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Backup in one step of complete hard disc with multiple GPT partitions possible?

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I have bought a new notebook with multiple GPT partitions and a pre-installed Windows 8.

Can I use Acronis 2013 TI to backup not only the content of one single partition but
to backup the content of ALL partitions and the GPT partition structure as well
with TI 2013 in ONE step?

When I later want to recover the previously created TI image the partitions should be automatically created by TI as well. So not only the restore of the partition contents should take place.

Is this possible?
Or is TI 2013 just a simple partition content backup prgm?

Peter

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Peter,

Yes TI will do this so long as you select to make a complete disk image.

Note though, that there is a bug in build 6514 as far as the recovery environment is concerned, it can't see some GPT drives. This is a new bug that has appeared in build 6514. I suggest contacting Acronis Support and asking them to make build 5551 recovery ISO available to you.

Unfortunately, build 5551 has a problem with Secure Boot on W8 systems (fixed in build 6514), so I suggest asking if they can provide you with an ISO that has the Secure Boot patch built in. Once a new build of 2013 comes out (don't know when that'll be), this problem will hopefully be fixed. As an alternative if you have purchased the Plus Pack you would eb able to make a Windows PE based recovery CD which won't have this problem at all.

"As an alternative if you have purchased the Plus Pack you would eb able to make a Windows PE based recovery CD which won't have this problem at all."

I read in another post that creating the WinPE does not solve the problem with GPT disks that you mention.

Also, I spent one whole day trying again and again to make a WinPE disk using Acronis's documentation for different methods, but I had no success with any of those methods.

I can confirm that a WinPE recovery media with TIH Build 6514 does *not* solve the GPT-disk-as-source issue. The question I have is, does this build have the issue with *all* GPT disks, or is the problem intermittent based on underlying hardware?

Jim, I cannot answer your question.

What I can tell you is that Acronis sent me an ISO file for Build 6528 and this build does see all my GPT disks for the purpose of backup and restore. Although I am tempted to also try Try & Decide, I have not yet done so.

I believe the problem relates to all GPT disks, but I'm not 100% sure. Build 6528 recovery ISO only solves the problem when using the Linux environment, not with the PE option. At the moment the workaround for PE users is to use build PP5551 ISO, problem here though is that it won't contain the W8 Secure Boot patch.

Indeed I'm using PP 5551 for my needs until they get it fixed; luckily I haven't needed the W8 secure boot support. I didn't realize the 6528 didn't address the WinPE add-on, so thanks for sharing that...the systems I'm imaging use a "fake raid" controller which doesn't work in the Linux environment...have to use Windows drivers inside of WinPE.

Acronis support provided me a link for the build 6528 Linux ISO, but wanted me to pay for support in order to talk to them about the WinPE issue (my support on TIH2013 expired in March). I believe their stance is that build 5551 is stable and usable, and can be patched for the secure boot stuff...hence the lack of priority to get a "full" 6528, or newer, build released any time soon.

I think there is a new ISO for build 6415 which is now available in user accounts. As I understand it, the build and build date will still show up as 6415 and dated 4/4/2013, but the ISO has all the patches to date.

Indeed, they published new ISOs for both TIH2013 and the associated Plus Pack, with the describing version numbers unchanged. The ISO that I downloaded matched the "build 6528" they gave me a link to earlier.

The "full" Windows installation packages remain unchanged, as I downloaded and checked those too. So, WinPE rescue media using those builds will still have the GPT problem. I actually prefer to use the bootable ISOs, but I'm imaging systems that have proprietary array controllers, and the bootable ISOs see the disks independently, rather than as a single volume. Hence, I'm stuck using the WinPE environment where I can inject Windows drivers.