Problems running Acronis from CD

[Charlie98]

As part of my new build (DESK2 in sig...) I installed Acronis '12 to generate backups and such. The problem is... any time I try to boot up using the Acronis CD, like I would if I had to mount a backup image, I get this:



...and the system is locked up, I have to hard reset it. It starts normally... flashes the Acronis screen, gives me the menu (I select Acronis True Image '12), says it's starting (the Acronis black screen logo) and then dumps that.

Obviously that's not going to work at The Moment of Truth... anyone know what's going on?

 

[boomerang]

I can't address your problem specifically and it's been a long time since I've used Acronis, but I would ask if you have the software up to date. Installing updates usually means burning a new disk. That was my experience when I was using it.

 

[corkyg]

That many messages suggests you have a lot of wrong/missing drivers and/or connections.

 

[Charlie98]

No offense, but I don't get it. The program itself is installed and running. The computer is built and running pretty much flawlessly, I have no other error codes that I know of. What driver(s) could possibly be missing? It's booting off the factory Acronis CD...?

 

[corkyg]

OK - I assumed you were booting off of the prepared Rescue Media. Booting from the program disk is not the way it is to be used. Run the program and create bootable Rescue Media. You have a choice - it can be an opticaL disk, a thumb drive, or . . . my choice, a ISO file that can be used anywhere to create Rescue Media.

I have been an Acronis user since version 1, and have never had a program CD. I have always downloaded the program. So, forgive my lack of perception as to what you were using to boot with.

 

[Charlie98]

OK - I assumed you were booting off of the prepared Rescue Media. Booting from the program disk is not the way it is to be used. Run the program and create bootable Rescue Media. You have a choice - it can be an opticaL disk, a thumb drive, or . . . my choice, a ISO file that can be used anywhere to create Rescue Media.

I have been an Acronis user since version 1, and have never had a program CD. I have always downloaded the program. So, forgive my lack of perception as to what you were using to boot with.

TBH, the only reason I put an optical drive in this thing was to use Acronis... in the event I needed to recover an image. I did use the program disk to recover my primary computer when it's SSD crashed a few months ago... it worked very well; in fact, I tried it out on my desktop again this morning just to make sure I wasn't missing something on the other computer... so you can use it that way, just FYI.

...but I'll do as you suggest and create a rescue media on a USB stick and give it a test drive.

There is also the potential the ODD is crapped out, for some reason, I suppose.

 

[sm625]

Remove all internal usb cables from your motherboard headers. Remove all usb devices except keyboard and mouse.

 

[Charlie98]

Remove all internal usb cables from your motherboard headers. Remove all usb devices except keyboard and mouse.

I'll do it... the USB stick didn't work either.

 

[boomerang]

Did you upgrade to the most recent build? I found myself having to upgrade to a newer version of the software because there was no support for my newer hardware even in the most recent build of the version I was running. The most recent update I see at the Acronis site for your version is dated July of 2012. An eternity in the computer world. You pretty much must upgrade to that latest build as a trouble shooting step.

 

[Charlie98]

The version itself is updated, I checked again last night...

 

[John Connor]

I heard a lot of horror stories with Acronis. I used it once and have sense went with Macrium Reflect. They have a PS builder plug-in for the boot CD. http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

[denis280]

don't understand.but yet.never happened to me.

 

[Charlie98]

Well, I can tell you from experience Acronis works... it's how I recovered my desktop PC when the SSD puked a few months ago. I just don't understand what's giving me problems with this machine... it's a clean install on a very light system.

My other two machines are 1155/Ivy CPUs, the new one is 1150 Haswell.... I wonder if Acronis 2012 can handle Haswell?

 

[boomerang]

I wonder if Acronis 2012 can handle Haswell?

You're starting to catch on. Acronis has their own forums and I bet a search there would be very helpful. As I said earlier, I had to keep updating to the latest version to get full functionality. I would research this at their forums before spending money for the latest version.

Unlike yourself, I wonder how many people have never actually tested the software to see if it would restore from a back up?

 

[Charlie98]

Unlike yourself, I wonder how many people have never actually tested the software to see if it would restore from a back up?

You mean people install backup software and then wait until their system crashes to 'test' it???? ...imagine that.

 

[Ketchup]

Is that "True Image 12" or something different? You could download a free trial of '14 and see if it does any better for you.

 

[Charlie98]

Is that "True Image 12" or something different? You could download a free trial of '14 and see if it does any better for you.

Yes.

