Windows 8 Storage Spaces not recognized.
I'm hoping someone can help me with this, as it's otherwise a pretty glaring omission.
I upgraded two copies of TIH 2013 solely because they now support Windows 8.
I then set up and created my backups and restore disk.
As soon as I loaded the restore disk, I was presented with the slight (massive) problem of the restore media not recognizing Windows 8 storage space. These are one of the major selling points of Windows 8, and I'm not sure how a backup solution can support Windows 8 and not support them.
I'm hoping someone can tell me I'm wrong, and how to get the restore media to recognize my partitions created on storage spaces, or give instructions on how to produce a restore disk that does.
Thanks in advance.
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The Windows ADK for Windows 8 RTM has been released. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30652. It contains WinPE 4.0. True Image 2013 and earlier versions do not support, and can not use, Windows ADK for Windows 8 to automatically create a WinPE 4.0 bootable media. With proper knowlegde though, you can use the 2013 Plus Pack WinPE ISO Builder to modify the default Windows 8 WinPE 4.0 file (.wim) and use the tools within the Windows ADK for Windows 8 to create a bootable WinPE 4.0 ISO with the 2013 True Image Rescue/Recovery environment integrated.
I have created a 2013 True Image Home with Plus Pack WinPE 4.0 (Windows 8 RTM) ISO (burned to CD/DVD and copied to a bootable flash drive) and have been testing it. I have not tested it with Windows 8 storage spaces, but will put that on my list of items to evaluate.
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Thank you, James.
It's early, but I imagine this will be a big sore point for Acronis until this is worked out. Storage Spaces is a really great feature for consolidating hard drives and creating redundancy in case of mechanical failure, but as we all know redundancy is nice, but it doesn't protect users from themselves. So even with storage spaces and mirroring/parity, people are going to want a solid backup solution like TIH.
I guess the next question I have (which I can work out on my own, I just haven't had a chance yet) is now that Windows 8 allows users to turn their desktop into a hypervisor and run virtual machines, can TIH do backups without requiring the user to shut down all their virtual machines first.
I already know the backup will run, the only question is whether the .vhd/.vhdx files are functional once restored.
Maybe I can test that this weekend and report back.
Thanks again to both who responded.
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I think there may be some updates after Windows 8 is actually released to the public. At this point only Windows 8 Developer Preview, Release Preview and the RTM builds released to technet subscribers and others, as well as the Windows 8 Enterprise trial are currently being used by folks. When it hits and there is wider adoption of Windows 8, more issues are likely to be discovered.
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Preliminary testing for compatibility of Windows 8 Storage Spaces has revealed the following:
Initial testing done with Windows 8 RTM 64 bit using two USB connected external drives configured as Windows 8 Storage Spaces. I created a pool using both drives, and then created two Storage Spaces on them. One was a Simple Storage Space (408GB) and the other was a 2 Way (mirrored data) Storage Space (204GB). They were assigned drive letters Z: and Y: respectively.
Bootable Media Results:
Acronis Linux based bootable media can not see or use the Windows 8 Storage Spaces properly.
Acronis True Image 2013 Plus Pack WinPE ISO Builder created bootable media (using Windows AIK for Windows 7 (WinPE 3.0) / Windows AIK for Windows 7 SP1 Update (WinPE 3.1)) can not see or use the Windows 8 Storage Spaces properly.
Using Windows Assesment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8 RTM, modifying the default winpe.wim with Acronis True Image 2013 Plus Pack WinPE ISO Builder, and creating the bootable WinPE 4.0 ISO using tools contained within the Windows ADK for Windows 8 produced bootable media that could see and use the Windows 8 Storage Spaces I had created.
Preliminary testing of backups to, and restores from, the Windows 8 Storage Spaces using True Image 2013 launched from within the WinPE 4.0 environment worked without issues. When making backups while booted into WinPE 4.0 from the bootable media, True Image 2013 wrote the data (.tib files) correctly to the two different Storage Space drive letters. ie: Wrote data (.tib file) to one drive only when sent to the Simple Storage Space drive letter, and wrote data (.tib file) to both drives (as mirrored data) when sent to the 2 Way Storage Space drive letter.
