New user Q: What backup software + strategy?

[Atanasoff]

I wish to develop a reliable backup strategy which will provide a recovery path even if the original hardware (a Thinkpad as of now) is modified or replaced. I want to save the hours of software installs + config, not just the data. I had believed that a drive image was a good 'brute force' solution, restoring the complete environment, but from comments scattered around the net and this board I see that approach is not totally safe. I would like to be able to backup/restore from any of i. external FireWire drive ii external USB drive iii DVD set... since whenever one relies 100% on something it will detect that and break :dry:

So:

I. Is TrueImage Workstation, Home, or something completely different the best choice for me?
Ia - what's the difference between TI W and TI H?

II. What must I do to provide true insurance of recovery should a drive image fail to restore?
IIa Should one be without any working machine while fixing a restore issue (as when on the road) can you reach Acronis support by phone?

-thanks in advance-

[Atanasoff]

Is this the right forum for this question?

[crofttk]

Welcome, Atanasoff

Yes, this is the right forum for your question. Sorry you're not getting much of a response.

I would speculate that the problem may be that most users are either enterprise or personal users. The Workstation version is, I believe, one of the members of the enterprise/business crowd's choices while the Home version is used primarily by personal/home users. Maybe there are relatively few users who know the difference. Unfortunately, I have just finished telling you everything I know about the difference between the two versions.:P -- and that could still be wrong. LOL

Perhaps, depending on the kind of user you are, what I said can help you decide which version to investigate first.

You may want to spend your time waiting for a qualified or Acronis Support response by reading the "sticky" threads posted at the top of this forum and doing a few searchs in here to see what you can dig up. You may be surprised what you can just pick up by absorbing facts here and there.

Good luck.

[MerlinAZ]

If all you want to do is image a laptop hard drive, the Home version will be the cheaper route.
As far as having a backup in case the hardware is replaced, there may be a problem.
If the drive crashes, you can restore to a new hard drive inside the same laptop.
If you try to restore to a different "replacement" laptop, if it's not identical, there will probably be issues.

[Atanasoff]

So I figured. I'm using this at "home", but I will eventually use it as a lab to replicate issues at work. I imagine the engine is the same for both versions, but I wonder if would the workstation/server version of software has crucial features to get oneself out of a jam while restoring.

[bVolk]

Atanasoff,

Look for threads about Universal Restore on this forum. Universal Restore is the add-on for True Image versions above the Home version that makes the restoration of a system disk image to a computer with different hardware possible.

You should find the answers (or the right forum members) there.

[Atanasoff]

Will do. How often does one have an issue when restoring with ATI? Looking at the posts here it sounds like an image should never be one's sole backup, or am I worrying too much?

[bVolk]

If True Image likes your setup and the computer memory is in top shape, you should not worry. Try the functions you need (restore too, to a spare drive if possible) and if you meet no problems you can expect TI to work every time.

Sometimes a new build will start to hiccup on a system, where many previous builds worked without a glitch. It happened to me.

[Acronis Support]

Hello Atanasoff,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/).

I am sorry for the delayed response.

Basically, the choice between Home and Corporate versions of Acronis True Image depends on the operating system you use (Home version can not be installed on server versions of Windows) and the goals you want to achieve (remote back up/restore, restore to different hardware etc.)

-{ Quote: "I. Is TrueImage Workstation, Home, or something completely different the best choice for me?
Ia - what's the difference between TI W and TI H?" }-

I would recommend that you have a look at this (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=778473&postcount=7) about the difference between Acronis True Image 9.0 Home and Acronis True Image 9.1 Workstation.

-{ Quote: "II. What must I do to provide true insurance of recovery should a drive image fail to restore?
IIa Should one be without any working machine while fixing a restore issue (as when on the road) can you reach Acronis support by phone?" }-

Yes, Acronis do provide phone support. Please note that this is paid option. If you wish to resolve your problem via phone, please visit our on-line store (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/support/) regarding the purchase of phone priority support.

You may also find Menorcaman's instructions (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=556168&postcount=41) helpful. Which allows you to verify that the image archive can be restored.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov