Registry Backup & Program Help
Hi,
I have 2 general questions:
1. Does ATIH offer any way of registry backup? (Just the registry)
2. Installed ATIH 2012 2 weeks ago. Tried today to use the program HELP ("?" icon->"Help" option) but no response from the program. Did I miss anything?
Thank you,
Jacob
Thank you, Scott for your answer, but that's not what I've asked.
I know how to use the registry for backup and recovery. Only fault is that in order to restore the registry you have to be able to boot in the first place...
What do you do when the registry is corrupted and you can't use the "Last Known Good configuration...." option?
I was hoping that ATIH have the ability to backup the registry (and restore it using a rescue disk - I know at least one such program that does exactly that...),
Restoring the whole partition is not what I was looking for either.
Just the registry.
In that case, I'd recommend doing a restore of the entire system partition.
You could restore only the files that make up the hives of the registry. You can find all the places to look for them on this microsoft page:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;256986
But given how intimately the registry is tied to programs, hardware drivers, and just about everything else that makes your pc operate. I wouldn't want to "restore" a registry without restoring the whole partion or at least the sytem files etc. This is essentialy what Windows Restore does. Howver, if you're in bad enough shape that Windows Restore isn't going to help you, then take the time to do a restore via ATI of the system partition. Takes a little longer but much safer.
The answer is NO. You cannot; not with ATI unless you can backup the individual files that comprise the registry and then restore those at your own risk. It would be a bit tedious to set up the task, but you should only have to set it up once. Be sure to make a backup after setting up the taks or else when you restore the task won't operate.
There is some freeware/shareware software out there that purports to backup and restore just the registry -- e.g., lars hederer's erunt program
http://larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
Most of these require you to be in winodws when you run the restore or to have the program on a DOS or windows boot disk.
You would be right if the partition backup was taken recently.
But let's deal with the following:
-A partition backup is taken every month
-A registry backup is taken daily
-During the day the registry is messed up.
Now, in that case I would prefer to restore the registry rather than go back a month ago.
Wouldn't you?
Most of these require you to be in winodws when you run the restore or to have the program on a DOS or windows boot disk.
Well, doesn't ATI use this method in its rescue disk?
Me personally? Personally, I prefer to backup the partitions every day. I only do it less often on machines where I can afford to lose more than a day's efforts. During the day the registry can get messed up becasue so many changes get made; yesterday's registry might not be relevent to tady's machine. This is probalby the reason Acronis didn't put a reg only feature in Ati. To do what you want to do, you have alternatives, but generally they are messy either during creation or during restore. Probably the least messy is to backup all the hive files and then resore all ofthem ass needed.
Personally, I wouldn't change the registry unless I knew what keys held the error and could manually edit them. But If I couldn't even boot into windows, I'd want to restore to last known configuration with win Restore or else do an ati resotre of the registry and all the stuff that interacts with it -- siplest way is a system partiotn rsore. I understand that is not what you want. But you should have enough info now to figure out a work around in your own direction. I'm just trying, here on my own time as a volunteer, trying to give you options, not pick fight.
Not quite the same situation. Let me clairfy: ATI uses linux on its boot Cd, which you can make from within ATI or download an iso from the Acrdonis website and burn to CD. (There are variations where you can make a bartPE or VistaPE disk).
The others generally require you to have independently some kind of boot disk onto which you can copy or install the program -- many of them expect you to jsut run the program under windows on your hdisk, a situation that you have ruled out by stipulation. So for those you'd have to make a bootcd, such as a vistaPE disk, and include this program on it or runit off of a separate disk drive from the bootCD, etc.
I'm just trying, here on my own time as a volunteer, trying to give you options, not pick fight.
And I appreciate your efforts very much and thank you for all your efforts and time. If it looked at any time like "fight calling" I appologize for that.
It is just that my daily registry backup program - WinrescueXP - notifies me on every execution that the SOFTWARE hive can't be backup (as if some program locked this file), but ATI backup this file with no problem, and I have to copy from ATI tib file to WinrescueXP subfolder.
So I was thinking of using ATI as my daily registry backup program.
