Backup to RW DVD's

[CWBillow]

If I want to make a disk image (or file backup for that matter) using RW DVD's, will TI (fully) erase them if needed?

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[Acronis Support]

Hello CWBillow,

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

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Please use blank DVD RWs so Acronis True Image could determine media capacity.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

[CWBillow]

Marat:

>>
Please use blank DVD RWs
<<

Will erased pre-used DVD's work OK?

Chuck

[foghorne]

-{ Quote: "Marat:

>>
Please use blank DVD RWs
<<

Will erased pre-used DVD's work OK?

Chuck" }-

Assuming you are talking about RW ones, then yes if you ensure they are erased first. However, trusting your data to optical media is for the fearless. They are notoriously unreliable, difficult to store and manage and they require you to be at your machine at backup time.

The worst case of optical media for backups IMHO is RW, since continual usage can cause them to become damaged. You only need to corrupt one bit on a TI image and it will not validate.

The only place for optical media in backups IMHO is as a secondary or tertiary copy of a master stored on a dedicated harddisk.

F.

[CWBillow]

-{ Quote: "Assuming you are talking about RW ones, then yes if you ensure they are erased first. However, trusting your data to optical media is for the fearless. They are notoriously unreliable, difficult to store and manage and they require you to be at your machine at backup time.

The worst case of optical media for backups IMHO is RW, since continual usage can cause them to become damaged. You only need to corrupt one bit on a TI image and it will not validate.

The only place for optical media in backups IMHO is as a secondary or tertiary copy of a master stored on a dedicated harddisk.

F." }-

F.:

I agree wholeheartedly... The addendum, at least for me, is that sometimes (as mine did last week) you lose **2** drives at the same time, and the only hope of salvation is other media.

I usually back up to my 2nd HD, and then do so to DVD every couple weeks, with a prayer, I might add.

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[foghorne]

-{ Quote: " sometimes (as mine did last week) you lose **2** drives at the same time" }-

Ouch!

That's unlucky. Almost like a shared controller or power problem.

F.

[ErikAlbert]

CWBillow,
You might consider an external USB 2.0 harddisk for backup, like I did.
I have now three harddisks :
- One internal harddisk for Windows and Programs = System Partition [C:]
- One internal harddisk for personal files, emails, email-address-books = Data Partition [D:]
- One external harddisk for backups = Backup Partition [E:]
My external harddisk is only ON for 30-60 minutes, when I do backups, while internet is disconnected.

I don't store pictures, music, movies, photos on my harddisks, because it takes
- too much space to store these files on harddisks
- too much time to backup these files on harddisks
If I don't have space anymore, I only have to buy new CD/DVD's. So that kind of storage is ENDLESS, while a harddisk is always limited to its maximum space.
If I want to backup these files, I create an extra CD/DVD.

Storing PERSONAL data files on CD/DVD's is too risky.

[CWBillow]

-{ Quote: "CWBillow,
You might consider an external USB 2.0 harddisk for backup, like I did.
I have now three harddisks :
- One internal harddisk for Windows and Programs = System Partition [C:]
- One internal harddisk for personal files, emails, email-address-books = Data Partition [D:]
- One external harddisk for backups = Backup Partition [E:]
My external harddisk is only ON for 30-60 minutes, when I do backups, while internet is disconnected.

I don't store pictures, music, movies, photos on my harddisks, because it takes
- too much space to store these files on harddisks
- too much time to backup these files on harddisks
If I don't have space anymore, I only have to buy new CD/DVD's. So that kind of storage is ENDLESS, while a harddisk is always limited to its maximum space.
If I want to backup these files, I create an extra CD/DVD.

Storing PERSONAL data files on CD/DVD's is too risky." }-

I know... I have yet to find the flawless plan -- at least not if your finances are not limitless...

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[Xpilot]

-{ Quote: "I know... I have yet to find the flawless plan -- at least not if your finances are not limitless...

Regards,
Chuck Billow" }-

This method gets pretty close to flawless as far as HDD security is concerned.

Rack fitted to PC to take exchangable main HDDs in drawers. Two would suffice though I actually use three.

Daily images created automatically to an internal secondary HDD.

Instead of relying on images to survive and be recovered I recover the latest image after it has been made .

In the event of a main drive failure I have the choice of Yesterday's or the day's before. If the secondary drive were to fail I would lose several days of backup history until I fit a replacement. However I would still have three working and up to date HDDs at my finger tips.

The added bonuses of working this way are that internal to internal HDD images and restores are the fastest and most secure method. There is no need to run validations at any stage. The actual restores are the ultimate validation. Off site storage of a main drive in its removable drawer is easy to do.
Since changing to this way of working I have not run into any of the common USB HDD slowness or other problems. I have released my USB drives for other duties and the previously vital Bart PE CD is now history as the Acronis recovery CD copes just fine with restores from internal drives.

Xpilot

[Acronis Support]

Hello CWBillow,

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

We are sorry for the delayed response.

-{ Quote: "Will erased pre-used DVD's work OK?" }-

You can write the image to a blank unformatted CD/DVD disc. If you use the re-writable disc (CD/DVR+RW, CD/DVD-RW), Acronis True Image will prompt you to format it and erase this disc. You can also use any third-part DVD writing (like, Nero) software to erase the DVD disc.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov