11 replies to this topic

[Arvy]

After much amateurish fiddling (kindly assisted by inputs from Lancelot and JFX in "http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=147) I've finally come up with scripts for Acronis True Image (Home 2011) and Disk Director (v11) that support both x64 and x86 system architectures under Windows PE builds, including Windows 7. I'm posting it here for whatever use anyone wishes to make of it without any limit or restriction of any kind, including redistribution, "rebranding", or whatever. No attribution is required for any purpose.

The critical usability factor is not so much in the scripts themselves as in the versioning, selection matching and proper destination placement of the files for the Acronis Snapshots Manager (snapman) and its DLL support. This requires some rearrangements of and additions to the PE builder files that are supplied by Acronis in its TI "Plus Pack" or downloaded separately as the Acronis BartPE addon packages for TI and/or DD. So please read the following carefully.

First and foremost, in order to support the Windows x64 architecture in your PE builds, you will need the snapman.sys file and its version-matched snapapi.dll file from your own Windows x64 installation. The corresponding files that are included in the Acronis "Plus Pack" or in the BartPE download will NOT support any x64 WinPE build at all.

Secondly, the folder tree arrangement for the files that are included in the Acronis "Plus Pack" and BartPE downloads is very poorly organized for any usage in WinPE building inasmuch as its subfolders do not correspond well with WinPE destination placements. To use either or both of these scripts you MUST reorganize the structure of those Acronis source folders and files and, if they are to be used for x64 WinPE building, add the required drivers as follows:

1) Move the "Microsoft.VC80.CRT" subfolder out of the "Drivers" subfolder and make it directly subordinate to the main "files" folder that contains the application executable files from the Acronis "Plus Pack" or BartPE download.

2) Make a duplicate copy of the "Drivers" subfolder in a subfolder named "Drivers-x64" and then replace the snapman.sys and snapapi.dll files in that "Drivers-x64" subfolder with the version-matched files from the Acronis program installed under your own Windows x64 set-up.

3) The Iscsi subfolder and the A43 files that are included in some Acronis PE support downloads can be omitted completely, or just left in place as they are. In any case, they are just ignored and NOT used at all by these scripts as they will normally be dealt with by their own separate WinPE builder scripts if selected for inclusion elsewhere in the WinPE build process.


Please note that Disk Director's own internal menu selection for starting the Acronis Recovery Expert utility does not work. It never has in my own experience. The Recovery Expert utility is fully functional, however, and the DD script does include a regular WinPE menu "shortcut" for its selection.

And a note about license keys: These scripts do not include any, not even the ones that are widely available from the Acronis BartPE downloads. You'll need to enter them yourself the first time that you run the scripts. Or, alternatively, you can select the option to have them read in from the registry of the host machine on which the Acronis application has been installed.

Lastly, as with any newly created WinBuilder scripts, these will undoubtedly be found to include some imperfections. Certainly their amateur "first draft" coding leaves plenty of room for improvements. The author has done as much testing of the end products as practicable within a short timeframe, including the validation of several True Image backups. Nevertheless, these scripts are offered "as is" with the usual caveat that the author accepts no liability whatever for their usage or any consequences thereof. USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Regards to all
"Arvy"

 AcronisScripts2.7z   5.89KB   1515 downloads

POSSIBLE ISSUE: Further testing suggests that the ability of Acronis products to handle REG_EXPAND_SZ registry entries for component paths may be highly inconsistent, even amongst various subversion updates released under the same product heading. In the circumstances, it is probably safest to use RegAddBoot for ALL such component path entries regardless of the PE build level. The attachment has been updated accordingly. If you have already downloaded the original scripts, just comment out the relevant conditional (If...End) lines and make the RegAddBoot section apply to all builds.

