Acronis TI Question

drummer · Jan 26, 2009, 22:14:04

Hoping that one of the ATI users here can help with this (probably rather dumb) question.

Is it possible to usilise the ATI boot CD using only a freshly formatted HDD? I've never done it before so I'm wondering if the MBR and other boot files are saved with the ATI tbi file. All I've done in the past is to load the ATI CD and select the Recovery option, which overwrites the existing OS and then boots normally.

My sneaking suspicion is that I'll be greeted with a "No OS Found" message and I'll need to boot from the Windows CD to initiate bootcnfg, fixmbr, fixboot and a myriad of other command prompts.

Still using ATI v.9 and the tbi files are on a separate SATA drive.

World of pain or an easy ride?

Steve · Jan 26, 2009, 22:36:04

I am fairly sure you can clone a drive with ATI, logically one of the purposes of a backup program is to restore if a disk fails.You can even restore to a larger drive if you wish and the expand the partition.

Ray · Jan 26, 2009, 22:51:35

I would think you would be OK, Drummer, I've done a drive copy to a new formatted HD using the TI rescue CD, and I'm sure the image file includes a copy of the mbr. I seem to remember having a choice when I did a restore of replacing the mbr or keeping the existing if there is one.

I don't know whether you are aware but the rescue cd runs a version of linux, there are also instructions in the Acronis forums for making a BartPE version of the rescue cd which is what I now use.

drummer · Jan 27, 2009, 00:55:09

Quote from: stevethegas on Jan 26, 2009, 22:36:04
I am fairly sure you can clone a drive with ATI, logically one of the purposes of a backup program is to restore if a disk fails.You can even restore to a larger drive if you wish and the expand the partition.

The beauty of restoration apps is that cloning a drive should be an unnecessary luxury which is why I never did it.

Do you realise how hard it is to actually kick yourself?

drummer · Jan 27, 2009, 01:40:45

Quote from: Sheltieuk on Jan 26, 2009, 22:51:35
I would think you would be OK, Drummer, I've done a drive copy to a new formatted HD using the TI rescue CD, and I'm sure the image file includes a copy of the mbr. I seem to remember having a choice when I did a restore of replacing the mbr or keeping the existing if there is one.

I don't know whether you are aware but the rescue cd runs a version of linux, there are also instructions in the Acronis forums for making a BartPE version of the rescue cd which is what I now use.

Guess it will be a case of "suck it and see" with regard to the MBR.

I should point out that the only reason I have a problem is because I shoved an IDE cable in the wrong way and broke off a pin on the HDD and it's now unreadable using the the ATI recovery CD and the BartPE CD, and I don't have a spare HDD.

Not the end of the world, but I'm wondering if it's worth buying a new HDD just to see if it works, or if it will definitely fail.

Noreen · Jan 27, 2009, 12:42:33

I can't answer your question but you might find any answer here. http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=29880

JB · Jan 27, 2009, 17:34:39

Quote from: drummer on Jan 26, 2009, 22:14:04
Is it possible to utilise the ATI boot CD using only a freshly formatted HDD?

Yes you can and the new target drive doesn't need to be formatted as you can chose whether to replicate the original to the same size or bigger on the new disk. I have done it several times when upgrading the size of my HD.

One thing I would advise is to validate your backup after booting with the rescue CD to ensure all is well before proceding. Don't rely on a validation done by TI under the Windows GUI.

Good luck.

drummer · Jan 27, 2009, 19:46:06

Quote from: Noreen on Jan 27, 2009, 12:42:33
I can't answer your question but you might find any answer here. http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=29880

Thanks Noreen but I'd already been there and got a headache from everyone giving contradictory advice.

drummer · Jan 27, 2009, 19:54:17

Quote from: 6jb on Jan 27, 2009, 17:34:39
Yes you can and the new target drive doesn't need to be formatted as you can chose whether to replicate the original to the same size or bigger on the new disk. I have done it several times when upgrading the size of my HD.

One thing I would advise is to validate your backup after booting with the rescue CD to ensure all is well before proceding. Don't rely on a validation done by TI under the Windows GUI.

Good luck.

Excellent news 6jb and many thanks for that information.

Now I won't need to buy small a HDD. Yipee.

Steve · Jan 27, 2009, 23:22:22

Is this large enough?

drummer · Jan 28, 2009, 01:57:18

Quote from: stevethegas on Jan 27, 2009, 23:22:22
Is this large enough?

Hee hee - the cache is 12Mb larger than the total capacity of my first HDD.

I'm a bit frugal with capacity though, so even an 80Gb boot drive is a tad excessive for me.

JB · Jan 28, 2009, 08:47:36

Quote from: stevethegas on Jan 27, 2009, 23:22:22
Is this large enough?

