Clone fails after PC reboot cycle
hi
I've been using True Image to clone my c: drive under windows 8 and today trying to do a backup the software wanted to update to build 6514. It has done that. So following the Clone process, I select the source and destination drives as usual, it then does some calculations and goes to restart so it can do the backup.
The happens, DOS style screen saying "Starting Acronis Loader..." and then some weird characters and then nothing happens. If I hit enter on the keyboard the PC carries on starting up.
Any thoughts? This only seems to be happening under the latest release, I've done Win 8 backups before with no issue.
Hi Colin
System is running Win 8 Pro, upgraded from Win 7. Both 64bit.
Out of everything you mention there I do have a wireless keyboard and mouse which could be the issue although the PC in itself does boot it's just that the Acronis Loader doesn't. I'll try to attach an image. Any links to the details of the known bug and when it will be fixed (and why there wasn't a warning about this in the upgrade package).
thanks for your time :)
You do have the Windows 8 specific problem.
If your PC is able to select between BIOS boot and UEFI and you have UEFI selected, disable UEFI, the recovery media should then boot without the strange graphics.
Another user has discovered that some PCs have a 32 bit UEFI system and Acronis have only included a 64 bit efi file, this might be where the problems people have been finding lies. Of course it could be more than one thing that causes similar problems.
Acronis are aware of the problem, they have made no mention of when it will be solved. Personally I suspect it might require a complete new build rather than a quick patch, but that is just my speculation.
Okay I've checked the BIOS (AMIBIOS 5.08 10/16/09) and can't see anything about UEFI.
I've now tried to uninstall and reinstall version 5551. It installs okay BUT gives a message "Failed to check Snapman driver. Please reinstall True Image" There's a handy button to take you to the Knowledgebase but this doesn't give anything. Will scan the forum in a moment to see if there is anything.
tried registry fixes for that. No joy and have reinstalled 6514 in hope. No joy, back to the same issue.
Is there another way to clone? Booting off a True Image recovery CD? Or is there a better method?
Barry,
As I mentioned in my first post, try using the recovery CD, this may solve your problem, however I suspect you actually need to use build 5551 version as this problem didn't exist with that build. You can download the complete build of 5551, however you would need to temporarily install it in order to make th erecovery CD. Alternatively if you find the 6514 Cd can't boot your PC either, then you can raise a support case and ask them to provide you with a link to the ISO for build 5551 recovery CD.
Personally I prefer making images rather than cloning, but, when cloning the drive containing the OS it is always best to do that from outside Windows completely by using the recovery media. Non OS drives can be cloned from within Windows without problems.
Cheers Colin. Have created a 6514 Boot Disk and was able to use that. Keyboard/Mouse worked fine so wasn't that as an issue.
Hopefully Acronis read the forums and will address these issues but at least I have a workaround for now. Many thanks for your help.
Sorry guys - I have the same problem on boot up when trying to clone an active disk to a USB external - weird characters but can boot to windows without the cloning operation taking place but it appears every time I boot up now. How did you get around it?
I'm really new to this and sorry to ask, but seeing this message every time I boot up now is a little discomforting. How would I complete the cloning or negate this message on boot up. I'm using build 6514 on Win 7.
Remove the source disk and install the new target inside the computer on the same connectors as old disk.
Attach source disk via an external enclosure or adapter cable.
Boot from the TI Recovery CD and perform the procedures when booted from the TI CD.
After completion, Shutdown and disconnect the source disk.
Reboot with only the new disk attached and connected in normal boot positiion.
If the target disk has data from prior installs, use the TI "Add new disk" option to delete any existing partitions inside the target disk. You want the target disk to be blank and unallocated space.
Sorry guys - I have the same problem on boot up when trying to clone an active disk to a USB external - weird characters but can boot to windows without the cloning operation taking place but it appears every time I boot up now. How did you get around it?
I'm really new to this and sorry to ask, but seeing this message every time I boot up now is a little discomforting. How would I complete the cloning or negate this message on boot up. I'm using build 6514 on Win 7.
Clone should be used only by advanced users who know what they are doing. It is riskier and can result in a loss of data and a failed system. Create a full disk mode backup and restore it, using the bootable Rescue Media, to the new disk, as it's far safer.
Thanks for the suggestions. In the mean time, until I decide which way to go, does anyone have any suggestion as to how I stop the cloning app attemping to load and the resulting strange characters from appearing on every bootup? I have to hit the "escape" or "enter" key to bypass this failed attempt to envoke the "clone" function.. There must be some sort of backup or incomplete function from the first attempt that tries to load at each bootup.
Thanks in advance for your reply!
I understand "bumping" isn't cool, and will post this question again elsewhere in the forum if directed to do so. However, in case anyone subscribed to this thread knows the answer, please let me know how I can stop the issues at boot up as per previous post.
I understand "bumping" isn't cool,
I have no problem with it, since you waited a couple of days after your last post.
I don't really understand what's happening on your PC.
You say some weird characters appear each time you boot Windows, and that these are somehow connected to True Image? I don't understand why a cloning operation would attempt to begin every time you boot Windows.
Do you have Acronis Startup Recovery Manager activated on your PC?
Do you have the bootable Rescue Media attached (on CD-R or flash drive) when booting?
Could you take a screenshot or photograph?
You say some weird characters appear each time you boot Windows, and that these are somehow connected to True Image?
It is from a failed clone attempt several days ago. On reboot, before it goes into loading windows, I got the message (trying to think from memory) Acronis disk clone is loading. (then a bunch of weird characters). Nothing happens - it just sits there, black screen, message alert, with cursor flashing
To continue to windows, hitting "escape" or "enter" works. I tried the "clone" function a couple of more times - same issue at boot up.
Now every time I boot up, I get the same altert and weird characters.
Do you have Acronis Startup Recovery Manager activated on your PC?
No
Do you have the bootable Rescue Media attached (on CD-R or flash drive) when booting?
No
Could you take a screenshot or photograph?
I'll try and then send - thanks!
Update: Before rebooting, I checked to see if the Recover Manager was "enabled". It wasn't. However I still went ahead and enabled it, then immediately disabled it. I rebooted without issue. Now that's weird. I'm not sure if I want to choose to attempt to clone the disk after all this.
I'm wondering if anyone has had success cloning disks. I'm reading a lot of threads, like this one, saying not to clone. You'd think that because the sw offers this function, it could be used without issue - at least most of the time, but I guess not.
Does anyone know if 2014 is more stable with this function?
There was a problem with some 2013 recovery CD's causing Linux to show strange characters at boot time, I can't recall the fix at this moment or even if there was one. I also think it teneded to show up in one brand and model of laptops.
If this is happening at normal boot time 9that is booting into Windows), the answer is to disable the Acronsi Recovery Manager (if enabled) and then remake the MBR. From the recovery media though this will make no difference.
I'm wondering if anyone has had success cloning disks. I'm reading a lot of threads, like this one, saying not to clone. You'd think that because the sw offers this function, it could be used without issue - at least most of the time, but I guess not.
Does anyone know if 2014 is more stable with this function?
Stability is not the issue. Stability is not the reason I advise against cloning. When done properly, cloning works. But, simple user errors can lead to disaster, just as a user could inadvertently format the wrong disk in Windows and lose data.
It's just too easy for a user to do the wrong thing when using the powerful clone function, and end up with lost data, a lost OS, or an unbootable disk. Backup and restore is simpler and safer, and if you get it wrong you can do it again without risk.