Hard drive is failing

follow up question:

Am I going to be dealing with a cloning task, or am I going to be restoring an image? I am not clear on the difference.

The first thing to do would be to create a full image of your HDD as it now is. To reduce the load on the old HDD and system while making this image do not use the default of normal compression. Go for an uncompressed image instead and at this stage do not run a validation of the image.

Assuming that the 2010 version worked you could boot from the rescue CD and use it to create the HDD backup image. Make sure that all the partitions and MBR are included.

The next step would be to remove the old HDD and replace it with the new one and connect it exactly the same way as the old one.
Now boot from the 2010 CD with the drive containing your image connected. The object now is to run the restore of the image, you should however select each partition in turn rather than just the whole HDD. This will allow you to resize your OS partition during restoration.
There are two reasons for using this method. Any bad HDD sectors will have been so flagged by the OS. A modicum of resizing will ensure that the new HDD is not sullied by the now irrelevant flags. There is also the possibility that the replacement drive is larger than the old and you will be able to take up the otherwise unallocated space.

Remove the rescue CD and you can boot Windows normally. The next steps are purely tidying up and where necessary repairing the OS. There are several Windows repair tools tools available. My own choice would be to start with the System File Checker. Run SFC /SCANNOW for the command prompt.

xpilot,

Thanks for the reply. I have left this computer running to prevent unnecessary startup/shutdown stresses while awaiting replies. I have also been trying to assemble printed instructions on tasks I perceive to be important.

One of the tasks I have performed is a full image sector-by-sector (validated) backup (not compressed). It is quite large at around 64GB. This backup was created with the 2011 version of TI Plus Pack. I am sharing this information because I am a little unclear in my reading of part of your instructions.

Your instructions refer to the 2010 version for creation of the rescue CD. Here are specific questions:
Do I need to create a backup with the 2010 version for your instructions to work, or will the one I created with 2011 work properly?
The rescue disk I created with 2010 is ISO. Is that the proper one to use?
I was under the impression that a full disc sector-by-sector backup includes the MBR. Is that correct?
You said, "Now boot from the 2010 CD with the drive containing your image connected." Am I correct in reading "the drive containing your image" to mean the external drive where I save backup archives?

I have a replacement HDD on order. As you anticipated in your reply, the new HDD is larger than the existing one. The old drive is a WD 160GB, and the new one is a WD 500GB. The larger drive was considerably cheaper than the exact replacement. Because I do not want to assume anything, I must ask if I am correct in my understanding that the unallocated space will be taken care of by the OS and NOT Acronis?

Thank you for your continued guidance.

the wheel man

In the absence of information as to what backup images you had I made a worst case assumption that you had no viable backup images.
I suggested that you used the 2010 rescue CD to prepare a current image with no compression or validation as this would put the least workload on your failing drive.
If you want to proceed using your latest image created under 2011 I suggest that you burn a 2011 rescue CD and use that to initiate a restore.
However I would not start from a sector by sector backup image of a failing drive to restore to a replacement drive.
Restoring from a sector by sector image would ensure that the replacement drive would be flagged with any bad sectors that were on the old drive, do you really want that? I am also unsure if you can resize from a sector by sector restore. You can of course allocate the free space as desired at anytime using the OS but any bad sector flagging will have been brought forward to the new HDD and will remain there in perpetuity.

There have been radical changes made between version 2010 and version 2011.It may be possible to restore a 2011 image with a 2010 rescue CD but I have never done this and would rather use the correect tool for the job.

So my own choice would be to image the whole old hard drive using either your installed TI version or using the 2010 rescue CD to create the image.
Use the Appropiate rescue CD to run the restore to the new HDD. If you select each partition and the MBR in turn you will be shown in the Wizard how you can allocate the extra available space. There will then be no need to use any of the OS tools.

Hi Xpilot,

I apologize for the delay in replying. Life had me too tied up to get to the computer until now.

In response to your instructions, I have explored my options as provided by TI 2011. Because I do not have a full understanding of all the options, I am enumerating the ones I wish to clarify. In the absence of an image sharing facility in this text editor, I will describe windows and options to my best ability. If you need images, I'll create some in an online sharing site for my next post.

All the questions I have here are found by navigating as follows:
Launch Acronis.
Choose "go to main screen".
Choose "disk and partition backup".
Choose "switch to disk mode".
The window is titled "configure disk backup process" --> Choose "disk backup options" found at the bottom of the window.

