Image Backup Software

@egghead,

While the answers you've received to your last post are certainly true, I would just add that backing up by using the reoovery disk is almost always a slower process as compared to using the Windows' installed program.

And fwiw, the reason that Acronis True Image 8.x doesn't support Vista is that it is an old version that preceeded Vista by a number of years! Acronis True Image 11 fully supports Vista.

 

Hi All

Thanks for all your replies most helpful and clear.

I was aware that Acronis 8 precedes Acronis 11 and that the latter works with Vista.

Two points here, I got a free license for the former from Acronis. It is simple and "unbloated". The the latter is bloated and getting from v8 to 11 has not been without problems. So if I could use v8 on Vista it would be a dream!

Thanks

Terry

 

Does ShadowProtect come with a boot time program like Acronis launcher? Or does everything depend on the recovery cd?

 

Terry, while ATI v8 won't install/run on Vista, I see no reason why its Recovery Boot CD wouldn't work with Vista for creating and restoring images!

 

If you are referring to carrying out functions for SP from within Windows,of course,just install SP the normal way.

There are a few disadvantages to making your backups with the CD Recovery Disk, instead of using the installed product. They are:

1) You have to interrupt your Windows session by booting into the recovery environment, which does take time to launch.

2) There is no "fast incremental" backup capability in the recovery environment.
Image Manager cant be used.

3) There is no scheduling capability in the recovery environment .


Some advantages to doing backups with the disk:

1) There is no need to install anything on your system

2) HIR can only be carried out with the disk

3) A full backup, particularly in the Vista/Recommended WinPE environment,is usually faster as there is less system activity, but after taking into account the disk loading time,probably similar.

I use both methods-there is no drawback to installing,the space taken up is comparatively minimal.

The disk must obviously be used for a restore and system recovery emergencies.

.

 

You would miss out on one of the outstanding features -of being able to carry out incremental backups.

By installing, you can create a schedule(you obviously cant with disk only)which will carry out one full backup that may take 5-10 minutes depending on size.

Then the incremental backups following will take sector based images within a matter of seconds-all in the background.

The average time taken seems to be around 10-15 seconds.

This way you can keep up to date and secure, in as fine as 15 minute gaps ,without any effort on your part.

If you dont need these features,then the CD would be sufficient.

 

I prefer to do it only with recovery cd,using FDISR as a kinda like installed SP,so frequently copy/updating external archives.
if i need to restore an old image,say 6 months old,my current up to date FDISR archives bring the restored old image current in no time,it depend but normally in 12 minutes.

 

huupi,
Exactly my point-if you dont need incrementals the CD is sufficient-otherwise definitely not.
In your case the FDISR archives are acting like incrementals

 

i concur but its a way most efficient if you don't like an installed SP,if you know a better way within the confines of SP and FDISR let me know.

 

Yes like the F11 boot time program for Acronis so you can run it before Windows even starts. It is useful because if you have some problem with Windows loading you can hit F11 with Acronis before Windows and then restore an image that way.

Well I tried ShadowProtect trial version and it did not have the boot time program so I guess if Windows gets corrupted or some loading problem then it would mean having to use the recovery CD. I liked the F11 restore from Acronis because it means I didn't have to hunt around for a CD - only if something really bad happens like the MBR gets corrupted as well...


Also I just checked the price for the desktop version it is $80! Acronis 11 home is $50. Well I'll stick with the free version for now for home use I guess

 

There seems to be little I can add to this discussion but for a couple of thoughts...

I use ShadowProtect Desktop and run it exclusively from the recovery CD. While I clearly understand the advantages of using it from within Windows, I place an even higher value on what is installed (and running) on my PC. It's great to have full protection from crashes/corruptions without any overhead to my PC. The only time I would consider installing SP would be if I needed HIR. (Which I don't. And won't. )

I noticed xheffalumpx mentioned TI's (semi) dual boot/restore option. I understand that there may be circumstances it would be pretty handy but I also see users that have issues from time to time with dual boot type setups. As I noted above, when nothing from the imaging program has been installed on the PC, there is nothing from the program that can cause any negative issues. Which for me, is a big plus!

 

I think the advantages of CD only are often overlooked. In post #74 I raised the point about the Acronis 8 CD being possibly able to restore VISTA - repeated by Appster in post #79

In actual speed terms I have found both Acronis 10 and SP 3.1 to be faster when using a CD then from within windows. There is, of course, a break even point as booting from CD has to be allowed for - so I concede that for small system images running from within windows is faster but as we are only talking minutes in any case I am quite happy to reboot start a long 5 minute image - get a coffee and then reboot again.

If scheduling or 3 minute increments are not needed ( should really have said wanted) then full images from CD are the way to go as far as I'm concerned.
Not installing allows the use of both Acronis and SP just to be on the safe side.

Must remember to see if my Acronis 6 CD will make and restore a Vista Image.
That is if or when I get bored with nothing going wrong with Xp and and feeling the need for a little excitement decide to downgrade to vista .

 

IMHO whatever the size of the image its always better doing it outside Windows,as explained by Han. But i suppose some people think different.

 

I agree. With my 'old' Acronis TI 9, I always do full backups - never
incrementals - and always use the recovery boot cd to do them with.
Never had a problem. ( OK, must say I only restored a full image once
some time ago).

 

Once again it seems to be overlooked that certain functions are not available when using the CD

If users cant see any advantage in incremental backups and scheduling-thats their personal preference-but to blindly say that to use the CD is to be preferred is wrong and really not worth making a big deal about.

 

You have it wrong-HIR is only available on the CD,not from the installed version.

Dont quite understand the rest of your logic-true, SP installed wont be available if Windows wont run,but to suggest that SP would somehow cause corruptions or be corrupted is also wrong.

On this point I can speak with authority-I have it installed,but also use the disk and am bewildered what all the fuss is about-CD or installed-who cares,its really not an issue its just a matter of preference.

edit; read my post 81-its all spelt out in detail

 

I just scratch my head when people say they prefer creating backups from a recovery CD. Why go to all that trouble to make a backup when there is no evidence that it's a better backup than one created in Windows (on a schedule)?

 

Yep, Peter is right. SP must be installed for HIR to work. At least for the Desktop version of SP.

I didn't mean to imply that running an installed copy of SP causes corruptions. What I meant was that uninstalled SP allows me to recover from any potential disk issues that may occur for any reason.

As for the install versus don't install question, I agree, to each their own. I just wanted to pass along my feelings and the reasons for them...

 

Well, if you need to bootup into another environment - in order to capture everything on the drive/partition, (including 'raw sectors'), then you got to do what you got to do.

 

It is activated from the CD,you cant use HIR from the install-is that right?