Forgets Network Attached Storage (among many other problems)
Hi,
Partly this is a request for help and partly I'm posting as a courtesy to future potential Acronis customers to let them know that Acronis True Image 2011 has a lot of oddities and what seem to be bugs to me and their support is very, very slow.
My main problem at the moment is that I set up an incremental backup where I'm backing up FROM a network attached storage to an external WD drive. The first full piece of the back up works fine (total file size of about 130 GB) but then I learned (to my dismay) that the future incremental backups were not backing up any of the files from my NAS. I opened the backup settings and the files from the local C drive were still being backed up but none from the NAS even files just created or changed. This has happened several times, in fact, I create a backup and then as soon as I open to edit none of the NAS folders I had originally selected are selected any more. This is unacceptable for a paid product.
This is just one of many issues I've had with Acronis. I did my research before purchasing and tested out several alternatives. I had been using the Windows backup utility on XP but when I went to Windows 7 on a new 64 bit computer I found that the utility no longer supported backup FROM a NAS. I wanted to use Easeus backup because it seemed to work well but they don't have USB 3 support. So finally I bought Acronis True Image Home but other issues I've found include:
1. If you create a backup and save it but then remember that, for example, you want to change the schedule time or any other setting, it will not allow you to edit settings if you have not already run the backup. So if it's a new backup you've created and saved you cannot edit it until it has run once. I can live with this.
2. Often the "Time Remaining" bar never stops saying "calculating" even if the end product is correct. I can live with this.
3. The incremental backup takes much longer on Acronis then the Windows backup utility even though I have a brand new computer with USB 3. With Windows it finished in, say, 20 minutes while Acronis takes 1-2 hrs. I can live with this (though not happily).
4. It will not shut down my computer even if I've set it to shut down. I contacted support through Live Chat (as an aside, it's clear that the live chat people are working on several chats at once -- I got someone who said "sure I can help with that...." but then didn't get back to me to ask me what the problem was until more than five minutes later and then each subsequent exchange took many minutes). This was on March 31. They gave me a suggestion which I implemented on the same day and responded by e-mail to say that it didn't work. I sent the requested info file (again on March 31). I didn't hear back until April 2 when someone e-mailed me to say that they were transferring to an expert. I didn't hear from an "expert" until April 12 (and this was only after a follow-up e-mail from me). They asked me to run a utility to collect the Process Monitor Logs and then upload to an FTP site. I did this on April 13th and it's April 15th now. Note that a previous forum poster seemed to have a similar frustration (http://forum.acronis.com/forum/14681). This is unacceptable to me.
So if you're considering buying Acronis but other back-up software meets your needs I recommend against Acronis. The support takes forever and I can't seem to talk with anyone. I've found problem after problem.
AZ
Hello AZ,
Thank you very much for your comments and your feedback.
Please let me offer you additional assistance.
I apologize for all the technical issues that keep coming up but one of our Senior Expert Support Engineers is working on your cases.
Your feedback has also been forwarded to our Management team and I am confident that we will be able to resolve all the issues.
If you need additional help please let me know.
Thank you.
This is the same kind of "support" response I've gotten 6-10 times. A) I'm sorry; B) I can help; C) someone more senior is looking into your issue. But then I don't hear for days or a week and when I hear it's a question or asking me for another logfile etc. My most recent note to Agata in support is below:
##########################################
How many times will I be asked to provide a logfile? There was another problem this morning. I set the incremental yesterday at 3pm and I came in this morning and it was still "calculating".
I followed your directions and uploaded the log file. I don't know if I can browse the NAS as a UNC path because I don't know how to do that. I responded to the e-mail below from you asking how to do it within seconds of receiving your e-mail but haven't heard back. Each exchange with support takes days and each time support simply asks for a new thing from me rather than solving any problems.
I have uploaded the log file as requested.
You ask if this happens if I try to back up the NAS by itself (without backing up local files) and the answer is yes. If I create a backup called test (which I just did) select a single folder on X, then run the back up it works fine. Then if I open the backup to edit the settings the selected folder is gone!
I have answered all of your questions I ask that you kindly answer these two questions:
1. Is it possible to talk with someone by phone? This support process is maddening. You ask for a file or a simple question which I answer right away. Then I wait days for a response. When you respond you ask another question or ask for another file and I respond immediately and wait days for a response.
2. What is your policy on refunds. At this point I've determined that this software is too buggy for me and I need to find an alternative. I cannot have backup software "forgetting" to backup certain folders (particularly without a warning).
I ask that you answer the two questions above, thank you.
Hello AZ,
Thank you very much for getting back to me.
I would like to answer your 2 questions. You can definitely talk to our Expert team by phone. I understand how a phone call can quickly solve an issue without constantly exchanging e-mails.
We have a 30 day refund policy from the date of purchase and it can be arranged through our Support team.
I will follow-up with Agata about your 2 questions and if there is further delay please feel free to contact me directly via a private message.
Please let me know if you need additional help.
Thank you.
Anton,
Seems that perhaps even the forum messaging is buggy. I did send you a personal message as requested. Then I got an e-mail saying that I have received a "new private message" and to "read your message follow this link." I tried following this link and both Firefox and Explorer tell me I'm forbidden to follow that link even if I'm logged into Acronis.
An update for anyone reading these posts. Acronis is probably the most buggy software I've worked with and I've used a lot of different software packages. Many different things failed to work or did not work as expected. I purchased the software thinking that I could work through the issues but have come to the conclusion that there are too many issues to make it worth my time. I have chatted and e-mailed back and forth with at least three different techs at Acronis about a variety of issues.
As a side note I called the computer company that sold me the computer (just a month ago) -- they specialize in high end computers and customer support -- and talked with them about possible backups. I did not mention Acronis or the trouble I was having getting it to work and out of the blue, the tech said that they had tried Acronis but would not recommend it because it was too buggy. This was completely unprompted (to be fair he said that it had been a year or two since he tried it).
In any case, I submitted my request for a refund and have not yet decided what backup software to work with as an alternative. I may bite the bullet and upgrade to Windows Ultimate where the backup utility, I understand, will allow backing up FROM a network attached storage.
Hello AZ,
Thank you for replying.
If there is an issue with reading a private message you can try logging out and back in.
Thank you very much for your feedback. I have submitted it to our Customer Listening System and if you need additional assistance I would appreciate if you could get back to us.
Thank you.