I appologize again, Scott, if for any moment there was a hint of aggressiveness in my writing.
Jacob
We're cool. Good luck,
sh
Very easy way to backup registry is create system restore point in Windows. :)
Please reveiw the htread.
thanks,
sh
Very easy way to backup registry is create system restore point in Windows. :)
Very easy way to backup registry is create system restore point in Windows. :)
Yeah!
But what is it good for if you cannot boot to Windows?
Do you know how to restore from DOS?
Please read carefully my question. I didn't ask how to backup Windows registry. I know how to do it.
I asked if ATI can do it in order to restore the registry by using a rescue disk.
Would love to have that feature...
What you're suggeting has alredy been suggested and declined.
Why?
Ok, I see. Well, how about boot with Windows install/recovery media and do system restore there?
If you have some boot media, like UBCD4WIN or so, that have regedit, you can load hives into regedit and save them back if you like.
Ok, I see. Well, how about boot with Windows install/recovery media and do system restore there?
If you have some boot media, like UBCD4WIN or so, that have regedit, you can load hives into regedit and save them back if you like.
Yamaneko,
I really appreciate your efforts, but you're not listening ;)
Please, please read my last post: the question about restoring from DOS was not intended for getting an answer! it was meant to point out that restore point are worthless if you can't boot into windows.
Again, I Just asked if ATI can backup just the registry, so that can be restored using ATI's rescue disk.
Do you have any answer different from Scott's?
Jacob
it was meant to point out that restore point are worthless if you can't boot into windows.
Well, English is not my native language, maybe that is why I do not understand why you cannot boot with Windows install/recovery media (DVD or CD) and choose working restore point? It works that way even when you Windows do not load. Or do you ment that all restore points are corrupted or so? I'm sorry, I do not bother you any more since I'm just do not get it right. Sorry.
- with XP, you cannot restore the registry unless you can boot in safe mode or normally,
- with Vista and Windows 7, you can restore the registry from the Windows Recovery Environment
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore
"Up to Windows XP, the system can be restored as long as Windows boots normally or from Safe mode. It is not possible to restore the system if Windows is unbootable. Under Windows Vista, the Windows Recovery Environment can be used to launch System Restore and restore the system, in case the Windows installation is unbootable.[4] For all operating systems including Windows XP, the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) tools from the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack can be used to create a bootable recovery disc that can log on to the unbootable Windows installation and start System Restore."
- with XP, you cannot restore the registry unless you can boot in safe mode or normally,
Yes, and in safe mode it is enough if you just get to command prompt (you do not have to get Windows loaded completely) and you can launch system restore there also.
Folks,
This is NOT a competition of "who knows best how to restore a registry"
There is a simple question: does ATI have the option to backup (and restore from rescue disk) the registry.
The answer, given by Scott many posts ago is, sadly, a simple "NO"
Anyone with a different answer relating to THIS simple question is welcome to post it here, but PLEASE no more "How to restore with no restore points/Windows" suggestions.
In answer to your second question Jacob, I have that problem as well on one of my installs the help file doesn't open from within the GUI, but it does in another install.
The only thing I can think of is to run a repair install and see if this links everything back up. You can if needs be download the PDF version of the help file from the Acronis website, though of course you can't access this from within the GUI. The online help page is also now available.
As for your registry back up as TIH no longer has the system backup option, what you might be able to do is make a files and folders backup of either of these two folders.
C:\Windows\System32\config
C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack - that one is a copy of the first, you would just need to copy; DEFAULT, SAM, SYSTEM, SOFTWARE, SECURITY.
How successful this would be in restoration without going into DOS I don't know as I haven't tried it, but they are the registry hives. I've just checked and as they are hidden system files they don't appear in the TIH drop down list. I don't have time to try making a backup just now, but it might be worth seeing what happens if you backup the first path I've mentioned and then use Windows Explorer to see if the files show up inside the tib file, or I suppose just look at the size of the tib versus the size of the config folder - try it with no compression just to make the comparison easier.
**edit***
The above is where Vista and W7 keep their registry files, XP is slightly different.
