Acronis versus EMC Retrospect Express backup

[gordythegouge]

Hi,

I've just purchased A Western Digital Mybook External hard Drive to backup my PC. It came bundled with the EMC Retrospect software. I was wondering if it would be worth my while buying Acronis or will the EMC package be sufficient? I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with experience of either or both of these software utilities.

Gordon

[seekermeister]

I read your question more in hopes of finding someone else's response, because this question has crossed my mind also. I have both True Image and Retrospect now, but I have only tried using the latter, because I haven't had time to figure out True Image yet. Therefore, all that I can say is somewhat one sided. I do not like Retrospect, because I got it through the class action lawsuit against WDC, and I have tried repeatedly to update it with the program's update service, but it continually fails, even though an update is available. That wouldn't be so bad, except that EMC's tech support has ignored my questions in this regards, and everytime that I tried to make backups to DVDs, it had errors.

That is why I bought True Image, because everyone that I have spoke to only has good things to say about it...I hope that they are right.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I have never heard of Retrospect, so I can't give you a comparison. But as a happy True Image user I can tell you that it is

• easy to install
  
• easy to understand
  
• easy to use
  

P.S. Acronis has no automatic update service, so check http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/support/updates/ for the newest version after you install.

[-pops-]

Acronis TI actually does what it is supposed to do with little fuss or bother. I have used it a number of times in a real life situation and, well, it works.

Last time I used Acronis was a couple of weeks ago when I had a total failure of the "C" drive of my prime computer. I replaced the drive, got Acronis into action and thirteen minutes later I was back in up running as if nothing had gone wrong. This, alone, discourages me from any consideration of alternative backup software.

seekermeister: I would never entrust something as important as a backup to DVD. Writable or rewritable DVDs/CDs are not stable enough to keep backup data. They are also prone to physical damage such as scratching which can easily make them unreadable - especially DVDs.

[andsome]

Acronis is great. :D