Can't restore incremental backup from WD tib files - only 1st file - how to fix?
I'm trying to restore 1 incremental backup file from my Western Digital My Passport using Acronis True Image. I can access the 1st tib file, but the subsequent backup tib files don't open and hang up in explorer. I see a window asking me to locate the volume '1", but when I then click on the first tib file, it still hangs up in explorer. Is there any way to recover the subsequent tib files? I have 1 (visible) up to 5. And yes, please don't tell me not to do incremental backups using Acronis, I've learned my lesson. I just want to access my last file. The WD Hard drive is 2 TB and the total files should be ~400 GB. (Yes, I've learned that lesson too, although why it's not straightforward to do a 500 GB BU isn't clear to me. )
I would like to recover the disk if possible. However, I am willing to simply open to explore contents and then copy over a few critical folders if that is all I can do. Yes, I understand the process is very slow. I have attempted this multiple times, waiting at least 24 hours. I attempt recovery by clicking on the tib file with the most recent date. I get a popup box with a mini-explorer window, stating 'Locate the volume with the number '1'.' I assume this means I should click on the first backup of the incremental series within that popup window, so I do that and get the spinning circle within that popup window, as well as within the main file window. Last night I was able to incrementally get to the different dated backups in the series, to 'users', and left it spinning at 'users' overnight. This morning the files were all closed again, in spite of powersaving for both computer and monitor off on the host computer. Does the WD drive have a power-down setting? Am I following the correct procedure for recovering the most recent backup? I have attempted this numerous times, on now 3 different host computers, this current attempt on the fastest computer. Each time the entire process simply stops with no files open and no spinning circle, even after patiently waiting hours or overnight for the files to open.
I am sure I am not the only one having this problem, given that the WD software encouraged incremental backups, and offered no advice about using smaller files, even <25% of the size of the total disk. I also cannot get help from Acronis because there is no software key for the western digital My Passport or the software used for it. Without inputting a key, the Acronis Support window doesn't work. I am incredibly disappointed with support for this product, other than this forum. Is there any other way to recover certain files on the WD disk, other than patiently waiting and hoping to open the files?
Cristina, welcome to these public User Forums.
See KB 2201: Support for OEM Versions of Acronis Products which applies to all OEM versions of ATI supplied with hardware purchases.
If you are being shown a message such as 'Locate the volume with the number '1'.' then this suggests that some of the files created by the backup task have been deleted or moved manually outside of the options provided by Acronis, i.e. by using Explorer!
When Acronis create any backups, it records information about all the files in an internal database and then looks for those recorded files when doing a recovery etc, hence why the message can be given.
I would recommend trying to do a Validation for the backup task associated with these files, and each time you see the same message asking to locate a missing file, take the Ignore option if offered, or else take the Cancel option. Do this for all missing files until the validation finishes then try your recovery again.
Final questions: what actual version of ATI for WD do you have here? Are you working with .tibx or .tib backup files?
Thanks for your reply. I'm using Acronis True Image for Western Digital version 2021, Build 39200. It states "This product is up to date." The incremental files I'm trying to access are .tib files, not .tibx. The files were created not with ATI, but with the Western Digital software that preceded Acronis, as I didn't download the new software until after my computer crashed. I had an image file on the Western Digital drive that successfully recovered the computer, but it was older file, and I'm now trying to access some of the more recent files from the incremental backups.
I'm not quite sure what you mean about 'performing a Validation for the backup task associated with the files', unless you mean to repeat the process of trying to access the files by clicking or double-clicking, and then selecting 'cancel' for the prompt to select the volume '1'. (There is no ignore option, I'm merely within the File Explorer window). Are you suggesting I use the Acronis software to back up the tib files? Would you mind offering more detail?
I never modified any files on the WD drive itself. I merely performed the incremental backups as instructed. But I'm less worried about the cause of the problem than my ability to recover the files.
Cristina, in Explorer go to the location where you .tib files are stored, then right-click on one of these files. This should show you a drop-down menu with an entry for Acronis True Image which when you open will have further options, including a Validate option.
Another check point here, looking at your .tib files in Explorer are the names consistent and sequential?
For a valid incremental backup chain of files, you should see names like:
Backup_full_b1_s1_v1.tib
Backup_inc_b1_s2_v1.tib
Backup_inc_b1_s3_v1.tib
with an increasing _s?_ number for each new incremental file and a new _full_b?_ number when a new chain is started with another full backup file.
One further comment, do you know what version of ATI for WD was used to create these files and do you have a copy of that software or the associated recovery media for it?