Bottom line:
True Image 2013 by Acronis installed on Windows 8 can backup to/from, and restore from/to, both Storage Spaces with no problems.
Acronis True Image 2013 Linux based recovery media does not support Windows 8 Storage Spaces.
(Linux does not support Windows 8 Storage Spaces at this time)
WinPE 3.0/3.1 bootable media (based on Windows 7) does not support Windows 8 Storage Spaces.
(Because Windows 7 WinPE does not support Windows 8 Storage Spaces, True Image 2013 can't see them correctly)
WinPE 4.0 bootable media (based on Windows 8) has support for Windows 8 Storage Spaces.
(Because Windows 8 WinPE has built in driver support for Storage Spaces, True Image 2013 can use the Storage Spaces correctly.)
I do not work for Acronis, and these results are from my own testing. I have not found any official documentation from Acronis relating to Windows 8 Storage Spaces support within their products. I have only tested True Image 2013 and Windows 8 Storage Spaces using the above pool/Storage Space(s) setup as indicated above.
If anyone else does some additional testing of Windows 8 Storage Spaces and True Image 2013 please update your findings/results/problems here.
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Wow, thank you for taking the time to test all of that out. If you don't work for Acronis, I'd say they owe you a kickback. :)
I don't suppose you could link me (us, people will want to know this) on how to use the Windows 8 ADK with TIH to create bootable rescue disks?
Thanks again, I imagine that took a fair chunk of your holiday weekend.
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See this post http://forum.acronis.com/forum/35238 for instructions on how to build a WinPE 4.0 (Windows 8 RTM build 9200) bootable media with True Image 2013 Plus Pack integrated.
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Hi,
My initial tests show that I can use Windows 8 storage space volumes as a source for normal backup operations but not for nonstop backups.
Is there a reason for this or is this a bug?
Thanks,
Sean
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Sean,
That question would need to be answered by Acronis staff.
Please contact support here: http://www.acronis.com/support/contact-us.html.
When you get a definitive answer, please share the information here.
James
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James,
Unfortunately the online support processes don't allow me to report a fault for the trial version of True Image 2013. It won't even allow me to sneakily report using my valid TI 2011 licence as it's 'no longer supported'.
This forum is my only option.
Many Windows 8 users will move their various libraries onto Storage Spaces for the resilience and thin provisioning advantages so a product that's advertised using the line 'Hand in hand with the latest developments, True Image 2013 is compatible with Windows 8' should be able to support nonstop backup for files stored in a Storage Space.
Until this is fixed or made available TI 2013 won't be going on my Windows 8 build.
Sean
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James,
Further investigation has shown that the content of the Storage Space is covered by the nonstop backup process if the user's libraries are redirected to the Storage Space and the libraries included in the nonstop backup.
However, the 'libraries' object within the nonstop backup source pane only shows My Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music. Other redirected folders such as Favorites, Downloads and Desktop aren't available so if they've been redirected onto Storage Space they won't be included in the nonstop backup.
But - I now get:
An error occurred while setting data to Acronis Nonstop Backup session.
More information about this error and solutions may be available online in the Acronis Knowledge Base.
To access the online resource manually, enter the event code at: http://kb.acronis.com/errorcode/
Event code: 0x006400D0+0x00640908+0x00E40030+0x00E40022+0x00000009+0xE0000003
On choosing the Knowledge Base option I receive:
Acronis Support Center
We are sorry
There is no information about this error available now. You can use the links below to search for any additional information that might be available.
Cheers,
Sean
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Sean,
You should be able to raise a support ticket on this issue, do you not get the webpage below, or does it not work for you?

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Colin,
On logging on I'm presented with a single product option - TI 2011.
On choosing this I'm then informed that this product is no longer supported with the result being that this forum is the only available support route.
Cheers,
Sean
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Sean,
Have you registered your 2013 trial serial number?
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James,
I guessed that activation may be required but this fails with a 'Failed to connect to the Acronis activation server' error.
I've turned the firewall off (just in case) but no change.
Cheers,
Sean
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Sean,
You do not have to activate a trial. I was referring to going online to https://www.acronis.com/my/index.html and registering the trial serial number in your Acronis account. Once it is registered, you can get support for the trial, as well as be able to download the 2013 Trial Rescue Media ISO.
James
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