Cannot get 2013 to start, Plus Pack hangs every time

Thomas,

Is this an upgrade or update from an earlier build?

It is an upgrade version, but that shouldn't matter. Like I said, it was a complete new Windows 7 uninstall, then I installed the upgrade version, clean, including filling out all the serial numbers (ridiculous that you have to keep entering your original version (2011) to install the upgrade - what the hell, I paid for it, registered it, has it's own serial number, I couldn't even find the old serial number at first).

I also bought the plus pack. It hangs at start with it installed, and without it installed.

I found by lots of searching that it is incompatible with Malwarebytes (again, thanks to the good tech people at Acronis for not bothering to mention it, even though Malwarebytes is way more popular than TI Home, and many, many computers have it.) so I uninstalled that.

I was able to install the original 2013 version, even though it was quirky, and didn't work reliably, so I uninstalled it completely and ran the cleanup utility and waited for the latest build.

I am really frustrated, I can't use this product that I have relied on for years. I will tell you, the 2011 version seemed to have none of these hangs and extremely slow issues.

I tried to find out if there are any other incompatibilities, but that info is not available from Acronis it seems. I was trying to find out if FolderLock might be an issue, because of it's hidden drive stuff, but cannot. Now when I tried to email support, it seems one can't even do that without paying.

I use a lot of software, I have been in the business for over 30 years and consider myself a pc expert. I have wasted hours trying to make this program just install and then work again.

BTW, all the versions of the bootable cd in TI2013 do not support writing to a DVD drive. It simply will not find the drive sometimes, and when it does, no matter what brand of DVD-r or +r discs used, it wants to format it, and when you say yes, it says "incompatible media" or ejects the disc saying it is not blank. I submitted a ticket but of course no answer.

If anyone can help me with this, I would be extremely grateful. It seems this product is past it's prime, too much kludgy code, probably. I'm thinking I got ripped off for the money at this point.

Ok, uninstalled folder lock, stopped Spybot services from startup, reinstalled everything. What I think I found is a conflict with the Plus Pack (build 6514) with IOCell NDAS management service. Trying to start with Plus Pack installed hung every time. This time I disabled the IOCell service and restarted, and plus pack finally started up and let me do an email backup. I will update as I go along if this seems to have resolved the issue.

The IOCell driver: IOCell ndas driver v3.72.2080

I would request some communication to see if this is a known issue with either company.

I would like to reinstall Folder Lock again, it is useful, so I hope that isn't the issue.

Ok, I spoke too soon. This stupid program takes a couple of clicks and forever to open, and then hangs up. I was able to create an email backup the first time, then it started hanging every time I tried to use it. I had to turn the IOCell service back on to get it to see the NDAS disk. I uninstalled Plus Pack and tried it again, no luck.

So, I've now wasted another couple of hours trying to make this software kludge work, like the fool I am. I wish I could get my money back and find a solution that is simple and works, instead of taking over your pc running all kinds of startup services whether you want them or not.

True Image 2013 with Plus Pack really sucks. The only thing that works is the stand-alone boot disc, and that won't write to a dvd disc anymore either.

QA seems non-existent at this shop.

I am so annoyed.

TBS,

Can you open up a copy of Process Explorer and see if there are any apparent conflicts when running TI, you might need to download Process Explorer from Microsoft SysInternals page.

Does Windows Event Manager show anything untoward?

Is your firewall or AV trying to intercept True Image when it runs?

There are only a couple of things that Plus Pack (in theory) affects when in Windows (it primarily being for the recovery environment), the main one being the ability to access dynamic disks for the Windows based version of True Image, so maybe this is the area that needs to be looked at.

Without the Plus Pack are there any other problems with True Image in relation to starting up and making an image?

The only problem I can report with making a DVD version of the recovery environment is that it seems to prefer DVD-R with the brand that I buy. If TI (in Windows) cannot find the DVD drive this either means there is a problem with SNAPAPI or a problem with the Windows based disk IO dll as this is what TI will use when in Windows, SNAPAPI is the interface between these two.

What version number is Snapman.sys on your system?

I appreciate your questions, but really, should I have to delve into the bowels of Windows just to get a program that used to work fine to now work? Why would I waste my time? I can't monitor a process when the program simply hangs, either. What update to Windows or a non-related driver will break it again?

Process explorer from somebody else, event logs, snapman, firewall monitoring, possible incompatibilities with top-rated anti-virus, etc. geez.

I am not using any dynamic disks that I know about either.

And where can you find a list of know incompatibilities BEFORE installation? Or even after?

They broke the current version somehow. I actually have less stuff on my pc than I had when I used the 2011 version, never an issue.

There are many with this same problem, the current version just won't work when a previous one did, there are all kinds of posts here about it.

I am not going to spend another long afternoon doing an engineer's job if they are simply not interested in cleaning this up.

I have been in the computer business for 35 years, from the mini computer days, and have worked for lots of software companies, large and small. I have sold custom programming jobs, and helped spec them out. I've sold versioning and QA testing tools. I know a little about it. When code is all spaghetti-like it becomes routine for changes to break something else. And, I have seen plenty of inadequate QA departments. Acronis has all the signs of a deteriorating software package in need of a complete rewrite. They need to use some automated testing tools, too if they just keep creating new bugs.

I have already spent too many hours on this, I can't afford to keep fooling with everything. The damn thing won't run twice. With or without Plus Pack. It just hangs, and at different spots, but it only started up once and worked for an email backup. Or, it starts after a very long time, and then hangs as soon as you click on the "Backup" tab.

As far as DVD's go, I tried three name brands and none would work. -R and +R, too. Why it tries to format the recordable disc every time is a mystery. It's like it was only tested with RW discs, and that's all it can use. I am not using that type. At least with the 2011 boot cd, if you tell it to go ahead and try to format it, it checks something then works. The 2013 version does not get past that point and claims every disc is not blank. It wouldn't even see the drive on one pc I have.

And shouldn't I have a choice about monitoring every file on my system, non-stop backup, required scheduler service, all these services that must run at startup whether you are ever going to use the feature or not? No custom install to not install features that won't be used? This is very heavy handed and should be unnecessary. I shouldn't need to have the package HAVE to access the internet or it won't start, when all I want to do is a local backup. And who does not know how to make a program install with Norton Internet Security installed without the firewall blocking it, or whatever glitches I am supposed to "watch for"? Acronis, that's who.

I don't know if you work for Acronis, but they have become way too complacent. Like my Dad would say, this is a good place to start a backup software company!

If I could get a refund I sure would swear off this bad software forever.

I will just use the Boot DVD (wow, 4 gigs for something that used to fit on a CD) and back up to my external hard drives. But at this point, I wonder if my backups will even restore should I need to.

Fair enough.