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Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by martyk4vm, Nov 3, 2006.

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  1. martyk4vm

    martyk4vm Registered Member

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    I am trying TI. Just got an external HD to which I want to back up (image? Mirror?)my 40gb laptop hd. I partitioned and formated NTFS the new HD so the first partition is 42gb (room for the whole laptop data) and a second partition for everything else. (I have Win XP SP2)

    I created a rescue bootable disk and put it in a safe palce. :)

    Now I am ready to do the backup (image? mirror?) and I do not understand what the menu is asking me. :doubt:

    First: Why would I want a Secure Zone? And won't it mess up the partitions I made?
     
  2. David07666

    David07666 Registered Member

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    I'm new to TI too, just a week or two ahead of you, and perhaps others will give you a different answer, but here's my take:

    - You don't want to use Secure Zone. Secure Zone is for when you're backing up to the same disk as you're backing up
    - Not clear to me whether you (or I) need to configure a Backup Location. I did but I'm not sure what the difference is between that vs just setting my backup configuration at time of image backup
    - All you need to do is tell it to create an image backup on your external HD. By default you leave the backup file name blank and it generates one for you at run time. The first time you run it it creates a full backup. From then on, up until a limit you set, it creates either differential (recommended) or incremental. The menus lead you through a series of questions which will, among other things, tell it how many differential/incremental backups to make before creating a brand new full image.
    - There is arguably no need to back up your data seperately from the disk image since the disk image allows you to pick folders and files too
    - Each differential/incremental provides a snapshot in time, so if a file. Test.txt, changed every day and you do backups every day, and if you tell it to make 10 differentials/incrementals before creating a new full backup, then on day 9 you have 9 versions of Test.txt that you could restore from, on day 10 you'll have 10 versions of Test.txt, but on day 11, when a new full backup is taken, you lose all the history and go back to what is, in effect, 1 version.

    Let's see if anyone disagrees<g>
     
  3. Ralphie

    Ralphie Registered Member

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    The SZ was a nice feature in its day, when most systems had only one hard drive and hard drives were very expensive. With your external, I don't feel it is necessary at all.
    When you boot with the CD, choose the Full Version and then the Backup option and follow the prompts to create the Image of the laptop drive on to the external. The size of the Image will be about 60% of the used space on the laptop depending on the type of files on it.
     
  4. martyk4vm

    martyk4vm Registered Member

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    Thanks for the information. It helps a lot. Now to do the backup!
     
  5. martyk4vm

    martyk4vm Registered Member

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    Now it is scaring me talking about creating partitions. I don't want any more partitions, especially on drive C. Here is what it says it is about to do:
    ----
    Create Full Backup Archive
    From:Disk 1
    To file:"E: \MyBackup.tib"
    Compression:Normal

    Operation 1 of 2
    Saving partition structure
    Hard disk:1

    Operation 2 of 2
    Creating partition image
    Hard disk:1
    Drive letter:C:
    File system:NTFS
    Volume label:
    Size:27.95 GB
    ----
    First: XP says that Drive C is Disk 0 (not disk 1).
    Second: XP says that Drive E (the partition I have on the external hard drive ) is Disk 1.

    I want the back up to be made of the entire disk C, (with its existing one partition) and put it on Drive E (without changing the partitions on Drive E). I don't want any more partitions.

    Will this do what I want without destroying Drive C? I am confused. :doubt:
     
  6. Ralphie

    Ralphie Registered Member

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    Don't worry. Acronis always calls C Disk 1. What I do is give my drives unique names e.g. if it is a Western Digital 160 gig, I name the volume something like WD160. If that drive is an external, the volume name might be WD160Ext. instead of the generic Local Disk.
    Be sure to have a check mark against the Disk 1 name.
    The reason the wording is a tad confusing is because everything is translated from Russian so the result may seem a bit stilted.
    The procedure is not creating partitions, but a partition image.
    And your C drive without any partitions IS actually an undivided single partition.
     
  7. foghorne

    foghorne Registered Member

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    Hi Ralphie.

    *Lots* of home systems still have only one hard drive. Make no mistake. The secure zone is there to widen the market appeal of TI to users who don't necessarily want to understand the the technicalities of drives and partitions, but based upon old fashioned Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt they want a backup solution for their sealed PC. Yes the SZ does allow a primitive form of rollover management, and to some it seems like a silver bullet from viruses. To me it is just a neat but flawed piece of marketing. When deciding on a DR strategy if you really find it is acceptable to backup onto the same physical drive as your data, then you either don't understand the problem, or your data is not important to you.

    F.
     
  8. martyk4vm

    martyk4vm Registered Member

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    Fear, uncertainty and doubt is my middle name when it comes to things like Partitions. :cool:

    I did give my new disk(s) (2 partitions on it), unique names, which don't show up on this list of actions from Acronis. It says it will take an hour and a half to do the backup. I guess it is time to gather my courage and do it.

    Thanks for the help.
     
  9. Ralphie

    Ralphie Registered Member

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    foghorne, I agree except that nowadays, it is not a big deal to buy a second hard drive, whether internal or external.
    marty, the time estimate is always way too high initially. After you see the first two or three bars in the progress window, then the time becomes more accurate, but is still not entirely accurate.
     
  10. martyk4vm

    martyk4vm Registered Member

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    It took about 40 minutes to do the backup. Thanks to one and all for the help. Now I hope I never need it!
     
  11. foghorne

    foghorne Registered Member

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    Hi Ralphie

    I think you are overlooking the fact that there is a huge market of home users who percieve their data as being important enough to backup and want a backup solution, whilst at the same time do not have the ability or knowledge to install even an external drive. If they stumble on ATI (fabulous as it is) why would they even ask about an external drive since it positively encourages users to back their data up on the same drive.

    This is a bit like saying nowdays, it is not a big deal for a cardriver to add powered steering to their car. The assumption you make is that every car driver is a motor mechanic. It might be nothing for you and I to configure PCs, but many of my customers don't have a clue. If they did a whole business sector would collapse.

    F.
     
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