System freezes with data file backup option from bootable media
Brand new user of TI home 2010, but long time user of TI 9.0.
After spending close to two hours yesterday with Tech support resolving an issue of having my WD Passport 1TB external USB drive being recognized when using the Acronis Boot Media CD it looks like I might have that issue resolved. However, when using the bootable media all the options displayed seem O.K. except when I have the Backup option selected and click on the Data File option which is the second of the two option shown on the menu. The computer freezes with the activity light on my HD flashing and I can't do anything to get out of this and can't even close the program and have to physically turn off the power to get out of this. I've let it run for upwards of 15mins just to be sure it wasn't doing something that would eventually get completed. This is obviously not the way you want to quit since it circumvents safely removing the HD. I'm using build 7046, on a Toshiba A505-S6025 computer running Windows 7 Professional with the optional XP upgrade installed. I should also add that this issue is the same when I use the downloaded Boot Media for my current software from the Acronis website as well as the patched s/w program run to make the Boot Media under Windows 7.
Has anyone else had this issue and might tell be what the issue might be.
Second issue/question is I know from TI 9.0 you had to select the entire disk to backup to get the boot sector or whatever it was called included. My new computer has to hidden partitions on my HD one is around 1.46GB and the other is about 10.5GB and these are evidently for the OEM installed system for recovery. When I run backup I get the option to select these along with the option to backup the entire HD. Obviously I shouldn't have to include these two partitions in every backup since they will never change. However, my question is not selecting them and only selection the other two partitions on my HD (one is the system partition and the other is a logical drive I setup for just data) will I loose anything over selecting the top HD box and backing up all four partitions?
Thanks,
Larry
I think I understand what you are saying, but I'm just trying to understand if TI Home 2010 works like TI9.0 where the MBR is only included when you do a full disk backup. My current system has as the first partition a hidden 1.6GB or so hidden file and then my system partition and next a logical drive where I stow my data and then a 4th hidden partition about 10.5GB and it looks like the two hidden partitions are for the OEM system restore and install stuff and I'm wondering what I need to backup to make sure the MBR is included in the backup since that is supposed to be the first track on the disk. Specifically if I backup the first three partitions and not the 4th 10.5GB will I have the MBR included in the backup or not.
I'm also wondering how a restore treats these hidden partitions since they are basically inaccessable by me except I can now see them in my Acronis backup.tib file. If I simply blow up my system do I restore all 4 partitions, just the middle two and will that restore my MBR.
Larry
Hello,
GroverH, thanks for your help.
LarryM, let me assist you.
1. As I can see from our system, your case regarding the first issue has been escalated to the next level of support. I've contacted their manager, so it'll be handled as soon as possible.
2. I may suggest you to back up all of your partitions, i.e. the whole drive. In this case MBR will be definitely included in the created archive.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.
Larry,
There was a change made beginning in late version 10 builds and continues. Whenever you backup your system partition, the MBR is included. This can be a partition only or a disk backup--either one includes the mbr.
You can restore any of your single partitions as an overlay or overtop the existing partition and a restore of mbr is not normally needed allhough a mbr restore would probably not hurt or help.
If you restore all of your partitions to a new disk using a disk option restore (all partitions including mbr), the new disk will carry the same partition sequence.
However, if you choose to create a new disk and choose to resize one of your partitions, then you MUST make sure that the partition placement/sequence/size is the same as displayed in Windows Disk Management. It is not unusual for TI to display different default partition characteristics (partition sequence, type, active,e tc) so the user must be aware of what the correct information actually is and make the necessary changes. This is why I advocate that the restore screen be sorted so you can see the partition number and the start and ending sectors--such as shown here so you can compare with Disk Management information. This illustration is not specific to you but illustrates the sort I am referencing.
This is why I suggest that the user looks the graphical view of Windows Disk Management and writes down all the pertinent information about the
partition sequence, each partition size; partition status (active,etc) and for the user to assign a unique volume name to each partition so the partition can be recognized by its characteristics and not by the drive letter assigned by TrueImage.
Listed below is the 2009 version. The first picture shows the sort screen you referenced. The second picture shows where the restore partition resize option is located. There must be unallocated space immediately after the partition in order for the resize possibilitiy to exist.
Hello,
GroverH, thanks for your help.
LarryM, let me assist you.
1. As I can see from our system, your case regarding the first issue has been escalated to the next level of support. I've contacted their manager, so it'll be handled as soon as possible.
Thank you, and you are correct and I'm in communication wit the Tier 2 folks and providing them with the info they are requesting.
Thank you, and you are correct and I'm in communication with the Tier 2 folks and providing them the info they are requesting.[/b]
2. I may suggest you to back up all of your partitions, i.e. the whole drive. In this case MBR will be definitely included in the created archive.
That is what I've done so far, but my backups are around 50GB right now and those two hidden partitions take up almost 12GB of space and will never change so I was just wanting to get around using that additional space in the backup.tib files every backup as long as I have the MBR included in the partial backups. I'm using a 1TB USB drive for my backup files so while space is not a critical issue I just don't want to backup things that will never change.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.
Larry
GroverH,
Thanks, and I think I understand what you are saying, but need to noodle it some more amd test out the MBR being saved. Only thing I noticed is that in the Disk Management screen the first unnamed partition says its an "Active, HDD Recovery) type and doesn't list a file system (it's blank) and in the Acronis recovery screen that partition which again is right after the MBR on the HDD says it's and NTFS(System) partition and is a Pri, Act. and the type says it's a "FS:NTFS Partition: 0x27(Unknown). I guess that doesn't matter since I could never envision recovering that partition.
Larry
The active partition that you reference is your boot partition in Windows 7. Without it, your system will not boot. There are ways of making the drive C to be the boot partition but current status of that partition makes it an important one.
If you are simply restoring C over C, then it does not need to be restored. But, if you need to move to a new drive, then this partition must be restored in its same place as shown in disk management.
When you go to the "Select items to restore" screen (simulating a recovery or restore), if you sort the screen once, the sort will become your default screen appearance. My opinion is that it is important to see the partition number and start and ending sector every time I view this "select items to restore" screen. By sorting, your display may or may not change how your partitions are displayed by TrueImage. By sorting, you can see how Windows sees the sequence of partitions.
One of the many nice things about TrueImage is that it will allow you to practice or simulate performing most procedures. It is practice up to the point where you must choose either to Proceed or Cancel. Click the Cancel button stops the practice whereas clicking the Proceed screen causes your selections to be be for real and the procedure is invoked.
If you have not assigned a name to your drive C partition. I would do so immediately--such as
Win7_C or Win7-P2_C
This helps to identify your partition without depending upon Acronis drive letter assignment.
When needing to move to a new disk for whatever reasons, the type of backup which offers the most chances of success is the backup where you choose all the partitions which make it become a disk option backup. While a backup of your drive C has its place, you should still keep a reasonably current copy of your entire disk which is all partitions.