Booted from rescue CD - monitor display unreadable

Sounds like the linux video drivers on the cd won't do the job so Acronis should be able to provide you with an ISO.

There was a discussion about this on the old forum, but I don't recall the outcome.

DwnNDrty wrote:

There was a discussion about this on the old forum, but I don't recall the outcome.

I think there is on this forum too Dwn

I've sent in a support request.

Will post results here.

Thanks.

I searched the old forum archives using the words "rescue cd monitor display" and found this message.  The original post was, "TI Home 2009 Rescue Media Bad Video XP Pro SP3".  I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for but here it is.

Instructions on how to solve illegible Screen problem:
Enter the BIOS; on Dell computer start pressing F2 button immediately booting your computer.
In the BIOS use the down arrow to scroll to "Integrated Devices (LegacySelect Options). Press Enter
Use down arrow to scroll to "On board Video Buffer"
Press Space Bar once to change from 1MB to 8MB
Press "Esc" to Exit
Press "Esc" to Exit again
Make sure that "Save Changes and Exit" is highlighted
Press "Enter"
Illegible Screen Problem Solved.

dh27564 wrote:

Illegible Screen Problem Solved....

That would be great! But, it didn't work :-(

Followed the instructions precisely, double checked that the settings took, verified, tried 2 boots with the rescue CD - same result.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I do in fact have a Dell (Dimension 2400).

Oh well.... it sounded promising.  You might want to search the old forum.  There were other threads on this subject.  You might find something helpful.

Good luck!

Hello WayneM,

Thank you for using Acronis Products

Have you tried to use Safe Media version of Acronis bootable disc. You can download Safe version from your account under registered Products. Also please confirm that you have tried the following solution using ISOLinux Acronis bootable disc:

- Hit the ESC key when "Loading kernel.dat....." string appears.

- You will get the "boot:" prompt. In the prompt type the following parameters as shown below:

kernel.dat initrd=ramdisk.dat vga=0x311 quiet

Here is the tab of the possible values:

| 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024

----+-------------------------------------

256| 0x301 0x303 0x305 0x307

32k| 0x310 0x313 0x316 0x319

64k| 0x311 0x314 0x317 0x31A

16M| 0x312 0x315 0x318 0x31

I downloaded the Safe Media version. And then, once again, created a bootable rescue CD.

I was able to boot to the Safe Media version. The screen resolution is rather low, and so, difficult to navigate with the huge text, and scroll bars.

It appeared that it recognized my backup files. But, the "browse" feature did not show my external drives, even though that's were my backups are located.

Other than the difficulty of working with the interface at low resolution, are there any features of the application that will not work in the Safe mode?

I HAVE NOT tried the solution using ISOLinux Acronis bootable disc. -- I have no idea what that is. I'd like to try any solution that will work. So, if you can provide the details and specific step by step instructions, I'll gladly give it a try.

The ISOLinux Acronis bootable disk that Dmitry suggested can be obtained by going to your registered products and downloading the ISO file (see the attached .JPG files).  Once you have it on your PC you will need to burn it to a CD, most likely using third party software.  With this completed boot to the CD.

Thanks for all the help.  :-)

Downloaded the ISO, downloaded a free ISO burner, burned the CD, booted... got essentially the same result as with the Safe Media version -- low resolution, big text, scroll bars that make it hard to navigate.

I really do appreciate all the user help from the community on this issue, but this is all just too much fiddling around with a retail product to make it work like it should right from the start. I think I will have to look elsewhere for my disk image needs.

Thanks.

Did you make the changes suggested by Dmitry in posting #8?  It might also be helpful to know what screen resolution you are using.

Bruce wrote:

Did you make the changes suggested by Dmitry in posting #8?  It might be helpful to know what screen resolution you are using.

No I did not.  Seriously - thanks. I'm done.

Okay. Had a few minutes, so I gave it one last try.

Made the changes suggested by Dmitry in posting #8.

Again, the same result. No change in the quality of the display :-(

Thanks again for all the help.

Bye.

Using the ISOLinux download with the input of my resolution parameters has apparently solved my TI screen resolution issue or the solution is currently working. My problem was that the colors were sparse and the data overflowed the screen so much that the user selection buttons at the bottom right were missing from the display. Adding the VGA parameters below seems to have solved that issue at least for now. Inputing the VGA parameters into the regular user created Rescue CD did not improve the resolution but inputing into the ISO file has solved the screen resolution issue.

Here is an example of using the ISOLinux iso downloaded file for use when the screen resolution on your normal TI Rescue CD is not usable.

Download the TrueImage 2009 ISO file from your registered account; or you can contact the Acronis support Live Chat service and request an ISO file based on Isolinux. Once downloaded, burn the iso file to CD using a program such as the free IMGBURN or other CD writing program. After creation of the CD, it becomes a bootable TI Rescue CD.

Once booted with the new ISOLINUX CD, you will be presented with a menu of 8 choices. Each menu item has special extra parameters which can be helpful to those with special hardware combination's or needs.
Start by choosing the first item on the menu. Item 1 is also an autostart after a few seconds delay.

