Using TI images for backups

Hi Gang,

Bewbie to this forum...

I installed TI8 on a client's computer and created a full image of the OS partition... I created the image with the Rescue CD...

2 Qs, please:

1. I noticed (explored the image) that pagefile.sys & hiberfil.sys are on that image... it was my understanding that ver 8 does not include these two files in images... so, what gives?

2. This customer needs a daily backup solution... mainly of changing documents and changed OE & Outlook files... I thought of setting up TI for daily incremental images as the backup solution...
Now, this makes me wonder: it's my understanding that TI backs up by sectors that have changed since previous image was created... so lets assume that we need to restore the Outlook Outlook.pst file... and that we have 20 incremental-type images since full image was created...
Would it suffice to restore (by dragging the Outlook.pst file from the mounted image) the latest incremental image? Would that latest image contain the full Outlook.pst file or just what had changed since previous incremental image was created?
Geez, I hope I made myself clear...

TIA,

Jay

 

You would in my opinion be better off using a program designed for backing up files for what you described. I use Handy Backup (http://www.handybackup.com/) to make automated backups of numerous files and folders and it works brilliantly and will make backups with timestamps so backups show different versions of the data over time or it will back up only changed files or make a single backup of all the data at the chosen time. Acronis is primarily intended for imaging an operating system, whole partition or drive and restoring it when a problem occurs.

 

Hello Imaginnn,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

1. Acronis True Image doesn't include paging and hibernation files into the image. However, it does creates a place for both of them, which lets the operating system boot normally after restoration.

2. When you mount an image that have several incrementals you are asked to which time-point you wish to get. After you choose the date you wish to roll back to the image is mounted and you get to the right point. After that you will be able to copy the necessary files at the state they were at that particular date.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Thank you both for your prompt replies...

I need some more clarifications, especially in regards to files like Outlook.pst...
It's quite large in size... somewhere around 1.5GB...
Now, suppose it was imaged yesterday, on an incremental basis... and let's assume that today 5 more emails were added to that file and another incremental image was created at the end of the day...
Will this latest image contain every byte of this file (1.5GB) or, just the sectors that have changed?

BTW, in regards to the Pagefile.sys & Hiberfil.sys, exploring the image reveals sizes of about 500MB each... are these actually empty files that don't occupy any (real) space on the image?

Any other opinions here on using TI for daily/weekly backups?

Thanks again,

Jay

 

Incremental Backups contain the changes since the last backup.

BTW Watch that PST file size. If it goes to 2Gb you run the risk of it corrupting and possibly loosing data. This is a PST problem and nothing to do with True Image.

See:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329910

Also:
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Windows/Article/ArticleID/24017/Windows_24017.html
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Applications/MS_Office/Outlook/Q_21222274.html

 

To mareke,

You mentioned HandyBackup as the backup program that you use...
I did some googling... I came across their license page (for the freeware, ver 2.1)... http://www.handy-backup.com/handy_backup_license.shtml
You may want to take a look at item 2...
"You acknowledge and agree that Novosoft may gather information and usage pattern, provided by you, your software and configuration, such as your local time zone settings, type of your hardware, IP address, date and time of installation and/or registration provided that if published, it will be done only in aggregate form without user names."
That software has the capability to backup to an FTP site... Do you trust them, based on the above paragraph, that they aren't spying on you?

Made me uncomfortable, to say the least...

Now, it's possible, of course, that this agreement applies only to the free version...

"So that you know"...

Jay

 

Hello Jay,

When you explore the incremental image you get the full content of the partition (or drive) as it was at the moment when you created the image. You may copy any file and you will see that it is the same as it was when you created the image.

As for paging and hibernation files, 500Mb is stated in its properties but in fact they do not occupy the space in the image. They will be of 500Mb if you restore the image, however.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman