[RESOLVED] USB Drives No Longer Recognised in Windows Explorer

Roman Alyoshkin wrote:

Btw, you realize that the drivers we discuss are not linked to the USB problem, right?

Yes, I understand that the range of (USB-connected) storage devices supported by the currently available TIH 2012 drivers is not the same issue as the "irreversible system takeovers" issue. In fact, as I keep trying to tell you, the latter is a mainly a system registry pollution issue (not drivers at all per se) and that latter concern, as well as the former, was included in the OP's posting and others in this thread. Thus my own follow-ups.

Kilkenny wrote:

I have tried uninstalling True Image Home 2012 and running the cleanup tool, but the acronis drivers remained. Editing the registry manually resulted in Windows failing to load (with the error message "bad driver")and I had to return to an earlier restore point.

In fact that user was relatively lucky compared to some others, but this user, for one, will never again trust Acronis software unless and until its alleged "improvements" to my system's own handling of storage devices (and other registry items like Win7's own backup) are capable of being "unimproved" by normal means and without risking disastrous failures and "meltdowns" like so many described in these forums. That's not merely a question of a "more intelligent algorithm." It's just a matter of common sense caution on my part and fundamental business ethics on yours. Acronis management really should be ashamed of itself for all the problems, not excluding actual data loss in some cases, that it has caused for unwary end users of its "compute with confidence" products.

All the excuses and rationalizations in the world are not solutions. In fact, most of them sound to me like plain old laziness and indifference, coupled with some very short-sighted stubborness. Having started down a perilous path of sloppy design logic and product engineering, you seem determined to "stay the course" regardless of its consequences for anyone, including yourselves. The trap, if that's what it has become, is one of your own making. Very sad.

My deepest sympathy and concern, however, goes not to Acronis, but to countless innocent trial users who don't even know that they're being caught in Acronis' system control takeover trap, let alone how to extract themselves from it. The above "shame on you" comment hardly seems adequate for that corporate behaviour.

Perhaps Richard,

The answer is (in the case of 3TB drivers), to add the removal choice of these to the add/remove options that the uninstaller now has for the Secure Zone and the database.

Another option would be perhaps to have an explanation of what these drivers do in a 'readme' and in the user guide. Part of some posters problems (apart from a general uninstall that seems to go wrong) is where people have searched and found registry entries they are surprised to find and go about finding ways to delete them, possibly exacerbated when people like ourselves explain how to remove them, and the user misreads or speed reads over the details of when and why it has been suggested to remove entries.

I realise you may consider I'm offering inexcusable excuses, but as I said before, I find many programs leave annoying entries and drivers on my system after uninstalling - Webex (Cisco), VMWare, Div-X, Real Media, Paragon,O&O, are ones that spring to mind, and the problem is, for some other programs, removing these entries would cause other programs to fail (as you know) for what for many people would be inexplicable reasons.

I'm not sure though why TIH has to go so deep into the system, unless it is because it uses NT Authority to run tasks and gain access to users who are not logged on for imaging purposes

I'll keep this short as saying everything that I might like to say in response would be inappropriate in a public forum.

Few people, if any, go poking around in their OS registries for some frivolous joy-of-the-hunt experience merely to find some interesting "surprises" there. They do so, usually with great reluctance and deep concern, looking for answers to real system behavioural problems after having installed a software product that signicantly alters normal OS device support, performance and stability in ways that defy normal means of reversal. Shifting blame to those unfortunate victims and to the contributions here of people who actually try to help them to escape from the consequential "blue screen" death traps really is a new low in Acronis' "white knight" defence tactics. Truly deplorable!

If you really must find someone other than Acronis themselves on whom to place blame, try looking in the mirror. All those "he does it too" deflections of legitimate criticisms and the repetitious "defenses" that continuously condone and excuse Acronis long-standing, almost defiant non-corrections of such serious end user problems certainly doesn't encourage any remedial action on their part. So shame on them and you too!

It's not just a case of caveat emptor. It's also a case of INNOCENT TRIAL USERS BEWARE!

