Can't find option to restore files
Windows 10. Acronis True Image 2016. I have 5 backup jobs defined. Three have been running hourly since yesterday. Two will begin daily tonight.
I want to test doing a restore from my hourly backups. However, I can't find a restore option. In the Acronis console GUI (or whatever you call it), I can click on "BACKUP" and then one of the jobs. Near the bottom of the window I see an "Options" button and "Back up now" button. I thought that previously I saw some buttons to restore, but I don't see those now. I do see a green check mark between "Disks and partitions" and "Custom destination" boxes. There are also green checkmarks on three of the job icons, including the one I'm trying.
http://www.acronis.com/en-us/resource/solutions/restore/2005/how-to-res… says I can load a virtual disk from the Tools menu, but I can't find such. Is this for the same software? I am backing up partitions, not making whole disk images.
So how, by golly, do I restore something right now?


- Log in to post comments

The task has generated multiple output files and there are no restore buttons. Currently, it shows a backup error. It doesn't show me history (that I know of) to claim that all the backups failed. Furthermore, the size of the initial full (383GB) and subsequent differentials (40MB) is consistent with when it worked on the first day, so that suggests that the older backups succeeded. Also, I recall there was NOT an error after the initial full.
Here are some very specific questions. If you or someone could answer, I would be very appreciative.
- If it has an error on the LAST backup, does it remove the restore buttons and thus remove access to PRIOR successful backups?
- (perhaps answered below) Is there a way to access backups (restore files from them) OTHER than through the Backup / Task / Restore buttons that we have been discussing above?
- (perhaps answered below) Is there a way to access backups (restore files from them) for which the task has subsequently been removed from the GUI?
- (perhaps answered below) Is there a way to access backups (restore files from them) if the most recent backup(s) failed but earlier ones succeeded?
In addition, I have noticed I can attempt to browse the tib files using the Windows Explorer. For my daily backup of the boot drive, which has only run twice, I appear to be able to see the C: drive and it's backed up contents in this way. With both the full and the inc, I can navigate down to a file such as an htm, double click it, and view it in IE. So that method of access seems to work.
However, I have three different saved attempts at backing up my primary data hourly. Each attempt started with new backup tasks, each using their own folder. After having trouble, I deleted the task settings only, moved the backup folder, and tried again with new tasks. Well, I still have those moved backup tibs. When I navigate into them, I get to the drive level and it then says empty. UPDATE: In verifying just now, I found a full on a different task that showed me and gave me access to a file inside. Same for the inc. However, inc's after I renamed the task show empty. I can accept this.
So MAYBE, after things actually work again, the answer to my last three bullets is via Windows Explorer. Comments please?
- Log in to post comments

Hello Helmut,
Thank you for your posting! If you deleted just backup settings from the product interface, but the actual backups are still present in the target location, you can add the backup using this feature.
When you want to delete backups and backup versions you no longer need, please do it by using the tools provided by Acronis True Image 2016. We recommend that you configure automatic cleanup rules when customizing the backup scheme. Acronis True Image 2016 stores information on the backups in a metadata information database. Therefore, deleting unneeded backup files in Windows Explorer will not delete information about these backups from the database. This will result in errors when the program tries to perform operations on the backups that no longer exist.
Acronis True Image usually saves backup data in the proprietary tib format using compression. The data from .tib file backups can be recovered only through Acronis True Image, in Windows (like you did via Windows Explorer) or in the recovery environment (Acronis bootable media).
Acronis Nonstop Backup uses a special hidden storage for data and metadata. The backed up data is compressed and split into files of about 1 GB. These files also have a proprietary format and the data they contain can be recovered only with the help of Acronis True Image.
If the recovery issue still persists please provide us with the screenshots of the missing recovery option in the interface and screenshot of backups in the target location.
Thank you!
- Log in to post comments

Helmut Forren wrote:The task has generated multiple output files and there are no restore buttons. Currently, it shows a backup error. It doesn't show me history (that I know of) to claim that all the backups failed. Furthermore, the size of the initial full (383GB) and subsequent differentials (40MB) is consistent with when it worked on the first day, so that suggests that the older backups succeeded. Also, I recall there was NOT an error after the initial full.
Here are some very specific questions. If you or someone could answer, I would be very appreciative.
- If it has an error on the LAST backup, does it remove the restore buttons and thus remove access to PRIOR successful backups?
No you should have access to the prior backups. But if you have a situation where backups have failed, been recreated, renamed or edited, the database of ATI might be screwed up. The typical fix is to shutdown ati, rename the database folder in c:\programdata\Acronis\Trueimagehome directory and relaunch ATI, or to uninstall/reboot/reinstall and recreate the tasks in empty directories.
- (perhaps answered below) Is there a way to access backups (restore files from them) OTHER than through the Backup / Task / Restore buttons that we have been discussing above?
- (perhaps answered below) Is there a way to access backups (restore files from them) for which the task has subsequently been removed from the GUI?
- (perhaps answered below) Is there a way to access backups (restore files from them) if the most recent backup(s) failed but earlier ones succeeded?
Yes, you use the recovery CD (recommended for any system image restore or clone operation), or you can open the TIB files using Windows explorer on a machine where ATI is installed
- Log in to post comments

I'm about to ask for a refund. But first, please explain this. I deleted all the task settings only. I manually deleted all the backup folders. I created a new task with a uniquely spelled task name to the a uniquely spelled folder by the same name, to be performed daily at 10pm, differential. I told it to run now. It ran the full backup while I was working. Evidentally, it then went on to do a differential. But that popped up a message that it couldn't find the first backup. Of course, the message doesn't identify which task, but I only had one. (Got this message in the past too, and it doesn't tell you which task.) Anyway, Windows Explorer finds the backup no problem. Told it to retry, fail. Told it to browse, fail.
How can I trust my primary income source to a backup that's horribly unreliable out of the gate? Even if I get through this, how do I know it won't go south in the future without telling me? I have seen previously multiple incremental backups, no message, no apparent content via Windows Explorer.
- Log in to post comments

I did a full backup and now want to restore a file.
When I clicked on the restore files option the message was cannot find the backup.
The backup is shown on the list to the left.
I closed down Acronis and tried to find a solution on my own through the Acronis Forum but couldn't.
I opened Acronis again and this time the restore option was no longer listed on the main menu.
There was just an "Options" button asking how often I wanted backup to run.
Could you let me know how I recover a file from a full backup.
Bradley
- Log in to post comments

I am not on a computer with 2016 installed at the moment. I hope the following will help.
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2016/index.html#7944_2.html
- Log in to post comments

Thank you for your reply.
The problem is that there is no tab for recover files.
The only tab on the right of the screen is "options" asking how often I want to backup.
The panel on the left shows that there is a full PC backup.
- Log in to post comments

When I attempt to restore a backedup partition to a different computer with universal resore, I imediately get an error stating "cannot find an operating system on the current machine".
Also (second issue), When trying to restore a backedup C drive partition to a different location (the C drive of the machine booted with "media builder") there is no partition for this shown as a new location option.
In general, how do I put a backedup image on a different machine ?
Any comments or help would be greatly appreciated.
- Log in to post comments

"cannot find an operating system....
Universal restore
first restore your backup, xcxx.tib on hd
or "cannot find an operating system..." will result
When universal restore "notices" that on hd, restore
window will pop up requesting drivers.
That junk will be added to your os when it boots.
Windows will see the hardware, add drivers.
As an example, win 7.tib regular sata hard, restored
to raid drive. Used restore to add raid drivers to os.
Another tip, hard drive errors will interfer with Acronis,
typical error message, "cannot find backup', cause
hd is corrupted or has errors....
my 2 cents
- Log in to post comments

Hello all,
If the OS is not recognised in the backup image, I would check the following points:
- filesystem of the image could be corrupted, you can check it with checkdisk (you may mount image to do that)
- make sure you've selected all partitions incl. System Reserved for the backup
- validate backup
The general guidelines you will here and here (Restoring to Dissimilar Hardware with Acronis Universal Restore).
Thank you,
- Log in to post comments

I may have not described my problem accurately. When I boot the desired Acronis image receipient machine with a flashdrive containing "Acronis 2015 Universal recovery", without imput from me, I get a screen with an error message "cannot find an operating system on the current machine". This machine obviously does have an operating system(windows 10) since the Universal restore flashdrive content (that I used) was created with this machine. Booting another computer (using win 7) with the flashdrive works as advertised. The problem machine has an EMMC drive loaded with win 10. The machine that worked as advertised has a conventional 500 GB drive. Does Acronis 2015 not work with EMMC drives?
- Log in to post comments

You found your problem, lack of drivers support in the universal restore media.
I would suggest a WinPE media be created with the universal restore add on for needed driver support.
- Log in to post comments

Please excuse my ignorance, but how do I create a winPE media
- Log in to post comments

Please excuse my inability to explain the process as I am answering this using a smartphone.
I am confident another user or MVP will be along to assist though.
- Log in to post comments

Hi George,
Check out Mustang's Post here: https://forum.acronis.com/forum/100770
You shouldn't have to add any additional drives - I too have a system with EMMC hard drive and have to use WinPE on that one as well. Please be aware that you want to create a Universal Restore WinPE and a separate Acronis Reovery Media in WinPE. If you don't have that recovery media and your system doesn't boot, you'll never be able to use Acronis in Windows to do a restore.
This is from that particular post:
"Yes. It is very simple.
1. Download and install the Media add-on found under the Free Plugins tab in your Acronis account under TI 2016.
2. Download and install the Windows 8.1 ADK. https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=39982 Install only WinPE and Deployment tools.
(Edit by Bobbo for this post... you can also use this specific version of the Windows 10ADK which has even better driver support for drives like the newer Samsung 950 PRO NVME PCIE hard drives http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2015/11/20/issue-with-the-windows-adk-for-windows-10-version-1511.aspx as provided by Joey from https://forum.acronis.com/forum/102723)
3. Run the TI2016 Media Builder and select WinPE. Select your USB stick for destination (Edit by Bobbo for this post... or creat an ISO and burn to disc after that). You will probably not need to add any drivers."
- Log in to post comments