Acronis True Image alternative?

[molitar]

After reading about the uninstall issues and how it completely can destroy a system I have removed this software and followed the threads on removal. What is a good alternative that is relatively safe?

Since my drive is so large 800GB in size I plan to make a full image like I originally did on Acronis and upload it to Online Storage Solutions which I have unlimited data backup for 22 years for $50 :p So if I have a severe crash I will reinstall than install imaging software and download the image I have saved. I tried another one but forgot name but it would not let me set custom split saves as Acronis I used 50GB splits so it came to about 12 total files to upload or download.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by molitar

After reading about the uninstall issues and how it completely can destroy a system I have removed this software and followed the threads on removal. What is a good alternative that is relatively safe?

Since my drive is so large 800GB in size I plan to make a full image like I originally did on Acronis and upload it to Online Storage Solutions which I have unlimited data backup for 22 years for $50 :p So if I have a severe crash I will reinstall than install imaging software and download the image I have saved. I tried another one but forgot name but it would not let me set custom split saves as Acronis I used 50GB splits so it came to about 12 total files to upload or download.

TeraByte, Image for Windows (IFW) is the best. Has been around for a very long time and constantly being updated without yearly charges. You can buy it for about $33 and it can be legally used on three computers.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/index.htm

They sell IFW with BIBM at a hefty discount for a total of $50 for both of them.

If you just need IFW, then it is always 15% off at Bitsdujour.com for $33

Best regards,

[sukarof]

I agree that Terabyte Image for Windows is extremely reliable (never failed any restore for me, or when imaging for that matter, done lots and lots of them ) I can also recommend Macrium Reflect. Seems very stable and reliable also. So far I have done 20 something restores without problems.

[molitar]

Ok can I with IFW just make an image of my windows and users directory and restore just them files without wiping everything? Also for a full image can it split archives to 50GB? Acronis could not restore a single Windows or Users folder files and caused damage to OS when I tested I had to do a brand new install.. was not happy with that software.

How is Macrium Reflect compared to IFW?

1. Would like to be able to create a full image and split to 50GB
2. Capability of restoring just files
3. Capability of restoring Windows directory and Users directory
4. Capability of just imaging and restoring specific directories

[Brian K]

molitar,

Is your C: drive 800 GB? Have you considered separating your OS from the data files as it makes imaging much more efficient?

This is an old web page but is still informative.

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/notes.shtml#note13

[molitar]

The drive is full of software.. Really only have about 20GB of data on it.. for data I have another 1.5TB and (2) 2TB HDD's. My OS drive is 1TB and has 360GB free. It's all various games, applications, and programs. It does not take long to fill up when you think a single MMO game with expansions easily hits over 10GB in size.

[Brian K]

molitar,

This is what I do to get around the problem of having a large OS partition. I install large apps into another partition. This partition doesn't change except when a new app is installed so it can be imaged "rarely" even though I image my OS partition daily. So although you still have to image both partitions, the large partition is imaged "rarely".

As you already have your apps installed it is too late for this strategy but you could "move" your installed programs files into another partition by using junction points. This is functionally equivalent to installing the app into another partition and you finish up with a small OS image which only takes a few minutes to create.

[claykin]

OP

Why do you want/need to split the images at 50GB each? I have used Symantec BESR for years and can routinely make single image files that are hundreds of GB's. I always use wired ethernet as imaging large HDD's over wifi can often be problematic, not to mentioned slow.

BTW, BESR will allow images to be split into smaller files, but the max allowable is 9180MB each.

[Page42]

Originally Posted by molitar

After reading about the uninstall issues and how it completely can destroy a system I have removed this software and followed the threads on removal.

Can you link those threads for those of us who would like to get up to speed on this uninstall problem?

[Triple Helix]

Originally Posted by Page42

Can you link those threads for those of us who would like to get up to speed on this uninstall problem?

Here is the main one! http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=316447

TH

[molitar]

The reason is I am uploading the files to an online storage solution.. Online Storage Solutions allows ssh drive mapping, ftp access, and an ajax website for a single low cost unlimited storage. I find when I am doing ftp it's more reliable to have small files..

I will say Macrium Reflect so far is appearing to be the answer my files compressed to 519GB a total of 11 files. It did not eat up my system resources making the image like some now to do a test of a backup copy of the users folder using the recovery enviroment. Wish they explained the difference more though in WinPE vs WAIK. I end up going WAIK but really don't know what the difference is.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by molitar

The reason is I am uploading the files to an online storage solution.. Online Storage Solutions allows ssh drive mapping, ftp access, and an ajax website for a single low cost unlimited storage. I find when I am doing ftp it's more reliable to have small files..

I will say Macrium Reflect so far is appearing to be the answer my files compressed to 519GB a total of 11 files. It did not eat up my system resources making the image like some now to do a test of a backup copy of the users folder using the recovery enviroment. Wish they explained the difference more though in WinPE vs WAIK. I end up going WAIK but really don't know what the difference is.

In the PRO PAID version of Macruim Reflect, they provide you free of charge the WinPE (recovery disk). In the FREE version you have to download WAIK and build your own WinPE (recovery disk). Once you have WAIK installed in your computer, then it is very easy to build your own WinPE (recovery disk) for the Free version. Here is the download link for WAIK. It is 1.7GB, but must for every computer.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl...s.aspx?id=5753

Best regards,

[molitar]

Ok so WinPE is better than but the WAIK I used to build it works just fine.. I did a test.. I was able to recover the user profile with no problem.. that means no need for broken software like Rollback RX or Farstone RestoreIT as I can just recover windows and user folder and it's basically the same thing.

This is one thing that I was not able to do with Acronis True Image recover user and windows folder so Macrium is 100% better. So Macrium serves all my needs and gives me a full image as well as a method to make small backups of just the windows and users folder for reliable restores.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by molitar

Ok so WinPE is better than but the WAIK I used to build it works just fine..

No, they are both WinPE. With the PRO PAID version of Macrium Reflect, you are given a WinPE for Free. With the FREE version of Macrium, you have to build your own WinPE. This is the only difference.

They build the WinPE with WAIK and give you free with their PRO PAID version, or you build the WinPE with WAIK. Both are same, but the PAID PRO version has more options, such as HIR.

Originally Posted by molitar

This is one thing that I was not able to do with Acronis True Image recover user and windows folder so Macrium is 100% better. So Macrium serves all my needs and gives me a full image as well as a method to make small backups of just the windows and users folder for reliable restores.

It is one of the best. I own 4 PRO PAID licenses.

Best regards,

[molitar]

Originally Posted by aladdin

No, they are both WinPE. With the PRO PAID version of Macrium Reflect, you are given a WinPE for Free. With the FREE version of Macrium, you have to build your own WinPE. This is the only difference.

They build the WinPE with WAIK and give you free with their PRO PAID version, or you build the WinPE with WAIK. Both are same, but the PAID PRO version has more options, such as HIR.


It is one of the best. I own 4 PRO PAID licenses.

Best regards,

I have to agree and will probably get a 4 user pro paid myself. I tried Acronis, Image for Windows (high cpu usage I noticed pegged my 4 core 3.2Ghz), O&O (Pegged processor even worse than IFW), Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 and none of them did what I required until this one. Now with this capability I do not need Rollback RX that does not work with defraggers properly or Farstone ones that all locked up on my system.

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by molitar

...(Pegged processor even worse than IFW)...

Did your really mean IFW? I haven't noticed that whatsoever!

[molitar]

Yes.. I have a Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit with an AMD 955 Black processor and when I used IFW it used quite a bit of cpu usage as well as it seemed to lag my system. I do alot of multitasking and some programs are horrible for multitasking and IFW was one of them from my testing.

[2YsUR]

Originally Posted by molitar

Ok so WinPE is better than but the WAIK I used to build it works just fine.. I did a test.. I was able to recover the user profile with no problem.. that means no need for broken software like Rollback RX or Farstone RestoreIT as I can just recover windows and user folder and it's basically the same thing....

I suggest also using Macrium to build a Linux boot cd. It can come in handy when all else fails.

[CyberMan969]

Originally Posted by molitar

Now with this capability I do not need Rollback RX that does not work with defraggers properly or Farstone ones that all locked up on my system.

Personally I haven't defragged any of my hard disks for years, and they still operate just fine. Defragging is a thing of the past in my opinion, especially so if you use SSDs where defragging is MOST DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMENDED.

Even my downloads/software testing hard disk which constantly changes still shows no fragmentation after 2 years of continuous usage. Out of curiocity I check it with PefectDisk every few months, and PerfectDisk keeps saying that it does not need to be defragmented (last time I checked it was yesterday) I test a lot of software every day and have been using that disk for the last 2 years to install, test and then unistall stuff, and it still doesn't need defragging!

I also have a 2TB USB 3.0 disk that is almost full, and I also add/delete stuff on it all the time for a year now; PerfectDisk shows just 1.45 % fragmentation on it. Even if that was to be my system disk I seriously doubt it that it would get more usage than it currently gets.

I'm sincerely asking you to consider this: If these disks of mine doesn't need degragging after all that usage, then none will ever will. Defragging is a dead industry maintained only by the likes of Raxco who hate the fact that the advent of modern SATA3 hard disks and SSDs has rendered their products obsolete. Do not fall into that trap. Defragging is VERY old news...

[molitar]

I do alot of deleting of files and when I ran the defrag scan on it I was over 30% defragmented.. My HDD was grinding away and I definitely need to defrag. I had alot of image files (isos, wims) ect for mounting, games that get updates, fansubs, and mangas and my drive gets fragmented.. downloading with uTorrent and than transfer to correct storage drive.. erase old ones.. my drives do need to be defragged.