Having been fallowing the issues with the 2012 version with some concern I am getting concerned with what appeared to be the advice on cleaning ATIH until now. This was to use Revo Uninstaller Pro (in my case as it’s a 64bit W7) or advice on removing registry entries before clearing out the leftovers. My reading is any of us using either to do a clean uninstall could be left with an unusable computer
Thanks to Acronis imposing a driver onto us wither we need it or not I feel we have been screwed by them. Interestingly the link to Seagate given by Roman shows what Acronis should have done if they wanted to make the driver available, tell customers what it is, the options and allow us to decide if its needed. Better leave things alone as drive makers provide advice as he shows on how to use their products, will Acronis start imposing there version of video driver next (without telling anyone!). Yes some drivers appear to be needed to make ATIH work, but the uninstall able ones are NOT for most of us, if any one.
I have a laptop that has a bios and a version of windows that doesn’t need this driver EVEN if I wanted to use >2Tb drives, which I have no intention of doing. Thanks to Acronis if I did it looks as if I could have problems in using the preferred way of doing so as it looks as if I would have to somehow get rid of the Acronis driver to use the uefi bios support?

Is it really that hard to simply restore to their original place/state whatever drivers Microsoft had in place before being replaced by those from TIH? During install, just copy the drivers which are about to be replaced and put them with the TIH uninstaller. On uninstall, TIH simply replaces the TIH drivers with the originals.

Is this not doable? And if not, why? In the end, the uninstall should leave no trace of TIH.

Yes, David, it really is "that hard", or that easy depending on how one views the issue. In fact, there are very few cases where they'd need to save anthing at all in order to restore most peoples systems to their pre-ATIH intallation state other than an historical record for reversing their own registry pollution. Any decent software uninstaller can do that much and more without breaking a sweat. Don't take at face value all the claptrap about their latest excuse for not doing so. Their careless and slovenly habit of leaving behind an operating system-altering mess in people's OS registries existed long before that new >2TB driver excuse did.

I'll refrain from speculation about motives. But anyone might want to consider, for example, why on earth they'd regard that latest new "enhancement" hook into native OS device handling (and latest alleged excuse for leaving all of their other OS hooks behind there too) to be a higher priority than just matching the full range of native OS capabilites for USB device support. They're still trying hard merely to catch up with those native USB capabilites months after the initial release of this ATIH version. But that one doesn't provide the same kind of opportunity and excuse for creating an even bigger mess with total "meltdown" potential for uninstallation mishaps.

As I said above, any traps involved are traps that are entirely of their own making. But end users, including completely innocent trial users, pay the ultimate price for their irreversible system takeovers just the same. Surprise! Gotcha!!!

http://kb.acronis.com/content/26062

I ran this fix but it did not work for me. My USB 2.0 is okay, my USB 3.0 is not. NEC/Renasas controller driver 2.1.28.0. I went back to a backup I did before ATI 2012 and am continuing with ATI 2010. I'll wait for an update of 2012 that fixes this. I am on windows 7 64-bit.

I'm JP. not english.sorry

Win7-64bit,acoronis2012, I can not USB memory.
not delete 'vsflt63.sys'.
but.complete.

1.2012 uninstall. ---- not USB MEM
2.2012 cleentool. ---- not USB MEM
3.2009 install. --------I can USB MEM read/write ok.
4.2010 install.--------I can USB MEM read/write ok.
5.2012 install.--------I can USB MEM read/write ok.

I'm JP. not english.sorry

Win7-64bit,acoronis2012, I can not USB memory.
not delete 'vsflt63.sys'.
but.complete.

1.2012 uninstall. ---- not USB MEM
2.2012 cleentool. ---- not USB MEM
3.2009 install. --------I can USB MEM read/write ok.
4.2010 install.--------I can USB MEM read/write ok.
5.2012 install.--------I can USB MEM read/write ok.

Thanks JP. That's interesting.
Do you have any USB 3.0? That seems to be the problem for me.

Yes SS,
ans.
Yes win7+64bit+SSD+HDD+USB2.0 and 3.0.(Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3)
Both 2.0 and 3.0, which works perfectly.
However, it is unclear why the healed.
This problem takes two weeks, tired and unable to pursue.

HI. S S.

Add the information.

All of the devices, such as USB-HDD, SDHC-MEM, fine.
SSD, HDD driver code = 39 error-status is now successfully.
However, the Acronis's driver has been added to many.

I'm now not wish Acronis products.
However, the operating system and data backups are required.
I would be able to successfully uninstall.
Support Center Japan, could not be resolved.
Expect the next version.