[Michael*]

I hope this works for someone, but all I get is failure to find the required files .... no matter what I try.
http://imageshack.us...0/erroroah.jpg/

[Arvy]

It needs to find the Acronis Bart PE or Plus Pack files in the folder location that is specified by the entry in the "Path to Acronis PE files" box. In addition to the progam executable (TrueImage_starter.exe for TI or ManagementConsole.exe for DD) it also needs to find the required driver files in a subfolder as explained above. For a 32-bit build, it looks for them in the %pFileBox1%\Drivers subfolder, and for a 64-bit build, it looks for them in the %pFileBox1%\Drivers-x64 subfolder.

If any of those executable and driver file requirements aren't met, it exits with a "Not Found" error message. To provide more specific help, I'd need to know more about the actual location and layout of the Acronis BartPE and/or Plus Pack set-up on your system. Usually, for example, the location for the required True Image files would be specified something like "C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\Files". But many people, myself included, relocate and rearrange them for their own particular PE building convenience.

[Michael*]

Thanks for replying Arvy,

Here is the structure of my installation folder.
I know it's a lot to paste, but perhaps it could help someone else. Win 7 x86 (Using Enterprise x86 EN Source to build)

Maybe it's the WinPE.zip found in (2) different locations or that I need to extract them?
I have no BartPE folder in DD, I think that was the original problem.

================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DiskDirector <DIR> 7/5/2011 12:15:21
Media Add-ons <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:20:42
TrueImageHome <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:26:30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 file(s), 3 folder(s) 0 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\DiskDirector\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OSS <DIR> 7/5/2011 12:15:21
autopart.exe 8,149,344 10/22/2010 12:19:28
DiskBundleEx.dll 9,936,416 10/22/2010 12:26:14
fox.dll 1,721,696 10/22/2010 11:50:40
help.chm 432,914 10/14/2010 16:41:58
license.txt 144,658 10/22/2010 11:37:32
ManagementConsole.exe 14,525,216 10/22/2010 12:09:24
mmsBundle.dll 4,441,976 10/22/2010 12:13:02
RecoveryExpert.exe 5,042,000 10/22/2010 13:26:48
service.config 87 10/22/2010 11:29:34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 file(s), 1 folder(s) 44,394,307 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\DiskDirector\OSS\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
fox.dll 2,529,128 9/29/2010 19:30:24
OSSelectorSetup.exe 17,890,272 9/29/2010 19:30:30
reinstall_svc.exe 2,139,400 9/29/2010 19:30:32
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 file(s), 0 folder(s) 22,558,800 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\Media Add-ons\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BartPE <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:26:32
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 file(s), 1 folder(s) 0 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\Media Add-ons\BartPE\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WinPE.zip 46,240,345 7/6/2011 15:26:32
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 file(s), 0 folder(s) 46,240,345 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BartPE <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:26:32
Common <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:26:28
OnlineBackupStandalone <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:12:14
acronis_backup_cpl.dll 193,888 6/28/2011 00:05:56
AcronisTibUrlHandler.exe 669,424 6/28/2011 00:06:30
afcdpapi.dll 58,720 11/18/2010 20:35:24
aszbrowsehelper.exe 62,816 6/28/2011 00:06:54
backup_cpl_control.dll 1,733,984 6/28/2011 00:06:06
extcmp.exe 2,747,736 6/28/2011 00:19:32
fox.dll 2,045,280 6/28/2011 00:02:28
help.chm 923,141 5/16/2011 12:48:08
license.rtf 154,493 6/27/2011 23:05:30
license.txt 141,473 6/27/2011 23:12:00
mapi_proxy_32.dll 308,576 6/28/2011 00:07:36
mapi_proxy_stub_32.dll 79,200 6/28/2011 00:07:40
powerpack.rtf 154,493 6/27/2011 23:05:30
prl_net_enum.dll 83,808 2/12/2011 04:56:14
prl_report.exe 4,973,920 2/12/2011 04:56:16
prl_stat.exe 2,979,688 6/28/2011 00:07:16
qmng4.dll 214,368 6/10/2010 20:10:50
QtCore4.dll 1,807,712 6/9/2010 10:22:58
QtGui4.dll 6,509,920 6/9/2010 10:23:12
spawn.exe 272,560 6/28/2011 00:00:06
ti_managers_proxy.dll 144,736 6/28/2011 00:01:12
ti_managers_proxy_stub.dll 17,760 6/28/2011 00:01:16
timounter.dll 284,000 2/12/2011 11:06:16
tishell.dll 1,022,128 6/28/2011 00:00:58
tishell32.dll 6,396,472 6/28/2011 00:05:48
TrueImage.exe 20,389,368 6/28/2011 00:19:12
TrueImageLauncher.exe 4,298,080 6/28/2011 00:08:10
TrueImageMonitor.exe 5,550,840 6/27/2011 23:57:32
TrueImageTools.exe 25,680,160 6/28/2011 00:14:48
versions_page.dll 124,256 6/28/2011 00:06:14
versions_view.dll 1,873,248 6/28/2011 00:06:22
wimhlp.exe 1,004,208 6/28/2011 00:52:54
winpe_iso.exe 1,923,368 6/28/2011 00:52:22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33 file(s), 3 folder(s) 94,823,824 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WinPE.zip 46,240,342 7/6/2011 15:26:32
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 file(s), 0 folder(s) 46,240,342 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Common\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
expat.dll 128,352 6/27/2011 23:24:40
icu38.dll 1,381,728 6/27/2011 23:23:26
icudt38.dll 1,525,088 6/27/2011 23:23:06
kb_link.dll 62,816 6/27/2011 23:29:20
libcrypto9.dll 1,193,312 6/27/2011 23:24:02
libssl9.dll 251,232 6/27/2011 23:24:08
mspack.dll 47,968 6/27/2011 23:24:34
resource.dll 304,480 6/28/2011 00:20:34
rpc_client.dll 53,600 6/27/2011 23:24:14
thread_pool.dll 26,976 6/27/2011 23:23:32
ti_managers.dll 11,187,736 6/27/2011 23:56:58
ulxmlrpcpp.dll 423,264 6/27/2011 23:24:46
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 file(s), 0 folder(s) 16,586,552 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\OnlineBackupStandalone\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common <DIR> 7/6/2011 15:12:14
help.chm 117,691 2/11/2011 02:07:24
license.txt 141,473 6/27/2011 23:12:00
ob_client_standard.exe 13,259,320 5/10/2011 18:57:26
QtCore4.dll 1,807,712 6/9/2010 10:22:58
QtGui4.dll 6,509,920 6/9/2010 10:23:12
TrueImageMonitor.exe 2,536,440 5/10/2011 18:57:28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 file(s), 1 folder(s) 24,372,556 bytes
================================================================================
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\OnlineBackupStandalone\Common\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gc.dll 71,008 5/10/2011 18:57:26
kb_link.dll 58,720 5/10/2011 18:57:26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 file(s), 0 folder(s) 129,728 bytes
================================================================================

It needs to find the Acronis Bart PE or Plus Pack files in the folder location that is specified by the entry in the "Path to Acronis PE files" box. In addition to the progam executable (TrueImage_starter.exe for TI or ManagementConsole.exe for DD) it also needs to find the required driver files in a subfolder as explained above. For a 32-bit build, it looks for them in the %pFileBox1%\Drivers subfolder, and for a 64-bit build, it looks for them in the %pFileBox1%\Drivers-x64 subfolder.

If any of those executable and driver file requirements aren't met, it exits with a "Not Found" error message. To provide more specific help, I'd need to know more about the actual location and layout of the Acronis BartPE and/or Plus Pack set-up on your system. Usually, for example, the location for the required True Image files would be specified something like "C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\Files". But many people, myself included, relocate and rearrange them for their own particular PE building convenience.

