Acronis Images - Error loading operating system

[vincikb]

I am not having any luck using Converter 3.02 when trying to import in an Acronis .tib backup image. I have taken backups on our physical servers using Acronis 8.0 and Acronis 9.1 and everything goes great until I power on the VM and I receive "Error loading operating system" I have tried installing Acronis Echo which is the latest version of Acronis and it will not even accept the file, so I assume Acronis Echo is not supported yet with Converter 3.02? So my question is, what am I doing wrong that I am receiving the "Error loading operating system" and I cannot get the machine to boot? I would like to be able to use this for our DR recovery as it would save me tons of hours. I have opened a SR ticket with VMware and the tech could not get it work work either. He told me to contact Acronis as he feels its their issue. This does not make any sense to me since its Converter is a VMware product not Acronis. I have opened a ticket with Acronis and will post what they say here. I was just wondering if anyone else has had any luck with Acronis?

[IamTHEvilONE]

Converter 3.0.2 introduced support for conversion of an additional third-party disk image format: Acronis True Image 9.

- New Improvement for 3.0.3: Importing Acronis images with foreign characters in the path or filename causes error. Release 3.0.3 corrects this problem.

Have you attempted the newer version?

[vincikb]

Thanks for the reply, I am downloading 3.0.3 right now to try it, I didn't know the new version was out. I am not sure what a foreign character would be as our filenames are pretty basic but its worth a shot. I will post back after I give it a try.

[vincikb]

Same thing "Error loading operating system" when I go to power on the VM. I am using Acronis Enterprise 9 like the release notes states that 3.0.3 supports. I am backing up Windows 2003 Server SP1 to a .tib file. The entire Converter progress goes just fine and smooth, its when I go to power on the VM that I get the following message. Also, I noticed for example if I attempt to change the disk size during the Converter progress Converter throws and error and log file. For example my server is only using 6GB but the entire disk is 72 GB. If I change it to make the VM only 10 GB, it throws the error. So if I accept the defaults and make it a 72 GB disk in VM it goes through but I still get the error loading operatin system. Has anyone gotten Acronis to restore with Converter?

[theanykey]

Sounds like possibly a problem with the machine that was imaged and not necessarily the image itself. Could you attach the logs?

[vincikb]

I can if you think it will help? These would be the logs that I sent VMware under our Platinum Support agreement. Here is the response I got back from VMware support after I sent the logs. I doubt its the machine that was imaged. I built up a fresh Windows 2003 SP1 image on an HP bl365 blade server just for this test. Let me know if you want me to send the logs or if I should file another VMware support request and hopefully get another technican. Thank

From VMware:

I d/l a trial version of true image to make .TIB files, made a XP vm and did backups using this true image software. Sector by sector did not work nor did the non sector by sector method. Client will need to call this 3rd party software and see if there is any flags that need to be set. When trying to use converter to import these .TIB files it would come back with unknown OS error. The same errors client was getting in his logs are in mine. Believe this is a true image fault and not a converter fault. Client is going to give them a call.

[theanykey]

Can you provide the SR# so I can look into the ticket?

Does acronis 8.0/9.1 create images specific to .tib or does acronis create other file formats?

[vincikb]

SR: 1107107211

I have opened a ticket with Acronis but have yet to hear back from them fully aswell.

Acronis only creates a .tib file, I checked all the options. We have Acronis 8.0, 9.0, and now Echo which is the latest version. I have created backups on all 3 versions to see if Converter would work on a specific version and they all have the same results.

[paragsha]

Can you please answer the following questions:

1. What does your partition layout look like?

2. Which of these partitions are Active/System?

3. Are the partitions/disks basic or dynamic?

[vincikb]

My Partition layout is a single 68.33 GB C:\ drive with it taking all the space on the drive. There is only 1 parition and its the active system partition and its a basic disk.