I just stumbled on this.. however, it seems critical for me... We are about to upgrade our laptops from Windows XP to Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Before I install Acronis on my Laptop, I would like to know if:
a. This is an issue that bedevils lots of Windows 7 (64 Bit) Users?
b. Is there NOW a fix in place for it?
Since I now use Acronis for cloning and back up -- maybe it would be better to simply boot off of the CD (I am getting media with this
-- not just a download) of the product and handle my cloning THAT way... (since in that case, I am not installing anything on the
Windows System)... Any comments about THAT approach?
As a side question: When I try to create Bootable Media on USB (flash drive) -- II see that in at least one instance, the "create utility" does NOT properly create the MBR... I am assuming that this is due to some USB Device oddity in regard to Acronis... Does Anyone have the list of the USB Deviced that DO properly work with the "Create Bootable" utility?
THANK YOU...
--Zvi

HI Zvi.

I, before the OS update, it does not use the cloned disk Aronis2012.

I have copies of bootable discs Aconis2010.
I then upgraded version of the OS.
The OS was running stable. (USB was used).
I've upgraded to Acronis2012.
I noticed the failure of the USB.

I recommend the following steps.

1. Using Acronis2010, to perform a backup or clone.
2. To upgrade the OS.
3. The Acronis2012, to upgrade.
4. Be sure to use the USB.
5. If you can not use USB,
· Use the restoration of OS, to return before Acronis2012.
Or, using the clone disk, to return before Acronis2012.
Or try the method I mentioned (2011-12-20)
good luck Zvi.

Zvi,

It is difficult to answer your question as the USB problem whilst suffered by a number of posters here appears not to be down to just one type of system specifications.

I have a 64 bit W7 Ultimate system and both with a physical and virtual machine don't have the USB problem. If there appeared to be specific chipsets or motherboards or installed software configurations with the problem it would be much easier to answer your question.

The only thing i can suggest is to either download a VM program such as Virtual PC from Microsoft, VirtualBox or VMPlayer install another instance of W7 and then test the trial version - if TIH and USB works from within a VM it should work on the physical machine.

Colin.
Zvi.

I did not think of the VM.

I have noticed that people are suffering from the failure of VSFLT63.SYS with USB.

1. by Acronis2012+Win7+64bit-Ultimate +sp1, USB storage device does not work.
2. VSFLT63.sys of Acronis2012, can not be completely uninstalled.
3. the Acronis Support Center in Japan　can not be completely uninstalled.

He know of this fourum said the first case.
but i was resolved by self.

It was resolved at Acronis2009.
VSFLT63.sys is a Acronis's product.
Also, others internal HDD has been Recorded.
"CODE = 39"
if VSFLT63.sys was removed from the registry, not boot the OS.

I think Acronis2012 is guilty.
Currently, my machine is fully functional.
Support Center in Japan was closed this issue.
In the virtual driver VM, which might work.
But I do not have time to try the VM.
I would continue the current environment.

Zvi.
In Win7 64bit-Ultimate sp1, Acronis2010 is to work properly.
I recommend the Acronis2010.

from JP.

Hello everyone,

Just another unsatisfied new ATI2012-user, however for now not so unhappy anymore as I was about 30 minutes ago...

I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate (64 bit-Dutch version) and had always used ATI2010 (and tried the Trial 2011) and recently installed the Trial 2012. I never had any USB-storage related problems with those versions. However.... until a few day's ago after the trial was expired and I bought the Update-version of 2012 (Dutch version).

Yesterday-evening I installed this update and I this morning I discovered I had the same problems as you have... None of my (many) USB-sticks were recognized within Windows and no "Save remove hardware"-icon appeared in my taskbar :-(

I luckily found these posts and could do some trial and error. Unfortunately none of them helped. Therefore about half an hour ago I uninstalled the 2012 (using the cleanup-software since the normal routine didn't work either!) AND immediately I installed the trial 2011. Since this one was already installed in the past it was expired, but I didn't really mind since I noticed my USB-drives were back (incl. icon in taskbar) :-) See the attached image with the driverdetails at this moment...

Tomorrow I'll try to remove this trial of 2011 and see if the USB-issue is still solved since it's getting too late now. I'll keep you posted.

P.s. I won't try to reinstall the 2012-update version until Acronis has a real fix for the problem ;-)

Best regards, Dirk.

Hi everyone,
I think to not solve (they (Acronis) is).
They may be working to recover the ATI2012.
Therefore, they not know how to completely remove ATI2012.
Ii think to not solvd.(safety and completely uninstall tools).
-------
A image is details of the HDD attached to the current driver.

