Acronis TI 2016 "Last Backup Failed"
After months of no problems, my Acronis True Image 2016 now reports "Last Backup Failed" on every combination of backup I try. This both before and after upgrading Acronis TI 2016 to the latest version.
Using Windows 10 PRO, 64bit, on Intel I7-5820 with 16GB RAM
Disks Used:
Samsung SSD 850 PRO 256GB
Western Digital Passport 1TB on USB 3.0
Western Digital 2000 1TB SCSI Internal
Combinations Tried (all full disk/partition backups):
Samsung SSD to WD Passport
Samsung SSD to WD Internal
WD Internal to WD Passport
All report "Last Backup Failed", yet the backups run in the normal time and the archives created look OK. The error message appears about 10 seconds after the backup completes. I can "mount" the archives and browse files.
All disks pass tests (Samsung Magician, chkdsk). No other indication of disk errors. Two other backup softwares run with no problems reported. The Acronis error looks like a false positive. What gives?
If you look at the service.logs with FTRPilots MVP logviewer, it may provide more details (link down below). My guess, is that the backup is successful, but you are validating with the backup as well. Others have reported that when doing this, they get a backup failed, because the validation is failing. To circument, you might try removing the automated validation task from the backup script and then running a manual validation instead and see if that helps.
What version of 2016 are you using? I believe this was supposed to be fixed in 6581. I'm using 2017 primarily though so can't help you test at the moment. I've never included validation in my backup job and will only run validation manually on rare occassion. If you can mount or double click a backup .tib file and access the contents, that means your backup(s) are good.
Thanks for replies. My Acronis True Image 2016 build is 6581. It reports "up to date".
My OS Disk C: backup is a "Custom Scheme", method is "Full", Notifications are all off. There are 2 exclusions folders added in addition to the defaults. Under Advanced options, both Validation checkboxes are blank (off).
My backups are not scheduled. I run them by hand as needed. I only use Acronis to backup the C: drive OS. I use other non-Acronis methods to backup user data.
The following is one log from Steve Smith's utility. I looked at 6 other logs, they all read the same. Log says everything is OK, yet Acronis still reports backup failed. It's a mystery why now and not before. My system has been stable for many months. I have Win10 updates locked out, have not updated since the initial build. Have not updated to "Anniversary" edition. Can't imagine what changed on my system to start this error.
----------------------------
log uuid=BB04EA47-8E4A-4200-B6FD-2B2DB0C19AD0; product=True Image; version=19.0; build=6581; task=D12CF315-558A-476D-9681-3896F3DB4AEA; task_name=Data Disk F
Start= 12/14/2016 10:43:19 AM
id=1; level=2; module=100; code=0; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:19 AM
message=Backup reserve copy attributes: format tib; need_reserve_backup_copy false
id=2; level=2; module=100; code=2; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:19 AM
message=Operation Data Disk F started manually.
id=3; level=2; module=100; code=0; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:21 AM
message=Backup reserve copy attributes: format tib; need_reserve_backup_copy false
id=4; level=2; module=316; code=0; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:21 AM
message=Operation: Backup
id=5; level=2; module=100; code=11; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:21 AM
message=Priority changed to Low.
id=6; level=2; module=11; code=1008; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:21 AM
message=Create Backup Archive From: Data (F:) To file: I:\OS Backups\Data Disk F.tib Compression: Normal Exclude: Files matching mask Match criterion:
hiberfil.sys
pagefile.sys
$Recycle.Bin
swapfile.sys
System Volume Information
*.tib
*.tib.metadata
*.~
*.tmp
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Users\DefaultAppPool\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
C:\Users\DefaultAppPool\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Opera Software
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Opera Software
C:\Users\ArkacyMain\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
C:\WINDOWS\CSC
F:\Temp No Backup
id=7; level=2; module=1; code=504; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:21 AM
message=Pending operation 172 started: 'Creating partition image'.
id=8; level=2; module=100; code=0; date/time=12/14/2016 10:43:43 AM
message=Writing full version to file: Data Disk F_full_b1_s1_v1.tib
id=9; level=2; module=1; code=504; date/time=12/14/2016 10:48:02 AM
message=Pending operation 172 started: 'Creating partition image'.
id=10; level=2; module=100; code=0; date/time=12/14/2016 10:48:02 AM
message=The following backups have been successfully created: I:\OS Backups\Data Disk F_full_b1_s1_v1.tib
id=11; level=2; module=316; code=6; date/time=12/14/2016 10:48:02 AM
message=Operation has succeeded.
