Universal Restore
My machine is coming to the end of its mechanical life and I am planning on virtualising it preferably using Linux Lite and Oracle Virtual Box. I have two problems: (a) using a Linux Host machine boots up the Acronis disk but then halts with a kernel problem "pae" (b) using a Windows Host machine (much slower) I can restore but then the HAL is all wrong and I get lost!
In any event I cannot understand how to prepare for universal restore. I have also tried Macrium Reflect but that is just as complex and as I've been using Acronis for years...
I wondered if I installed a fresh copy of Windows on the virtual machine and then went to the driver store in the WINDOS folder and copied all the drivers to a USB stick if that would be an answer but I still wouldn't know how to deploy these driver files and when.
If someone has the kindness to give me a punch list of the half-dozen steps required I think I can work it out but at the moment I am sunk! My desk is covered with various CDs I have burnt few of which actually get anywhere.
Thanks in advance Jean
Hi Bobbo - Thanks for the post. With Macrium I tried their VHD converter (which took ages) and got it mounted on the VM but altho it started (with a little tweaking as recommended by Macrium) the Blue Screen of Death flashed up and it just rebooted. Needless to say I couldn't freeze the screen to get any idea of the problem. I will try your ideas - thanks. This has been going on for a couple of weeks since I saved our machine from a RAID failure. I bought a new server but thought to put all three machines on to one. The issue is to get the correct inf files read. Right this minute I am using an older Acronis Restore disk which seems to be working (sic) I plan to boot into Safe Mode and try to update the drivers that way. It is all eating into work, play and sleep time! Jean
Bummer on the RAID failure. Hopefully something in the OS was not corrupted - have you been able to run a RAID integrity check? What about a disk integrity check as well?
Might not even be the drives, but the RAID controller going bad. We ust had a new $12,000 Dell where the RAID controller failed 3 times (replaced each time with a new one, also got 2 motherboards and a power supplies and then a full replacement system and it still happened again!!!).
In the end, it was jusut the stupid, "high-end" controller that kept failing, but luckily the RAID and drives stayed intact. Last time it happened, we grabbed the contorller firmware update directly from the manufacturer (was not offered by Dell directly) and so far, it's been holding strong for about 2 months. Hopefully i didn't just jinx myself saying all that out loud :).
Good luck with the conversion. Since you are using a RAID controller, you may need to include the RAID controller driver in your image after running UR for it to be bootable (the controller of the new system).
The RAID is back up-and-running all checks done (I had three spare SCSI disks). The regular Acronis wouldn't restore the partitions; according to a Forum Acronis sometimes has difficulties reading TIB files (why?) so I bought 2015 (they delivered 2016) and that worked. Anyway I have now restored the TIB image but am at the same point as with the converted VHD through Macrium. It bleats about the kernel and PAE and "unable to load RAMDISK. Thanks!
Since the problem is getting the correct drivers is this a solution? (Acronis have come back to me with instructions on how to create a special media but the process hangs and I am waiting for a reply).
(1) Build a VM using the original disks - in that way all the correct drivers are installed
(2) Restore from the TIB - but how do I get the user information and security settings across? I assume these must be in a file or files but then perhaps the registry would need updating...
Sigh!
Jeanrouge,
How much memory does your VM have assigned ot it? You need to make sure to have enought for the Ramdisk.
I have also seen when the bios SATA mode is set to RAID that the Ramdisk fails with this error because of bios RAID limitations of a 500MB ramdisk. In those cases, I change the bios mode to AHCI (just for the purpose of being able to boot the media). ONce the media is created and booted, I restore or take the image. I then go back into the bios and change back to RAID mode BEFORE booting the machine backup up again. Try this as a work-a-round.
Hi Bobbo,
The memory is a bit tight as I am practising on a "lab" machine before I configure my new machine. However that was a red herring.
I have had a result!!!!!!!
I restored the TIB on to the VM; obviously it wouldn't boot up.
What I then did was put the XP Pro installation disk in and reboot.
At the appropriate moment asked it to repair the installation.
Sure enough it went at it hammer & tongs and XP Pro did eventually come up.
That was a huge relief - not sure it is a very catholic way of doing it and there are one or two minor niggles; it is my Mailserver and the Mail Server doesn't fire up automatically as it did before but that I can fix. I still have to activate XP but I prefer to wait until I install the final machine.
Phew!
Meanwhile Macrium have responded with a set of steps to follow - so far all is going OK save for the network connection which is not behaving. I've reported to them. (Usually VB sets itself at "NAT" but I have to fix the IP address). I tried Bridged connection which was how my first experiment using a Windows Host was set up (and which worked) but Linux seems to be a little more complex. I have to set an IP for the Host and then an IP for the Mailserver...
I am still waiting to Acronis to reply... I've been with them for years and will probably continue to use the various versions I have for XP and Windows Server because once I can make a TIB file from the VM machine all will be straightforward... Their support service isn't great. I spent hours with someone on the CHAT last week - what a waste of time that was!
Thanks for your interest.
Happy to help out. I like to learn in the process as well and that's partly why I do this (I'm also a tinker-er at heart, just want to pass on some of my knowledge, really do like the foundation applications of what ATIH is capable of, and, just like to help people when I can).
I think Acronis is trying to improve support and that's why they have started the MVP program in the forums to help assist as well. Hopefully things continue to get better with support in general though and the product bugs get worked out sooner than later with updates.
Glad it looks like you're back on track (for the most part). The more memory you can through at the VM, the better. We've gotten so used to using the bare minimum to squeeze out more VM's on hardware - and usually it's fine. RamDisks are finicky though and needed a dedicated amount all the time - if there isn't enough for the Ramdisk, it won't proceed. Or, if there is enough for the Ramdisk, but not enought for the rest of the backgound operations, that will cause performance issues too.