To create the type of backup you described, there are options in different tabs I wish to ensure that I select properly:
backup scheme tab -- single version scheme
advanced tab -- image creation mode --> Do I leave both boxes unchecked? (The backup I described in a previous post was configured as sector-by-sector, which you advised against.)
advanced tab -- backup splitting --> Use the default "automatic" setting?
advanced tab -- validation --> The previously described backup is validated. You recommended saving stress by not validating. I understand why, but do not understand how to ensure that a recoverable backup can be insured without validation.
advanced tab -- backup reserve copy --> Does this merely create an extra copy stored in a location of my choice? I do not see a need for this. Do I understand correctly?

Back at the main screen, choose "rescue media":
It looks like full version is the one to choose, since TI has been installed as a download. Is this correct?
bootable media options -- none?
bootable media type selection -- CD

Please tell me the best configuration as I have questioned above.

As an aside --> I am a little conflicted on the HDD status at present. A hard drive diagnostic using SMART indicates a healthy HDD. I have encountered no error messages or erratic operation, although I have not turned this machine off since the initial symptoms. I have not had the time to remove the cover form the tower to perform a physical component check. This is an FYI only. This part is being addressed in a different forum. My new HDD is scheduled to arrive on 12/29, which gives me the time to confirm diagnosis and get all the Acronis tasks prepared in advance.

Thanks again for your continued guidance.

the wheel man

Hmm.... You appear to be moving the goal posts here.
I understood from your original post that you were concerned that your HDD was on the point of failure. This now appears not to be the case.
My original reply was to get you a current full HDD image from which you could restore to a new a replacement HDD and perform any necessary re-sizing in the same operation. I suggested that the image be prepared when booted from the 2010 rescue CD because you had one to hand and it would be perfectly adequate for the job.
I left validation out of the equation because it is surplus to requirements when writing to a new blank HDD. A sucessful restore is worth a thousand valid validations when you are not overwriting any useful data. This is the case with a new blank HDD.
My method of using TI, starting from Version 8 through to Version 2011 has not changed over the years. It consists of scheduled full HDD backups written to a second internal hard drive on a daily basis. No compression and no validations. To prove that my backups are viable I pull the current main HDD out of its trayless mount and replace it with one of a prior generation.This is then restored . I only run these restores on a weekly basis or before making any radical changes to my system.
You will see that I am not able to advise you about all the whistles and bells that are provided with the over laden features that I have never used.

Xpilot,

I did not mean to "move the goal posts". At the time of starting this thread the computer had exhibited an unusually loud noise and took aver five minutes to quiet down. Hardware questions are being asked in a different forum. Recent replies there have indicated a lower probability of the HDD being the actual problem. I have been pursuing the worst case scenario recovery because I wanted to be prepared. If indeed the worst case scenario manifests, I am on my own or stuck with a shop repair. The extra was an FYI because I was thinking that you would like feedback after the issue is resolved. I intended this to be a courtesy. One way or the other, the knowledge and understanding I gain will not be wasted. Please forgive me for allowing this to be misunderstood. It was totally out sight, out of mind with the combination of the Christmas holiday and the computer asking for attention.

Prior to purchasing TI 2010 an off line pro had recommended Acronis and the validated sector-by-sector backup I had described. (This pro is no longer available for me to ask for recommendations.) The 2011 version appeared to be different as I read the user manual and left me conflicted as how to prepare properly. If I am to gain full advantage to having Acronis installed, I need the understanding anyway.

As for backups I employ, I have a scheduled regimen. I have a recurring weekly schedule. The configuration is a validated sector-by-sector disk backup, followed by incremental daily backups until the routine comes full circle. When the routine begins anew old archives are deleted. All backups ar saved to the external drive. My understanding is that a full image backup is easier and more of a one step process than using the incremental series. My understanding in the reading of 2011 has not been as clear as with 2010, and the transition has not been completely flawless. It appears that I will find it necessary to create new tasks in 2011 to have them run in the same manner as with2010.

For these reasons I have used the whistles and bells. Once again the configurations were recommended by the pro I no longer have access to for advice. Since I have never actually needed to use a backup and TI 2011 instructions seem to be different, I have been considering repairing the OS at the time of restore if it became necessary. Stating Tuesday my available time to do computer tasks will be reduced dramatically, and I wish to have the quickest reliable option at hand.

Your replies have definitely been appreciated. The bottom line is that I hope I won't have to recover from scratch, but wish to be able to recover from scratch if necessary. Which case is to be the outcome is still undetermined in my mind.

I hope this has all made sense to you.

