Windows 8.1 Update 1
How in the heck do I contact Acronis Technical Support. I have purchased many copies of TI 2010, 2013 and 2014. TI 2014 was working just fine under W8.1 but as soon as I updated to W8.1 Update 1 strange things started happening - Icons go blank and re-paint after ~16 seconds on a reboot. The problem goes away if I only install TI 2014 but don't use it to back up - I think. I have been using the USB boot version to back up every step of the way. I thought I was home free until I used the Windows version of TI to back up the system - then the repaint issue came back immediately! It appears that Acronis has gotten out of the support business or at least they got me blocked out. I'm rapidly approaching the point where I am going to switch to another vendor after being a loyal Acronis user for many years.
I've lost track of how many times.
https://forum.acronis.com/forum/56706
I've got two threads going on this issue but I thought maybe if is just asked how to get to Acronis Technical Support (this thread) I'd get an answer.
Visit the Support page, on left side of page look for Contact Support. There is also a feedback link in the list.
Been there done that. I finally left some negative feedback in total frustration. I'm sure I'll never hear back from Acronis!
A new day and I tried to contact Acronis by email or whatever means they would allow. Since my support period ended a long time ago for TI2014 this is what I get. What am I doing wrong? Posting on the Forum does not seem to get much action on my obscure problem. I truly think I have an issue since it has been a couple of days and the problem with the Icons has not come back after uninstalling Acronis TI 2014. Before I jump ship after using various versions of Acronis TI for many years I'd at least like to get some sort of feedback from Acronis Technical Support. Acronis do you monitor this Forum?
Is there any chance that you did a clone with Acronis and you are now using that clone? Or a disk restore?
I have three SSD's with W8.1.1 in various states. The one I have installed now is a fresh install of W8.1 and Update 1 applied using the GPT disk structure. I thought that had solved my problem with the fresh install but the Icon issue came back after I did a save using the Windows version of TI. I then used TI offline to restore a version that I had saved using TI offline before I had done a save using the Windows version of TI. After a day or so the Icon problem came back even though I had not done a save using the Windows TI. So... I uninstalled Windows TI several days ago and the Icon problem has not returned!
In answer to your question, yes I have used TI offline to clone W8 and W8.1 systems. I could not use the Windows version of TI because it would error out in the process. I think it may have problems going from a 120GB SSD to a 240GB SSD using the GPT disk structure? The TI offline program had no problems - at least that I was aware of. And yes, I have used TI offline many times to restore a system that had gone amok for one reason or another.
I'm wondering if deleting the icon cache DB and allowing Windows 8.1 to rebuild the database would solve the problem.
In W8.1 the icon cache lives at
C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
You should see a number of files labelled iconcache_XX.db (where XX is a number), all the iconcache files need to be deleted.
Hidden files and folders needs to be disabled to see these files, the files can only be deleted from the command prompt or from booting the system from external media (WinPE/Linux etc). IF deleting these files from within a logged on Windows environment, the desktop will disappear while Windows refills the icon caches.
Note: In Windows 7, XP, Vista the icon cache is located elsewhere and is a single DB file.
W7/Vista C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Local\IconCache.db - or alternatively Win button + r type in %appdata%
Been there done that many times - Icon problem always returned on the next boot.
I'm on my fourth day of NO Acronis TI installed and NO Icon problem! I have been exercising the system and doing everything I can think of to try and make the Icon issue pop up but it ain't happening. Still have not had any contact with Acronis Technical Support. I'm 99.99% sure there is some sort of software conflict at boot time brought about by W8.1.1 that is causing the problem.
Ken,
Just thinking out loud here......
Does your firewall run a 'Real Time file protection' ? If this is either temporarily disabled or if TI is white listed, is there any change?
Do you have InCD or Drag2Disk installed and running on your PC?
I have W8.1 Update installed on my tablet, however I only use the desktop, not the tiles, and the only time I get a similar problem is when the OS loses track of my SD Card which I use as an actual program drive or the hard drive in the keyboard. I do have TI 2014 installed on this system.
What I'm thinking is that when the TI services are loaded they read all the drives attached, now in your case, I'm wondering if your firewall or another program causes TI to research, which somehow makes Windows think, it needs to rebuild the icon database.
What happens if you install TI, but delete the desk top icon or set the Acronis services to delayed start.
First thing I tried along the way was Disabling the three Acronis startup services in Task Manager. I really thought that would tell me something. It didn't. The Icon problem did not go away. But as soon as I uninstall Acronis Ti all is well?! No I'm not using InCD or Drag2Disk.
In my long saga of Forum threads I did discover and mention early on that I'm using Auto Logon and if I turn off Auto Logon the problem goes away! I thought that Windows Tweaker 4.1 was causing the problem so I turned it off and used the Windows built in Auto Logon procedure (netplwiz) but that had no positive effect. I don't know what W8.1.1 is doing but the slight delay when I have to type in the password seems to "fix" the problem. So far there are two work arounds Uninstall Acronis TI and/or manually type in the password for my Microsoft Account. Neither alternative is desirable.
