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2 clones 'successfully created' - but both have major problems

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After twice cloning my master drive (successfully, according to the Acronis messages), the clone has many problems. For each of the two clonings, the target was a different, new (never-used) HDD.

System: Windows XP Pro SP3, Acronis True Image Home 2009

The Cloning process seems fine. It shows messages “Locking partition C and D”; then “Reboot is Required”. Then it requests “Click Reboot”, which I do. The 7 operations then run, including copying of “0xDB (Concurrent DOS, CTOS)” and the MBR. Then it says “Congratulations... all done (etc etc) …press any key to shut down your computer”, which I do.

I then replace the old HDD with the new HDD (jumper setting set to master), and restart the PC.

With both clones, the first boot shows the message “Acronis True Image Home – Completed”. And the rest of boot-up process looks (as far as I can tell) identical to the original.

However, with the 1st clone, there are these problems:
1) Task bar appearance is totally different, like some older windows OS. And a small window pops up saying something about a registry something-or-other having to be recovered. (These problems don’t happen with the 2nd clone).
2) McAfee real-time scan isn’t on. Every time I try to switch it on, it switches itself off.
3) My Eclipse (software development) application says it cannot open the editor
4) Sound no longer works. When I try to play an MP3, Windows Media Player tells me: “Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem with your sound device…..”
5) DVD player plays video as a succession of slow, jerky images. But this might be related to the sound device problems, because AVIs etc play video smoothly (but also without sound).
6) When I attach my camera, the Canon window opens up empty, with none of the usual options to select (e.g. “download images”).

And with the 2nd clone, there are these problems:
1) McAfee real-time scan again isn’t on. But this time, I can’t even open the McAfee Security Centre – it crashes with the message “…encountered a problem and needs to close”.
2) Outlook Express crashes when I try to open an old email
3) Internet Explorer crashes on startup.
4) There may be more problems, but I stopped checking at this point. (Sound and Eclipse are ok this time)

After rebooting these clones a second time, the problems persist. (My source drive is thankfully unaffected by all this).

So what does all this mean? Can anyone tell me what I need to do to get an identical copy of the master drive?

I’d be extremely grateful for any advice – my hard drive has been making occasional clicking sounds over the past few weeks… (but not – I hasten to add - during the cloning).

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These problems sound like you're either not removing the source drive before booting the clone or you're actually booting the drive on a different computer than the source.

You could try creating an Entire Disk Image backup (check the Disk # checkbox) of the source drive, removing the source drive, installing the "clone" drive, booting to the TI CD and restoring the image. This may work better than a clone. Restoring the Disk Signature is recommended (this happens automatically when you restore the Entire Disk Image).

Thanks MudCrab. There's just one drive bay, so the old drive has to come out for the new one to go in. And there's also just one computer involved.

And re. your "Backup and Restore" suggestion: I'm grateful for your advice, and I'll try it, but... If ATI can't give me an accurate copy of my hard drive when it's doing it pre-Windows-load - and so has 'more exclusive' access to the hard drive - wouldn't the "Backup" option be even less likely to give an accurate copy, given that it's taken when Windows is up & running? (I know that question may be a little rhetorical).

Anyway, I'll give it a go... I don't have the CD (I bought ATI electronically), but I assume "Create Bootable Rescue Media" will give me effectively the same thing.

....One extra bit of info that may or may not be relevant - When I did the Cloning, the target drive was an internal drive connected to a USB port via a Sharkoon docking station -
http://www.sharkoon.com/html/produkte/docking_stations/quickport_combo/…

You can create the TI CD using TI or download the ISO from your Acronis account and create the CD from that.

If one drive must be connected via USB, place the source drive there and install the destination drive internally. This usually stands the best chance of success, especially if the computer uses non-standard drive geometry.

I did the 'full disk' backup (all partitions) to a TIB file on a USB-connected external drive. Then inserted the Bootable Media CD (generated from my installed ATI), shut down the PC, put the 'target' drive in the sole internal drive bay, and rebooted from the CD, ready to Restore.

But the ATI screen and text is virtually unreadable - very low-res - see attached image [EDIT: BTW - I've had no hint of probs with my video card e.g. no 'black icons' etc] . Rebooted again, looking in BIOS hoping to find a setting to improve resolution, but nothing. I'm reading in an Acronis KB article that the downloadable bootable media ISO file should be visible to me as an option on my Products & Downloads page. But it isn't: all I have is "Latest Build", "Free Plugins", "Support" and "Upgrades", none of which lead to the 'bootable media' option.

Any tips on how to make the ATI screen readable? Or where I can download the latest bootable media for ATI Home 2009? Thanks again....

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One option you can try is to return to your registration page and select the Bootable Media option and download that file which is an alternate ISO file with different drivers. Then you burn the iso file as a TrueImageHome Bootable Recovery CD. You can click on my signature link below and select item 2-G & 2-H for more information.