AS promised ans UPDATE after deleting the installed Trial of 2011...

I just removed the trial using "Programs and Features" in the Configurationscreen, however (again) the Acronis entry still existed in this screen after deleting. Therefore I ran the cleanuptool of version 2012 (ATIH_CleanUp_2012.exe). After rebooting, the software was gone and my USB sticks are still shown in the taskbar and the Explorer, so that's still good news! :-)

So now I'll wait for the proper release of ATI2012 and will use the 2010-version in the meantime... What I still don't like however, is that I've bought the Update 2012 and haven't got a decent program to use AND lost almost a day to resolve all the problems. That's not the way I like to spend my holiday(s)!

I hope that my solution can help you to get back to a working system... Please let us know!

P.s. See again an attachment with the present (left-over) drivers.... Two disappeared...

Regards,

Dirk

Thanks for good answer

Had a good ATI2012 clean tool one?
Status of the driver was the same, in my case, and you
Remained USB disappeared.

You of the case, internal HDD device status code = 39
You did not see?

CODE = 39, displays and built-in HDD device status, in my case,
Windows Explore gone USB.
Use clean tools was the same situation.
And you had attached that did the same image and, from Windows Explorer
USB device was gone.

May AT02011 you to avoid errors in your case,.
Because the ATI2012 from the ATI2010 do not have ATI2011, I,
May ATI2012 Installer and uninstaller did not work properly considered.

Also, in the clean tool ATI2012 is Acronis driver "VSFLT63.sys"
Left to the internal hard drive, fully ready to not delete.
Problem in my machine, or internal HDD firmware for everything
It is likely.
But already, I use too much time on this problem.
The trial version to try again, from the now healthy, ATI1011
I need time to evaluate.

And now, from internal HDD and USB devices work by ATI2012, 2012-12-20 report to the error status of all devices have disappeared
I, during holidays or the hours can be taken looking for ATI2011 evaluation, I try.
I'm not satisfied with the current state.
I make time, watch your way.
Great answers, thanks and hope.

JP of Japan more thanks to you.

Hi JP,

I just looked for a version of the trial of 2011. You can still find it at Acronis (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/download/link/?ATIH2011_trial_en-U…)

So first delete/uninstall current versions at your computer using ATIH_CleanUp_2012.exe (http://download.acronis.com/ATIH_CleanUp_2012.exe)

Then reboot and install above trial of 2011. Then see if your usb will work again. At my computer it worked!

Dirk

HI Dirk.

From ATI201, tried to ATI2012.

Reporting of results.
1. I've uninstalled ATI2012.
2. I've rebooted the computer.
Still can use USB.
3. I have conducted a clean tool.
Can not use USB.
4. ATI2011 the trial period was over.
I have canceled the installation.
5. I installed the ATI2009.
Can not use USB.
6. I installed the ATI2010.
Has recovered USB.
7. I installed the ATI2012.
can use USB
ATI2012 seems to be revived in other versions.
The result, I don't know the answer.
Very tired.

JP.

Folks --
Thank you for your comments to me... I am still trying to sort tham out. However, I want to clarify a few points.
A. On My ThinkPad W500 (running Windows XP 32-bit), I have NEVER had a problem with True Image Home 2011 regarding USB Drives / Devices.
B. We will be receiving for upgrade the ThinkPad W520. It will be pre-installed with a [Enterprise Wide] version of 64-bit Windows 7 Professional
(this version is known as the "Client for e-business"). So, I do not have control over the install of the OS.
C. I do not have access to install a "Virtual" edition of Windows 7 Pro as a "Test Bed" for Acronis.
D. I have NOT YET installed the 2012 Product anywhere -- and I am trying to figure out if it is safe to do so...
E. I ordered the 2012 "upgrade" of the product (before I knew about / read this thread) and ALSO ordered the Media (as an additional option).
F. Based upon what I have read (and recall) it seems to me that I could use the Media that I received and NOT install Acronis at all -- instead, boot off of the Media and never bring up Windows when I want to create a clone (or take a back-up)... IS THIS TRUE???
G. I note comments about a "Revised" (or fixed [?]) version of 2012. -- Any idea when that fix was released?? I just received the Media for 2012
last week...
Given all of the facts that I have listed (and I can list more if there is anything that I left out)... What seems to be the best approach for me regarding the upgrade to Acronis 2012 TIH....
THANK YOU!!!
--Zvi

Zvi

F. Based upon what I have read (and recall) it seems to me that I could use the Media that I received and NOT install Acronis at all -- instead, boot off of the Media and never bring up Windows when I want to create a clone (or take a back-up)... IS THIS TRUE???

This is correct bearing in mind that if you require more than just being able to make or restore images manually, you would need to use the Windows based version rather than the Linux recovery CD.

You do need to make sure that the CD will boot your systesm and see all your drives.

You are aware that the recovery CD is available as a download in ISO format from your Acronis account? If you have paid Cleverbridge for a CD, this might not be the most upto date build.

Colin --
Right now, all I need Acronis to do is create disk clones ("hot spares") and -- possibly -- "regular" backup images (the latter is not as critical for me).
I DID pay Cleverbridge for a CD (which is supposed to be current as of when it was shipped) but did not know that I could also download the ISO image to burn onto a CD.... [Also, my impression is that when you have an ISO image, you just "burn" that directly onto a CD -- PLEASE correct me if I am wrong about that!] My *impression* was that the Linux software on the "Recovery CD" was pretty "vanilla" and able to handle most laptops... and, if I am using the CD, what I would like to do is use THAT to create a bootable Media on a Flash Drive, as well... (which I think will work). If I can create the Flash Drive "version" of the Bootable Media -- then I can boot off of the Flash Drive (instead of my CD/DVD Drive) and remove the CD/DVD from my Ultra Bay. I then put in my "Destination" Drive in the Ultra Bay and then BOTH drives are "internal" to the Laptop -- which should ensure that Acronis can see both of them....
If I can not create a Bootable Flash Drive -- then I would use the CD/DVD Drive and an external USB Connection for my "source" drive and put the "destination" drive into the internal Drive slot in the laptop (since I was told that the Destination Drive should NOT be on a USB connection for some reason)....
At least that is my current plan. Does it sound reasonable ... would it work??

Using the recovery CD, I made an image to a NAS drive so I think you should be able to make an image to a USB drive. It does not have to be bootable or if your BIOS does not support booting from a USB device, then you could always restore the USB image to your internal hard disk. If you have a Netgear router, your can plug the USB drive into it and the router will add that to the network as a network drive and I know network backups work.

That is good to know... though -- if possible -- I think that it would be better to get the ISO image (I think that is more up to date). On my W500, I have no problem booting off of the Flash Drive (the only thing that seems to matter is WHO MAKES the Drive -- with a "generic" USB Flash Drive, I kept on getting boot errors -- saying that MBR was corrupted; but with a PNY Flash Drive it boots up very smoothly). The only thing is that I can not figure out how to get the ISO image to a Flash Drive directly... I think that I will have to burn a CD with the ISO image and THEN create the bootable Flash Drive from that... All of this is to avoid the problems that appear to be associated with loading / installing Acronis on 64-bit windows 7 systems...!!

That is good to know... though -- if possible -- I think that it would be better to get the ISO image (I think that is more up to date). On my W500, I have no problem booting off of the Flash Drive (the only thing that seems to matter is WHO MAKES the Drive -- with a "generic" USB Flash Drive, I kept on getting boot errors -- saying that MBR was corrupted; but with a PNY Flash Drive it boots up very smoothly). The only thing is that I can not figure out how to get the ISO image to a Flash Drive directly... I think that I will have to burn a CD with the ISO image and THEN create the bootable Flash Drive from that... All of this is to avoid the problems that appear to be associated with loading / installing Acronis on 64-bit windows 7 systems...!!

That is good to know... though -- if possible -- I think that it would be better to get the ISO image (I think that is more up to date). On my W500, I have no problem booting off of the Flash Drive (the only thing that seems to matter is WHO MAKES the Drive -- with a "generic" USB Flash Drive, I kept on getting boot errors -- saying that MBR was corrupted; but with a PNY Flash Drive it boots up very smoothly). The only thing is that I can not figure out how to get the ISO image to a Flash Drive directly... I think that I will have to burn a CD with the ISO image and THEN create the bootable Flash Drive from that... All of this is to avoid the problems that appear to be associated with loading / installing Acronis on 64-bit windows 7 systems...!!

Nope. ATIH 2012 has more than its share of problems, but installing under Win7x64 ain't one of them -- provided, of course, that it doesn't encounter some conflict with previously installed stuff. UNinstalling it, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.

