How to fix Too Slow Backups with TruImage Home

This is a fix that likely is the big problem for many complaints. So many posts about slow speed here. The solution for me was right here in the knowledgebase, but sure wasn't easy to locate

I'm a qualified bench tech and an 8 year Truimage user. Tried some newer versions, but stick with my older TI 11 version.

3 months ago, overnight incremental backups began taking 2 or 3 times longer to complete. Then we I tried to do Full partition backups that had previously taken 8 hours for 200+GB of data, it would take 36 hours to complete. And of course, it slows everything to a crawl if you have priority high which I do.

Several visits here to forum and KB didn't bring any solutions, so I started in on the PC new Shuttle Duo with bells... found nada to explain sudden loss of speed.

Then a bubble went up... "Hey, I had that problem with that failing CMOS battery a few months back."

Yep. My 2 eSata HD on the second Primary controller would suddenly popup "Delayed Write Errors" Looking in Explorer, it visually appeared, then back to work only to get more Delayed Write errors. Finally I realize Drive 2 is no longer connected. A reboot showed it not even appearing at CMOS Bootup, so went in to check. The CMOS settings were gone. The CMOS would reset to default on a reboot And No drive there where it should be. No reason to panic, have seen this before. I turn off Power, take off the cable to that hard Drive... reconnect. Reboot and hard drive is there. I figure its a flaky eSata cable, so i replace that and no more problems for a few days, then starts again. Finally, I realized that the should-be-brand-new CMOS battery is dodgy, replacing that and all the Errors went away

ThenI missed the clues that things were taking a smidgen longer to complete working on the PC( Win XP3) until I tried to do a Full backup on 150GB with TI. I canceled it out after 9 hours so I could get back to work. So I relied on nothing but TI incrementals until my HD is filling up last week.

Someone here said go try Macrium Reflect. Did so... same issue with 36 hour backups. so it isn't Truimage

Here's the fix if this sounds like you http://kb.acronis.com/content/2293

The Problem is WindBlows of course. The delayed write errors caused WinXP to reset thye DMA settings on the HD controllers... instead of Ultra DMA 5 which is fast read and write technology, it reset the XP controllers back to PIO mode which is ancient IDE speed.

The above URL gives you a download link for a VBS script file to run. This removes the reset for DMA in Registry file, then a reboot causes Windows to re-detect the controllers and Voila! back to the proper Ultra DMA speed. 3 months frustrated and thats what it was the entire time.

Almost anything that causes a write error to a hard drive can trip this up. Windows claims it is set to 6 write errors and it resets the controllers back to slowest. 6 errors. It resets and you have a problem. No indication from windows whatsover. You have to get into Device Manager and right-click to see the issue