Aha, a new bit of the puzzle, the auto logon, now, TI and for that matter Acronis Backup, are able to log on to the system via NTUSER system, so that they can run tasks for each user without that user being logged on. Now, TI/AB since Vista have never been entirely happy with installations that don't require a manual log on. I don't use auto logon so I haven't tried this, but in services.msc you can change TI from logging on via its' own User entry and use your actual logon.
Open up Services.msc and find Acronis Scheduler, click on the log on tab and change from local system account to This Account, enter your details, OK out of the panel, reboot and see if the problem is resolved.
Note the snipshot of the system I've attached has Acronis Backup on it, but Scheduler will have the same entries for TI 2014.
Sounds like you may have solved my problem. I have to back up system and reinstall Acronis TI and see what happens when I make the change you suggested. Any idea on why W8.1 Update 1 would trigger this issue? Everything (Acronis TI) was working OK until I applied Update 1?!
I have no idea, as i mentioned i have W8.1 with update 1 on my tablet and I don't see the exact same problem as you do. But, I also have to manually log on, so, it might be that as the update was closer to a new OS release than a standard Windows update, they have fiddled with the security side of things bringing this problem to the fore.
I think you are right Colin. My suspicion was a corrupted icon db, provided links on how to correct that. I had not considered nor was I aware off the auto logon bit of info. Your are correct however, further tightening of the security screw is definately at work.
Colin B,
Sure sounded like a good idea. I did what you suggested and changed the Scheduler login - see attachment. The good news is that it let me do it and my user name is Kenneth so I guess that is correct. The bad news is the desktop Icons get blanked out after ~6 second and repaint after another ~6 seconds. The only Icons that don't get blanked are the ones selected in Personalize>Change Desktop Icons. Back to square one?! I'm learning to live without Acronis TI.
Ken,
That's a pity, I wonder where the link between TI, the icon cache and possibly the logon interconnection lies?
I doubt that playing with user groups would alter anything. I take it this only happens on the desktop and not if displaying the tiles?
I do run a Windows shell program on my tablet, so it looks like W7, I wonder if this masks any strangeness on my system? I know if I remove the tablet form the keyboard and eject the SD card that contains the shell program, the desktop refreshes so that pressing the Windows button takes me to the tile screen.
Is there any chance that you rebooted your system with an original Windows 8.1 disk and its clone or a restored image disk at the same time in the system?
The symptoms you describe are similar to these cases. Then the newly cloned disk never behave quite right when alone in the system...
Pat L,
??? I think post #6 answers your question.
I finally got a response from Acronis Technical Support on this issue. "The Support Program for your product has expired. Please purchase PPI (Pay Per Incident) to avail tech support."
Some how this boiler plate response did not instill any confidence in Acronis's ability to support TI. I guess I could install and register another copy of TI 2014 and see where they (Technical Support) would go with my problem.
I'm still at it! I am now 100% sure there is some sort of conflict with Acronis TI 2014 build 6673 and my W8.1.1 ASRock system. Acronis Technical Support does not seem to care. So I have taken the easy path and gone around it! I am going to use Windows built in File History for data backup and the Acronis TI Linux boot version of build 6673 to make a complete backup the system periodically in case of total disaster. The Linux program has always been the reliable fall back position.
But... can someone help me out on the file naming used to store backups make with the offline program? I have used it to back up almost daily trying to figure out what was screwing up W8.1.1. As you can see from the screen shot the time posted by the Linux program is confusing. As an example, the last backup was run at ~5:50AM Central Standard Time and yet the time imbedded in the file name is 4:52 and the time shown by Windows File Manager is 7:53AM. I assume there is some reason for the strange times being generated by the Linux program?! Is this an attempt to "bracket in on the right answer"?
Check your time setting in bios, adjust manually for DST
Actually, I'll have to double check, as I'm not sure if it was 2014 or AB11.5, but one of them when booting form the WinPE environment timestamped the image one hour earlier than the PC showed. I noticed this last week when I imaged my tablet before sending it for repair.
In fact, I think it must have been AB11.5 as I needed the 64bit version. Maybe the latest build of 2014 also has this problem.
Something similar has happened before, many years ago, one of the recovery environments took Moscow time, much to some puzzlement until it was suddenly sussed. It might have been a beta version, rather than RTM definitely this forum was in existence so any period up to five years ago.
Enchantech,
The BIOS Time is the ~5:50AM the same as the actual clock on the wall time! No matter, where did the other two times come from?
Colin,
I never really paid any attention to the time stamps generated by the Linux version since I only used it to Clone or restore a system. The problem has probably been there all along I just never generated a bunch of backups using the Linux version until the last couple of weeks chasing the Icon problem. I guess it's just another minor bug that goes unfixed?
I have a PC that is home to a Win 7 home premium install that until recently I had issue with keeping correct time settings. Tried for what seemed forever to get my chosen settings to stick without success. Noticed one day while in the bios setup screen which I rarely enter that the time was incorrect. Changed that to correct time and have not had a problem since! Go figure! Some anomalies just exist for no real apparent reason.