Can't get bootable CD to work. Can't create bootable media.
I recently purchased Acronis True Image 2010 PC Backup & Recovery. I have never used a backup software before. I have the in-the-box version that comes with a bootable CD and an instruction sheet. After about an hour, I finally figured out that you have to register the product online and then download it from the site. These facts were a little obscured to say the least. After I got it installed, I tried to use the bootable CD, but nothing happened. No error, just nothing. It was as if I never put the CD in at all. I am positive that the boot order was correct. I checked it twice in the bios and the optical drive was first in line. I even heard it trying to read the CD. I tried using it several times before a I figured it just wasn't going to work. So, then I tried to make a bootable CD with the "Media Builder". I first used a standard blank CD-R, and it told me that it was "invalid media" and it auto ejected it. I said ok...let's try a DVD-R. Same thing happened except it didn't auto eject it. In fact it wouldn't open. I had to restart to eject the disk. I'm fairly certain my optical drive is in working order, because it reads other media just fine. I'm not sure what to do next.
I am not a computer scientist by any stretch of the imagination as I only have a rudimentary knowledge of software and programing. So, you'll have to dumb down the technical jargon a bit for me. My apologies and thank you in advance.
Does the drive correctly boot any other CD/DVD (Windows CD/DVD, Live Linux CD, etc.)?
@Martin Roebuck
I tested my optical drive by burning some pictures onto a DVD-R. It can also read other CD-ROM's, CD-R's, and DVD's. If it can do all that, I think I can say with confidence that it's more than likely not my optical drive. I could be wrong, but the common factor seems to be Acronis.
@MudCrab
Yes, I was just able to boot from a Windows Vista CD with no problems whatsoever.
Booting is not the same thing as just being able to write to or read from a CD.
As far as I can tell, it reads, writes, and boots fine. I tested all 3
Couple possibilities.
1. Try again to create a new CD by using the Media builder except do not close the tray--leave it open. TrueImage will close the tray if it is going to work.
2. Return to your registration page and see if your Backup & Recovery software also offers a Bootable Media download. If yes, then you can download it and use it to create an Acronis Bootable ISO Rescue CD and you can use any computer to perform this task as it is not specific to your computer.
If you want more info about the iso, you can check items 2-G, 2-F, and 2-E inside my signature index below.
I'm using a laptop that has a tray/drive that you have to manually push in to close. It can auto eject by popping open a bit, but not fully. I'll try the iso suggestion and see if it works. Thanks
I made an CD from the iso as suggested but just like the original CD, it will not boot. Is it possible that this program just won't work with my computer? I'm starting to feel like I a made a big mistake purchasing this program. I shouldn't have to invest several hours into getting a product to work. The orginal CD should have worked from the beginning.
Recheck your bios settings. Some times are there are two settings which must be changed.
Setting one is the sequence of boot.
Setting two is the choose the actual boot device.
Yes, it all checks out ok. I even booted from my Windows Vista installation CD. It just won't recognize the Acronis bootable CD.
Can you try booting the CD on another machine?
Hello all,
Thank you very much for your posts and your kind assistance.
The_Dude,
I will definitely help you.
Just for troubleshooting purposes, would it be possible to download any freely available image burning applications, such as Imgburn for example, burn the ISO to a CD or DVD and see if it resolves the issue or not?
I was able to find your open support case with us, please continue working with our support engineer on this issue, I am confident that we will be able to resolve it.
If you have additional questions, please let me know.
Thank you.
I am having this exact same problem as described by the original poster - also a CDR on a laptop and I get the exact same message after the process is completed during the Bootable Media builder is completed - right at the end I get an error "invalid media". What was the result of the ticket that the person who posted this originally - what was the result?
Sid,
Download the bootable ISO from your Acronis account and burn it as an ISO (not a file copy) onto a CDR. BTW, the recovery CD doesn't need to be produced on the computer that will use it. Any computer can produce for any computer to use.
Sid,
In addition to what Pat has suggested (which is an alternate method of producing the same CD), you can start the Create Bootable media except DO NOT CLOSE THE TRAY. Allow the program to attempt to create and then close the tray after error and retry.
If using Windows 7 and you download the iso file as Pat suggested. After downloading, right click on the iso file and click the "open with" option and click the Windows Disk Image Burn" option.