Snapman.sys deleted and now I can't boot
I foolishly deleted snapman.sys from my PC and now it won't boot. Is there anywhere I can download this file so I can copy it to my PC (using a boot CD) so I can fix it?
Hello A Hunter and Mark,
Let me comment this situation.
Mark is right - the boot issue caused by reference to the deleted driver in your system. snapman.sys is a SnapAPI component driver. The SnapAPI module is in charge of all I/O operations on the hard disk of Acronis software working in Windows. It also allows to create backups under running Windows with an unlimited number of files open for reading and writing without the necessity to reboot the computer.
So in order to resolve the issue you should boot your system in Safe Mode and remove the SnapAPI as it's described in this article.
The description of this process is given below:
1. When your computer restarts but before Windows launches, press F8.
On a computer that is configured for booting to multiple operating systems, you can press F8 when the boot menu appears.
2. Use the arrow keys to highlight the Safe Mode with Networking option, and then press ENTER.
I'd like to make sure all your queries regarding Acronis products are resolved.
Additionally to this, you are welcome to ask me any other questions concerning Acronis, and I will assist you further.
Regards,
Just thought I'd add notes on a similar experience and solution under Windows XP SP3, adding these terms to help future thread searchers: Windows STOP error, Blue Screen of Death, BSOD, 0x0000007B, INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE, mup.sys
Symptoms:
- Blue Screen of Death with STOP error 0x0000007B on first power up after reinstall of True Image Home and Disk Director.
- On power up or reboot, get Windows Automatic Recovery screen (starts with text: "We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this." ), with startup choices Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, etc.
- Any startup choice leads to Blue Screen of Death with STOP error 0x0000007B after Windows "splash" screen (with blue progress bar at bottom); no specific driver listed in BSOD messages.
- During Safe Mode startup choice, text screen shows various drivers loading, ending with mup.sys, before BSOD.
- Can't start Windows at all, so can't use Windows troubleshoot and restore tools suggested in varous places.
- Able to access hard drive from Windows Recovery Console (boot from Windows OS CD) or other bootable CD (e.g. Acronis Disk Director is able to Explore drive).
Cause:
- Missing snapman.sys file in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\
Solution:
- Boot from CD or other device, restore snapman.sys from a previous backup, or get a good latest copy from somewhere (Acronis?).
Notes:
Error 0x0000007B means Windows can't access the boot drive. There can be various causes for this, some related to device driver problems; see Advanced troubleshooting for "Stop 0x0000007B" errors in Windows XP, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324103.
As stated in SnapAPI http://kb.acronis.com/content/1512, "The SnapAPI module is in charge of all I/O operations on the hard disk of Acronis software working in Windows... The Snapshot Manager driver (snapman.sys) is installed as an upper filter between the file system drivers and the volume drivers, so SnapAPI can intercept all the read and write requests passing to a partition." So perhaps it makes sense that a missing snapman.sys file shows up as a inaccessible boot device error.
It would be nice if the missing file could simply be skipped during boot up, with Acronis True Image removing itself from the chain of drivers and supplying a helpful error message once Windows comes up...
The fact that mup.sys is the last driver listed on the screen during Safe Mode boot can be misleading; it is merely the last driver to load before Windows "goes into a more complicated portion of its boot process and this is where the actual hang occurs" (AITech solutions, http://www.aitechsolutions.net/mupdotsysXPhang.html)
In my particular case, snapman.sys apparently went missing somehow after several attempts to update to latest versions of Acronis Disk Director and True Image Home. Latter had a later file date, so I suppose it should be installed later to avoid being overwritten by stuff from the former. It would be nice to have some explicit direction on this from Acronis and some explanation on how the two might interact upon install, install new version over old, and install after install.
I discovered this by comparing files (in Windows directory its subdirectories) from backups of the current system version and a previous one, restored to different directories of a separate drive.
Lessons for me were:
1. Make a full backup before making changes, especially if the change involves software such as True Image, which uses low-level interaction with your system.
2. Make a bootable recovery CD as soon as possible, with tested ability to run, detect, access, and restore drives. Preferably do this from another bootable CD before installing the recovery sofware on your main drive.
3. Keep records of what files and registry changes are made during software installations. (Revo Uninstaller helped me with this.)
4. For upgrading software, beware installing over a previous version without uninstalling first. Beware of interactions between different programs and versions from a given software vendor.
May -2010 I was having a problem with Acronis as the program continued to ask for Volume 1 which had disappeared. Acronis was not successful in backing up my data. I installed Western Digital Essential;My Passport Essential; which is a free standing drive. I have been happy with that. So I ignored the Acronis on my D: drive after that.
December, 2010 I received Windows 7 to install in my computer instead of the Vista.one. I followed all instructions and tried installing windows 7 on 3\15\11. I downloaded the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Report from the CD. There were several items which were to be uninstalled. On 3\16 when I uninstalled Catalyst Manager as suggested, my monitor was messed up so that the screen was enlarged along with all the icons so that I could not get to everything.. The buttons on my monitor would not work so I corrected the problem (I thought.)
After that, when I booted up the computer, the screen on the monitor read ;out of range.; At that point, I was able to use the buttons on the monitor to correct the problem. On 3\18, I started over by downloading the Windows 7 Upgrade Report again. I also downloaded the ;Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows7; report from the internet..
I read that and followed the instructions until I noticed an icon on my desktop which I had noticed before but never did anything about. I tried to uninstall Acronis. Most of it is gone. I noticed an icon for Acronis Director; on the desktop. This was not something I ordered or downloaded. It was not on my original version of Acronis. I decided to uninstall or delete it. It wouldn;t go away.. I had been able to go to the safe mode to do operations which needed to be done. However, after I tried to delete Acronis director something called ;Acronis OS Selector Trial; came up. Then I couldn;t go anywhere from there. After much patience, I could click on the correct Operating System (Vista Home Premium). I could use the operating system at that point.
When I had to re-boot, the same OS Selector Trial came up. The mouse pointer runs all over the desk top and is almost impossible to control. Now, I remembered the Acronis Boot Disk I was instructed to make when I first got the computer. After installing it, another screen came up. This was the ;Acronis Disk Director.. There was still the problem with the Mouse pointer running all over the screen. There were two choices; Acronis True Image Home (Full Version) and Windows. With the pointer still almost impossible to control, clicking on Windows causes the computer to re boot and everything starts over to this screen. I tried Acronis and Acronis True Image 2009 loaded. The mouse pointer is now under control. This screen looks as if I should be able to do something with it. I need to get back to my operating system on my C drive. I can't. I don't know where to go from here.
I want to delete all of Acronis and be able to get to Vista. I hope you can help.
I have Acronis on this rebuilt laptop and I would like to get rid of it too.
Martha,
From your description, it looks like you somehow installed Acronis Director and it activated the OS selector. You can reinstall Acronis Director to deactivate it.
Alternatively, you could boot on the the Windows installation DVD and use the bootrec command from a command prompt to recreate the MBR and the boot files. This will overwrite the code Director put in the MBR to enable the selection.
Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I don't have any way to reinstall Acronis Director. Also, my OS came with my computer and I don't have a Windows Installation DVD to use. The only thing I can think of right now is to take it back to the man who built the computer and see if he can fix the problem I have the original Acronis 2009 disk but it does not have the Acronis Director on it. Thanks again. MW
You can probably find some third party software to do it (eg http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/mbrfix.htm ), but I didn't try them and I cannot recommend any in particular. They would require you to be very comfortable with computers to use safely.
If you can get an expert to do it for you, better.
Thanks, I think I will have to try someone locally who is familiar with Acronis.
MW