Acronis True Image

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I finally ordered Acronis True Image 9.0 (from Amazon), and it was delivered on Monday morning.

• Installed it
  
• Registered it
  
• Downloaded the latest update (build 3377)
  
• Installed it
  
• Rebooted
  
• Started Acronis True Image
  
• Started a full backup of all my partitions (still running)
  

Next I opened the documentation on the CD (Trueimage.pdf) and started to read. But unfortunately what I found is not quite what I expected. I was hoping that True Image would be able to automatically backup all new files when it happens, as did my old PowerQuest DataKeeper. But it seems that there is no such function (that I could find in the doc).

Anyway, I checked incremental and differential backups, which - when done regularly - will produce similar results. However! At the end of the section that explains incremental and differential backups, there is a little paragraph:

An incremental or differential backup created after a disk is defragmented might be considerably larger than usual. This is because the defragmentation program changes file locations on disk and the backups reflect these changes.Therefore, it is recommended that you re-create a full backup after disk defragmentation.

This means that True Image regards defragmented files as different...? This is kind of ridiculous, as I run a scheduled defrag every night at 04:00. (My C: drive becomes heavily fragmented due to some permanently running applications with high disk I/O).

A-ny-way: I want to replace my (now deactivated) DataKeeper, and since I have Acronis now, I may as well try to make the best of it.

Question: how do other True Image users here use the product? (Full vs. incremental vs. differential backups). If you use incremental or differential backups, does defragmentation bother you?

Thanks for any comments! :)

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

P.S. what other True Image functions (other than backups) do other users use?

P.P.S. does anybody know what 'Bart PE' is (installed with the 3377 build) ?

[andsome]

Personally, I have not got too technical with it. I reinstalled Windows XP and reinstalled my AV and firewall etc, and then created an image. After installing all the other programs that I wanted I created an incremental back up. Since fitting a DVD burner and a later edition of Nero, I have downloaded DVD Shrink, and created another incremental backup. Since I don't do any work as such on my computer, I don't feel the need for regular backups as there is nothing to save, other than updates which are easily downloaded again. My images are on a seperate plug in hard drive, and all my photo's etc are stored on CD. This all suits me fine.

P.S. My version is 8.

[AlanHo]

Back in July or August I made a posting here pointing out the problem you have found - that Acronis treats defraggged files as changed. I only use Acronis to make a weekly disc image - which it does exceedingly well and has saved me from myself on several occasions in being able to restore my computer back to a chosen time.

As part of a "belt and braces" approach to data security, I also use a back-up programme called "Second Copy" which is set to incrementally back-up all my documents and settings (Just those that have changed since the last back-up) onto a second partition on my external hard drive. The back-up is carried out automatically every time the computer is closed down so I am guaranteed to have a copy of the latest version of every document and setting. The beauty of this programme is that it produces a facsimile copy of your data and can be browsed using Windows Explorer. It can also be set to keep an archive copy of changed documents in as many historic versions as you like.

I am aware that in the latest version of Acronis you can make a back-up of documents and can schedule this to be done each time the computer is closed down - I have tried it - but it takes much longer than Second Copy and compresses the data into one back-up file which you need Acronis to browse or recover files from. It works - but to my eyes is not as user friendly.

I take a full Acronis back up each week - rather than an incremental one. This is because I have Diskeeeper running in the background which constantly defrags my hard drives. I find that an incremental copy of Acronis is almost as big as a full copy for this reason. My external hard drive is big enough to store 5 full copies of the C: drive with the OS and programmes and D: drive Documents and settings. Before I take my weekly back up I delete the oldest copy on the external drive to make room.

[-pops-]

I did make incremental backups with Acronis but, after realising that a full backup only takes a few minutes longer than an incremental to prepare, I have given up doing incrementals.

I make backups in Acronis Secure Zone on a separate hard drive and it automatically does a grandfather - father - son system where it automatically deletes the oldest backup if there is no room on the disk for the new one.

I don't schedule backups as I like to be in control of when the backups are made - same with defragging and other computer housekeeping.

For important documents and files I have started using a USB stick drive as a secondary backup on a daily (or more frequent) basis - like at the moment I am doing some legal stuff which would be very expensive to lose so that gets double backed up every hour.

I have used Acronis for making a clone disk from one which was starting to become unreliable. Just swapped out the old disk for the clone and everything carried on perfectly OK.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Thanks for your replies - all very useful! I think I will also go for weekly (full) backups, but I don't need that for all drives - actually only two get frequent changes.

I will try to find out how that "grandfather" thingy works - that sounds most useful. I sometimes need to get a file back as it was several months ago.

[-pops-]

I will try to find out how that "grandfather" thingy works - that sounds most useful. I sometimes need to get a file back as it was several months ago.

Just check the details of Acronis Secure Zone and it will explain the principle.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Did that earlier today; it says it will create its own, 'hidden' partition. Does that mean I don't have to give up another drive letter? (I have only two left - Q: and T:).

[-pops-]

The Secure Zone is hidden from Windows and if you search in Disk Management it is seen as Acronis SZ without any other drive letter and as an unknown partition.

It is not accessible from Windows, only from Acronis or the Acronis recovery disk.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Thanks for the info - I will try that.