' Burning Plug-ins, or speed at which it burns the date, or something else. Afterall, they are NEW to Burning the Back-up to DVD.
There's Disc Imaging software out there that burns to DVD, then scans it to make sure it will work when you need it. I know a few companies that do this.

I mean....WHO says the Back-up .TIB file on your USB External will work? It may, or may not work when you need it!! Then, how will you restore your PC??

 

How do I think you got the system back up ? well in posts #1 and #18
you wrote "It also means that I must Re-Install Windows Xp!!! " This, of course, is not true and was something you corrected in post #28.

Having already agreed and accepted all of the above, in post #34 I simply asked "what sort of user would make only one image". It was meant to be rhetorical - The only answers, obviously, being a novice or someone who likes to live dangerously.

 

I run TI 8.0, and I have had problems with reading DVD images in the past as well. I have also seen a Failed to Read Data From the Disk message many times, even on TIB images that have validated without any problems.

However, those message haven't been a real problem for me. If I hit the "Retry" button (or whatever the equivilent button on the pop-up says - I don't remember right now), it will continue to read successfully and continue restoring after the first or second Retry attempt.

(Note: I always thought it was odd that Acronis didn't seem to attempt to re-read a bad data block, and seemed to drop out on the first bad read attempt)

Does TI 9.0 not operate in this manner? If it doesn't Retry successfully, I'll be holding off my upgrade to TI 9.0 ...

¿GotJazz?