How to access NAS HDD for backup/restore using an Acronis Winpe disc?
Hello,
I'm very new at Acronis 2013 and hope to find some guidance here.
I followed this procedure and loaded my specific network adapter drivers and everything seemed to work fine: http://www.acronis.com/support/documentation/ATIH2013/index.html#22043…
All I want to do is:
1. Use a bootable CD/DVD or USB to launch ATI2013 so I can create backups to an NAS HDD (in my case a Buffalo Linkstation LS-CH1.0TLU2) or restore from this drive.
2. Maintain a custom winpe disc adjusting installed drivers over time to keep up with the hardware I'm working with (this seems possible, I've been adding 32-bit drivers from Windows 7 AIK while building the winpe bootable .iso).
The problem:
The custom winpe disc I created gets me into Acronis 2013 just fine, but I do not see anyway of locating or accessing my Buffalo NAS drive. With the default Linux-based bootable media, I could at least go to settings / options and see network adapters (but I cannot use this for my new laptop as it seems the driver is not present, so the Linux-based bootable media does not see my network adapter at all). In winpe, this same options window only has choices for fonts!
I pinged and had 4 out of 4 responses return okay when pinging my HDD (tells me driver is loaded and IP connection is present)
When trying to map the drive, I was successful in using this command in the start.cmd command prompt in the winpe environment:
net use \\my NAS HDD IP address\share /u:my NAS HDD IP address\username password
I thought this command would map the drive, and it seems to because the cmd prompt says
"Operation completed successfully".
At this point I can restart Acronis 2013 via the cmd prompt and create an FTP connection (previously not possible before manually mapping the NAS HDD).
When trying to initiate a backup via my new FTP connection, Acronis throws an error immediately "Backup operation failed".
Question:
How can I use my winpe bootable loaded with my network adapter drivers to maintain the same level of functionality I used to have with my NAS HDD? I don't necessarily prefer to use FTP, if there was another method I'm open to it. When I try to map the network drive in the winpe environment (right-click computer and select "map network drive") it does nothing, as if the menu option is dead.
I have True Image 2013 Build 5551. I avoided staying at the later build 6514 because I had problems making the winpe bootable to begin with (seems it is a known issue).
I made the winpe disc in Windows 7 with the Win 7 AIK, with the goal of creating a WinPE 3.0 image (WIM).
Any thoughts on how to get access to the NAS HDD is much appreciated!!!
Thank you.
Thank you GroverH,
Mustang PEBuilder seems like the way to go, and I have started working with Mustang PEBuilder 2 ADK.
The build goes well (as in paths are good, no errors, and my drivers install successfully), but I'm having trouble once booted into the Mustang environment.
1. Acronis True Image 2013 is on the "desktop" but it does not start when double-clicking (or automatically when MustangPE loads to desktop). It's like a dead shortcut (same for the shortcut in start > Programs > True Image Home 2013)
2. I cannot map my network drive (looks like the network adapter isn't found) ON ONE of my PCs, but I can map okay on my other laptop (different drivers, but I loaded all of them at Mustang ISO build time and observed no errors).
3. Not too worried about failing to map on one PC for now, more concerned with why Acronis is not loading and operable in MustangPE environment.
I have BartPE installed (downloaded from my Acronis account online), set the plugin path to Acronis in the plugins.ini file to
plugin3=TIHome2013\TIHome2013.exe, unzipped the WinPE.zip into the proper path C:\Program Files(x86)\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\Files and left the original WinPe.zip in its original location (C:\Program Files (x86)\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\WinPE.zip).
Any ideas?
I've searched the Acronis forums and haven't intersected any similar problems / solutions to what I'm experiencing.
Thanks!
Have you checked to see if the True Image Files have been copied to your MustangPE. When booted to MustangPE open the A43 file manager and navigate to X:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome. Do you see the files from C:\Program Files (x86)\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\Files? If you do see the files, double click TrueImage_starter.exe to start TI. If you don't see the files, go back and check for mistakes in specifying the path in the TIHome2013.ini file.
If this doesn't help, let me know what you see.
EDIT:
In your first post you mention using Windows 7 with the Win 7 AIK installed. In your second post you mention using MustangPEBuilder 2 ADK. If you are building under Win7 with an AIK installed, please use MustangPEBuilder 2 WAIK version instead. http://www.mechrest.com/plugins/MustangPEBuilder/MustangPEBuilder.htm
Hi Mustang,
Thanks for your help.
I only see one file (something like mspack.dll) when booted in MustangPE and exploring X:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome.
In my first post I hadn't tried MustangPE yet, only WinPE 3.0.
After failed attempts in WinPE, I've been working with Mustang PEBuilder 2 ADK in Windows 8.1 with Windows ADK 8. I had the issue with Acronis not starting in MustangPE build, so I switched to my Windows 7 build and continued with Mustang PEBuilder 2 ADK aftering installing Win ADK 8.
I'll try the MustangPEBuilder 2 WAIK in my Win7 build (I left the Win 7 WAIK installed) and see what happens.
I used the example path in of the MustangPE ReadMe files for setting the path to Acronis (plugin3=TIHome2013\TIHome2013.exe in the TIHome2013.ini file).
What should this be if the above is incorrect?
This might explain why Acronis isn't working, if I'm missing several files..
Thank you!
The path to the TI BartPE files set in TIHome2013.ini should match the location where you unzipped them. You need to see all the files (about 40 - 50) from C:\Program Files (x86)\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\Files in the WinPE folder X:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome. I noticed you don't have a space between Program Files and (x86) in the path specified in you post above. Did you do the same in TIHome2013.ini?
Crossover Image, Before you can begin to make the Mustang CD, your Acronis folder should look like this after the WinPE unzip,
Mustang,
Thanks again for your help.
I checked and you are right, I didn't have a space between Program Files and (x86), oops.
True Image now loads and I can also map my net work drive with the net use and see replies when pinging my NAS HDD.
However, I'm still not totally sure how to get Acronis to work with my NAS, for backups/restores.
In the Linux-based Acronis boot environment, I used to select Tools & Utilities > Options. This would eventually lead me to available network adapters to set the IP / subnet.
Now, I see options for Appearance / fonts in this area within MustangPE.
When I browse for a location to backup, I do not see my NAS under "Computer" and right-clicking and selecting "Map network drive..." does nothing in Acronis.
"NAS connections" doesn't seem to have any options that I can see.
I can successfully "test authentication and connection" when configuring an FTP connection and Acronis seems to work so far with FTP.
Is there any method of getting Acronis to "see" my NAS HDD without needing to manually map in the cmd prompt and set up an FTP for each instance of backup / restore?
It would be great if it were possible for convenience.
Thank you!
GroverH,
Thank you, this really helped me. I messed up this part so Acronis wasn't working in MustangPE.
Thanks!
In MustangPE you have PENetConfig. You should be able to use it for your purpose.
Haha, I just clicked on PENetConfig and mapped the NAS right before I read your post, Acronis sees it like another HDD.
I should explore more thoroughly before posting ;)
Is there any way to get PENetConfig to map a drive automatically at MustangPE boot time, or is manual mapping required?
It'd be nice to have it mapped when Mustang loads.
I really appreciate all of your help!
Thank you!