Thank you for your prompt replies. I don't recall what version of Western Digital Software I had. I no longer can access it, and I had to install Acronis True Image to attempt my recoveries. I have been making some progress by clicking 'cancel' many, many times (dozens) and eventually the files open, as it seems to cycle through countless mini explorer windows telling me to 'select the volume '1' or ...volume '4'. If I patiently keep clicking on those, the files eventually open. I'm now attempting to copy some of the files back onto my new C drive, but it seems to be hung up with the "+" sign and cursor not allowing access to the new folder (perhaps file sizes are too large?). I'll give it plenty of time. So the secret seemed to be hitting cancel for files that were presumably deleted on my hard drive using File Explorer. I would have thought that an incremental backup would automatically correct for those issues, wouldn't it?
The names of the tib files are all orderly and sequential. I've attached screenshots of the tib file and the popup window message, for other users who may be encountering the same problem.
What are best practices for using Acronis True Image? Are those available somewhere so we can avoid these problems next time? Such as, do not perform sequential backups; perform frequent imaging backups; limit size of other backup files to X GB? Etc.
What are best practices for using Acronis True Image? Are those available somewhere so we can avoid these problems next time? Such as, do not perform sequential backups; perform frequent imaging backups; limit size of other backup files to X GB? Etc.
I don't believe that there is anything specific that is documented with regards to best practices other than the guidance given in the ATI User Manual.
From a personal perspective, I try to keep a degree of separation between different categories of data.
I have my Windows OS and installed applications on my C: drive SSD so that these can be backed up as one task.
My user data is spread across other drives in my PC (or in separate partitions on systems with a single disk drive) - this enables me to have separate backup tasks to handle different types of data.
Keeping the size of backups to a reasonable size helps to make any recovery of data much quicker, including to access to .tib / .tibx file contents via Explorer faster too.
Some types of data can be better to use a different approach than using Acronis, i.e. I have several VMware and Hyper-V Virtual Machines that I don't backup with ATI which I copy to an external storage drive using a synchronisation program, this mainly because of the size of data involved which is around 500GB!
Finally, try to avoid needing to delete any ATI backup files using Explorer or similar programs - it is best to use the Automatic Cleanup options provided within the Backup Scheme configuration options for each backup task. This will ensure that any files are managed correctly with regards to both deleting and keeping the internal database synchronised with all changes.
I'd like to update and close this thread since others may find this useful. I was ultimately successful recovering the most recent backup, only after the following: Uninstalling Acronis True Image for Western Digital, then performing a disk cleanup utility for that application. Even an installation during a tech support session resulted in my WD drive not being recognized by ATI, although it was recognized by the disk. Then re-installing Acronis True Image - same version, but the first installations may have been problematic for some reason. This was only fixed after uninstalling and doing the disk cleanup utility. Then, the .tib files were still not recognized, although the drive and files were recognized by File Explorer. After following the advice above and right-clicking on the most recent .tib backup file, and selecting Acronis True Image > validate, the folder was finally recognized by ATI at the completion of that process (took ~ 1.5 hr). Then I was able to select the folder and recover the desired files. At the end of this process, I am very skeptical about the quality of the ATI software. Why did 3 different software exe downloads fail, on different computers? For others FYI, the files must be 'mounted / recognized / uploaded' by ATI in the recovery or validate part of the software, and the files are not accessible by simply clicking on them from within the .tib file. FWIW this forum had the answers, so THANK YOU! Western Digital tech support was helpful and offered virtual sessions, but they were not very knowledgeable about solving this particular problem, unlike Steve Smith above - my new hero.
Cristina, very glad to read that you have successfully recovered your files!
Just one final comment, if your data is very important, then make more than one backup of it and store these in different places to avoid a single potential failure point. I use two different backup applications for any important data to improve the chance of doing a successful recovery! Fortunately, Acronis / ATI has been very reliable for me over the years but being a little sceptical doesn't hurt! In English we call it having 'a belt and braces!' to hold trousers up.
Steve,
I realize this is an old thread, but very informative. Thank you for your comments because they help more people than you can possibly know.
I too believe in multiple avenues for backup. I currently use Acronis True Image 2020 and Carbonite. Should I be using something else to backup on another local external hard drive?
Thanks!
Jon, you can / should use whatever you are comfortable with, so if ATI plus Carbonite is working for you, that's great! Typically, I have ATI plus Macrium Reflect 8 installed on my own systems with separate backup schedules, plus I also use Synology Drive Client to sync important data between my systems and NAS to give further data redundancy plus OneDrive for other sharing.