# unable to boot Acronis for cloning in windows 8



## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

1.	I just upgraded to Acronis 2014. Installation went fine. I have Windows 8 which is not letting me boot from the Acronis 2014 bootable media. Drive 1 (internal) is the source drive and Drive 2 (internal) is the target drive as per Acronis instructions. The Acronis Bootable Media is in the CD. 
2.	It will never boot from the Bootable Acronis CD.
3.	Starting The Clone operation from inside windows 8 results in quickly needing to reboot and then nothing happens  nothing changes. If I reboot hard or soft it boots back into window 8.
4.	What specific instructions do I need to follow to get my new program to work in Windows 8?
5.	I do have a second computer that uses windows 7. Would the Acronis 2014 work on that computer if I wanted to have both the source and target drives in external USB devices? Other instructions I would need?
6.	*****thanks **********
7.	Any other ways to clone a drive when I have windows 8?
8. Any other ways to clone using the windows 7 computer as a foster parent?
I am trying to clone from a 2 TB drive to a 3 TB drive. Both are Seagate drives.
Thank You for any and all help.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

If you have a UEFI motherboard you may have to disable Secure Boot and/or enable Legacy Boot.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

1. In windows 8 press windows key type
recovery
ensure on the tiles screen that settings is the selected area
then you will see 
Windows 7 file recovery
Alternatively you can access it from the Control Panel
File history and then on the lower left pane of that window

It is strangely named, for a number of reasons, but mainly that Microsoft see their included imaging procedure as somewhat replaced these days on Windows 8.

When you open windows 7 file recovery you will see on left pane - create system image and create repair disc
They both work perfectly
http://arstechnica.com/information-...en-backup-to-clone-and-recover-your-whole-pc/

2. The system image is a one stop image you cannot choose what to recover you simply recover the whole image. If the computer will not boot as normal you can boot it from the repair CD

3. As an aside issue many people have reported problems with Acronis and the bootable media
In fact the Acronis forum is full of such reports

http://forum.acronis.com/forum/45291
post 3 and 6 will be of interest

4. I have used Easeus TODO free and Macrium Reflect is also favourably reported on although I have NOT used that
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/features/disk-clone-guide.htm

5. Easeus is easy to use but the free edition although supporting UEFI and GPT and will simply clone to the new drive will not allow you to create a bootable recovery disc
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/comparison.htm

6. And finally Macrium
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

I will have to learn about that. Appreciate the feedback. Thanks.


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

MAC I really appreciate your feedback. I have much to learn here. It was so much easier with Windows 7. I will follow up on your ideas over the next few days and give you feedback. Thanks again.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Will wait to hear from you - hope it all goes well


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

Thanks for your comments. I believe, having only briefly reviewed the idea,s that I will be able to implement them per the instructions. Have a great New Years week.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Same to you - all the best for 2014


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

I think the system image worked. I also made the repair disk. It has not booted up yet. Messages were:
1. checking media - media present - start PXE over IPV4 
2, Error: No Boot Disk has been detected or the disc has failed.

3. I booted from the repair disk and it said:
Choose keyboard - I chose trouble shooting - then Advanced Options - then Automatic Repair - it said "diagnosing" then it rebooted and started all over again. from scratch.
4. I went back and repeated #3 but same outcome.
5. So I seem to have the mage on the larger drive (I went from 2TB to 3 TB) but the image is not booting either directly or after I used Automatic Repair..
All reboot were hard reboots.
6. What next do I try? thanks for all your help. Your instructions and the article were quite clear.


