Bart PE Plugin

Whew, pretty buggy alright. I can image and verify to a server. However, as you said, in the case of local disks for storing the image: it says "access denied". While True Image is running, the drive letters disappear from file managers. But, they reappear when True Image is closed. Seems like it's "lock prior to imaging" function is out of control. But, it won't allow a restore from the server, it wants to reboot as usual. Anyway, I'm tired of it for now.

 

To: Beenthereb4
What operating system are you running to build your BartPE CD? What menu system are you running? The standard nu2menu that comes from Bart or something fancier? I can't get drive letters to appear with or without TI running. I happen to be using Windows Server 2003 to build the CD. I even installed the plugin that comes with TI Enterprise Server and get the same results (lack of) I mentioned in previous post.

 

I'm using XP Pro Service Pack 2 with nu2menu. That's interesting about the server version, you saved me from trying that. I've been considering using the files from my favorite server version: build 933. Now, I'm thinking i'll just wait for Acronis to get the bugs out. I don't really need it for anything.

 

I tried building the BartPE boot CD using XP Pro as opposed to Windows Server 2003. Finally, I was then able to see my local drive letters. But as usual, the "Explore Image" tool wouldn't load a backup image. I got new errors when trying to map a network drive.

 

But you could not image to or restore from the local hard drives, could you? I was able to image to a firewire local drive. It took 35 minutes as opposed to 3 minutes in Windows XP. Since it cannot restore the "active" partition, I can't figure out what it would be useful for.

 

Hello all,

We are really sorry for problems with Acronis True Image plugin for BartPE. Our Development Team is currently working on the improvement of it and we expect the bugs to be fixed soon. Your postings on this forum will certainly help us and I will forward them to our Development Team.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

I have tried the plugin from Acronis True Image 8 Corporate Workstation. I am experiencing the same problems. I am using BartPE 3.1.3 built with Windows XP Pro and Service Pack 2. My first build was done using Sherpya's XPE version 1.0.3 plugin as the shell. True Image does not get past the slpash screen and gives the error that it could not find any hard drives on the system.

My second build was done without XPE, using the N2Ushell. The program does start and sees the local hard drives when choosing a partition image. The problem is the same as mentioned above, it will not save to a local drive. Only network locations are available for saving an image. I also noticed that the local drives were not accessible in the A43 file managment utility when True Image was running.

Using XPE to get a windows XP like shell in now very popular. I would hope that the Acronis team could test this plugin for compatibility with XPE. It would also be interesting to know how they built their BartPE and did it have access to the local drives for saving images.

Any comments from the support team?

 

Hello mustang,

We haven't designed Acronis True Image plug-in for anything other than BartPE that is why we cannot guarantee that it will work properly with Sherpya's XPE.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Used BartPE v3.1.3, nu2Menu

OS for building CD . . . Backup Restore Explore (Y/N=Yes/No)
XP Pro sp1 . . . . . . . Y *1 N *4 N
XP Pro sp2 . . . . . . . N *2 N N
Server 2003. . . . . . . N *3 N *4 N
Server 2003 sp1. . . . . N N N

*1 to mapped network drive only
*2 couldn't map network drive
*3 "Failed to read from sector 63..."
*4 "Logical disk in use" error

For plugin, I used every combination of:
BartPE zip file that Acronis sent me
BartPE from TI8CWS build# 1124
BartPE from TI8ES build# 1124

When building with Win Server 2003, enabling TI plugin causes local HD etters to disappear.

As you can see, almost nothing works.

 

To use the Acronis Trueimage Plugin with XPE it's nesessary to edit the z_xpe-custom.inf. Add under the section [SetValue] the following lines:

"txtsetup.sif", "SourceDisksFiles", "snapman.sys", "1,,,,,,_3,4,1"
"txtsetup.sif", "SCSI.Load", "snapman", "snapman.sys,4"
"txtsetup.sif", "SCSI", "snapman", """Acronis Snapshot Driver"""

After that Acronis Trueimage can access the local drives und you can make an image. Until now it's not possible to restore an image (Trueimage can not lock the disc/partition).

