How does Aconis make a full backup with windows running?

I have Acronis 11 (retail). I just did my first backup of my 1st hard drive (I have 2 hard drives). I have two partitions on the first hard drive (Windows XP on 1st partition) and use the second hard drive as the destination for the backup of the first hard drive (both partitions).

I had been using Ghost for a few years to make backups. I set it up and then it rebooted the computer and did the copy before Windows loads. Since I am now using Acronis, I was expecting it to work the same way. After I set it up, it started the copy from the 1st hard drive (both partitions) to the 2nd hard drive RIGHT IN WINDOWS. This threw me off because I'm wondering how it can make a full disk backup of the entire hard drive that the OS is on with the OS running.

Hope someone can explain this to my dumb ass. Thanks.

 

Volumn Shadow Copy.
a google search:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Volume Shadow Copy

Lots of hits to read about it.

 

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=754303&postcount=3

F.

 

Thanks, that link explained things well. That's pretty damn slick if you ask me. I didn't think that was possible, copying the OS while it was running. Glad I got this program.

 

When replacing your system drive, it is best done when booting from the TI Rescue CD. Plus, you can also do full backups and restores from the Rescue CD. Create the REscue CD now and try it if you have not done so. Many members use the CD exclusively for their backup creation. They do not want Windows having any effect on their backups. Many use both Windows and Rescue CD for their backup creation.

 

After many hundreds if not by now a thousand backup images made with Windows running I have not had any problems. So why not take advantage of all the benefits that a "Hot backup" gives ?

Xpilot

 

Yeah I had made the rescue disk already. I used it to transfer my old IDE hard drive to a new bigger SATA hard drive. Worked great.