[paragsha]

This is the most common configuration and should ideally work. When you try importing the image using converter 3.0.3, on the 3rd page (source data) it lets you select volumes that you want to import. (By default it shows you only the disks). Can you try clicking on "select volumes...". The volume here should be showing the color corresponding to "System/Active". What color does it show for the volume?

Also if you can upload the logs of converter agent, it would be helpful.

[vincikb]

Here is a screenshot of that screen. I noticed if I select "Convert all disks and maintain size" it goes through just fine at this point. If I change the size to say 10 GB because it only has 5.19 GB in use it will fail with the screenshot below. I have also attached the logs.!Screen2.JPG!

[paragsha]

Looking at the logs and screenshot the images (tdoubler01-Acronis9.tib and tdoubler01-Acronis8.tib) seems to have imported without and problems and should have powered on unless the tib is somehow corrupted or there is a problem with the source system.

A work-around to unblock you would be to try Converter's P2V feature to import your machine to a VM. Also if this works, it would ensure that the problem was not with your source system.

[vincikb]

Thanks Paragsha for your continued help. Here is a summary of what I did. I took a brand new HP blade server and install Windows 2003 Server SP1 on it. I installed Acronis 8 and backed up the server, uninstalled 8 and installed 9, took a backup with 9. Then uninstall 9, installed Echo (ver 10) and took a backup. On all 3 images I used Converter to restore from the .tib file and all of them finished the process just fine, its when I go to power any of the 3 VM's on that it gives the Operating System error. If I were to take any of these Acronis images and using a p2v helper VM restore the Acronis image to a new disk, then use the old p2v assistance the VM's will power up and work just fine. Like I said this is the process we have used at our DR site the past 2 years but I thought we could save alot of time to just use converter and not have to use p2v assistance anymore.

What is this work-around you are talking about and how do I use it?

[theanykey]

source:(sysimage.V2ISourceVMSpec)

v2iFilePath = "
pdrm01\NTAdhoc\tdoubler01-AcronisEcho.tib"

V2IImportSource::GetComputerSpec - Instantiating V2iDisk

Constructing V2iDisk with source path="
pdrm01\NTAdhoc\tdoubler01-AcronisEcho.tib"

V2IImportSource::GetComputerSpec - Calling v2id.wrapDiskImage()

Wrapping V2I image

Using temp dir C:\temp\vmware-temp\vmware-vincikb\temp-wrapper.0

Wrapping V2I images with dest dir="C:\temp\vmware-temp\vmware-vincikb\temp-wrapper.0"

Error while mounting image

THIRDPARTY_LIB

Import source not recognized

source:(sysimage.V2ISourceVMSpec)

v2iFilePath = "
pdrm01\NTAdhoc\tdoubler01-Acronis8.tib"

V2IImportSource::GetComputerSpec - Instantiating V2iDisk

Constructing V2iDisk with source path="
pdrm01\NTAdhoc\tdoubler01-Acronis8.tib"

V2IImportSource::GetComputerSpec - Calling v2id.wrapDiskImage()

Wrapping V2I image

Using temp dir C:\temp\vmware-temp\vmware-vincikb\temp-wrapper.0

Wrapping V2I images with dest dir="C:\temp\vmware-temp\vmware-vincikb\temp-wrapper.0"

Opened : (null) (0x1c)

Opened : "
pdrm01\NTAdhoc\tdoubler01-Acronis8.tib00+0" (0x1c)

Opened : (null) (0x1c)

"C:\temp\vmware-temp\vmware-vincikb\temp-wrapper.0\drive-1.vmdk" : failed to open (The system cannot find the file specified).

The other thing that I noticed was the missing drive letter here. This usually indicates an EISA or a non-windows partition.:

id = "virtVol={computer=0}"

driveLetter = ""

capacityInBytes = 73369465344

spaceUsedInBytes = 5466022400

systemVolume = true

activeVolume = true

filesystemUnderstood = true

diskDeviceNumber = 0

I have a hunch that the issue is your network connectivity to a
network share. Also note that converter 3.0.3 is available and has newer binaries within.