Start= 12/14/2016 10:43:19 AM
Finish= 12/14/2016 10:48:02 AM
Total Time= 00:04:43
Where is it reporting the backup failed in Acronis - in the GUI - is it actually saying it failed or are you seeing a red dot? The log looks good. Have you tried to run a manual validation of the backup job, yet?
OK, took a while to find Validate since it's nowhere in the Acronis UI! Found it in Explorer right-click, ran it first on a *.tib of my internal user data hard disk. That job showed as failed in the UI. After validation, it showed as OK, a green check mark icon on the job name.
So then I validated a *.tib of my primary OS SSD drive, which was created 2 days ago and reported as failed. The UI launched, did a validation, appeared to end OK, but then 10 seconds later said "backup failed".
So then I ran a new backup of the primary OS SSD, this time with "Validate backup when it is created" turned on in Advanced Options. Backup ran, validate ran, 10 seconds later the UI said Backup failed with a red X between source and destination. Click on the red x and it says "Backup failed".
So I re-ran validation on that new *.tib. The validation completed with no message, but the red X remains. Click on the red X and now it says "Backup is corrupted." I deleted that *.tib and repeated the process. Same result.
All the logs still show no errors. I can still mount the *.tib and browse files. However, I lack confidence that I could use the "failed" backup to fully restore my system drive in case of a disk failure or virus. Not because it's bad, but because Acronis thinks it's bad and might refuse to use it. Testing that is too much work and risk. I would rather find the true cause and fix it.
Another test: I validated the oldest *.tib I have on my USB backup drive (from August 10, 2016). I am certain this backup completed with no errors. The validation ran OK, no messages, but it left the red X in the UI, claiming the backup is corrupted.
Then I looked at the log for that validation and noticed it said it validated the most recent backup, not the old version. So what's that all about? Is it not possible to validate old *.tib files?
Apparently not. I deleted that most recent *.tib and tried again to validate some older files. Now the UI launches, says "Preparing Operation: Backup Validation" for just a few seconds, then goes blank. No messages, no validation process. I look at the log for that attempt and I see an error "Cannot open the backup". It's looking for the most recent *.tib (now deleted), even though I did a right-click/True Image/Validate on an existing *.tib
What kind of mess is this? Is it time to nuke Acronis and re-install?
Ryan, this sounds like an issue with the Acronis Database files given the updates you have provided.
Rather than 'nuking' Acronis, I would recommend forcing a rebuild of the database files as follows:
- First stop all Acronis Services & Processes - starting with the Services then ending the programs via Task Manager.
- In Explorer, navigate to C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\ and either rename the Database folder to Database.OLD or delete the folder. This will wipe out the task history information.
- Restart the main Acronis application, this will restart the required services & processes plus will create a new Database folder and files. The history information will be restarted when your tasks are run.
Thanks again for the suggestions, but unfortunately no joy.
First, I was unable to rename the Database folder. I killed all things Acronis with the Task Manager. A couple kept popping back up, I kept killing them until they stayed gone for 10 minutes. But when I tried to rename Database I was told it was open in another program. I reviewed the Task Manager list again and could find nothing related to Acronis.
So I booted in safe mode, and was able to rename the Database folder then. Re-booted again in normal mode, verified I had a new Database folder, and ran my backup. The backup appeared to run OK. The log says it was OK. But 20 seconds after the backup (and validate) completes, the Acronis UI pops up the "backup failed" message and puts on the red X.
I then tried again to validate an old *.tib file. As before, it appeared to run OK, but left the red X on. And the log says it validated the most recent *.tib file, NOT the old file I told it to validate.
Next I ran a full disk backup of my internal HDD to the same USB drive used for the SSD OS backup. This without an automatic validate. Same result. "Backup failed" message appears 20 seconds after the run completes.
