Error when "Assigning letter to partitions..."
Hi,
I have been using True Image for some time, starting with v8. It has always been my practice to create an image backup of an entire Windows volume and then check it by mounting the image and using Windows Explorer to browse the folders & files on it. This worked in True Image 8.0 and was still working in True Image 2011 (installed on new Windows 7 Pro 64-bit PC in July 2011) until today.
Now I am unable to mount an image backup (.tib) file at all. After a delay of a minute or so TI reports the error "Cannot assign a drive letter to a partition from the backup archive".
This process fails for a new backup made today and for all the backups made last year, all of which were successfully mounted immediately after being created.
It is possible to recover individual files from the backups via Explore & Recover, which shows no sign of any problem in any of the archive images.
A repair installation completed successfully but did not fix the problem.
True Image Home 2011, Update 3 (build 6942)
Windows 7 Pro 64-bit SP1
What should I try next?
JPL
I have already tried "pausing protection" on Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 (version 13.0.1.4190) , and it had no effect at all.
JPL
It is possible to recover an individual or group of files from a back up image using back up explorer. However, you should also be able to mount an image without problems.
Has the destination where the images are stored been changed?
Please confirm that the TIMounterMonitor Service is running. Start Button > Run > services.msc > OK to open the Services Applet. Review your log files as well to see if they yield any additional information.
These are the steps to Mount An Image in 2011
Yes I have been able to recover individual files in this way. [quote=shadowsports]
...you should also be able to mount an image without problems....
You should indeed.
The destination folder is unchanged since TI was installed in 2011. It is on an external drive (USB connection; single FAT partition). It was on H: today, but could have been on a different letter when last used. However, this is unlikely to be the cause, I think, because it was not possible to mount a backup made today, which was definitely still on the same drive letter as had been use for the backup (indeed the device had not been disconnected in between backup and attempted mount).
I can find no evidence of a TIMountMonitor Service or file present on the system, but there is a TrueImageMonitor.exe process running; it is in the list of startup programs controllable via Msconfig.
I have been mounting images via Tools & Utilities > Mount Image for a few years now and do not think I am making an error in initiating it.
I read the Knowledge Base article you mention (1877: Acronis True Image Cannot Mount Backup Archive) before posting here, and followed its suggestions where appropriate. None proved helpful. I have also read various other posts regarding apparently identical faults, from which I came to the conclusion that no-one has yet uncovered the root cause of this unusual but not unique problem.
JPL
There was a recent posting that involved Kaspersky and the solution was to mount the image in read/write mode.
it is also a good practice to advise TI not to assign a drive letter to a non-lettered or Recovery partition.
Shadowsports and GroverH,
Thanks for your help with this awkward problem.
I had already tried mounting in r/w mode and it failed in the same way as r/o. I tried again just now, with the same result. It creates a new file in this case, e.g. X2.tib (35MB) for X.tib (90GB).
I do not understand how to avoid assigning a drive letter. How would the file system from the image be referenced within Windows in the absence of a drive letter? The Mount Image wizard provides two options via drop-down list: Do Not Mount or choose a drive letter. There is no option to mount without assigning a drive letter. (The .tib file contains an image of the C: volume plus "System Reserved".)
JPL
During the mount operation, on the very last screen before you click to final proceed option, there is options located in lower left corner. I don't have 2011 so cannot give you a picture.
In the 2013 version, the first screen shows all partitions and the partitions can be unchecked to stop specific partitions from being mounted. Only checked partitions will be mounted.
Also on the 2013 screen, there is a column named "drive letters" where the mount drive letter can be changed to a different mount letter.
2011 has the same options re. selection of partitions to mount and also selection of drive letters.
You can change the drive letter; I usually do. But there is no option "not to assign a drive letter". How can something be "a good practice" when there is no means of doing it? As I said before, I do not understand what you mean by this.
JPL
There is a tick box to the left of the partition drive letter that can be enabled or disabled to assign a letter or not.
See the attached picture from the 2011 manual page 209.
You would not need to assign a drive letter to the System Reserved or Recovery partitions, but a letter assignment would have to be made for access to any system(OS) or data partitions.
Also, be sure to check the file permissions on the .tib files as well. Make sure you have full R/W access as a Windows user on these files. You could add the group Everyone to the permissions, giving the group Everyone, Full Control of each file for testing purposes.
Yes, but don't assign a letter = don't mount the partition.
JPL
You would only need to assign a drive letter to the partition you wish to mount. No drive letters need to be assigned to the additional partitions such as the System Reserved or any OEM utility or Recovery partitions.
Try and only assign a drive letter to the partition you need to access, excluding all others.
Good thought, but I do have Full access to the .tib file and the folder containing it. The TI error message is the same whether or not the .tib file is r/o (or at least it is when trying to mount r-o).
Also, permissions etc. have not been changed since the last time I used TI, at which point I could mount any image without a problem while the file was r/o.
JPL
Have you checked the Windows error logs to see if Acronis has generated any errors when trying to assign the drive letters.
Open Windows Event Viewer to view the Windows logs.
That's what I was doing. That's what I have always done.
JPL
Nothing in the Application or System event logs. Ditto firewall log.
JPL
Have you restarted your system?
Are you logged in as an administrative user?
Were any new programs (or program updates) or Windows Updates installed on the 7th or early morning or the 8th (or since the last time you could mount the partition images correctly)?
Have you checked Device Manager for any issues (esp. Acronis devices - be show to show hidden devices)?
I have a Windows 7 Ult. 64 bit test system, I will install 2011 build 6942, and take a look at how and what services/devices Acronis uses to do the mounting, and post back any info I can glean.
Error when "Assigning letter to partitions...
I have had this error caused by eSet Antivirus. I needed to add TI to a listing inside eSet before I could get the message to disappear.
In order to get it to work temporarily, I disabled my AV until I found the correct fix.
This may not be your issue but it was the cause and fix for mine.
Yes, I have restarted my system several times since this problem began.
Yes, the problem occurs for a user with admin rights.
TI worked correctly with the December set of Windows updates; this problem began before the January set was installed.
No issues flagged in device mgr. for either Acronis Devices or disc drives.
Thanks very much for testing on your W7-64bit system.
JPL
TI as a group and all the various TI components that are individually listed are all given Trusted status within Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 (Version 13.0.1.4190), i.e. all rights to everything. TI has worked before with this version installed. As reported above, no KIS log entry is created when this fault occurs.
I do not think there is an intrinsic issue between TI and KIS. (I note that some of the main moderators on the Kaspersky forum are TI users and recommend it in backup discussions.)
JPL
The problem has been solved - presumably bad data in the registry or some such.
A repair installation had no effect (as reported above), but uninstall, registry clean, then reinstall did the trick.
Many thanks to everyone for your help.
JPL