Please first update to converter 3.0.3 (uninstall/install).

Next, map a drive letter and tell converter to go to that letter instead of going directly to
pdrm01\NTAdhoc\

I also noted the following error:

Invalid object's Unique Id

VmiGetDiskSizesTask::task: Image processing task has failed with MethodFault::Exception: vmodl.fault.InvalidArgument > VmiGetDiskSizesTask::task: SetState to error

This I have not seen before and could be the issue or just a symptom of another issue such as
addressing. This would need an open SR to determine if there is a bug or not.

[vincikb]

Here is what I did. I created a 20 GB D:\ on my p2v helper machine and also upgraded to VMware converter 3.0.3. I then copied the acronis image.tib to the E:\ that way it was restoring from a local disk and not over the network. Everything went through fine until I went to power on the VM and then "Error loading operating system. I am attaching a copy of the new logs and you will see v2iFilePath = "E:\tdoubler01-Acronis9.tib", which is the local disk on vmware-converter-5.log.

Let me know if anything else stands out to you. Thanks Again

[theanykey]

Logs look fine. Try to re-run the conversion without sysprep and manually run sysprep after.

[vincikb]

I did the conversion again and did not select Sysprep and the results is still the same "Error loading operating system" How would I be able to run Sysprep afterwards when the machine will not even turn on? Thanks

[vincikb]

So I thought I would attach the disk to a P2V helper VM and boot it up. As you will see below I received the following screenshot which I don't think is the issue. Anyways I was able to see all the data on the disk just fine so I know the data was restored. I then tried to run the old p2v assistance and here it the message I got on that disk.!3.JPG!

[paragsha]

- What is the guest operating system of your source?

- Is it 32 bit or 64 bit?

- What does the VMX file of your VM say for the entry scsi0.virtualDev = ?

Seems to me like you have a mismatch in your VMX file for the type of SCSI driver and what is actually present on your system.

[continuum]

>Seems to me like you have a mismatch in your VMX file for the type of SCSI driver and what is actually present on your system.

VMware doesn't know which driver the guest has installed.

This message means that there is a mismatch between

scsi0.virtualDev = "buslogic" or "lsilogic"

in the vmx

and the line

ddb.adapterType = "buslogic" or "lsilogic"

in the disk-descriptor

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[continuum]

How would I be able to run Sysprep afterwards when the machine will not even turn on?

Add the offline-sysprep plugin to your BartPE - see

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[vincikb]

I will download BartPE and give it a shot and let you know.

I never even noticed my p2v helper machine C:\ is not set to active. It has been working for years that way I guess :smileyhappy:

Have any of you guys download the demo of Acronis Enterprise Server and imaged a machine and tried Converter to see if you have any luck?

[continuum]

I would not use Converter against any Acronis Image Format - I'd use Acronis itself to restore the image and then just use Converter to do the driver-patching. Call "configure" function

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[vincikb]

continuum, why would VMware put the option to restore from Acronis images then if it wouldn't work or to save time? If I do what you are suggestion that using Converter is not saving me any time at all. I can just use what I do today and that is to restore the image using Acronis on a p2v helper machine and then use p2v assistance to prep the machine with all the drivers.

[continuum]

> why would VMware put the option to restore from Acronis images then if it wouldn't work or to save time?

Pretty good question - I don't understand why they on the one hand add support for all types of third party images and on the other hand remove the really required functionality that we had in P2V-assistant : the option to reconfigure a directly mounted disk.

IMHO the best tool to restore Acronis images is Acronis itself. Same for ghost and whatever third party formats.

In my experience Converter is not very reliable on third party images and so if you really want to save time - use the old known to work procedures.

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[vincikb]

So it sounds like nobody from VMware nor anyone else has had any success at all with Acronis images and Converter :smileysad: