Maxtor One Touch with Retrospect Express?

I have XP Pro, Pent 4, 3.2 ghz, 1 gig RAM.

I am a newbie who is trying to create a backup strategy for my computer. I am going to purchase Acronis True Image based on everything I have read about it.

I bought the Maxtor external drive with Christmas money. It comes with backup software called Retrospect Express HD.

I have a couple of newbie questions:

1. Can I install the Retrospect Express software and use it as well as Acronis? Or should I just use Acronis? (I like the idea of using the "one touch" button to back up "my pictures" after photo-editing and down-loading.)

2. Do I install Acronis on my Maxtor external drive (which I will use solely for backup)? Or do I put it on my C: drive?

3. I frequently defrag my hard drives. I read in a computer magazine that one could experience backup problems with defragging and using image backup software. Is this true?

I read the FAQ and surfed to find these answers. My apologies if I missed them.

Your help and advice is much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

Retrospect EXpress is a watered down version of the full Retrospect product.
Most folkes find it better to use the full Retrospect product instead of Restrospect EXpress.

You can use Acropnis True Image in addition to Retrospect.

No product should be installed on the backup drive. All products should be installed on your system's hard drives.

IMNSHO, the One Touch button is of little use, but that discussion doesn't belong here.

 

Howard, thank you very much.

I just went to newegg to purchase version 9. They only have it as a "download" ($29.99) and do not offer the retail box. They offer the retail box for version 8.

I went to Acronis web site, and Acronis offers it as a download ($44.99) and you pay extra ($12.99) to get the CD.

I want it with the box because I am a newbie and I want the whole thing on one CD in case I need to reinstall it. I also want to have the manual.

Is there a place to buy the retail box?

 

I would not pay $57.98 for the product, and I never buy directly from the manufacturer unless there is a special deal.

The manual is avalable as a PDF file, about 76 pages.

I've not yet seen the retail box version of TI 9 anywhere.

 

Hello MarieBoyer,

You might want to avail yourself of this <Acronis special Christmas offer> (valid until 2nd January 2006).

Download the True Image 9 User's Guide <here>.

As for your Maxtor, you can set up True Image to utilize its "One-Touch" capability as follows:

Set up a scheduled task and opt to start it manually. After that, customize your Maxtor OneTouch button to run the resultant TI schedule script file. For TI 9.0, this is located at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users (or possibly All Users.WINDOWS)\Application Data\Acronis\True Image\Scripts\xxxxxxxxxxxx.tib.tis

Regards

 

You guys are amazing! Thank you, thank you!

 

I went looking through the link for the Acronis coupon. I saw all kinds of moaning about version 9. Yikes. Seems like I should either buy version 8 or wait until bugs are gone from version 9?

What do you guys think?

 

For the basic functionality of imaging and restoring your hard drive, TI 9 Build 2323 seems to fairly stable. There are still a few glitches (see this thread titled <TI 9.0 Build 2323 - What Works and What Doesn't>) plus a few people have a problem with images being reported corrupt when checked in Windows mode (but o.k. when checked after booting from the rescue CD).

Regards

 

Well, tho build 2323 seems to offer improvements, I ran into a real disaster (see https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=109976/).

I was able to recover ONLY because I was already using another backup product and was able to restore drives with that product.

In addition, I have a multiboot system, so I was able to test the demo on other than my main system, making it easier to restore things.

Personally, I am waiting for the next build demo to check things out..

 

MarieBoyer,

I would suggest you download the trial version of True Image 9 build 2323, burn the rescue CD, boot the computer from it and check if TI detects your external drive. Some odd USB drives may be nasty.

If you find all is well, you may go to buy the licensed version. When you input the Promotional Code (it has been recently changed from CHRISTMAS to HOLIDAY) and click Submit, the price will drop to $29.99.

I am quite happy with TI 9 build 2323, but I have a rather basic computer installation (Win XP SP2) and use only the basic manual functions of TI as well.

If you make a backup copy of the full version of TI you download and also download the User's Guide, you shoudn't miss the boxed edition. You may have to download a new build, when available, anyway.

 

Many thanks for the update on the promo code.

I wholeheartedly agree with that. Invariably a boxed edition will not be at the latest build standard.

Regards

 

Thank you all very, very much.

I am going to try the "download and test it" option.

This next question will reveal just how "green" I am with such things. But, how do you "boot up" with the rescue CD? Because as soon as my computer is on, it boots up automatically? Or should I wait and read the manual?

I have read about "bootable CD's" but I have no idea how they work.

Thanks in advance for your patience.

 

Every computer has a Setup/BIOS option.
Check the manual for your system.

One of the options is to specify the order in which the PC checks drives to determine from where to boot.

So, if you set it up so the CD drive is checked before the hard drive, then all you gotta do is insert the CD in the drive BEFORE you reboot.

 

MarieBoyer,

When you run TI you will find the option "Create Bootable Media" on the main screen. Click that option and follow instructions. Insert a blank nonrewritable CD in the burner when prompted to, than "Proceed".

To boot from the Rescue (bootable) CD insert it in the CD drive while the computer is running in Windows as usual. Then restart the computer (Start, Turn Off, Restart). The computer will turn off and immediately restart, this time from the Rescue CD. You shall see a selection screen: select the topmost (full) option to proceed. Finally you get to the main TI screen. Select "Check Archive" and verify that your external drive is included in the drives' list. Take the Rescue CD out of the drive and exit from TI. The computer will boot in Windows and you will be back in the environment you are used to.

Come back here if you encounter any problems. We are all glad to help, ladies being especially welcome.

 

You gentlemen are a phenomenal group! Thank so much!

I am printing this thread for my files.