Dear Colin,
I've already downloaded the PDF file, but havn't try the "repair" suggestion. Yet.
As for the backup issue, as stated many times in this thread, I was hoping ATI had a COMPLETE solution to the problem of backing up AND restoring the system (aka registry).
Did ATI's "System Backup" option (RIP) of previous versions had the ability to restore the system as well?
thank you for your time and assistance,
Jacob
25 minutes later: Hooray!! the "repair installation" did it.
Thanks again, Colin.
Well, half of my problems solved that's something to be thankful...
Wish it would be the other half, though ;)
Here is another way to view the ATI help file. Copy to your desktop or create a shortcut on your desktop to the 'help.chm' file in the program folder.
Jacob,
The system backup and restore was the closest to what you want, it actually included registry and booting files, the theory being that it would be better to include all the files used to start a Windows session in the event of a failure.
But I think a files and folders backup of the 'C:\Windows\System32\config' folder contents is the best option now as a recovery of this backup will auto place files back where they came from as you'd need to run from the Rescue CD anyway. You would of course be able to make this task a scheduled one if you so wish and basically it would be the same as a 1-click system image, just you had to set it up in the first place. This of course is assuming the backup will include hidden files. As I'm at work at the moment I have no way of testing that theory just yet.
Colin,
I've checked and found that ATI backups any selected file hidden or not, and realized that you are correct about recovering the registry file back to their original place, so this gives a complete answer to the original problem!!
Well, how about that! all problems solved. if only life were that easy...
Thanks again Colin!
Jacob
It looks like this thread stopped a long time ago so I wonder if anyone will see this, but I'll give it a try.
Let me start by asking a basic question regarding the registry and booting: My SYSTEM drive was backed up on Sunday (I use the daily incremental method). Something happened on Monday (after running chkdsk, of all things!) where that drive no longer boots, but all my files and folders are fine. I also have an older drive that does boot, but of course the files and folders are older and pretty much NG for me. So my question is, Is there a way to restore just the boot-related information (including the registry, I guess, although maybe that's not necessary) to my damaged SYSTEM drive? If not, what is the best way to get back to where I was on Sunday? I have an available drive of the same size to restore to, if a full restore is necessary. (BTW, does a full restore include boot information? I'm not clear about the distinctions between boot files and the registry, etc.) Thanks.
Boot files are the files need to load the OS. The registry is one small set of some big and small files that make up part of the OS.
If you have a boot disk from the manufacturer that runs winpe, you can rund scannof /f and repair your system files, which will et you boot if your prob is messed up system files.
IF you recent backup of a working system is current enough, then just restore the whole partitoon/disk with ati. A full partiton/disk restore of a system partition/disk will get you everything that was onthe partition/disk wehn you backed it up, the os, the boot manager, the programs, the data, all of it. Your backup file has to be on a working drive and you have to have aworking drive in the slot your C: drive was in. If you old drive doesn't work, then replace it and restore to the new drive.
Hi Scott,
First of all, thanks for the reply.
Second, how do I navigate back here? It took me five minutes to find my place.
Third, I checked "notify me when new comments are posted" but I did not get any notification. Was I supposed to get an email? How do I arrange to get these notifications?
Finally, and more to the point, I hope to try out your suggestion and see what happens, but I don't know what scannof is. I would prefer not to do a complete restore as I am worried that it might not work, in which case I'd be dead in the water. In fact, now that I think about it, I might have even tried that at one point, but I have been through so many trials and errors since Sunday that my mind is like mush, and I can't remember half the things I did. (I even tried reinstalling Windows but the new installation wound up on the wrong drive, but that's another story...) Anyway, I have XP Pro, if you could just take a minute to clarify whether that OS has the scannof option and where I might find it. I do have the original installation disk.
THANKS!!!!
Jay,
When doing your next reply, before you click the save button, immediately above the save button is the box to check to receive email n notices. If you are not receiving them, check your spam folder.
Or, to create a desktop shortcut to this link,
use the mouser pointer and grab hold of the browser address bar along its left margin and drag the whole address onto your desktop.