[Michael*]

Arvy,

Apparently, this location has something I have been missing, as in "ManagementConsole.exe"
I was not looking in the "common files" folder

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\DiskDirector\WinPE

[Arvy]

================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\Media Add-ons\BartPE\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WinPE.zip 46,240,345 7/6/2011 15:26:32
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 file(s), 0 folder(s) 46,240,345 bytes
================================================================================
[...]
================================================================================
C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\BartPE\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WinPE.zip 46,240,342 7/6/2011 15:26:32
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 file(s), 0 folder(s) 46,240,342 bytes
================================================================================

Looks like you actually have two(!) source choices for some reason. (Both True Image Plus Pack and a separate Bart PE TI add-on installation perhaps?) In either case, you first need to UNzip one of those WinPE.zip files and then organise its contents as explained in my orginal posting here. It's the extracted Files contents from that zip file that the True Image PE script is looking for. So, after you've unzipped and arranged its Files contents, you need to tell the script to look for it in that folder or wherever else you decide to put it.

Acronis is VERY inconsistent and their PE layouts are very poorly organized for WinBuilder usage. In the case of DD, yes it does locate its PE Files addon under Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\DiskDirector\WinPE\ which, depending on the DD release subversion, may either be zipped or unzipped there already. In the latter case, it's just a matter of arranging them as explained above and pointing the DD script to that Files location.

Sorry for the confusion, but it's difficult to write a simple-to-use script for these particular apps, especially when their installation packaging and operational quirks seem to vary widely from one release to the next and Acronis itself, despite several requests, provides no help at all for 64-bit WinPE support. I was actually hoping that someone else might improve my very sloppy "first draft" script coding. For my own multi-boot platform usage, I was trying to make them as "universal" as possible (multi-PE# and multi-architecture builds) and they do work once they have been properly sourced, but I'm not proud of their crude internals.

[Michael*]

I did finally get both of the scripts working properly. I only made small adjustments to the path, registration and such, ... since I wanted to uninstall the original installation after I had it working with winbuilder. Those two "Microsoft.VC80.CRT" folder which had to be moved up one level gave me 10 kinds of hell with a "side by side" error or something?? I thought it was because I hadn't selected to install the .Net framework, under components. Thank you for the help

Arvy's Script
AcronisScripts2.7z

Edited by Michael*, 08 July 2011 - 07:20 PM.

[Arvy]

Yeah, winsxs can be a real pain. I'd be happy to see it die completely. Perhaps an easier alternative would be just to put the DLL files direclty into the programs folder.

Anyhow, glad to hear that you ultimately got everything working okay.

[Michael*]

u2o posted the script code for a simple button you could add to your existing script for easily viewing your installed product registration keys. If you could think about adding it to your script, that would be great. Just take a look ...
http://reboot.pro/13...154#entry131154

Yeah, winsxs can be a real pain. I'd be happy to see it die completely. Perhaps an easier alternative would be just to put the DLL files direclty into the programs folder.

Anyhow, glad to hear that you ultimately got everything working okay.

[Arvy]

I have a much better idea. Why don't you "steal" both those scripts and turn them into something decent.

Actually, I'm serious about that. I just wrote 'em for myself so that I could include those apps in my own multi-boot PEs because I couldn't find any others that would support both 64-bit and 32-bit builds. I figured others might have the same problem and so thought I'd share 'em here for whatever help they might provide to real script writers and PE project developers. I was really hoping that someone in that latter category would take them over as their own. My dev capabilites are strictly amateur and, since they do what I need, I really don't have much interest in any further work on them myself.

PLEASE take them. They're all yours.

[u2o]

Hi, I found a way to insert the ADD key in a texbox ( only one click on one button )

http://reboot.pro/13...post__p__133357
Use if you consider it appropriate. The source code is free...

Greetings!

Edited by u2o, 21 July 2011 - 03:28 AM.

[Cashoni]

I am having trouble getting the program to have a shortcut on the desktop. When I browse to the folder where acronis is installed I can launch it properly. but no matter what I do it won't add a desktop shortcut. Yes the check box is selected. Any advice?

Using Win7PE
Winbuilder 080