Acronis True Image Question

I discovered to my dismay that the backup software I had been using for a decade -- PC Backup (formerly Backup My PC) -- did not as promised allow me to do a complete disaster recovery restore from a USB disk using a bootable CD restore disk.

So I'm going to try Acronis True Image. The problem is that the software's various options are so complicated that for the life of me I can't figure out exactly what I need to do to create a disaster recovery compliant backup.

Could anyone familiar with this program please tell me how to create a backup that, in the event of a HDD failure, will allow me to recreate my entire system exactly as it is on a new disk without having to reinstall the OS or apps, or reconfigure my settings, using only a bootable CD restore disk and backup media on an external USB drive?

I've looked through the Acronis manual, but I can't figure it out.

Thanks.

 

Hi dkline
I am assuming you are using Acronis Home Image version 11 installed on your computer.

Load program in normal windows mode.
From top tool bar, click on Tools.
From menu, select "Create Bootable Rescue Media ".
Follow instructions for creating bootable CD / DVD.
NOTE - If your purchase included a Acronis Install disk, this disk is also a bootable rescue disk.

Creating Backup Image.
Attach your USB attached HDD.
Optional - For convenience, create a new folder on your external drive called "Acronis Images ". For this discussion, we will INCLUDE this folder.
Close all your Non-startup applications.
Load Acronis in normal windows mode..
From displayed view, select option Backup and Restore.
Select option Backup.
You now have Backup Wizard view, click on Next.
From Select Backup Type view, select My Computer, click Next.
(Observe "Description ", for any of the "Backup Types" at bottom of box.)
From Data to Backup Selection view, select "Disks and Partitions "
(Observe "Description ", for for either choice at bottom of box.)
From Partition Selection view, (for single HDD, default config Windows), put a "Tick" in front of "C ". (For OEM computers with hidden partitions (Acronis will see them) This hidden partition will not be discussed at this time). Click Next.
From Source File Exclusion view, have NO ticks. Click Next.
From Backup Archive Location view, find your external HDD. May have to expand "My Computer ". When you locate your external drive, expand and click/highlight on Acronis Images.
Below the above view, you see a phrase called "FOLDER: ", with a path location of your external drive. It would read as follows ... (assumes drive location (E), it will be what ever your computer assigns).

(Option - The red colored portion can be renamed to anything relevant to yourself).
Click Next.
Select Backup Mode view, choose Create a new full Backup archive.
(Observe "Description ", for for either choice at bottom of box.)
Click Next.
Choose Backup Options view, select Use default options.
Click Next.
Archive Comments view. You can type in anything relevant to the status of this backup. Anytime you load this archive, this comment will be displayed.
Click Next.
This following screen provides a view to what will happen based on your choices from previous selections. For now just check the first 3 lines ...
Create Full Backup Archive.
FROM: will state (NTFS) (C
TO: will state your unique path for attached external HDD.
If all agree (if not click back and change), click on PROCEED.
Acronis will start the process. No additional inputs from you. For myself, I do NOT use the computer until process is done.
When completed, Acronis will let you know if successful or failed. This process could take from 15 minutes to possible a couple of hours ... based on speed of hardware, hardware connections and choices/options selected in Acronis.
NOTE .. If you have your computer to timeout to screensaver after a set time, this could add time to process.

 

Very explicit Dennis, but I would also recommend that the poster validates the image after Acronis finishes. This validation step is offered by Acronis on the screen which reports the back-up complete.
I have had one instance when the validation reported a problem, and better find out now than when the image is badly needed.

Roger

 

Good suggestion r.leale ... which is why I suggested he use Acronis "Default backup options ", which include validation.
When at final review screen, if you go to the bottom of the view, it will show it is included in process. I should STATE that these "Default backup options" can be change by user from a different menu.

 

Wow, thank you Dennis and r.leale!

I did it, and it took only half an hour to backup a 30GB system. I bought a second internal HDD and as soon as it arrives, I'll do a test restore to see if it works.