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

Happy New Year 
Another thought. I looked at it before I made it the C drive. I noticed that it was contained in a folder labeled something like "backup something". It could not boot up if it is in a folder could it? Why did it put it into a folder instead of directly onto the HD. Maybe so several backups could be placed on the same HD? If true. Best way to remove it from the folder is? I have a second computer. . If I copied the inside contents of the folder onto the HD would that work? Open folder - right click to copy? then outside the folder paste it onto to HD directly? I am probably being naïve here and saying things that don't work that way. Look forward to your directions. Thanks again for helping.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

You do not want automatic repair - you want system image recovery 
HOWEVER be careful, as that, if you have created the image on the 3TB drive will then replace the existing Windows installation on the 2TB drive, with the one created on the image - eg from wherever the image was created to the original drive.
*YOU CANNOT RECOVER an image to the drive on which the image is installed*

You can also make the repair disc by pressing windows key + R and when the run window opens typing
recdisc

See this please
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...overy-restore-image-computer-windows-8-a.html

and this
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/create-system-image-in-windows-7-8/

I think perhaps if you simply wish to make a clone from the 2TB to the 3TB and deal with the issue of the recovery from disaster later that I would recommend the Easeus Todo to you
Ensure that when you boot after making the clone that you remove (disconnect) the 2TB drive
Also the 3TB must be connected in the same way the 2TB was - eg SATA
All this is explained on the Easeus site.

The advantage of the simple clone is that the file structure of the source disk is not changed so you are to a great extent = fireproof in going back to that disc


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

Major step forward! Easeus Todo worked fine and I am typing from the clone. I need to figure out how to expand the HD now from the 2TB to the 3TB drive that it actually is. On the same Drive is a D drive: Recovery image partition also (? a logical drive?) . I know how to get to disk management but unsure which "block" to be in or click and how to carry out the resize to use the entire drive for C and the D drive: Recovery image logical partition.they goes across:
1. healthy recovery partition 1023mb/
2. healthy (EFI system partition 360 mb/
3. healthy (boot, page file, crash dump, primary petition) OS (C 1850.36 GB NTFS/
4. Healthy (primary petition) Recovery Image (D 11.18 GB NTFS/
5. Unallocated 931.50 GB
If I get that done I think it is solved! Thanks again for all your help.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

1. Congrats

2. Sorry if I did not make it clear at first about the image recovery on the Windows 7 File recovery and the image cannot be recovered to the drive it is on

3. Re the 3TB that is the partition 5 unallocated space at 931.50GB
the first thing to do is to format it NTFS - what do you wish to do with it
right click the unallocated space in the lower window of disk management - click new simple volume
create the max accepted size will be the size of the free space more or less
you may accept the drive letter offered
then format the volume
It is all more or less self explanatory

4. I WOULD LEAVE the partition lettered D as IS
I would not write anything to that partition nor would I change it in anyway

5. Before you make any other changes, using information you might read on various websites, I would urge you to post your intention and seek advice

6. It is vital that you do not make any changes to the recovery partition or the EFI system partition.
It is from the EFI system partition which you will see is FAT and not NTFS that your computer loads Windows after control has been handed to the Windows Boot Manager from the UEFI firmware - the BIOS as was named 

7.Were it to be me NOW at the stage you are and in your situation I would use the volume created from the free space for your personal data eg docs music pics videos and for any future programs you install

8. Once again - well done


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

I will study your suggestions and recommendations before I take the next step. Thanks for all you have done. I at least have my computer back and it is ready for me to complete the restoration as well as decide how best to use the 900+GB space that is unallocated. I used to want everything on the one C: Drive but perhaps it is time to change that way of doing things. It may be this weekend but I will let you know what I do. Again thanks for all of your help.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Cheers
I like to keep the OS on one partition
Another for my personal data
A third for all programs
and then of course images and backups on one of two external drives - with the image on both of them


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

Partitioning hard drives

Let me see if I understand how multiple partitions work. HP already has in simple form &#8211; from &#8220;Computer&#8221; not sure if that is Windows Explorer ? or not. (/= new line)
1.	OS = C: local disk
2.	Recovery Image D: local disk
3.	3TB-K-Hard Drive (K) local disk
4.	Devices with Removable storage:
5.	DVD RE Drive (E CD\DVD drive
6.	Removeable disc (F Removable disc
7.	Removable disc (G Removable disc
8.	Removable disc (H Removable disc
9.	Removable disc (I Removable disc

In Disc Manager I see several boxes:
Disc 0 &#8211; Basic 2794.39 GB Online
1. 1023MB/ Healthy (Recovery Partition) 
2. 360 Healthy/ (EFI System Partition)
3. OS (C/ 1850.36 GB NTFS/Healthy (Boot, Page file, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)/
4. Recovery Image (D/ 11.18 GB NTFS /Healthy (Primary Partition)/
5. 931.50/ Unallocated.