There is another link where your same problem is discussed and I'll try to find it.

Added:
Here is one link but more are available by using the search function at the top of this forum and searching for
screen resolution

http://kb.acronis.com/content/2921

Well, after many more adventures, I’ve finally created a perfectly usable copy of my master drive - using Backup/Restore, instead of Clone. (I’ve tried to find something on it that doesn’t work – can’t find anything).
MudCrab and GroverH – Thanks very much for your help, and I certainly hope you MVPs get some sort of reward from Acronis. 
But you may still be interested (in your capacity as MVPs) to read the following…
Getting the ATI Bootable Rescue Media CD to Display a Legible Screen
I did as suggested by  http://kb.acronis.com/content/2921 . I entered vga=ask on the CLI. But I was never presented with an option to change the graphic mode – I just got lots of fast-scrolling output, showing settings.  So, I repeated the above four times, each time entering into the CLI one of the four graphic mode values (vga=0[zero]x312/5/8/B) suggested.  But the ATI app. showed the same unchanged illegible screen every time.
I then searched the KBs and forum for other ideas,  and found this:  http://forum.acronis.com/forum/3758 , which worked (Dell machine: changed onboard video buffer in BIOS from 1MB to 8MB).
Downloading latest bootable media
Still unable to find the latest downloadable bootable media.
I went to the Products Registration page as you (GroverH) suggested – even though I’d registered my product long ago – and re-registered the same serial number (funnily, Acronis accepted it!). But there was no resulting  links/buttons for the Bootable Media. (See attached image “Registrations”).  
I went back to my Products and Downloads, but still no Bootable Media option.  (See attached image “Products and Downloads”. Clicking Free Plugins gives me just “BartPE & SafeMedia”; clicking Support  offers just “Buy Pay for Incident”).
One last question
Having been a programmer (albeit mainframe) for many years now, I’m still puzzled  that the Clone utility - running pre-Windows load –  and with supposedly greater degree of access to the disk - created two severely flawed disk copies, whereas the Backup operation – performed within Windows and with many applications running - works perfectly.  Any theories?
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Your picture shows you were so close. Select the updates option and all your serial registrations will appear and you can select the version in use. My signature link index item #2-F below provides illustrations. No time now and MudCrab will probably reply later as he is in a different time zone.

This demo shows a Bootable Media tab for ATI Home 2009, and instructs me to click it.
http://forum.acronis.com/sites/default/files/forum/2009/11/5933/TI_2009…

My ATI Home 2009 Product page does not offer me a Bootable Media tab - please see attachment.

I just now found this June 25 2010 KB article, which suggests (by omission) that there is no Bootable Media download available for ATI Home 2009 - http://kb.acronis.com/content/4828

But an official Acronis reply (Dmitri) at this link indicates there should be.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/6578

Also, you mentioned above I should select the Updates option. I don't see an Updates option – only "Upgrades" - which just gives me ATI Home 2010; or the “Product Updates” on the far left - which shows just a list of various ATI products. When I click Get All Serials, it just opens up a text file with my serial number.

I guess I'm ok for now - I've done my Restore. But it would be nice to have a more stable and up to date boot CD for when I need it next time.

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I note from your attachment that you are using a united Kingdom version. That may explain the differences in what we see. Perhaps support can look into this post and they may be able to provide you with an ISO download link.

The tab should be there (I assume the UK version has it). Send a PM to an Acronis Moderator or try Live Chat Support and see if they can fix it or send you a download link.

Try returning to the page as your last picture and there is a expand option in upper left. See if that shows anything more,

 Hello Greg, MudCrab and GroverH!

Thank you for opening the thread regarding this case!

MudCrab, GroverH, thank you very much for your valuable assistance!

Dear Greg, I entirely understand your concern and I'm really sorry for you've faced this inconvenience. 

Guys are right, the issue could be solved by the updated bootable media. I'm sorry for you couldn't find it in your account. I've just sent a request to the webteam to check why it wasn't uploaded and make sure this inconvenience is improved. 

Meanwhile I will be glad to provide you with the proper bootable media via Private message. Please check whether it improves the situation. 

Should you need anything else or have any further questions - feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience, we will be happy to help you! 

Thank you!

The day after my last reply – soon after my first successful backup and restore - I got a virus. My first in years – it slipped past McAfee. I couldn’t get rid of it, even using special ‘kill’ apps etc.

So this was very good timing, as I was able to restore a clean copy of my C drive.

Yana: Thanks - I got your PM and I’ve downloaded the ISO. The old ‘bootable media’ I generated from my installed software actually performed the restore successfully (at least, there are no problems so far), but it’s nice to have the latest version now.

GroverH – the “Expand All” button just shows the four tabs (sans Bootable Media) - “Collapse” hides them.

Thanks again to everyone.