Following appalling service from Western Digital after the RMA'ing of two faulty drives, which is still ongoing after eight weeks, I wouldn't use one of their drives ever again. I will never recommend their disks to anyone else ever again.

My second drive is still in Frankfurt, which is where UK returns end up, and shows no signs of a replacement being dispatched as yet.

The first replacement was dispatched last week from Frankfurt via UPS. Western Digital put an address on the package which bears no relationship to the one I supplied with the RMA and as a result I have had to liaise with UPS to get the address corrected. I am hoping for delivery today. This will be a rebuilt drive, not new.

Western Digital are slow to respond to their own internal ticket system and are one of the most arrogant companies I have ever dealt with. When this debacle is over, it is my intention to write to their head office to complain of such poor service.

Western Digital - Never Again

Rant Over.

Rik · Jan 28, 2009, 10:42:09

That seems to leave Samsung, Maxtor and Fujitsu then...

Ray · Jan 28, 2009, 11:14:29

Quote from: Rik on Jan 28, 2009, 10:42:09
That seems to leave Samsung, Maxtor and Fujitsu then...

Although Seagate seem to have messed up with the firmware problem on some of disks I can't fault them on their returns procedure with the disk I returned recently the replacement was shipped on the day they received my faulty one. The whole turn round time from my despatching to them and receiving the replacement was only 10 -12 days.

Rik · Jan 28, 2009, 11:19:36

I'm still slightly wary, though - despite having to 'Cudas in this machine.

Ray · Jan 28, 2009, 11:31:28

Quote from: Rik on Jan 28, 2009, 11:19:36
I'm still slightly wary, though - despite having to 'Cudas in this machine.

So am I, Rik, I've used Seagate disks for several years and this is the first one that has failed on me, I can't help feeling that there was some panicking going on, it would be interesting to know how many disks were actually faulty. The replacement disk that I received was still flashed with the suspect firmware which I've left alone and the disk is OK at the moment, as it's 1 of 4 disks in my Home Server it shouldn't be a problem if it does fail due to the data redundancy and the way the Server backup works.

Rik · Jan 28, 2009, 11:33:08

I did get a sense of panic about the whole thing, Ray, and it's that which will damage Seagate most, imo.

Ray · Jan 28, 2009, 11:47:52

Quote from: Rik on Jan 28, 2009, 11:33:08
I did get a sense of panic about the whole thing, Ray, and it's that which will damage Seagate most, imo.

There certainly was on the Seagate Forums, Rik, I find this is one of the problems with support forums you don't always get a true picture of the situation, you seem to get the people with problems and an axe to grind sounding off, and you don't hear anything from the ones with no problems. You then end up with a false sense of how bad the problems are and the real extent of the effects.

Rik · Jan 28, 2009, 12:14:22

It happens here, Ray.

Ray · Jan 28, 2009, 12:25:12

Quote from: Rik on Jan 28, 2009, 12:14:22
It happens here, Ray.

This is very true, Rik.

JB · Jan 28, 2009, 16:23:45

I think the issue with Seagate is that like a few other hard disk manufacturers they have changed production from one far east country to another to keep costs down. Quite often when a new 'country' is brought on line a number of unreliable disks seem to be produced for a period of time.

In the case of Seagate, they seem to have a reasonable mechanism in place to ensure that end users can get replacements fairly quickly. That seems quite fair to me and it has been unfortunate for those users involved in the latest problems, some requiring firmware modification.

In my experience of Western Digital, not only do they suffer the same production problems as other HD manufacturers, but their repair and replacement mechanism is totally below standard and extremely lengthy, despite the 'turnaround times' quoted on their web site which are totally false.

I received one of my replacement disks this morning and it is a refurb. There are scratches on the casing. It does seem to work. Let's see for how long. Certainly I won't be entrusting any valuable data to it.

Seagate or Samsung for me in future.

Rik · Jan 28, 2009, 16:28:40

We all seem to be wary of WD, JB. They really should realise it will impact their bottom line.

Steve · Jan 28, 2009, 17:54:38

I am getting worried now I've got 9 WD's in the house of various vintage :fingers:none have caused a moments trouble yet. Sounds like a throw away item if it goes wrong ( not worth the hassle with CS)

Rik · Jan 28, 2009, 17:55:49

They may get their act back together by the time you need them, Steve.

JB · Jan 29, 2009, 09:25:43

Just as an aside. I had to RMA some memory to Crucial before Christmas. After entering the details the automated response said to expect a reply within 3 working days. After that they wanted the other 'good' stick back as they needed to replace it with faster memory as the slower was no longer available. Problem was, the other stick was in Spain.

This January, having returned from Spain, I applied for an RMA for the second stick as agreed with them before Christmas. This time the response stated to expect a reply within 7 working days.

Can't fault Crucial (Lexar) service but it does look like they may have let some staff go. The girl I dealt with before Christmas and actually got quite pally with seems to have gone.