Once you select the menu item and press Enter,
Immediately, you will see a message "Loading kernel.dat.....
- Quickly Hit the ESC key

- You will get the prompt which is: Boot:
In the prompt type one choice of screen resolutions as illustrated below:

One example for a 1280x1024 screen resolution would be:
Boot:  kernel.dat initrd=ramdisk.dat vga=0x31A quiet

One example for a 1024x768 screen resolution would be:
Boot:  kernel.dat initrd=ramdisk.dat vga=0x317 quiet

One example for a 800x600 screen resolution would be:
Boot:  kernel.dat initrd=ramdisk.dat vga=0x314 quiet

One example for a 640x480 screen resolution would be:
Boot:  kernel.dat initrd=ramdisk.dat vga=0x311 quiet

Here is the tab of the possible values:

| 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024
----+-------------------------------------
256| 0x301 0x303 0x305 0x307
32k| 0x310 0x313 0x316 0x319
64k| 0x311 0x314 0x317 0x31A
16M| 0x312 0x315 0x318 0x31

If this procedure produces a viewable/usable screen resolution, you can then contact Live Chat or Acronis Support and request a CD with the modified parameters already included within the iso file.

Here's the chart a little more formatted:

    | 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024
----+-----------------------------------
256 | 0x301   0x303   0x305    0x307
32k | 0x310   0x313   0x316    0x319
64k | 0x311   0x314   0x317    0x31A
16M | 0x312   0x315   0x318    0x31B

Got a PM asking:
"I see by your posts that you decided to look elsewhere for backup/restore software.
I have had numerous problems with things that should not be an issue in properly tested software.
Have you found an app to your liking yet?"

Here's my reply to share with everyone:

Tried everything to get TI HOME 2009 to work on my Dell Dimension 2400....
No luck.
I'm done with Acrons. In fact, I've uninstalled my paid version.

I ended up going with Clonzilla (http://clonezilla.org/) free linux based - works great for cloning drives and making backup images. I make an image once a week of my OS partition overnight - takes about an hour. I'm setting up a backup schedule using an app that came with my USB drive to do daily incremental backups on my data partitions. Safe, secure, done.

I am having the same problem with TI Build 9809 and have burned (and wasted) several CDs trying to get the boot options working as described in Article 3836

I specified the string "kernel.dat initrd=ramdisk.dat vga=0x318 quiet" in the "Startup Parameters" line of the Build bootable media option, booted from the CD, no joy.

I've tried to hit ESC on boot, no joy.

Have tinkered with BIOS settings, no joy.

I am further disappointed that Acronis appear to have chopped support to 30 days post-sale, I'm sure it used to be longer than this.

Most disappointing and enough to make me consider alternative products.

You are for sure using the downloaded ISO file for TI 2009 and not the one created using TI 2009?

When booted, it should look like the picture shown in Article 3836.

If you have any CD-RW media, you can use it while testing to save discs.

Have looked for a downloadable ISO file but can't find one anywhere. I created the CD using the (9809 upgraded) TI 2009 on my PC.

I must admit I didn't appreciate the difference that it needs to be a downloadable ISO file rather than the one built with TI 2009 # 9809

Where the "Bootable Media" tab is shown higher up this thread I have "Free Plugins", which I've downloaded but don't seem to be much use.

Trouble with CDRWs is they're slooooooowwwwww! ;-)

The reason that the downloaded ISO version has to be used is that Acronis didn't include support for the vga parameter in the Media Builder version of TI 2009. Support for that was added in TI 2010.

Flashdrives can also be used, if your computer supports booting from them. See this thread for an example.

Cheers, many thanks for that. I'll work through the flashdrive instructions tomorrow and give it a go. My PC supports booting from them so it might be a solution.

So near and yet so far...I'm probably doing something silly :-(

OK, I've built a bootable flash drive, created a .ISO on there using Media Builder. This booted but with the same resolution problem. I couldn't see how to alter the resolution for the ISO file (maybe you can't without the special ISOLinux version) so I copied kernel.dat and ramdisk.dat (from the Recovery Manager folder of the latest CD I burned) to the flashdrive root, and created the following additional menu entries:-

title Acronis True Image Home 2009 (9,809) 1024x768x64k
kernel /kernel.dat vga=0x317 quiet
initrd /ramdisk.dat

title Acronis True Image Home 2009 (9,809) 1280x1024x64k
kernel /kernel.dat vga=0x31A quiet
initrd /ramdisk.dat

Unfortunately whichever I boot gives me the same low-resolution screen, so I guess I'm missing something simple somewhere?

Bernard,
I don't know that it is anything you might be doing wrong. It is getting the right Linux driver for your specific hardware. You experience & problems seems to follow my similar problems.

My screen resolution problem involving the Rescue CD was limited to the TIH 2009 version, all builds. When I upgraded from V11 to 2009, the 2009 screen resolution was sparse in colors and the user control buttons at bottom of screen were missing. Switching to the 2009 ISO CD with user input worked only some of the time. Screen resolution problems were non-existent with ATI Home Version 8, 9, 10 or 11 or 2010.

When I tested the ATI Home 2010 release, the regular Rescue CD solved my Rescue CD Screen resoution problems. I am using TIH 2010, build 6,053 without any Rescue CD screen resolution problems.

During the troubleshooting of my resolution problem, none of the alternate 2009 ISO downloads or Acronis bootable flashdrives or Flashdrive with Grub4Dos provided usable screen resolution.

Fortunately for me, booting into the Acronis 2009 safe mode version (available from registration/download page) provided usable screen resolution on the included Rescue CD. The 2010 Rescue CD also solved the resolution issue. If you are looking for a Windows based solution, A BartPE could be a choice; or Mustang's PEBuilder for 2009 and the 2010 version worked flawlessly for me from CD or a Grub4Dos flashdrive.

For me, I now have a 2nd internal Sata drive set to boot from Grub4Dos with all my current & prior TIH versions mounted on it for choices including my Mustang's PEBuilder options.

My hardware= ATI All-in-Wonder Video card using a NEC Flat Panel monitor. XPro SP3.

WayneM wrote:

Got a PM asking:

Tried everything to get TI HOME 2009 to work on my Dell Dimension 2400....
No luck.
I'm done with Acrons. In fact, I've uninstalled my paid version.
.

I also have a Dell Dimension 2400 and have JUST run into the PROBLEM described in this old thread. My Dell boots Acronis True Image Home versions 10 and 11 perfectly and I have been happy using those versions.

However, I have purchased the upgrade to version 2010 and the screen that I get when I boot from the bootable CD is unreadable. I've been piddling with the suggestions that were made during this old thread ( change bios, download other bootable ISO, try diddling with the screen resolutions, etc..) So far nothing worked.

SO, I hope to revive this thread and see what I might do to get 2010 Acronis to boot properly on my Dell Dimension 2400. Again I repeat that versions 10 and 11 work fine on the same PC.

You might try adding the Safe Version to your TI Rescue CD. That worked for me when I experienced the same as you.
http://forum.acronis.com/sites/default/files/forum/2009/11/5933/TI_2010…

Another option which I use is Mustang's PEBuilder2 for 2010. It is faster than the normal Rescue CD and you can add items to it. If interested, you can find links inside my signature index below.

I have found a work-around for the unreadable screen problem.

My Acronis 2010 bootable CD boots fine, to a readable screen, after installing a PCI video card in the Dell Dimension 2400 and set it as the primary video instead of the onboard video.

Obviously Acronis Home 2010 does not support the Dell Dimension 2400 onboard video. It is interesting to NOTE that my earlier versions of Acronis, versions 10 and 11, boot fine to a readable screen on the same computer with the onboard video.

I am 2 months past my "free support" eligilibity with Acronis and I definitely will not pay the support fee to ask "what happened?"

Other than that I must say that Acronis True Image works fine for me. I especially like to back up my working computer to my backup computer over my home network.

Hudson,
It's great you found a solution. Remember however, then backup is only half the battle. You must test your recovery plan by actually performing real restores. Having a test disk works great. Do not avoid performing the restores. It's the only way you will really know if your backups will perform. Far too many posts have been made on this forum by users who did not test their backups and when the crisis came, they encountered difficulty.

To add to the KnowledgeBase, I had this problem with TI Home 2009 on my Dell Inspiron 1100 (BIOS A32). None of the "vga=" settings made any difference. But I was able to go into the BIOS using and change the second screen's video settting from 1MB to 8MB -- and that was all it took. I saved the setting and rebooted, video is beautiful! Thanks for the tip! Hope that helps someone else.

Hello Christian,

Thank you for posting.

I want to thank you for your suggestion and I'll forward it to our KB web-master so that we can update the article.

If you need additional help please let me know.

Thank you.

All,
Version Acronis 2009 home
PC's Dell 2400 and 3000's
FWiW... I too had some issues wit the display being to low in colors the resolution was fine but the display colors were so bad I could hardly make out the gui... I was booting from a USB thumb drive... No luck I tried the Vga thing.. still No luck then I tried a CD boot disc no luck.. I Dl'd the updated Boot disc via my login still no luck. Frustrated as hell by this point 4-6 hours of time invested.. And thinking I should jst upgrade the the 2011 version
But the fear of it not working and me losing it due the having lost this much time and now perhaps some $$ if I decide to upgrade.....

I took a break.. Re read the posts dozens of them... I decide to try the Video / Bios Change from 1M to 8M (I didnt try this earlier because ... well I guess I thought it was to simple of a fix.. Having lost all hope I figured what the hell have I to lose? Well, It WORKED!!!!
I went back to all my pervious boot media. even as far back as my Thumb drive. they all work!

I hope those of you reading this learn from my mistake. even the simplest of solutions can be just that... The SOLUTION!
Best luck.
Sam

Hello Sam,

Welcome to our forum and thank you for your post. I would like to assist you further with this.

Just in case, I would like to provide you with the trial bootable media for Acronis True Image 2011 Home, as a trial version it is limited to recovery operations only, but it will give you an indication how it works on your hardware.

I will follow-up with a download link in a few minutes via a private message.

Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Thank you.