ATI 2016 "had to close" message after normal close.

Hello Rajah,

Upgrading from 2011 to 2016 is quite a big jump and it is possible that you have carried over data in the Acronis database that isn't compatible with the new version.

I would suggest doing a new clean install of ATIH 2016 build 6569 to ensure that you have the best start to using the new program version.

On the subject of the backup maintenance / deleting - again I would suspect that the automatic cleaning of older backups hasn't happened because 2016 doesn't recognise the older backup files, especially if they were created with the 2011 version (which 2016 also doesn't support restoring from).

Perform a clean install of ATIH 2016

First uninstall the program via the Control Panel (or use an uninstaller such as Revo).

Run the Acronis Cleanup Tool (link in my signature below), then restart the computer.
Note: The KB document for the Cleanup Tool refers to checking for entries in the Windows registry - I have ignored this step on the occasions I have used it with no detriment, though if making changes to the registry, I strongly advise either exporting the registry before the change(s), or create a System Restore point, or image the drive for protection.

Reinstall the ATIH software (download a fresh copy from your Acronis Account if needed or if you don't have the latest build version installer).  Run the install as an Administrator (right-click on the installer to take this option).

Note 1: The cleanup tool will remove all your backup tasks and task history.  If you want to protect this information, then open C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\ in Windows Explorer - this may be hidden on some systems - if so, go to the Folder option in the View pane and enable hidden files & folders).

Save a copy of the Database and Scripts folders to another location to restore back later.

Note 2: In order to restore the above folders & contents, you must stop all Acronis Services & Programs else you will encounter locked files in the Database folder.
 

Hi Steve,

Thank you for the reply.

Sorry, but I forgot to say that I did a "clean" installation of 2016. (I usually remove the old/er versions beforehand & create new Restore Points.)

Did the usual to find any left-over bits & a reg clean etc., etc., after removing 2011.

I see that you mentioned that v2016 will not recognise v2011 back ups, so I will just delete them.

After I installed v2016, it did the update to the "latest" version, so was surprised at the results of the back-ups & error messages.

I'll try the suggested "remove & re-install."

Ta muchly.

Rajah..

Rajah,

You should consider keeping the latest backup from 2011.  It can still be restored using your 2011 rescue media.  Then once you have 2016 running like you want it and have several 2016 backups, then you should consider deleting the old backups.

FtrPilot

Hi FtrPilot,

Many thanks for the feedback.

I'm afraid that it came just a tad too late for the "latest ones" though.

Was really busy, performing all the steps for the re-installation & the very LARGE update to D/L & install.

v2011 was very tardy in it's "re-naming/back-up" processes. Very strange goings-on in that beastie.

But, I do have a few others that I copied to other drives.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have one minor query though...

After setting all my prefs etc., & multiple re-starts of v2016 to verify my prefs etc., why the H#^% does it take so long for

v2016 to start the back-up process?

It just sat there for nearly 15 or so mins before it decided to start.

This was using a entire PC back-up, one full & 2 Incs every week to my external HDD.

Everything else was mostly left at the default settings.

&....Thanks to Steve for the assistance & guidance.

Thanks for any further info. & will post back as to how everything turned out.

Regs, Rajah..

Rajah,

One of the changes made in 2016 is ATI 2016 uses  a Windows service called "Volume Shadow Copy Service" referred to as VSS.  You can google Windows VSS and read up on what it does, but a lot of the time is taken by VSS and not ATI.

Regards,

FtrPilot

Rajah, one of the reasons why it takes a while for ATIH 2016 to start the backup is that it uses the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service to create a safe copy of the system data to be backed up before actually starting the backup process and writing to your target disk drive to create the backup image file.

There have been some reports in the forum that VSS may only use a single thread wheras ATIH will use the full capability of the CPU to multi-thread the backup process when it gets started.  Overall it should not affect the time to complete the full backup.

See forum post: https://forum.acronis.com/forum/45832#comment-346558 where Slave (Acronis Engineer) advised a way to use the Acronis own snapshot function instead of MS VSS - aimed mainly at users who have hit VSS issues.

Hi Steve & FtrPilot,

Thanks to you both for the info on why Acronis is slow to start, but the 1st full back-up went great.

Not really sure about the "5th" line in all that lot, but did find the "use_vss" entry set as "true" which I changed to "false."

..........until you find the one that has backup name on 5th line, e.g. MyBackups

3) click Edit - Replace and replace use_vss="true" with use_vss="false"

As I only had the one back-up since the new re-install, this had to be "The One."

Ta muchly.

Will persevere & see what transpires a little later.

Regs, Rajah..

---------------------------------------------------------------------

BTW, Could you shed some light on why Acronis is picking up the "snap shots" of AVAST?

Location: > C:\ProgramData\AVAST Software\Avast\ng\NgBase\Snapshots

Usually have about 4 or 5 entries listed as backed up.

I check their location & just delete the listing.....not the files.

Any way to inhibit this action?

Thanks. 

Rajah, the Avast snapshots are a new one to me and I don't remember anyone else reporting this in the forums either!

Can you post some screen shots showing how this looks for you please.  

In this instance, I would also suggest posting the same using the Feedback Tool in the GUI Help section to alert the Acronis developers to this unusual behaviour. Please also put a reference to this forum post.

If you desire to not include the Avast snapshots in your Acronis backups you can add the path to them to the Exclusions list which you will find a tab for in the Backup Options.

Hi,

Again, thank you Steve for the info.

Will do so after the next scheduled back-up on the 4th.

(I really don't want to upset the apple cart just yet. ;) )

&, as I mentioned, I've already removed the entries from the Acronis UI, so that's a no-go ATM.

&, thanks to Enchantech for that info on the "Exceptions List."

Will see how things go after the next ^ back-up.

"Stay tuned for further news at 10.00." :)

Ta muchly.

Regs, Rajah.

I think that you may have issue getting the exception list entry of the path to your problem folder to stay as default.  So it might become necessary to add that path to the exceptions list prior to each run of the backup.   

Hi Enchantech,

Thanks for that. Will check after the back-up completes.

I can always just delete them from the list.

PTN: Most, if not all the AVAST "snap shots" I can find, are dated from 29th 6 2015.

Even the Log, Registry, .VirtualBox & there are 3 x NG_(muliple character) files have the same date.

The actual "ng" folder has a "Modified" date of 30th 6 2015.

AVAST is getting weirder with every update.

All the old/er files never seem to get updated or deleted, just "re-named" to .old or similar.

I think that the AVAST engineers need to do a little house clearing/keeping.

There are some dated 22-8-2014 with quite a few of those MT. (empty.)

As I mentioned, I'll see what happens next week.

Thanks again.

Regs, Rajah..

Hi again,

Back after a week of waiting & when I opened Acronis it wanted another update, so I did so.

Now running 6571, I think it is.

Anyway, she just completed an incremental & can say that all is well down South.

The setting of vss to False seems to have done the job, coz she started up rather briskly, 3 or 4 Mins, instead of the 10 to 15 Mins it took before.

Steve mentioned...

Avast snapshots are a new one to me and I don't remember anyone else reporting this in the forums either!

Can you post some screen shots showing how this looks for you please.

Sorry Steve, but there's no sign of any of the AVAST so called "snap shots", so cannot include a "snap shot" of them. ;)

(Possibly only occurs when a Full back-up is done?)

So....All appears to be functioning as per...

Oh yes. I checked the latest "Scripts" file & the vss is still at False, so it looks good.

I thank you both for your assistance with my problem/s.

Stay safe.

Regards, Rajah..