Disc 1- Basic 2794.39 GB Online
10.	3TB-K-Hard Drive (K/ 2794.39 GB NTFS/Healthy (Primary) Partition
Which I have temporarily been using for several types of C: backups until CPU is fully restored. Then I may continue to use it for periodic backups and alternative storage as needed.

Questions to clarify &#8211; Which search has not given me the information that I need or perhaps understand. I have previously been afraid to use partitions other than what was automatically created but I like some of your ideas that I think I understand about using more than one partition.
11. If I primarily use C: for the OS &#8211; because I do have to &#8220;earlier restore point&#8221; periodically and at times have to refresh reinstall at times. That did not work this last time.
12. How small is it recommended to shrink the C: partition to? Any general guidelines that can be followed? I believe I could have one or two additional partitions. I could leave C: relatively large or shrink it and create another partition, which would give me two unallocated partitions separate from each other. . Recommendations here? 
13. How is it recommended that I install these type of programs specifically:
a.	MS Office 2010 to C:? or one of the two relatively empty partitions? 
b.	Quicken Money Manager 
c.	A Billing program for a small private practice
d.	Various spyware and antivirus programs such as Norton 360, adwcleaner, Malwarebytes Anti Malware, Spyware Blaster, Spybot S&D Start Center, HitmanPro, Advanced Systemcare 7, SuperAnti Spyware, etc.
e.	Photoshot
f.	Roboform
g.	Easusus Todo
h.	Etc.
14. If I install those to C: can (or should) the Office, Quicken Money Manager, Bulling Program, Photoshot, Roboform, etc, Data be stored on another partition? Is that wise? Or unwise? 
15. I like the idea of one containing personal data. The other might contain professional information that is not personal (I am a 73 year old psychologist next week). I do use External MyBackUp USB drives 2-3TB also.
Thanks for all your help.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

FYI--the "old" Windows Explorer is called File Explorer in Windows 8/8.1. I guess the name change is just to keep us on our toes.

IMO it's far simpler to just install programs to C:. For most people I'd recommend a minimum of 40 GB for Windows 8.1 plus installed programs, but preferably 60 GB unless hard drive (or SSD) space is pretty tight. Add to that your estimated space need for personal data if you are going to keep it in C:.

There are pros and cons to keeping data in a separate partition (or multiple partitions), and the choice is mainly personal preference. I like having a separate Data partition. In it I "relocate" (this is easy to do in Windows) My Documents, My Music, My Pictures and My Videos. I also keep several other files and folders in that partition; these, of course, could be in one of the previously mentioned "standard" folders, but I like to keep them separate.

My advice on Advanced Systemcare 7 is to not install it anywhere. If you enjoy trouble shooting you can get enough excitement from Norton and Spybot.


