Newbie

I am trying to keep things simple...ADD is too much! The manual is too much!

I want to have a backup stratagy. I have a new computer with XP. I have two physical drives. My first has two volumes. The first is the OS and Apps which is about 13 gig. The second is data which is about 16 gig. The second drive I use as a scratch drive and a temporary backup until I figure out what to do.

1) How do I make an image and what do I image to? Get an external drive for backup? Can I use DVD RWs and if so how does one do that since my "image" is larger than one DVD?

2) Can I use Acronos as a backup program (differential?) I have separate files that I backup. I backup Quicken everytime I open and use it so I am going to back it up to a CD RW. The file that I should back up daily is my Outlook .pst file. The "My Documents" folder which I keep everything in does not really have to be backed up daily, maybe once a week.

3) I have moved my Outlook .pst to the data volume. However, I may be using Prophet software that integrates with Outlook as a contact manager. It will have to have its data loaded on the first volume which has the OS since it does so by default. The point is if Acronos can easily pick files from the two volumes for daily backup...and to what medium?

I wanted to use DVDs but I would have to break up the My Document folder and take out pictures, videos...the stuff that make up larger files than doc or pdf files.

I know I have rambled on. I appreciate your patience and any responses which would be helpful.

Thanks

 

First be clear in your mind regarding the difference between imaging (backup) and cloning. Imaging creates a compressed file - usually one file unless you opt to split it. Cloning makes an identical copy of your hard drive to another drive which, when connected as the boot drive, will boot just like the original drive.

An image first has to be Restored to a drive (not necessarily the original) before it will act like the drive from which the image was made.

An external usb drive is, by far, the best option for storing your Images. Trying to image directly to DVD, whether R or RW, will be much slower if it works at all. Then that is only "half the battle". Restoring from dvd may produce its own set of problems.

Some like to use Acronis to backup individual files, but I prefer to use Acronis to backup an entire drive. For individual files I simply use Windows Explorer to copy the files to my backup media.

If you do want to use DVDs, I would use what is called the 2-step method. In other words not backing up directly to the dvd but first backing up to another hard drive with the image files suitably split (I like 1492 mb - puts 3 of these on a dvd) then use Nero or similar to burn these files to the dvd.

My two cents.

 

Hello ambaer52,

Check out the following link:

<Acronis True Image 9.0 Home - Illustrated instructions describing in detail Acronis True Image 9.0 Home installation and usage>

It should help to clear up some of the mystery .

Regards