This is your address to this link if you want to make a manual shortcut
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/24849
Scott was writing about the run command or from a command prompt
sfc /scannow
or sfc /? (to get more info)
Hi Grover,
Great -- thanks. I actually did make a bookmark on my way out a few minutes ago.
As far as SCANSFC, will it work across drives? The drive that won't boot is G but of course I am now on a temporary C drive. I will do some research on that command anyway while I wait to hear from you.
Thanks again, guys.
P.S. I did click that Notify Me box before but didn't receive anything -- that's why I asked. But I have the link now so no problem -- I just have to check back here periodically.
Jay,
Check your account settings to make sure it is set to send notifications.
Hi Pat,
There's nothing in there about notifications. Only an option to receive product-related emails, which I have declined.
If you know any differently, I'm all ears. Also still waiting to hear if anyone here knows whether SCF can work across disks. As far as I can tell so far it can't, although I could probably set my G disk to be the system disk (it won't boot, of course) but then maybe I can run SFC from the Install disk. The really disturbing thing about all of this (four days and counting of misery) is that CHKDSK /F DID IT!!!
Jay
Jay,
I think you've looked at the wrong account settings - the ones Pat was referring to are the forum account settings in the left hand margin 'My Account'.
Ah, ok. I went there and I do indeed have my email address listed. I don't have a password, though, and it doesn't say that one is required. Do you think that matters?
Thanks.
BTW, sfc /scannow is now running on THIS drive (the temporary one) is seems to be going along fine. I'm still wondering how I get it to run on my damaged G drive, which is the one that won't boot.
Thanks.
sfc doesn't accept a parameter for which disk or dirve to check; it presumes that it resides onthe system disk it is to check. Since you can only have only system disk, that isn't normally a problem.
Even a windows repair install ( the nondestructive one) assumes there is only one system disk present.
Jay,
Your forum account password is the same as your Acronis account password, it doesn't show up in the forum account settings unless you make alterations to your settings.
Below is a screenshot of where you alter notification settings globally.
In my google SFC search I found that SFC for XP can't operate across drives but the version for W7 can. However, I took a leap of faith and did a full restore on the drive that would boot, and I am pleased to say that it worked. So I still have the old drive with the same data that won't boot but my nightmare is now over as I now have the same data on the drive that does boot, and I am back in business. So thanks everybody for your help.
It's very weird because I DO have the "receive messages" box checked. As far as I can tell, everything is as it's supposed to be. So I have no idea, but for the time being it's a moot point. Thanks again to all who offered help.
And what to do when I cannot create system restore point in Windows? MY ACTUAL PROBLEM
That depends on what problem with windows is prevent you from creating a restore point. Many of us do not use Windows Restore because we have ATI. But ATI doesn't normally interfere with Windows Restore.
Thanks...I don't know what is the problem on windows which prevent me from creating a restore point. I contacted Microsoft support but I need the system recovery disk which I don't have with me at the moment. What is ATI? Should I install it?
ATI = Acronis True Image
Yes of course..I should have known! And I had ATI. My big problem is that it has been cancelled by cleanup utility used by one ATI support technician and I am encountering lot of problems to reinstall it. Of course I also lost my back-up ATI files. That's why I tried to create a Windows restore point. Thanks anyway.
Annie,
Was the correct Cleanup utility used for th eversion of TI that you have? There shouldn't be a problem reinstalling the software after running the utility. What now happens when you try to install TIH?
Have you checked in Windows that your restore point option hasn't been switched off?
What is the error message you get when trying to make a restore point?
Note, that the restore cache is one place that malware likes to hide and respawn itself., if you have made or can download your TIH recovery media, I would suggest booting from that and making a disk image, and then boot back into Windows and continue trying to install the windows version. of True Image
Colin,
Yes the Cleanup utility was used for the version of TI I have/had...since yes there is a problem reinstalling the software. TIH ? true image help? I had created an Acronis support boot disk...but it crashed.
Yes I checked that my restore point option is switched on.
The message (translated from French): waiting time limit has expired..error 0x8100010