By the way, I have no clue why my response above replicated like that!

Well, it seems that all of the USB Drive issues seemed to have taken place under 64-bit Windows... (at least that is how I understood the Thread here).. I did not mean that it would not install... I meant that AFTER the install there seemed to have been some pretty serious issues...

I'm running three OSes (WinXP, Vista and Win7x64) on the same multiboot box and have seen no inherent ATIH issue or conflict that is peculiar to the Win7x64 operating system itself. I've used it with a USB-connected drive under all three with legacy support set in BIOS. Any problem correlation may simply reflect a relationship between likely usage of the latest 64-bit OS in newer and more complex systems and the range of storage device types encountered in those systems that ATIH 2012 has problems handling.

ATI2012 boot ISO report.
I did not have a USB flush memory.
I've been using a USB Caed momory (boot disk)
boot disk (USB Caed momory), was normal.

I have an AMD A6-3650 APU Fusion system with an MSI A75MA-G55 motherboard using Win 7x64 Ultimate. The USB Thumb drives are Patriot Rage 64GB drives. I also have 2 Fantom 2TB drives which i did not bring online when ATIH 2012 was installed since they are my primary data drives. The system is less then a month old and I know the the hardware is realtively new.

There's another new build out there 6154 but it does not list this major issue as being addressed. Anyone want to try it and let us know?

HI S S.

japanese version.
This morning, has been update. Build 6151.
No way of knowing whether what was fixed I.
What is also corrected in build 6154,?

KNtora_JP,

Log into your Acronis account and click on 'Download previous versions and history' the fixes are listed there. Having said that, the list is confusing to me. Acronis only list two items as being fixed specifically for 6154 - entering the old style serial numbers and the activation problem for those upgrading from 2011 with a 2012 upgrade version.

However there is then a list of fixes since build 5545, so it is a bit hard to decide if they've rolled the fixes into one long list or if they really have only fixed two problems.

HI COLIN.

List of known issues
Acronis True Image Home 2012 may prevent a USB flash drive from being properly detected under Windows. A fix will be available soon.
Acronis True Image Home 2012 may prevent USB cards from being properly read by Windows through card readers. If this occurs, please reconnect the card reader with the already installed card.

So it's not resolved(6514).

Marty --
how did you make a bootable image to your NAS Drive from the "recovery media"?
I downloaded the latest "iso" image from the Acronis site and then "burned" a CD from it...
It booted up just fine but I did not see ANYWHERE on what booted up where you could make
another "bootable Drive"...
I did see where you could "clone disks" and do other recovery activity... but NO "bootable Media"...
Please clarify how / where you do it from?
alternatively, is there any way to get the "iso" image onto a "flash drive"... In the case of a CD, I just used
the Roxio product and it "burned" everything on very nicely and quickly... but I do not know how else you can
"manipulate" the ISO file....
Thank you!!

I didn't mean the backup was bootable, just that I could backup to a NAS device or a USB device and then restore thtat image to the hard disk. Sorry for the confusion.

On creating a bootable usb stick from an iso image, I have not done that. There is a utility called PowerISO which might do that but I have not experimented with it. Blank CDs are cheaper than usb sticks, unless you cannot burn a CD that is.

What would be cool is to make a bootable USB that contains both the Acronis recovery system and the image or images to restore. I do not know if you can copy files to a USB stick after making it bootable.

I may just try that and see it it works.

Marty --
I would like to create a BOOTABLE USB drive (which is what I have now for Acronis TIH 2011) because -- using a ThinkPad laptop, it lets me keep TWO disks in the laptop (I remove the CD/DVD Drive from the Ultrbay and put in my Destination Disk instead) and the replication / cloning goes REAL fast... Also, I was advised by Acronis Tech Support that the Destination Drive *must* be internal to the laptop -- meaning that if I did NOT do it using the USb (i.e., if I only had ONE slot available for a Disk), I would have to take out my System Disk (i.e., the "source drive") and mount that using a USB Docking Station "outside" of the laptop and put the "blank Disk" (i.e., the "destination drive") in the slot previously occupied by the System Disk... this is all a bit of a bother... And, I am doing it THIS way since I do not want to install Acronis TIH 2012 on my laptop which will have Windows 7 Professional 64-bit until I am POSITIVE that the "USB Problem" has been fully resolved... If I can clone this way -- which is what I really need -- then that is enough for me. While I currently ALSO make "regular" Acronis backup stuff (which likely needs to have Acronis running inside of Windows to do that), I will waive that option until I am SURE that everything is fixed... Sorry if I sound paranoid... but I am a big believer in "better safe than sorry"... By the way, I have downloaded (but did not try yet) something called "unetbootin" which is FREE and available at unetbootin.sourceforge.net.... When I try it out, I will let folks know how it worked for me...