Next I ran a new test not done before. My HDD has 2 partitions. I backed up one partition to the other partition, thus eliminating the SSD and the USB drives from the equation. Same result, "backup failed". Finally, I hauled out an old USB drive. Fresh formatted it, and backed up the HDD partition to it. Same result.
So now I've experienced Acronis failure on multiple combinations of 4 different disks. That seems to eliminate the disk as being the cause of the reported failure.
Now new questions:
1. Is there any better way to get more detail on why Acronis thinks the backup failed? Any other logs I can look in?
2. Is it significant that the "Backup failed" message appears delayed 20 seconds after the backup completes. Kind of feels like Acronis is passing messages back and forth between its services after the backup completes and something is going wrong there.
3. While I appreciate the help of volunteers on the forum, is there any way to contact Acronis directly?
Ryan, some suggestions at this point.
- You now have 2 years of support with ATIH 2016 & 2017 (from date of purchase) so you could open a Support Case with Acronis for this issue.
- Bite the bullet and do a clean install of ATIH 2016 to get a completely clean installation of the software.
If you choose the second option, then you can save your task configuration files by saving a copy of the C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Scripts folder - task configuration is stored in .TIS files in this folder in XML data format.
To do a clean install do the following steps:
- Uninstall ATIH 2016 normally via the Control Panel.
- Download the Acronis Cleanup Tool (link below in my signature) then run this as Administrator.
- Restart the computer to complete the cleanup action.
- Reinstall the full ATIH 2016 build 6581 installer (as Administrator) - download a fresh copy from your Acronis account if needed (verify the checksum for the downloaded file against the value shown online).
- Optional, copy back the Scripts folder files for your tasks (do this before starting the program).
Note: If you have an upgrade version of ATIH 2016 you will need two license / serial codes - one for 2016 and one for the previous version you upgraded from.
Next place to check would be "scheduled jobs". Grab the task scheduler: https://kb.acronis.com/content/1859
You can check each backup job in C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Scripts by opening the .tis files in notepad. All current backup tasks that show up in the Acronis GUI should have an associated script in the scripts folder.
See if there are any other old or ghost scheduled jobs (in the scheduler manager) that don't match up with the backup file names in your scripts folder. I would delete any of those (if they exist). I would also delete the jobs specifically listed with validation in the name as well. Then go back and try to validate again.
Support is definitely the way to go if this doesn't help and/or if issues continue. The cleanup tool has "fixed" things for many who have had issues that pop up over time, especially for those systems where in-place Acronis upgrades have occured from major version upgrades, and/or in conjunction with Acronis installs that existed before a major Windows upgrade. If you do use the cleanup tool (which should ultimatley provide you with the relief you're looking for, but results in teh need to build new backup tasks), check out this clean recommendation too: https://forum.acronis.com/forum/126092#comment-391779
Special thanks to Mr. Smith. It may be premature, but I think I can report success.
I completely nuked Acronis and re-installed. Ran 1 backup, no errors reported. Green circle check mark remains. Roughly the same size as previous failures. Mounts OK.
I nuked by first doing a Control Panel uninstall and rebooted. Then I checked the Registry for the key values Mr. Smith shows in his cleanup tutorial. Found the keys, but none of the strings were present. Nothing to delete. Then I ran Smith's cleanup utility. Looked OK, no errors. Re-checked Registry keys, still clean. Rebooted.
Got a fresh download of Acronis TI 2016. Installed, entered keys, all good. Ran 1st backup, A-OK!
Now the test of time. I have only run about 15 backups since I purchased the Acronis TI 2016 upgrade last July (following an upgrade from Win7 to Win10). I remain slightly suspicious the "backup failed" errors I had may be related to cumulative use. Acronis automatically adds a serial number to the *.tib file. That number starts at 1 and counts up. I can't remember for sure, but I think my problem may have started when the count reached 10 (double digits).
Ryan, thanks for the feedback and glad to hear the clean install appears to have solved the issues you were seeing.
Just to clarify, the Acronis Cleanup Tool KB document is one provided by Acronis Support, not myself - I have just provided a link to this in my signature information as it has been needed a number of times.
There should be no problem with the number of backups in your backup sequence, I have one task that was up to backup sequence 58 when I last checked!