General description of BartPE and instructions on how to create BartPE media with the Acronis True Image plug-in
This article applies to:
- Acronis True Image Echo All Editions
- Acronis True Image 11 Home
- Acronis True Image Home 2009
- Acronis True Image Home 2010
- Acronis True Image Home 2011
- Acronis True Image Home 2012
- True Image 2013 by Acronis
If you are using Acronis Backup & Recovery 10, see Acronis Backup & Recovery 10: Building BartPE with Acronis Plug-in.
Introduction
BartPE (Bart's Preinstalled Environment) is software that allows you to boot into Windows-like environment from a CD/DVD. BartPE uses Windows drivers and has Windows-like graphical user interface. You can add any storage drivers to BartPE.
It is possible to install applications into the BartPE environment. For detailed information on BartPE please refer to http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/.
BartPE builder runs on the following operating systems:
- Windows 2000 (All editions);
- Windows XP 32 bit only;
- Windows Server 2003 32 bit
(!) BartPE does not support Windows Server 2008 and 64 bit systems.
(!) If you have an Acronis True Image product, you will need to download the plug-in from your Acronis account:
- Go to http://www.acronis.com/my/
- Log in;
- Make sure your Acronis True Image product is registered;
- Click Registered Products;
- Navigate to Acronis True Image, select the Free Plugins tab and click on BartPE & Safe Media to download the plug-in:
See also Free Plug-ins for Acronis Home Products.
Solution
(i) Please make sure you have Acronis True Image installed prior to creating BartPE with Acronis Plug-In
Install Acronis True Image plug-in for BartPE
Acronis True Image Echo
To get the plug-in in Acronis True Image Echo you need to use the Custom type of installation:

Then choose the plug-in for BartPE to be installed:

All other Acronis True Image versions
Run the downloaded BartPE & Safe Media installation file and follow the installation wizard instructions.
Getting started with BartPE and Acronis True Image plug-in
The description is based on PE builder version 3.1.10a:
- Download the PE builder and install it;
- Navigate to the Acronis True Image installation folder. (The default folder is C:\Program Files\Acronis or C:\Program Files\Acronis\Media Add-ons). Rename the BartPE folder to Acronis:
- Copy this folder into the Plugin folder in the BartPE builder installation folder. (The default folder is C:\pebuilder3110a or similar):
- Run the PE builder, put in the necessary paths (the online help is available at http://nu2.nu/pebuilder/help/), and click the Plugins button:
-
Make sure you have Acronis True Image plug-in enabled on the Plugins screen:
- Close the Plugins window and click the Build button to start the building process. This will build an ISO image;
- After the ISO image is created, burn it to CD/DVD. See Burning an ISO Image.
Adding drivers
In the BartPE environment you can add two types of drivers: storage drivers and network drivers. For instructions on how to add the drivers please refer to http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/help/english/drivers.htm
There is also an option to add storage drivers (for RAID or SCSI devices) at BartPE boot-up. (You need to press F6 and point to the drivers location). Popular storage drivers are available at http://nu2.nu/pebuilder/drivers/.
More information
If an error occurs when building the BartPE ISO file with the Acronis True Image plug-in, please get the log file of PE builder. (The default location of this file is C:\pebuilder3110a\pebuilder.log). Attach this log file to your request when contacting Acronis Support.
When you boot from the newly created BartPE media, Acronis True Image can be found here:
Go -> System -> Storage -> Acronis True Image.
See also: