Acronis TIH 25700: Rescue USB stick does not work?
I am Acronis user since over 10 years and updated recently to TIH Version 2020, Build 25700. Before producing the actual rescue USB stick, I checked my old ones. The oldest was from 2014(!), the latest from Version 2019, build 17759 (simple and advanced). All sticks worked and showed the Acronis rescue window, including all connected partitions and external drives.
When I tried to use a new rescue USB stick, produced by version 2020, Build 25700, only the option Linux-based media worked. All other combinations failed with the same problem: Booting from the rescue USB stick seems to work, but stops soon. What I then permanently see is the blue window symbol together with rotating dots below. But nothing happens. Or does the process take hours? I am using Windows 10 Pro, Version 2004, Build 19041.329 with ADK 10.1.10586.0.
Of course, I checked the USB stick and tried several other ones. The result was the same. Same also with the CD! While writing to the rescue media, I get no warning etc. The list of files on the stick seems to be somewhat reduced: I see the language directories bg-BG etc., the directories Boot, EFI, and sources as well as the files bootmgr, bootmgr.efi and unattend.xml. But may be that you have organized the rescue media differently.
What do I overlook?
Many thanks for any help
Klaus
Uninstall ADK 10.1.10586.0 and install a current version. That should fix the problem when building from the Advanced option. Also, did you try the Simple option building from WinRE? That should work unless you have other older versions of Windows on other disks in the computer.
Mustang, I followed your advice and installed the latest ADK version. The rescue medium Advanced-WinPE-based-ADK works. Thank you very much again for your help!
My wishes:
To Microsoft: please do not mark "Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit - Windows 10 as updated, if it is not.
To Acronis: If you use ADK, please check if the version installed is adequate
I will now have another look to AIK and report as soon as possible.
Klaus
I have now re-installed AIK, although from the handbook I concluded that ADK is sufficient:
Manual: “To use this option, you need one of the following (comment by me: AIK or ADK) components to be installed:”
Obviously, it should read something like“…you need only in special situations AIK (for further details see …..).
Nevertheless, a user would expect to receive a message, if a necessary software for producing the rescue USB stick is not installed on the PC. Unexpectedly, when AIK was not installed on my PC, the rescue stick was written without warning. Now, after installing AIK, the package for the rescue USB stick is much larger than before, but it still does not boot (simple and advanced WinRE). The effect is the same as described in my first post.
This is clearly different to previous versions (<2020).
What else can I do?
Klaus
You need to uninstall the AIK. The AIK is the old Windows 7 version of WinPE.
Here's some information about the problem. Acronis has started to add a registry entry to the WinPE media to support Bitlocker encryption. This is working with newer versions of the Windows 10 WinPE from the ADK and WinRE. The new registry entry is breaking the Windows 7 and early Windows 10 versions of WinRE. The reason it didn't work for you using the Simple option is that your system now has two Recovery partitions due to going through Windows version upgrades. The old Recovery partition that is no longer being used by Microsoft contains an early version of the Windows 10 WinRE. Acronis is picking up that early version of the WinPE from the old Recovery partition instead of the WinRE. You can read more about the issue here https://forum.acronis.com/forum/acronis-true-image-2020-forum/how-repair-ti-2020-build-22510-boot-disk-created-windows-7-using-simple-option
I recommend you start using the MVP Tool to build your WinPE media. https://forum.acronis.com/forum/acronis-true-image-2017-forum/mvp-tool-custom-ati-winpe-builder It will work with all the options you tried because the registry entry to get Bitlocker support for the recent Windows 10 WinPE versions has not been added.
Paul (Mustang),
I am impressed by your detailed knowledge and I thank you very much again for your help.
I am just wondering: Acronis lets me produce useless rescue media after rescue media without warnings. The manual is of no great help.
In my understanding, backup software and the corresponding tool for building a rescue media must be full of try-catch constructs, checking the existence of necessary files, software packages, hardware details, options etc. Or does anybody expect that normal users should know all these details? No, this must be built-in.
Do I understand it correctly that some customers have written an own ATI WinPE builder for rescue media?
Your analysis sounds convincing and I will give it a try. This will take some time since I lost already too much time with the Acronis rescue builder.
One final remark: How would our work with Acronis TIH look like without “our” support heroes like Steve, you (for the present problem) and a few others? Thank you all!
Best wishes,
Klaus