KNtora_JP wrote:

HI COLIN.

List of known issues
Acronis True Image Home 2012 may prevent a USB flash drive from being properly detected under Windows. A fix will be available soon.
Acronis True Image Home 2012 may prevent USB cards from being properly read by Windows through card readers. If this occurs, please reconnect the card reader with the already installed card.

So it's not resolved(6514).

Oh well. Wait for the next build :(
Meanwhile this version just gathers dust for me.

KNtora --
That is EXACTLY why I am not willing to install Acronis TIH 2012 until this gets FIXED.... If there was a SAFE work-around, I would -- at least -- consider it...
However, right now, I do not see that so I will wait... I will soon try out the unetbootin tool to create a bootable USP "stick" directly from the ISO image of the "bootable CD"... and that should be enough for the time being -- even if not ideal...

Both Mudcrab and Grover in the Grover's guide link detail how to make a bootable USB stick recovery environment. Note though that many Gigabyte motherboards refuse to boot from a USB stick even though theoretically they ought to be able to - a known Gigabyte BIOS shortcoming - UEFI BIOS's should have no problems - in theory.

It is also an option within Media Builder if the stick is connected at the time of running the utility with one caveat - not all flash sticks report themselves to Windows the same way, therefore Windows will see some sticks as small removable hard drives (no problem here) or as removable drives in which case that option won't appear available to you.

Actual USB hard drives can be partitioned with the Acronis rescue environment which is what I used to have set up for my laptop - bootable rescue environment on one partition and the images in the main partition - again Mudcrab has detailed how to do this.

For those who have XP then BARTPe makes this very easy and for those with Vista and above and have the PlusPack and Microsoft WAIK installed making a Windows based bootable flash stick/ drive is easier bearing in mind the flash stick vagary mentioned above.

There is somewhere an Acronis KB article on making a bootable flash drive - unfortunately they have left the instructions out of the 2012 user guide, but off the top of my head I think the 2011 one has it listed.

For the benefit of people like me who are not as savvy -- can you detail what exactly are "Mudcrab" and "Grover"? I also would like to know what you look for in the BIOS configuration to tell you if you have "Gigabyte BIOS" vs. "UEFI BIOS".. My [apparently naive] impression was that a product like unetbootin would simply allow me to specify the ISO file and simply "burn" the contents onto the USB and make it bootable at the same time.
In the instance where I already had Acronis installed, I was able to make a Bootable USB simply using their "Create Bootable Media" wizard and the only variable appeared to to be USB product I used -- that is, when I used a "generic" USB, then the USB was NOT created as "bootable" but when I used a PNY USB Drive, then it WAS created as bootable. I believe that was the reference (in the second paragraph) to Media Builder...

In this instance, since I did NOT want to install TIH 2012 because of the problem with USB Drives -- so I wanted to create a bootable USB from the ISO file -- which I downloaded (note: I was able to successfully create a bootable CD from this ISO file)...

Similarly, I would appreciate it if you would explain what is BARTPe... and, again, if you could explain what is the shortcoming of using the unetbootin to create the botable stick form the ISO file....

thank you....

Using UltraISO

http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/index.html

I took the recovery CD ISO and burned it to a USB drive and added a backup image. I then booted the USB drive and recovered the image and it worked fine. I used the PE3.0 recover disk iso that I made.

Thank you... I note that UltraISO is a "fee" product.... Does anyone have experience with the "free" unetbootin?

The trial version of UltraISO allowed me to make the bootable USB stick so you can try and decide if you want to keep it. IMHO the USB stick I made will work after the trial but I am going to purchase it since I like the product.

I understand that you are happy with UltraISO... however, I would like to know if anyone actually tried out the "free" unetbootin... Also, I think that you did more than what I am trying to do... I just want to create a Bootable USB that will allow me to clone my disks without having Windows up and running... it seems that you did more because you said that you put on an ctual system image.. Is that correct? how big is your USB? and what is "PE 3.0"? TIA.