Can't clone onto USB drive
Hi,
I prefer to make a clone backup, so that I have a "ready to go" hard drive in case mine dies. I've already done this, successfully, with ATI 2010, so I'm stumped as to why this is now happening.
It takes a long time for the destination dive box to come up after I pick the source drive. Then, it took so long to process and begin the job that I eventually went to bed, but not before giving permission for the system to reboot (and I don't think it asked to do that the last time.) When I got up, there was a message from ATI saying it couldn't reboot, and perhaps I didn't have the proper permission.
I'm running XPSP3, and I'm a full administrator. If I don't have permission, nobody does! I'm also using COMODO firewall, Malwarebytes (full version), and Avast anti-virus (newest version). Could any of these be interfering? There is nothing I could find in their logs about it.
Failing anything else, should I try and do it in Safe Mode?
Thanks for your help. I really need to get this done!
Thanks, I'll try that. But shouldn't I be able to do it right from Windows? I'm sure I did before...
Avast and Malwarebytes? I used to use both, but the free versions.
Do you have these running at the same time?
I might be barking up a wrong tree but that may cause problems.
First, I would check the source disk for any disk errors. This can cause TrueImage to balk.
2nd. I second the suggestion to perform the clone when booted from the TI REscue Cd. This is the recommended procedure by Acronis. This removes Windows from being an issue.
3rd. In the absence of not know what type computer or what os, this is a general recommendation which produces the best results--most of the time.
That is--Remove the source and put it in the usb enclosures.
Put the blank target in its intended boot position where the old drive was before it was moved.
Perform the clone and on first bootup following the clone, be sure only the new disk is attached.
Item 7C inside my signature index below can also help.
Well, I did the clone successfully using the boot disk. I tried to boot from it (still as a USB drive) and it didn't work (BSOD), but that's okay as long as the data was there. I ran a chkdsk /f just in case it got corrupted when I ended the Acronis boot.
Actually, an unmountable boot volume is what got me to get off my butt and make another backup, but I didn't realize it would involve all of this time! I fixed the unmountable boot volume and got it working again, but realized I hadn't backed up since December. Pretty funny, since I'm a freelance tech and I'm always admonishing people to back up...
I appreciate the advice on Item 7C for cloning, but really - how can I endorse this for clients, with all the caveats, when all they want to do is make a backup of their C drive in case of hard drive failure? I had thought Acronis THI would allow someone to just attach an external hard drive/hd enclosure, run the program, make a fully bootable copy of their drive, and then WHEN their drive eventually failed, plug in the backup and bingo! Ready to go!
If Acronis can't accomplish this, what can? Thanks again for all the help.
What sort of clients do you have Russell, I mean home users or corporate?
I always recommended TI and helped them out for free to install/use/support questions and they were all happy in the main. But I never recommended cloning disks as a backup strategy - I do understand why you might but no one has ever convinced me that that is a good way to do it for what might be called normal system set ups.
Oh and shame on you for not backing up regularly :)
Well, I did the clone successfully using the boot disk. I tried to boot from it (still as a USB drive) and it didn't work (BSOD), but that's okay as long as the data was there. I ran a chkdsk /f just in case it got corrupted when I ended the Acronis boot.
Windows will not boot from an external usb drive. But it will from an external drive connected via an eSata port.
Sorry for the delay in responding! I have both corporate and home users. The corporate users often have a backup system, even if it's just RAID. Home users very often don't. My reason for using cloning disks is that (supposedly) you have a cloned version of your drive. Your drive dies. You remove it, put in the cloned version - boom, you're done.
As opposed to: backing up just data. Drive dies. Get new drive. Install Windows. Install all of your programs. Do all of the updates. Restore data. There goes the weekend.
As even elderly people are now increasingly dependent on computers and lack the technical expertise to do the second scenario, the former has great appeal. Why don't you think it's a good idea, given the alternative?
>Windows will not boot from an external usb drive.
I'm embarrassed to say I didn't realize that. Thanks for the info!
As opposed to: backing up just data. Drive dies. Get new drive. Install Windows. Install all of your programs. Do all of the updates. Restore data. There goes the weekend.
Or the third alternative is to show them how to do a disk option backup which includes everything on the system disk. Then it is an easy restore of the disk image onto a new drive in about the same amount of time that a clone would take. I do full image backups and restore my system frequently. You know, fiddle with a good system long enough until it breaks and then restore it new again.
I guess that I fall into that category of elderly people since I am 78. Not too many of the middle age youngsters don't (or unable) take their backup seriously enough. A backup of data only is a waste of time but a backup of data as part of an image backup is time well spent and definitely not wasted and is within the capabilities of many (not all) elderly folks. My guides can help most who are really interested.
Slowness of imaging:
Check that Windows didn't decide to attach the external drive as a USB1.0 device - this happens occasionally even with W7.
External Drive booting:
It is possible to install the rescue CD files on an external drive, which as it uses Linux will boot from a USB drive and autorun TI. Though the end user would still have to select the correct image to be restored.
I spend days using "Acronis Disk Director 11 Home" cloning my desktop PC internal Sata drive with windows 7 to my external usb drive for back up. it was successful each time. but I never could boot up from it. I read some one said Windows 7 will not boot from usb drive but it will boot from esata port and most of the PC does not have esata port. Also I read in this section, some one has cloned internal sata hard drive to external usb hard drive and it does boot up on it. I am all confused. Can any one clear this up for me? I would appreacite it very much for your advices and reply. Thank you.
Billk,
Windows is made so it can't normally be booted from a USB drive.
If the (as it should) eSata drive is recognised as an internal drive, then in theory Windows should be able to be booted from this drive. I don't have an eSata machine so haven't verified this.
If you are referring to Russell's post #5 he booted from the rescue CD and made the clone to the USB drive.