 

Hello Dragon,

Thanks for your suggestion.

I tried adding the three lines under the [SetValue] section of z_xpe-custom.inf. Unforetuneatly, it made no difference for me. I am still getting the error at the splash screen before the program would normally be analyzing the partitions. It is error "E000101F4: Acronis True Image has not found any hard disk drives".

What OS and Service Pack did you build from? What versions of BartPE and XPE are you using? Also do you have any drivers under the "drivers\SCCI" section of BartPE? I have three drivers for Promise Technologies controler cards. I do not know if that is causing a problem.

 

Once again,we think alike and you do the work! One would tend to assume that they (Acronis) were using something that worked. The only one left is XP Pro Gold. I may try it tomorrow, unless you beat me to it.

 

Hello mustang,

I'am currently using

BartPE 3.13
XPE 1.03
Windows XP with SP2 (german version)
HWPNP 1.09

Also I'am using one of the varios driver plugins for BartPE. What happens when you disable the Trueimage plugin? Will the harddisk then be found ?
I had the same problem like you. If I enable the Trueimage plugin without my modifications I will no longer see any harddisk SCSI/IDE in the device manager.

 

Hello Dragon,

My build is the same as yours except that I have the English version of Windows XP. I am also using HWPnP. All my drives are showing in Device Manager even with the Acronis plugin enabled. The drives are also showing and accessible in Windows Explorer. The Acronis program can simply not see them.

You seem to be the only one that is able to get this plugin working for local drives. Could you post your acronis.inf file? Make sure to blank out your product key before posting.

 

On my end not using nu2menu or xpe but using bblean with mmc2, plug n play with hwpnp, and other bits I have no issuesseeing the drives at all in any other app. Even mmc will see the drives and even show linux partitions. I cant do anything with them but it sees them. When I start up true image and try to select any option at all it tells me that that it cant find any local drives.

I'm using xp sp2 english. Also to note when acronis is running I can still access my drives just fine with gyulas navigator.

 

I found the error.

I get the same error as you when I build the BartPE CD on another computer. Acronis can not access the drives when the snapman filters isn't load correctly. Check the registry key Hkey_local_machine\system\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}. The values for upperfilters must be Partmgr and snapman. In my case when I get the error the snapman value is missing. To solve the problem add the both lines to your z_xpe_custom.inf (for example after the Mouse wheel detection in the SetupReg.AddReg section):

0x7, "ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}", "UpperFilters","PartMgr", "snapman"
0x7, "ControlSet001\Control\Class\{71A27CDD-812A-11D0-BEC7-08002BE2092F}", "UpperFilters","timntr", "snapman"


Build a new BartPE CD and check for these registry keys. If the registry keys and the value snapman are present Acronis should be able to access the drives.

 

Hello Dragon,

Very good work!!

I added the two 0x7 enties to the [SetupReg.AddReg] section of z_xpe-custom.inf as you suggested. That eliminated the error of not finding any hard disk drives. The plugin is now working under XPE exactly the same as it is under the nu2shell in a standard BartPE build.

Unfortunately, it can still not save an image to a local drive. The save dialog does see the partitions on the local drives but, when you choose any of them, you are told "D:\is not accessible. Access is denied".

I guess we will just have to wait for Acronis to solve this problem.

Thanks again for all your help. You should post this infomation in the BartPE Plugin section of the CD Forum. I have seen a number of questions about this issue lately.

Hopefully, Acronis will include the information you have provided in the help file of the next release of the plugin.

 

actually I have just modified my bblean shell with the above mentioned fix and i am able to save to a local drive just fine.

I am also no longer getting the no local drives error any more.

I can also restore an image and clone a drive but it always thinks the target volume is in use when it is not. I made sure to shut everything down and the only app open at all was true image and true image still wants to reboot which of course is worthless. since it cant write to the boot sector of a cdrom.