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

1.Thanks for the feedback. I know in the past I used System Mechanic. They had a bad update and I could not access my computer and they never responded to e-mails for help. Of course I heard from them again when they had a new versiin to sell. I will reconsider use of Advanced System Care. I use the registry defrag but NEVER the registry Fix. I also have not used the defrag. I have also not consciously used the Norton 360 registry tool either - just in case it might cause problems. You are saying maybe I worry too much about "keeping the computer clean and fixed?" 
2.My new HD is 3 TB and previously I left everything on Drive C.I previously have just let the computer and programs do all the partitioning and deciding where things would be stalled. I have a major old user "JamesOld" where the old system storedmy old files when I used Windows transfer to this computer of 6-8 months. So space is not tight.Historically by the time the next size HDs come out I am usually close to filling my C: drive with professional and personal PDFs and Doc files and YouTube videos of music, professional ones and ones on philosophy, religion,ethics, science, etc
3. Just simply copying and pasting the entire folders of everything: My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos was one of the ways I backed up my computer for the factory reset I just did. I also used Norton BackUp and one other one not coming to me now. In this last week I have learned about Windows Image and continuous data backups and used the Image one once. I also used EaseUS ToDo to make a copy of my 2TB disk so I could transfer the system to my new 3 TB disk which I have just done successfully in just the last few days.
4. Having a data partition where I just store data via copying I already have the skills to do. Installing onto other partitons I still do not understand well enough. I looked at a large book store yesterday and had been making PDF downloads of articles on it by none had enough detail for me to understand the process. I guess I could install a couple of non-copywrited programs (such as my canon download software) into another partition to try to see how that works. I am leaning towards only installing to the C: drive and copying to a Data Partition as the easier way.
5. If you know of good detailed books or URLs about disc management I would be interested in them. What I could in the bookstore yesterday did not give me new information. 
Thanks for your help. I will keep learning and studying.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> You are saying maybe I worry too much about "keeping the computer clean and fixed?"


Not exactly.  Windows 8 (and 8.1) does a pretty good job of maintaining the system with its included features. I think that you are spending too much effort and thinking on other programs that will eventually defeat Windows' maintenance efforts.



> Having a data partition where I just store data via copying I already have the skills to do.


Good. Far too many people don't have that basic skill.  And we need that for backups. But, just in case there is confusion between us, when I mentioned "relocate" I was talking about directing Windows to put those four "standard" folders in a partition other than C. I still have the same issue of having to back it up somehow, but that data never uses any space on C.



> Installing onto other partitons I still do not understand well enough.


You mean installing programs and/or their associated AppData in a way that uses space in another partition and none or very little in C? I know that some people do that, or at least strive for it, but my understanding is that it is not worth the effort and I haven't even tried to learn.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

I use an acronis boot disk with a secure boot system. It will use a different menu than the normal acronis boot menu. This one is just text based and gives some options ie press 1 to boot acronis, press 2 to restart, press 3 to boot the hd, etc. I have not had any problems using acronis 2014.


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

1. Ok. Too much other stuff might defeat Windows strategies for self-maintenance. Not good. As a layman that would not have occurred to me. I wrongly assumed that it could only get better. Although my experience with System Mechanic taught me better with that particular program. I should learn the Windows maintenance strategies better. Thanks.
2. You are correct I do not know how to "direct(ing) Windows to put those four "standard" folders in a partition other than C." I just selected the individual folders - like My Documents - right clicked copy and then where I wanted it - right clicked paste. If you have an article or URL that would guide me on that I would like to learn that.
3. Also, there are so many books out there on Windows 8 & 8.1 (I looked at several yesterday) any that stand out as particularly good on computer and disc maintenance? Maybe the title would not even include Windows 8/8.1? Or maybe there are forums, like this one, that would be more useful. I know there is much that I have not explored on this one. Maybe I should start there.
4. Yes, you understood about possible 100% (if that is possible) installing something on say Drive: MakeBelieve thinking that the program and all of it's features would only be on Drive: Makebelieve. Theoretically then if my OS had to be reinstalled I would not have to reinstall the other programs on Drive: MakeBelieve, just the operationg system. "NOW THINKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD (I am bald  ) " Now I am thinking I must be naive (I am) about computers as everything has to have a place in the registry and if the OS must be reinstalled it likely will mean that the registry will need to be built from scratch again. That would be factory restore. I think Windows 8 REFRESH, which did not work for me, would not require most programs to be reinstalled which would be nice.
5. I must be jinxed with Acronis. I know others in this forum have had good success with Acronis. I am pretty good at being able to follow detailed instructions. I have tried to use it several times. Twice in the past, I had made backups the day before I did a procedure so that I could do something. I was unable to make it work to restore it to the new HD same model HD exactly. I even took it in to a local technician and they could not make it work either. It seems the back up to a USB MYBook device must not have worked properly. Thank heavens I still had both the old drive that was starting to make noise and I had a Norton Backup as well. At least I did not lose my Librarys of data.
6. I have made an"Acronis 2014 True Image Premium Bootable disk." Is the Acronis boot disk with a secure boot system different that what I already created? I had made a copy of my 2TB factory refreshed drive with it using the Clone feature. I transferred that to my new 3TB drive but it did not work. I later discovered that it had only made a backup within a folder title something like MyBackup so that of course would not boot. Mac from the UK on this forum helped me use System Image to get the job done.
Thanks for everyone's help and feedback.
7. Is the Acronis boot disk with a secure boot system different that what I already created?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Same for Windows 8/8.1: How to Move Windows 7 Personal Folders Like My Documents to Another Drive