Thanks again.

the wheel man

In my opinion you are wasting time and HDD space in making sector by sector backups as part of your backup strategy. In much earlier editions of TI such a method was not even an option. The only time it became available by default was when the the HDD was so screwed up that TI could no longer recognise the file system. Only then did it have its use in enabling a forensic examination on another computer of data that could be retrieved.
Normal backups only contain data from sectors that are in use. It seems quite pointless to include un-used sectors in a regular backups of a working system.
You may have noticed that a normal backup does not include any page file or hibernation file contents as these will be replaced at the next re-boot. I guess these items are included in a sector by sector backup which would add to the waste of time and space.

Xpilot,

Thanks for the feedback. I will have to explore the proper configuration to include all files and programs as well as system state. I'm betting that I have tried to make it too difficult by using whistles and bells.

the wheel man

Think of it this way. You have lost access to one "pro" and have been fortunate to get an excellent group of responses from xpilot who is another "pro" in his own right and is extremely well qualified and offering excellent advice. As he stated, in most normal situations, a "sector by sector" backup is not necessary and is a waste of time and space and I would certainly concur. The "sector by sector" backup might be appropriate if you are intentionally wanting to backup all the unallocated space or believe the disk has bad sectors and you are wanting to preserve these errors--but this the abnormal.

As for your hard drive sound. One thing you should try is to disconnect the power cable on your CD/DVD device and then boot to see if the sound is gone. It is not unusual for the CD/DVD device to emit this sound when first started during a bootup.

You can also check the disk for errors. The results will be posted in the Events notification under Applications/Information/Win logon

If you have never restored any of your backups, then are being very unwise. As stated by another poster just today "I've been happily making backups for months without realizing I had no way to restore." He now has a crisis and unable to provide a solution. Don't let that be you. Get yourself a test disk and prove that your restore procedures work.

According to your posting, you are already performing a "disk" option backup and that includes all partitions and everything on the disk. This is the best type backup to have because it does include everything.

Once you clear your disk of errors or clarify that it is error free, then there is no need to do a sector by sector backup--which is abnormal behavior.

CD information
http://kb.acronis.com/content/4831

Most of your questions are answered in the user manual or in KB articles which can be searched by content.
http://kb.acronis.com/content/13414

Considering you are running XP, a Windows Installer repair should not be necessary should you have need to restore your system partition or to a new replacement disk.

If it is your plans to restore a backup to a larger drive, since you are running XP, you should be able to do a restore and checkmark the disk as to the option being restored. TrueImage will automatically expand all partitions to consume your extra space. Normally, XP has only the one partition but if you have multiple partitions, then all partitions will be expanded. If you do not want all partitions expanded, then you should not do a "disk" restore but should checkmark each partition separately but do not checkmark restore mbr.

Any creation of a new disk must be done when booted from the TI Rescue CD.

If you click on the "Knowledge Base" button in upper right, there are answers to most everything. Additionally, you can click on "Grover's Guides" along the left margin for additional help.

This link has some suggestions about how to configure some backups. You may find some items of interest here as well.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/16678#comment-50069

the wheel man wrote:

Xpilot,

Thanks for the feedback. I will have to explore the proper configuration to include all files and programs as well as system state. I'm betting that I have tried to make it too difficult by using whistles and bells.

the wheel man

Try looking at you backup process from a different perspective. Everything on your computer is recorded in one or more partitions on the installed hard drive. If you back this up in its entirety there is no need to take anything else into account. System state backup is a bit of a red herring which in the majority of possible failures will get you nowhere without the content of the Systems/Programs partition. To my mind, because I backup both system and data, a backup of system state does nothing of any extra value at all. The same principle applies to the extra bit of fluff that enables seperate e-mail back ups, they are already contained in my hard drive backup. Because I have also chosen for copies to be kept on my ISP's server I can work with all my emails from anywhere in the world even if my home computer is not on line.

Xpilot and Grover,

Thanks for the feedback.

My statement about the off line pro was because I would like to know why he advised me to use unneeded configurations, not a reflection on advice given by you Xpilot.

The additional information and links will be a subject of study for me. A more thorough understanding of Acronis will not be wasted.

For the record: I just completed reassembly of the tower after cleaning the inside and performing some trivial diagnostics. Checking both the HDD and all fans independently of each other provided no insight. Rebooting was not accompanied with the previous noise. I am at a loss, but "if it ain't broke", I won't fix it. I will just wait for a repeat of the noise or some other problem before attempting any repairs.

Thanks ever so much for your time and efforts.

the wheel man