It's interesting how the process is actually a lot simpler than it looked. I think I was confused by the options for Acronis Secure Zone and Startup Recovery Manager. But after reading the pdf user guide last night, I can see that those are options which I don't need.

There were two things that were not clear from the manual, however.

1) Since the default options allow you to determine the hardware priority of the backup process relative to other computer tasks, I assume that you can use the computer during the backup. But what happens to any open file you may be working on in, say, Word while the backup is proceeding?

2) Assuming you restore to a new unformatted hard drive after a HDD failure, how is it formatted during the restore? Does Acronis simply handle that in the process of recreating the backed-up disk image?

Anyway, thanks again. You should have written their user guide. Or put another way, it would have been helpful to have a simple, one-stop "How to Create a Disaster Recovery Backup and Restore it" page.

 

First, I thank you for the kind words.

Answer-1
Changing the settings in "Default backup options" allows you to fine tune to your preferences. There is no right or wrong, but some settings do have impact to process speed and files being backed up (see exclusions option). My generalized overview ...
For myself I only create manual "Full OS images ". I do this once every 7 to 30 days (unless a major program install/update or project will be occurring). I do not add many new programs. My data files are backed up twice daily via auto/schedule (via SyncBack) to my D: partition.
NOTE to above. This works good if you make few changes to OS partition. If you have many daily changes, I would recommend using Acronis automatic schedule and including "Incremental (or) Differential" archives.

As to your question per active files. The following I can only assume how Acronis works ...
File status will be backed up if it is written on your drive. It does NOT backup what is held in RAM memory. Your question per WORD files could be mixed. When you create a new file, WORD writes a temp file (Acronis may pick this up). Your WORD user settings will determine how often this file will be automatically updated / written to drive (Acronis may pick this up). The same goes for opening a previously created WORD file as per temp file status and WORD updating file while open (again Acronis may pick this up). I say "may" because I do not know "when" Acronis looks at active files and determines at what time doing the process it updates it's view and associated written backup file to be included during the imaging process. The question comes to the following ...
How fast can you type.
How often does WORD write to drive (user setting within WORD and/or users closes file).
During Acronis Image create process, when does Acronis update it's view.
How long does it take for your computer to run the complete imaging process. Keep in mind, after Acronis create/write process phase is completed any further changes to your HDD on your system will NOT be included. So during Acronis file Validation, if you continue to change a WORD file, it will not be included.

Answer-2
When a new drive is installed, first it must be seen correctly by BIOS. From their you can format / partition using XP Disk management OR from Acronis load in screen view, top tool bar, click on Tools and select Add New Drive option. This selection provides formating and partitioning options.

 

Thanks again, Dennis. Actually my question was more about Word (or any other application) itself than about the files it works on. IOTW, if Word is open at the time Acronis comes to copy its directory, will it and its related app files still be accurately imaged, even though open?

Upon reflection, I'm going to assume that the answer is yes, if only because Acronis would probably warn you in big bold type if using the PC during imaging would corrupt the process.

 

One of Acronis's design features is to backup files which are in active use. Auto-schedule / incremental or differential archives are a common choice when creating background update images multiple times through out the day. This all occurs while you are using your computer for other tasks. It is not a question of corruption, but as a file changes dynamically (example, open WORD file) it will save up to the last temp version of the file during the image update process.
Welcome to the world of image backups ... you will never regret it.

 

Well, I finally have some good backup news. After having to re-install XP and all my apps on a new disk following the failure of my HDD and of the PC Backup (from Migo Software) program I'd been using for years, I just did a test restore onto a duplicate disk of my entire disk image created by Acronis True Image 11.

It took one hour, 13 minutes to recreate my system on a new disk exactly as it was on the old. No problems, no imperfections, and no need to reinstall or reconfigure anything.

I am very happy to have a disaster recovery system that actually works.

And I wish there was some way to expose Migo for all their false promises. I mean, I trusted my business to their software, and they flat out lied, as in: "Well, we just spoke with the lead developer and it turns out that the program CAN'T restore from a USB disk after all. Sorry about that. "

And that's an exact quote.