[RESOLVED] Easeus Todo Backup

If not here, then I don't know where this post should be :) I have been mulling over installing and trying the free backup software by Easeus Todo 2.5.1. Well today I tried it, backed up 126 GB in 2 hours, had the software to "validate" the backup and then mounted it and I saw the flies; etc. Almost am tempted to restore my Compaq with the backup--almost but somehow am hesitant. Guess I could use my reliable Acronis and backup my system, validate it and then try the Todo backup. IF I should do this, I'll give a report--if it works. Please jump in with any comments; etc you may have and I will apprecaite reading them. TIA.

Vote for use of Acronis first.
Better safe than sorry.

The best way to test anything is to have a reliable back up in place before beginning. If TI is your go to app, do a complete image with it. Then install ToDo, run the image creation and then restore it. If things don't go well, you have your TI image to go back with...

If your running with Seagate hard drive(s),they offer a free back up that "is" Acronis...:)

Thanks folks. You have pretty much said what I had originally thought about in this test. The only reason for my madness is just in case Acronis changes something drastically; such as increasing their price for the next version; etc.
And thanks RR, I knew about about the Seagate offer by Acronis. (Haven't been seeing you around these parts lately.) And HAN, I already have an Acronis backup in waiting.

Because of this error: error e000101f4 cannot read from sections 109,777,769 on Western Digital HD when making an Acronis backup, I chose to create another backup using Acronis(got the same error) and Easeus Todo(got no error with Todo on either backup). To allow me to continue with the Acronis backup, I had to approve 1 of 4 choices and I elected to "Ignore" the error and the backup continued. After the backup, both backups were "validated" and I mounted each of the images and looked at a few of the backed up files and they looked fine. I feel these backups are good and I am not really worried about them being un-usable--I surely hope not, if either are needed.
What means should I consider using to prepare my computer installed hard drive before starting my experiment? I cannot recall but Acronis may prepare the hard drive as part of it's steps to restore the backup. Todo may do that also. Your replies are important to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by buf

... error e000101f4 cannot read from sections 109,777,769 on Western Digital HD...

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Acronis topic,

• Error E000101F4

Shinma, thanks for the link to problem areas in Acronis True Image. I had looked long and hard in the forums this A.M. but found nothing to help me. I just looked at Grover's page and went through some of his links for help in this subject.
Looks as though I may have to install the Todo backup and hope. Not knowing the solution to the Acronis error not reading the 3 sectors, I could be faced with loosing what is now on my main HDD should I ever have to rely on the Acronis image backup I did yesterday--or last week.

buf -

More than likely, the errors you are getting on those 3 sectors simply mean that they are not readable, just bad sectors on the hard drive. Chances are they are also not used by any files you really need either. I have successfully made and restored images from hard drives that had bad sectors. As long as none of them are part of any critical files, you will be OK. If they are part of a file you need, then that file is likely already damaged. I once was able to image a laptop hard drive that had thousands of bad sectors, all in temporary files, and the new hard drive with the restored image booted like new. Of course, you cannot count on that happening.

It might be worth trying to see which file(s) those sectors are part of.

JD, and many thanks for your interest, words of encouragement and your suggestion is exactly what I am planning to do. I think I'll just go ahead and try the Easeus Todo backup. May as well as I don't see anything to loose what with an Acronis backup to use. All of this experiment is being done on an old Emachine using XP Home. I will post back later with my results. Frankly I think I will be OK--well I hope so.

I have just run the Easeus Todo backup that I had made an image of and have been posting about. It was extremely simple and the free software did"prepare" the hard drive where my backup was to be installed. The only hitch I have is:
hal.dll file was missing or corrupted and this is found in Windows root\system32\. (I haven't seen that message in years.) Perhaps this is bad sectors message I got and reported above.
2 questions: where can I get a copy of a hal.dll file and 2. how do I install it? I can use a thumb/flash drive to copy it to and use that to install it on the ailing machine I guess. But how do I install the fille on a non-booting PC?(I am searching for the answers on the web)

To fix the hal.dll problem, the minimum is to do a repair install of the OS> :(

Might want to run chkdsk /f /r
before your next initial image making.

The hal.dll file is different on every system due to differeing hardware installed.

I'd run the manufacturer's diagnostic on that hard drive also.

Another item to add to your checklist:
When I restore an image of a system, I nearly always use a different hard drive just in case of issues like this one. That way, if something goes wrong, I still have the old drive with the files on it. In your case, if the hal.dll file was corrupted, it was just a matter of time before you would have needed to do a repair install anyway.

Finally got things done/undone and I think I will probably sack the Todo software. But, of course, I may never know if Todo 'caused' the hal.dll problem. At any rate, my hard drive checks out per the Sea Tools so I do feel relieved for that. Appreciate your help fellas; I really do. Oh, at one point when I was trying to repair XP, it wanted to fresh install XP. Had to hit the power button to stop it--didn't want that!!!

While doing some checking, I noticed this thread never had an ending and marked Resolved. I have just completed a more thorough search for this Easeus ToDo free software and have determined it's use would not be beneficial to me and seemed far too risky for me to use.. Thread is now closed but I really thank AL of you for responding.