 

I have just sent the following Email to Acronis Support:

 

I've been working on a BartPE Plugin for TI Server for the past couple of days. Here's mine:

 

@ ALL

I have prepared a "get-Acronis-Key.cmd" to automatically add the key to the acronis.inf.
Download "get-Acronis-key.cmd" here

Note; It works fine for me, but unfortunately I can not test, if it works for all versions of TrueImage (it should, though).

If you have problems, let me know, so I can adjust the code to automatically adapt to versions. I would then need a Reg-export of the Acronis branch and a copy of your acronis.inf. Make sure, you blank out the actual key!!! Send info.

regards, Siegfried

readMe-KEY.txt

 

Hello all,

Please note that the approach proposed by Siegfried is not approved by Acronis and wasn't tested in our Testing Lab. Since it doesn't violate End-User License Agreement we will not do anything with the post but I must warn everyone that if you use the method proposed use it at your own risk.

Currently our Development Team is working on fixing the plug-in and we expect the newer builds to be stable and fully functional.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Ups...

your legal department seems to react much faster than plugin development!

Acronis, don´t forget two things:
1.) you´re not supplying this Plugin to do us a favour, but as a workaround where your CD does not see drives.
2.) People trying to help in this topic wouldn´t have to, if your plugin worked (at all!)

I´m gonna get out of this topic and just wait for a working plugin!
Kind regards to anyone , but Acronis
Siegfried

@ Ilya Toytman
I know, you´re only doing your job. No offence at all!
I am reacting to company policy.

 

Hello Siegfried,

Didn't want to be offensive but it is my duty to warn people when any solution is proposed that wasn't approved by Acronis. I do appreciate your help and your readiness to share your experience with others.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

@ ALL

Good News!

I received my plugin today.

Saved/restored Drive C to/from network shares and to/from second hard disk.

No problems at all !!!

Used:
1.) Reatogo-package (out-of-the-box)
http://reatogo.de/Download/reatogo-313-103-a.exe

2.) Plugin from Acronis as downloaded
a.) renamed folder AcronisTrueImagePE to zAcronisTrueImagePE (to process after XPE)
b.) ran get-Acronis-Key.cmd inside zAcronisTrueImagePE
http://www.reatogo.de/Download/autoHelp/get-Acronis-Key.zip
This will create XPE shortcuts (+licence-key, not required for this plugin)


Thank you Acronis. Either I´m the lucky one or you fixed your plugin.


@ Ilya Toytman
Please suggest this to your people at development:

1.) make the files, that are different from the regular program files look for the licence-key in the registry of the source system and locKed if no valid key is present. This will ensure they only work for qualified users.

2.) have them generally in a subfolder of the regular program (e.g. "pluginResources") and make this freely available to the public as an update to the program.

With this you have an even better protection against abuse of your licence and you fit into the logistics of the BartPE-world making it easy for your users.

Please check this example of a selfconfiguring plugin:
http://www.reatogo.de/Download/autoHelp/zAcronisTrueImagePE-test.zip

This example won´t give a functional plugin because it doesn´t have the modified files, that differ from the regular program but it shows the principle of selfconfiguration with "autoHelp.cmd".

The included autoHelp.cmd copies all needed files from the source system, gets the licence key from the registry and creates a fresh (enabled) acronis.inf with everything included and ready-to-build.

Needs a licenced copy of the program installed on the source system.

Note: the code would have to be adjusted for the relevant files in a suggested folder "pluginResources"


At least add this to the acronis.inf to give XPE users a way to start the program:
[Software.Addreg]
; Shortcut(s) for TrueImage
0x2, "Sherpya\XPEinit\Desktop", "TrueImage", "%SystemDrive%\Programs\Acronis\TrueImage.exe"
0x2, "Sherpya\XPEinit\Programs", "Acronis\TrueImage", "%SystemDrive%\Programs\Acronis\TrueImage.exe"
...and make sure, you rename the folder to "zAcronisTrueImagePE" or it won´t work under XPE out-of-the-box !!!

Regards, Siegfried