Inspiron 9300 and Acroniis

My Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop has Windows XP Pro with all three SP packs, 80GB Harddrive 1 GB RAM, NVIDIA Geeforce GO 6800, 3 Partitions of 7.3GB, 2.8GB and 2.86GB - all showing plenty of free memory- with a number of peripherals - printers,
USB attachments etc available through a small network.

I have been using, successfully, Acronis True Image version 11, but I am unable to instal the latest upgrade version, True Image 2009.

I first installed it OVER he earlier version (as Acronis recommend) and I've tried installing after a clean removal of version 11, and the results are frightening !

It is as though the laptop has powered up in SAFE mode - the text, icons etc are huge, the images "float" and are slow to display, and It no longer offers me the image size of 1280 x 800 pixels (which is my normal setting) - (this setting offers no longer appear on the list !)

Although this looks like SAFE mode, the desktop colour is exactly as it should be (I have it set to a pale blue) but when I deliberately restarted the laptop in SAFE mode (by pressing F8 during startup), it did open in SAFE mode, but the desktop colour was BLACK, which suggests that the faulty startup is not in the real SAFE mode, but just looks like it !

I have tried installing the software in Command Mode, but the computer then says that it cannot find "msiexec.exe" (although the file IS in C:\Windows\system21) even when the path is added to the Command.

I have been saved by setting up a System Restore before attempting to do the new installation, which perfectly returns the laptop to it's original state.

I've appealed to Aconis with no success - not even a reply !

I would appreciate any help.

RonLuxton

 

Ron, I realize this is not the answer you're looking for, but if you've managed to get your machine back to normal operation thru System Restore, you should be thankful and not test your luck by trying another install of Acronis True Image 2009.

I purchased a True Image 11 (previous version) months ago, and it wouldn't install on my desktop. It would get 2/3 thru (based on the progress bar), then it would roll backwards and give me some error message.

I posted in the forum for help. A user was nice enough to answer, although I was not willing to go thru the 27 complicated steps for removing TI 11 from my system. This included many registry edits and other risky steps. Instead, I did the normal uninstall and have not attempted to install it again. However, there are parts of the program that remain on the computer, but they don't appear to be affecting anything.

Instead of asking for a refund, I thought a new build would address some of the installation problems people were having. It was months before another build was released and it said nothing about installation issues. I never bothered to download it. Then, they were off to TI 2009 which seemed to have more problems than the previous version, and there were plenty of bugs left in TI11.

 

BullishDad

Thanks for your interest.

I've tried this installation at least FIVE times and each time the Restore software returned me safely and I've been able to use v11 perfectly (Lucky old me !)

Uninstalling through "official" channels (e.g. Control Panel/Add Remove Hardware) in Win XP (you ARE using Win XP ?) should clear the Registry of everything connected with the uninstalled program - but we all know that this is unreliable, don't we ?

There may be other users of this Forum who have an answer but I suspect that there is something in v 2009 which upsets this particular laptop (possibly the graphics card) . Strange that after TWO appeals to Acronis I've had no replies at all...........!

If I hear from them, I'll let you know.

RonLuxton

 

Here we are some two months later and at last Acronis have replied to me.

To be fair, they were very interested and got me to download the latest version of their True Image program and "walked" me through uninstalling the old program (v11) and installing the new (v2009).

I communicated with them three or four times and finally got the program up and running - at my preferred screen resolution, 1200x800 pixels with dpi at 125% above normal (eyesight not 100%) and cancelled their assistance.

Fast forward a couple of days - the computer reverts to loading in the fat and wobbly display that has driven me mad for so long, and here's the crazy bit, if I close the laptop down, and then re-boot two or three times, it will sometimes boot exactly as I want it ! (The Acronis program works fine, too !).

I've upgraded and installed the GE800 drivers, and the latest BIOS drivers, from the Dell site but this is not the answer.

So here I am, having to close down and re-boot the computer sometimes three or four times to get it to load all the things it should do - something I've never experienced before.

If anyone out there knows the answer hey will qualify for a Gold Medal and my undying gratitude.

Kind regards, RonLuxton

 

Ron, thanks for returning and providing the update. Sorry to hear that you're having problems after getting things working properly for awhile.

Out of curiosity, have you tried running your video card on native resolution and 100% dpi ? Do the problems return?

I realize that is not your preferred way to view the screen, but I'm wondering if these settings are causing your problem. I too have trouble reading the screen sometimes and experimented with the dpi settings. However, I found that some programs don't adjust properly, so I've learned to live with native resolution and my reading glasses. Sometimes I will change the zoom level to 125% on Internet Explorer (bottom right corner of window) to make a page easier to read.

 

Bullish Dad,

Thanks for your suggestions.

I'v e tried just about everything to do with graphics on my Inspiron, and I'v e downloaded and installed the latest .......

>>>>>I've upgraded and installed the GE800 drivers, and the latest BIOS drivers, from the Dell site but this is not the answer.<<<< as I said earlier.

HOWEVER, since posting my last report, I re-installed the two files (above) as a look at the status of my NVidia card seem to suggest that in spite of installing the new drivers for it, they were not in there !

So installed them again (in the same way) and they seem to have downloaded, and (touch wood !) the laptop has booted as it should for the last four or five times !

I'm not holding my breath, but the trouble COULD have been that the Acronis update needed newer driver files for the graphics card and BIOS and at first, they were reluctant to load, (can't think why ?) but have now done so to cure the trouble ?

If I get any more problems I will report back to you.

Computers ? I HATE 'EM !

Kind regards, Ron Luxton

 

Another quick update. 12 Apr 2009

I downloaded and installed the latest NVidia drivers for my video card (You have to go to Dell to get these. Apparently they are "breathed upon" by Dell and are noy quite the same as those for the same NVidia card in other computers !)

This seemed to do the trick (delete the drivers, reboot the laptop, wait for "found new hardware NVidia video card", instal new drivers by pointing to the new drivers from Dell) and rebooting again)

Beautiful ! Worked a treat BUT, a week or so later, the same trouble restarted,Looked at drivers on the card, found that the new ones were no longer there ! Re-installed the new drivers and everything was fine again - UNTIL TONIGHT !

Back ro the same old trouble.

Why won't the video card retain the drivers downloaded to it ?
Why does it wait a week or so to play up again ?
Where can I buy a good hammer ?

Can anyone help ?

RonLuxton