Can't restore backup
I'm a newbie but am having a problem. I have used Acronis True Image to create a few different backup images of an external hard drive. Each time I created (to Drive C), I have moved the backup image to a network drive for archiving and then I have deleted the backup from drive C (and deleted from Acronis Menu) - which I probably shouldn't have done.
I assumed that whenever I needed to restore a disk, I could just copy the "tib" file back to my drive C, open up Acronis and then point it to that image and tell it to restore that backup image to the drive. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case.
I have copied the old image that I want to put back on the disk, and I have used the "add existing backup" option to try and add this backup job back into the menu. However, it creates the backup job in the list but when I try to recover the disk, I get a message "there are no versions of this backup".
I'm sure this should be a fairly simple common task but I just can't see how to recover a disk once the backup job has been deleted (even if I have the full original TIB file).
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
I assumed that whenever I needed to restore a disk, I could just copy the "tib" file back to my drive C, open up Acronis and then point it to that image and tell it to restore that backup image to the drive. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case.
No. You would not copy the .tib archive to the C: drive, if you want to restore the C: drive. You would restore to the C: drive from another location, such as an external hard drive.
Also, when restoring a disk or partition, you should nor restore from within the Windows application. You should first boot from the ATI Rescue Media. I suggest that you create the ATI Rescue Media now and see if your PC will boot from it.
Further, some advice regarding Incremental backups.
An Incremental or Differential will always begin with a full backup. That is necessary, as that becomes the baseline.
For an Incremental task, after the first full backup, subsequent backups will be incremental, each one based on changes since the previous Incremental backup, all the way back to the second backup being incremental based on changes since the full backup. As such, you need all links in the chain, all incremental backups right back to and including the first full backup, in order to Restore.
For a Differential task, after the first full backup, subsequent backups will be differential, each one based on changes since the first full backup. To restore, you would need just any Differential and the Full backup on which it is based.
You should not allow an incremental chain to become too long. An incremental restore depends upon every incremental in the chain being valid, including the original full. It's better to limit each chain to just a few incrementals, followed by a fresh full backup to start a new chain.
You should validate backups periodically. That would alert you much if the full backup were missing or unreadable.
Thanks all ! I was successful after reading the messages and trying again.
Note: Fortunatley, I've only been doing full backups (not incremental) but unfortunately, I was confusing the system since the file names were the same - I'm going to try and implement a better system and let Acronis keep the history and backup jobs (won't delete them). Basically, I was trying to restore the image of an external drive (drive E) to the same external drive so there were no issues with using Drive C as the location for the TIB file. I have been removing an MSATA boot drive from a pfsense appliance, sticking it in a drive housing, attaching it to my windows computer externally, and using Acronis (on this windows computer) to create backups of the "externally attached drive". For some reason I've never been able to get Acronis to connect to my NAS, which is where I want to store the backup files (I keep most everything on a NAS that backs up to nightly to a 2nd NAS), so I was having it write the backups locally then moving them to the NAS (which broke the console logs in Acronis). Still haven't been able to get Acronis to read/write directly to my NAS so if anyone has any suggestions there (the NAS drive is mapped to the windows computer and other programs don't seem to have issues but Acronis wants a user name and password and won't connect even when I provide the correct user name and password) ?
For backups of my actual windows system (on my computer), I've been attaching an external USB drive and having Acronis backup Drive C to the external USB drive. I assume if I ever need to restore drive C, I would install a new hard drive, then boot the computer with the recovery media and follow instructions to restore directly from the USB drive to the new drive C ?
Thanks again.
For backups of my actual windows system (on my computer), I've been attaching an external USB drive and having Acronis backup Drive C to the external USB drive. I assume if I ever need to restore drive C, I would install a new hard drive, then boot the computer with the recovery media and follow instructions to restore directly from the USB drive to the new drive C ?
Exactly. Ensure that you create full "Disk Mode" backups, whereby you select the entire drive which therefore includes all partitions and hidden partitions.
Re. NAS:
When using ATI with a network drive, use a UNC path to your NAS device for a backup destination, not a typical friendly "mapped" drive. e.g.
\\192.168.2.25\My Backups\
It should also be possible to use a UNC path that includes server name rather than IP, such as
\\server1\My Backups\
ATI will not automatically detect a NAS drive. Once you start typing the destination path (click "Browse", type in the "File name" field), you will be prompted for a username and password. You must use enter the username and password that has permissions to access the NAS share you are saving to.
Many users have issues with NAS, not because of True Image but because the router gets overloaded with data throughput and cannot keep a consistent enough connection with the NAS for True Image to image or restore. Certain models of router and known to suffer from this issue.
Acronis True Image is not the only application that needs a proper UNC path. I recall working with some file sharing software for many users in an office LAN. The application kept failing until I used a UNC path to address the network locations. I suspect it's because a friendly mapped path has a layer of abstraction or mapping provided by Windows, whereas the UNC path is more direct to the physical address.
A user shared this:
From the "Destination drop down list in the backup dialog box" choose "Browse ..."
In the "Browse for Destination" dialog, enter the UNC path for your drive in the "File name:" input field.
If the "Authentication Settings" dialog does not pop up, click the blue arrow button to the right of the "File name:" input field so it does pop up,
Enter the login info for your share
Colin B wrote: "The problem is that mapped drives are only assigned to the system once the user has logged in, True Image needs top be able to access drives if the user hasn't logged on."
Anna.Trifonova (Acronis staff) wrote:
generally NAS is supported as a storage for Nonstop Backup, but it should be accessible via the SMB protocol.
That did it! Thanks again for all the help (especially on a holiday).
That did it! Thanks again for all the help (especially on a holiday).
You're welcome.
Which method solved the NAS issue? Using IP, or the other path?
I have been using static IP addresses for my NAS boxes so entering the backup location directly as "\\192.168.x.x\Backup Folder\" (rather than trying to browse to the drive and folder) solved the problem immediately.
Good. Thanks for reporting back. IP address is a more direct, lower-level method, as it doesn't require local hostname resolution.