I've read some complaints about TI'14 so I stayed away from it... I've had good service out of '12, so that's what I installed on this machine. If I can't get results out of the Acronis forums, I'll try '14. I'm running out of time....

 

[Virgorising]

You mean people install backup software and then wait until their system crashes to 'test' it???? ...imagine that.

:biggrin:

 

[C1]

The OP doesnt make sense. If you installed TI 12 and have used it to create back ups then fine - TI is installed, so use that program. You're done booting from the factory CD.

Create the TI back up CD using the installed TI program. That CD is what is bootable. See if you can restore from there, but generally you cant restore a drive/partition from an image that is on the same physical drive.

In any event, always test your backup software/system at the time of backup software purchase. Make no assumptions as it is typical certain options/facets dont work for your hardware/installation. Document the procedure/steps that you've verified work with your unique set up as typically the need for restorations are infrequent and you will not be able to recall by memory how you did what you did six months or a year or more ago.

 

[Charlie98]

The OP doesnt make sense. If you installed TI 12 and have used it to create back ups then fine - TI is installed, so use that program. You're done booting from the factory CD.

Create the TI back up CD using the installed TI program. That CD is what is bootable. See if you can restore from there, but generally you cant restore a drive/partition from an image that is on the same physical drive.

In any event, always test your backup software/system at the time of backup software purchase. Make no assumptions as it is typical certain options/facets dont work for your hardware/installation. Document the procedure/steps that you've verified work with your unique set up as typically the need for restorations are infrequent and you will not be able to recall by memory how you did what you did six months or a year or more ago.

You are kind of missing the point. Acronis is installed on my system to generate backup images on a separate disk. If the system drive fails, you boot into the factory CD and mount the new image on whatever is the system drive (new or recovered, whatever...) That's what I did last time, that's what Acronis says to do.

I'm not making assumptions... that's why I'm trying to get it to work NOW, instead of after I send this unit out and it crashes.

 

[Ketchup]

Charlie98, you are running a very new chipset (Q3 '13). Isn't it reasonable to assume that a CD from '11 may not support it?

 

[Ketchup]

I am running the trial of '14 now, and I am seeing a "create bootable media" option. Does yours not have that? Because it sounds like that is exactly what you want here.

 

[boomerang]

I am convinced that your hardware is too new for an '11 version of the software. I'm not sure Acronis is able to copy system specific drivers to created bootable media which is why it won't work. I think they would be shooting themselves in the foot if that was the case. They don't exist on the installation CD either which is why it won't work. Your older hardware works because there are drivers integrated into that version that work with that hardware.

The trial version used to be crippled in that you could not restore from it and I don't imagine that has changed. But, if it will boot successfully to the screen where you are given options on what you want to do next, you should be good with that version - I think. You lock up tight because it can't recognize your hardware. If the 2014 trial version does not lock up and gets to a choice screen, it stands to reason you should be able to restore from it. But obviously with a downloaded trial version your only option is to create rescue media to try that out.

By way of information the last version I was using was 10.

Check this out. http://www.acronis.com/support/documentation/ATIH2012/index.html#8493.html By creating a BartPE disc, you should be able to have system drivers available on the disk that Acronis will utilize. It might be a fun project or you just might find it best to buy the latest version of Acronis. I know they are still hitting my Inbox with offers fairly frequently.

Edit: Did some reading at that link. BartPE will only let you install storage and network drivers. Trying to run it off a USB stick in unsupported hardware will be a no-go.

 

[bruceb]

I agree with what was said in post #19 .. you need to make the Bootable CD or Rescue Media from within Acronis. That way, it will find all necessary drivers it needs and any system files it needs to be bootable and fully usable.

 

[Charlie98]

I am running the trial of '14 now, and I am seeing a "create bootable media" option. Does yours not have that? Because it sounds like that is exactly what you want here.

I am convinced that your hardware is too new for an '11 version of the software. I'm not sure Acronis is able to copy system specific drivers to created bootable media which is why it won't work. I think they would be shooting themselves in the foot if that was the case. They don't exist on the installation CD either which is why it won't work. Your older hardware works because there are drivers integrated into that version that work with that hardware.

Ahh... so! Now I understand what's going on. Software isn't my strong point, as you may have gathered... now I understand what everyone was getting at.

I did create a rescue media CD from the installed program, it finally got me through to the main menu... so we are making progress. The problem now is I can't navigate because it's doesn't see either my USB keyboard or mouse. But I'll figure a way around that.

This also tells me I need to make rescue media CDs for my other systems as well...

Thanks everyone...