Automatic cloning not working to resize partitions
Hello everyone, I was using just fine Acronis 2017.
Decided to move on to 2021.
Big mistake !
I'm repairing computers so I often clone HDDs to SSDs.
As you all know, HDD are often 1tb or 500gb.
I use SSD of 256gb or 512gb.
My problem is simple : in 2017, I just used automatic cloning and Acronis did the work, resized the partitions of the SSD to match the HDD.
In 2021, I have a HDD of 1tb with at least 5 partitions, including Data 500gb (1gb used) and OS 256gb (70gb used).
I ask automatic as usual and acronis tells me I lack 170gb of space to proceed.
Nice but I'm willing to clone a 70gb drive to a 256gb drive.
What is this new version ? I'm very disappointed.
Can someone explain to me how to get it done on automatic or should I do it manually ?
In this case it's a total waste of money, I'd rather keep my 2017.
Does this log is created automatically and saved ?
If not it's a bit too late for that...
The disk was totally destroyed by acronis.
The time it loads for hours reads the disk that was already damaged and now I can't access any data.
2nd time I use ATI2021, 2nd time he's unable to make a simple clone. Twice the same configuration : bigger to smaller disk. The option "As" in manual just doesn't exist at all ??
I tried using ATI 2017 before the disk was wasted, he wasn't able to clone due to an error after starting, but at least he started.
ATI2021 jus't doesn't even allow beginning cloning, inventes a disk size that doesn't exist .Tells me I need 171gb, so he thinks the disk is 410 gb ?? It doesn't match total size or used sized. The disk was about 71gb used out of 1tb.
What's wrong with size Acronis ?
Same problem for a backup. I have a 120gb disk that i backed up on another drive. it's about 70% full. the backup size file .tibx is 44gb.
I wiped the disk after backup.
Today I need it again, I put THE EXACT SAME disk, and he won't allow restore backup. It's greyed.
I try a bigger disk, works. Believe me I'll never buy acronis again, and certainely not suscribe to a suite.
ATI21 is slow, it's wild !
Takes about 30 min before even beginning to clone, and then : not enough space !
Thanks for the waste of money !
I'll get another software that actually clones and not a "anti-virus" no one cares for.
This was called True Image. Can't even do the basics.
If you are performing the clone from within Windows, then logs are created automatically and can be viewed using the MVP Assistant tool referenced in my earlier reply.
If you are using Acronis bootable rescue media to perform the clone, then the logs are lost as soon as you exit that offline media environment, so need to be saved before restarting the PC by right clicking on the Log entry.
The disk was totally destroyed by acronis.
The time it loads for hours reads the disk that was already damaged and now I can't access any data.
Sorry but I find that very hard to believe if you were just doing a clone operation unless you have chosen the source disk as a target for cloning. If the disk was already damaged before you embarked on cloning, then that is a real issue in itself. Cloning does not work well for damaged disks!
I tried using ATI 2017 before the disk was wasted, he wasn't able to clone due to an error after starting, but at least he started.
Again, if the disk was producing errors even with the older ATI 2017 then this does not make ATI 2021 at fault here! The later versions of ATI such as 2021 do much more preparation and checking before starting operations such as cloning, so was encountering errors from the disk in all probability.
ATI2021 jus't doesn't even allow beginning cloning, inventes a disk size that doesn't exist .Tells me I need 171gb, so he thinks the disk is 410 gb ?? It doesn't match total size or used sized. The disk was about 71gb used out of 1tb.
Whenever I have seen incorrect sizes reported, it is usually caused because of errors in the Master File Table on the disk, caused by corruption or bad sectors etc. Acronis will switch to using Sector-by-Sector mode of operation if such errors are encountered and this normally means you would need a disk of the same or larger size than the original source drive!
1st of all, no log in MVP of this. I was under windows environment, but I guess logs are created if you start the operation, but I couldn't start it so I couldn't find any log matching the hours I spent yesterday.
The later versions of ATI such as 2021 do much more preparation and checking before starting operations such as cloning, so was encountering errors from the disk in all probability.
Yes well this is my point, you've just agreed with me why my HDD died. Preparation. ATI2021 spent like 15 min between each step, telling me at the end the size was wrong. That was in auto. I then tried manually, 15 min reading whole disk for each step. Well at the end after 3 attempts, makes like 12 steps x 15 min reading, it killed the disk permanently. I am well aware that damaged disks shouldn't be cloned, but I always give it a try, even if the disk is in warning SMART state like this one. Saves a lot of time and customers are happy to get what they were used to. It works at least 9/10 times. And 1/10 time it either fails like it did here, or succeeds with errors sometimes windows is corrupted etc... But it doesn't take 2 hours reading whole disk to tell me it can't be done. And ATI2017 never killed me a disk in hundreds of uses.
Reading entirely with charge a damaged disk can create serious damages. What where they thinking ? Basic users don't even know their disk is damaged they can do the same and lose everything. And HDDs are very, very often damaged.
