Trouble using bootable media on a laptop with Intel Optane+954GBSSD drive
I have an HP Spectre x360 with an Intel Optane+954GBSSD. I have no issues creating images with TI2020. However, restoring anything from those images has only resulted in failed attempts.
I don't think the Linux bootable media supports Optane. I have tried WinRE, WinPE and MVP WinPE. The MVP WinPE added the Intel RST drivers (v17.7) and I was hopeful that the MVP bootable media would resolve my trouble. However, it failed as well.
The failures are easy repeatable. I am trying to restore files so that I can validate that I have a working disaster recovery plan. The failure occurs when I try to select a place to restore the files from the selected backup which is on a USB external drive. As soon as I attempted to drill down to a directory in which to restore; the program closes and an Acronis System Report file is generated.
In my next to last attempt with the MVP media, after the failure I opened a command prompt and tried to view the drives listed as C: and D:. Neither was readable.
I then realized that the way HP configured things once the OOBE was complete and the laptop was up and running BitLocker was turned on but not activated; so the drive was being encrypted. I think that is what was causing the restore to close and generate an Acronis System Report.
I activated BitLocker and then turned it off. I also rebuilt the MVP media to include BitLocker support.
Then I made a new image and tried a file restore with the newly built MVP media. This time the three partitions on my Intel Optane+954GBSSD were visible; however, the appeared to the recovery process as unformatted.
I want to use TI2020 to be able to restore partitions if my laptop gets corrupted for some reason. My alternative is to reset to factory, reinstall software and then restore my data from one of my TI2020 images.
I have been reading online after experiencing the trouble restoring and am not sure of all the implications that come with using Intel Optane. I read one article that said the bootable part of Windows 10 is actually in the Optane memory rather than on the C:\ partition. If so, then the image when restored would not start Windows.
I have one more approach to try; creating a brand new backup plan, backing up, then trying a restore.
(Update: creating a new backup plan, backing up, then trying a restore made no difference. I have attached screen shots; one from Disk Management that shows the partitions on my Intel Optane drive, and one from the MVP Bootable media and subsequent restore attempt that shows the same three partitions as 0 bytes available)
If that does not work I think I will have to use TI2020 to keep images and then only be able to restore them post disaster by setting the laptop back to factory; repeating the OOBE, restoring data and then reinstalling all programs and reconfiguring Windows. Not a one-step recovery that I have always had with True Image; however, better than nothing. If anyone can guide me toward a way to use TI2020 with an Intel Optane as it was designed I would really appreciate it.
Attachment | Size |
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Disk Management and MVP WinPE Partition View.pdf | 325.91 KB |

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@Victor, there is a possibility the problem you are having is driver related. I suspect that Optane drives do not use IRST drivers or may need additional drivers to work correctly. This is (I suspect) why there is usually special UEFI settings for Optane drives - I know that two of my PCs that support Optane drives have special settings. Not sure what the drivers would be. So, IRST drivers could be causing conflicts.
@Zed, as current generation Optane drives are relatively recent, therefore, the Linux recovery media is unlikely to support them. I would expect WinPE would pick up the correct drivers, although the ATI User Guide suggest that this will not always be the case - see p 43 (in the case of RAID) and p 138.
Unfortunately much of this is speculation on my part. The issue has only been raised on the forum in the last week, so there suggesting that there is something about Optane drives that either Windows (WinPE/WinRE) and ATI are having difficulties with.
It may be time to contact technical support.
Ian
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