Question about backups?

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Mike89, Jun 12, 2006.

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  1. Mike89

    Mike89 Registered Member

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    I just ran my first backup of my C drive (put the backup on my D drive) using Acronis True Image (9.0). I have a question. After I set it up and started the backup, I was really surprised it did the whole thing in Windows (XP). I was expecting to see a message saying it was going to reboot and do the backup then, like Norton Ghost does. How is this program doing a complete backup of the C drive when Windows is running (how can it copy files in use)? I am now wondering if this program is doing what I thought it could do. I want to be able to do a complete backup of my C drive so if Windows went South on me, I could restore the whole drive back. I know Norton Ghost can do this. Can Acronis True Image Home 9.0 do this?
     
  2. mark3

    mark3 Registered Member

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    It takes a snapshot and then proceeds to create an image. Any work that you do while the image is being created will not be included in that image.

    You can use the Rescue CD to create an image but that prevents you from working on the computer during the process.

    Yes it can and does a fine job of it. And, you can certainly restore the whole drive back. Though, like with Norton, it is advisable to restore to another drive the first time around as a test. However, since you have Norton created images and you know that they work for you then you have double security and if one does not work then the other will.

    I gather that you are not referring to the latest Norton product.
     
  3. Mike89

    Mike89 Registered Member

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    No. I was referring to Norton Ghost 2003. I had been using it since it came out and it did everything I wanted it to except when I bought 2 new SATA drives. I wanted to copy everything over from my 2 old IDE drives to the 2 new SATA drives, Norton Ghost 2003 couldn't do this (it would copy IDE to IDE but not IDE to SATA). I would have to have bought Norton Ghost 10 which I understand has to have Net Framework installed for it to work. Didn't particularly want to do that. I heard about Acronis and decided to get that instead. I transfered both drives with it and it worked flawless (I had posted a thread here about my experiences doing that). Very pleased with the product so far.

    Then the backup threw me off being it did it in Windows. I still don't fully understand how it can copy the OS with it running. I'm used to the old messages of, "cannot copy/delete because files are in use" thing.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2006
  4. TheWeaz

    TheWeaz Registered Member

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  5. Mike89

    Mike89 Registered Member

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    Thanks much for that link. It was very informative. Cleared some things up for my dumb ass! Lots of smart cookies out there writing these programs.
     
  6. GroverH

    GroverH Registered Member

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    Be sure and create the Bootable Rescue CD. You will need it should you need to restore you boot drive. It would also be wise to create an additiional backup and set the file size to fit onto multiple CD or DVD's (note backup options in my signature below). After completion of the backup to your storage drive, you could then burn mutiple data CD or DVD's as an additional measure of safety should your hard drives fail or become un-usable for whatever reasons. Having your backup on an additional form of media increases the possiblilty of a successful recovery from a disaster.

    My suggestion would also to create some of your backups from the Bootable REscue CD. Another way of taking Windows out of the picture.
     
  7. Mike89

    Mike89 Registered Member

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    Very good suggestions, thanks. I have already created the bootable CD, I needed that when I copied over my two old IDE hard drives to the new SATA ones.

    I already made one backup on a DVD. I will also do the backup from the rescue CD as you suggested, good idea.

    Right now I have Windows XP on my first partition (have 2 partitions) on my C drive (a 10 gig partition of which right now I only have about 4 gigs used). I'm really only interested in making backups of that so I at least got the OS back if I have Window problems. I keep the Windows partition nice and lean and put most programs on either the other partition or the other drive. The partition thing has saved my butt a couple of times when I had to re-install Windows, at least I didn't lose the whole drive. Losing 10 gigs is sure a lot better than losing 250.
     
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