Whenever I have seen incorrect sizes reported, it is usually caused because of errors in the Master File Table on the disk, caused by corruption or bad sectors etc. Acronis will switch to using Sector-by-Sector mode of operation if such errors are encountered and this normally means you would need a disk of the same or larger size than the original source drive!
Oh so ATI2021 makes this choice without even possibility to choose ? Nice work there. Here's my answer to why I couldn't perform basic clone. Last time I ended up doing it with ATI 2017, because 2021 told me too little space. I knew the disk had sectors down and was not 100% healthy but guess what ? ATI2017 did the job and didn't ask. At the end I had a perfectly working OS disk working without errors. It was in november and 1st time I tried ATI 2021. 2nd time was yesterday. Thanks for your answers. The sector-by-sector mode is the reason I can't clone. I Don't know how they think this mode is an improvement if you can't force manually the cloning. Well I bought for 3 pcs ATI2021, it's fine. I'm happy to waste money like this. 2nd and last time I used this "software".
Now tomorrow I'll explain my customer I can't get any data back. He's going to be pleased for sure.
In all honesty, if you knew that the HDD was already carrying problems then the best solution here would be to either take it to a specialist data recovery service (if the data was vital to save) or else to do a sector-by-sector Backup of the drive and not a clone.
I have personally used the latter approach on drives that were in their last throes and presenting lots of bad sectors etc. It is a one-off option because any in-depth access to a damaged drive will only exacerbate the issues on the drive, but the backup would at least have allowed some recovery of user data if is able to complete.
The last time I did such a recovery the backup took well over 12 hours (with using the option to 'ignore bad sectors' which otherwise kept stopping to ask what to do!). The recovery to a new / different disk of equal size to the original also took a similar time, then took many more hours to perform additional recovery actions to produce a working system with minimal loss of data.
With regards to your comments about Acronis then please use the Feedback tool provided in the ATI GUI to make these known directly. Acronis people very rarely visit these user forums or respond directly to user complaints etc. The MVP's are all just experienced users here to try to offer advice and help to other users in these forums. We do not work for or get paid by Acronis!
Final comment, if your customers are running vital systems on PC's with no regular, scheduled automatic backup application then sorry but they are putting their own business / data at risk. Needing to recover vital data from a damaged HDD should be limited to only data that wasn't able to be captured in a recent backup.
Whenever I deal with any PC brought to me, I always make a disk backup before doing any other repair actions (using boot media in case of malware / virus infection) and I always install a backup application before giving it back. There are plenty of choices for free backup applications available - I normally install a copy of Macrium Reflect Free and set it to make at least a monthly scheduled backup where possible! MiniTool Shadow Maker is an alternative along with options from Easeus and other companies.
Thanks for answering.
I took your advice and made full backups of disks before any cloning attempt.
After several tests, ATI 2021 is catastrophic. I couldn't do a single successful clone on 3 different disks.
The last one told me it was sucessfull but Windows couldn't boot. Might be the BCD lacking, anyway, had no time to fix this.
Tried the exact same thing with ATI 2017, had a few errors at the end, but the clone worked.
I have a 3-PC bought license for ATI 2021 and a 1 pc license for ATI 2017.
I was previously working with ATI 2019 which I know works fine.
My question is, if I do a decent and full uninstall of 2021, can I use my keys to activate ATI 2019 ?
If this is not possible, I'm going to need to buy again a 3-PC license for ATI 2019, which is nearly impossible to find..
What a waste of time and money !
if anyone is willing to trade 2021 for 2019 I'm more than eager to do it !
SysTech Informatique wrote:My question is, if I do a decent and full uninstall of 2021, can I use my keys to activate ATI 2019 ?
License keys are only valid for the version that they were purchased for, not for any other one.
If you cannot find a copy of ATI 2019 then your options are to either stick with your 2017 version or else look at an alternative program. See forum topic: Reflecting on a Post-ATI World that has lots of discussion regarding alternatives!
You could try the new build of ATI 2021 released today - while it is supposed to deal with security issues, it may also allow you to successfully clone.
After research I found out why this time the clone couldn't start... Everytime a different problem !
The source disk was MBR and it did converted the clone disk to a GPT.
On ATI21, it obviously just changed it to a gpt disk.
On ATI17 the booting partition was changed from NTFS to FAT32, enabling the disk to boot. Insane thing is it kept the MBR !
I know this because I did a backup of a the cloned GPT disk with ATI17 I wanted to restore, and I could choose MBR to restore...
Of course I chose no (it was a gpt disk !). The backup never worked.
I've never noticed this on ATI17 ! It says disk will remain in GPT, but the truth is the source disk wasn't always in GPT.
So both versions did not fit what I needed so I've changed for a different software.
Might have happened a few times. My mistake for not paying enough attention.
No more of ATI. Thanks everyone, I'll use Macrium or EaseUS.
And just did, and it worked, just did a TRUE IMAGE of the disk.
bye bye ATI. The lack of options is amazing. Everything is absolute trash on this 2021.
I'll mark this as solved.