If you have perfectdisk installed that has a fragmentation protection component that is always running. I prefer to do defrags once a month instead of running a protect component as I still only have 32bit with 4GB Ram maximum and every component uses memory.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by molitar

I do alot of deleting of files and when I ran the defrag scan on it I was over 30% defragmented.. My HDD was grinding away and I definitely need to defrag. I had alot of image files (isos, wims) ect for mounting, games that get updates, fansubs, and mangas and my drive gets fragmented.. downloading with uTorrent and than transfer to correct storage drive.. erase old ones.. my drives do need to be defragged.

If you have perfectdisk installed that has a fragmentation protection component that is always running. I prefer to do defrags once a month instead of running a protect component as I still only have 32bit with 4GB Ram maximum and every component uses memory.

I am not sure that you will be able to do defrag with Farstone Restore It. I believe that you already own Rollback Rx and in opinion it is a better product then Farstone Restore it.

If you don't own Rollback Rx, then I would recommend don't buy or use either Rollback Rx or Farstone Restore It. If you own Rollback Rx, I would then recommend using it and then uninstalling it once a month for:

1. Defrag.
2. Then imaging.
3. And, then re-installing Rollback Rx.

BTW, what you claim to do above, both Rollback Rx and Farstone Restore It will eat up your available space in no time thus rendering your system useless.

Best regards,

[CyberMan969]

Originally Posted by molitar

I do alot of deleting of files and when I ran the defrag scan on it I was over 30% defragmented.. My HDD was grinding away and I definitely need to defrag. I had alot of image files (isos, wims) ect for mounting, games that get updates, fansubs, and mangas and my drive gets fragmented.. downloading with uTorrent and than transfer to correct storage drive.. erase old ones.. my drives do need to be defragged.

If you have perfectdisk installed that has a fragmentation protection component that is always running. I prefer to do defrags once a month instead of running a protect component as I still only have 32bit with 4GB Ram maximum and every component uses memory.

Hi molitar, I only have a snapshot saved with PerfectDisk and have set the program to be totally on manual mode, I disabled the auto-dfrag component from starting. If I want to check a disk (hard disks only of course), I just fire the snapshot that has Raxco, check what I want to check, then revert to my normal everyday snapshot.

I find it strange that your disk gets fragmented so quickly. I also constantly move large files from one hard disk to another (I edit a lot of HD video). I move such stuff around all the time, etc. and my drives seem to be unaffected for a very long time now.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by CyberMan969

Hi molitar, I only have a snapshot saved with PerfectDisk and have set the program to be totally on manual mode, I disabled the auto-dfrag component from starting. If I want to check a disk (hard disks only of course), I just fire the snapshot that has Raxco, check what I want to check, then revert to my normal everyday snapshot.

I find it strange that your disk gets fragmented so quickly. I also constantly move large files from one hard disk to another (I edit a lot of HD video). I move such stuff around all the time, etc. and my drives seem to be unaffected for a very long time now.

Dear CM,

You cannot use defrag, while Rollback Rx is installed. Rollback Rx automatically disables the defrag on installation. If you rollback to check the disk, it will not show you the proper status of disk being defrag, as it is now in a clean status. Once you go back to your normal snapshot the heavy defrag will be back.

You need to read more about this on Rollback Rx forum.

Best regards,

[CyberMan969]

Originally Posted by aladdin

Dear CM,

You cannot use defrag, while Rollback Rx is installed. Rollback Rx automatically disables the defrag on installation. If you rollback to check the disk, it will not show you the proper status of disk being defrag, as it is now in a clean status. Once you go back to your normal snapshot the heavy defrag will be back.

You need to read more about this on Rollback Rx forum.

Best regards,

I'm not talking about system disks Aladdin, I meant only secondary disks which I use for data storage. Of course I cannot use defrag on a system disk containing RX, unless RX is uninstalled first, I knew this already. What I meant is that I have Raxco Perfectdisk installed on a snapshot but of course I would NEVER use it for the system disk. I only use it to checkmy secondary hard disks for level of fragmentation occasionaly (once every few months). Once I check I then I restore the snapshot that hasn't got Raxco installed.
I haven't run defrag on my secondary disks in a long, long time anyway, and they DO get a lot of use. There just isn't enough fragmentation in them.

Also Raxco is on manual mode on that snapshot, I wouldn't have it to autorun on any disk with RX on it, let alone an SSD.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by CyberMan969

I'm not talking about system disks Aladdin, I meant only secondary disks which I use for data storage. Of course I cannot use defrag on a system disk containing RX, unless RX is uninstalled first, I knew this already.

Dear CM,

Thanks for correcting my misconception. When I had Rollback Rx installed, I had the Diskeeper turned on manual defrag for "System Partition" and automatic defrag for other Partitions and/or Drives.

I don't know, where I got this idea that molitar was dicussing Rollback Rx and defraging the System Drive. See your earlier post # 19 to him.

Originally Posted by molitar
Now with this capability I do not need Rollback RX that does not work with defraggers properly or Farstone ones that all locked up on my system.

Best regards,