Silent failure right at the start

Acronis Version HOME 2009 I've setup backups many times and kind of know my way around the acronis UI. It has been a while since I last used it. A few mnths. I tried to setup a simple disk based backup, run thru the steps as usual... the only thing I'm doing that might not be default is using the hightest compression... which I always have done. I bypass the scheduling part... and go on to the end with the little box checked that says something like `run now'. Click the last button and the interface sets there a moment with hour glass showing then pops to a different screen altogether, the `Tasks and evens' screen, the backup never starts. All the setup I've just run thru disappears. I see no evidence of a log (other than `event log') to peruse, at least if its there its definitely not easy to find.... search the helpfile for log gives a pile of useless unrelated horse pucky. And the alleged event log has recorded nothing about the several attempts I've just made that all ended as described above. Does this behavior ring a bell with anyone? Anyone have an idea what might be the problem?