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## jharding (Jun 20, 2000)

1. Excellent article that I can implement. Thank You.
2. See my earlier description of how Disk management describes my 3TB Drive. *** Better yet - Here it is:
In Disc Manager I see several boxes:
Disc 0 &#8211; Basic 2794.39 GB Online
1. 1023MB/ Healthy (Recovery Partition)
2. 360 Healthy/ (EFI System Partition)
3. OS (C/ 1850.36 GB NTFS/Healthy (Boot, Page file, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)/(If I shrunk the size of this I will call that space the NEW UNALLOCATED PARTITION) 
4. Recovery Image (D/ 11.18 GB NTFS /Healthy (Primary Partition)/
5. 931.50/ Unallocated. (I will call this the OLD UNALLOCATED PARTITION which was created by going from 2to 3 TB HD) 
If I shrunk the C: partition to say 600 or 800 GB (Or is that way too much for Drive C: if I am going to put the Libraries into another drive? and allocated the newly unused space - then do I have two or more options? What is the smallest & safest number to shrink it to most likely? 
a) Could I merge the Newly allocated unused space with the other Old Unused unallocated space If I wanted to? How would I do that? 
b) The Newly unallocated space could be Drive X and the Old unallocated space Y (pretend drive letters) (I went from 2TB to 3 TB Drives) and I could just use them as separate Drives for Storage as I chose to.
Thanks again for the clear article on Moving Folders to another drive. Also thanks for all your help and ideas and those of others on the forum.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Assign *names *to your partitions; e.g., Windows 8.1, Data, Recovery, etc. When you start playing with partitions you have to be aware that Windows' assignment of "drive letters" is rather random. To make sure that you are doing whatever to the correct partition you have to rely on size or name, and name is a lot easier and safer.

You probably have enough hard drive space that it doesn't matter, but I can't imagine you needing more than 100 GB for your Windows partition ("C"). Maybe 200 GB if you get into virtual machines.

You can move partition(s) to get two unallocated areas contiguous. But be careful; don't move partitions unless you really have to. Move the wrong one and you could lose the ability to boot.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I would refer you back to my post 13
What my good colleague TerryNet has said, is of course quite correct
However when and if you did try to shrink C you would create fee space behind that partition - the one lettered C, that is to the right of it in Disk Management

That would not enable you to increase the size of the present unallocated space in which I suggested in post 13 that you create a new volume - in other words another partition and format it - then it will be available for use - just under 1TB

In Disk Management you can only extend a volume - a partition when there is free space behind the partition eg to the right of it - that you wish to extend.

As my colleague has said and as I said in post 13 - do NOT change in anyway the size of the other partitions - the FAT windows boot manager EFI or the system reserved partition or the recovery partition and DO NOT change the presently allocated letters of the partitions

There are ways to shrink C and then use that free space to extend what is at present the unallocated space left after the clone I guided you through, but it is not that easy and as my colleague has said - get to wrong and you will have problems

http://www.partition-tool.com/easeus-partition-manager/help/resizing-and-moving-partition.htm


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