Is TI the best

In early December I lost my Windows XP PRO OS (operating system) and I am still recovering and nearly back up instead of bankrupt. I need to find a bullet proof method that will eliminate ever going through this miserable experience again.

For years I have been using BackUP MyPC and what it was before (Backup Exec) and on back down the line.

Question #1: Why use anything other than TI if TI is so much better and if TI is better why does BackUP MyPC even exist. The cost differential is not that great. I have religiously done the following on a weekly basis over the years..

Monday AM : Full system backup to a removable 60G Kangaru hard drive (Kangaru part probably not important) which I move off site, Sunday evening, and begin anew with a second Kangaru removable hard drive that is ready for full system backup on Monday morning.

Tue-Sun : On a daily basis I do an incremental backup. I suppose a diffential backup would be just as good. Is there a major advantage to one over the other?

Question #2: Can I schedule full/daily backups the same as the above with TI?

Yesterday I downloaded TI after looking at Ghost, Drive Inage and all else I can find. Last night I ran a full system backup and I think it went through just fine. I have spent today reading the manual and a lot on this forum. On the forum I see mention of Ghost and some things folks like about it. I read about MirrorFolder and things it will do. I see mention of RAID, no time to chase it around. In total I get a bit confused about it all. What I do know is I have got to get it right this time. I have not found a way yet, probably due to lack of digging, to see all the files/folders backed up and perhaps test drive restoring one file to see how/if that will work.

Question #3: After backups can I see all files/folders, select as needed, and restore them? Does it create a catalog, term used by BackUP MyPC, where I can see everything backed up to select from or does one just go to the backed up drive and immediately scroll etc. to the folder file and perhaps even open it up and look at it?

Over the years I have never had to do much other than replacing a few files or folders. But when needed it was really helpful to have a back up that I could do it from. I THOUGHT, really did not know for sure, BackUP MyPC was backing up the OS as a result of its reference to System State backup. As I understand it, so far, TI will backup the OS, file settings on and on. A cursory read made me think a clone approach would be the best for me but further reading has suggested it may not. It seems as though a bootable disk is very important.

Question #4: Does a bootable disk need to be updated every time new hardware or software is added?


Question #5: If I am backing up to a separate hard drive do I need to create the Secure Zone.

Recovery started by conversing with MS and Gateway folks around the world plus assistance from a terrific computer guy. The hard drive had to be wiped clean and a fresh install of the OS was done. A full system restore of 45G using BackUP MyPC worked OK. However, the next laborious task was reinstallation of all programs plus updates and tinkering with 10,000,000,000,000 settings to get all back to dang near the way we were was required.

Question #6: Would TI eliminate all of that by restoring the OS, all programs, folders, files, settings etc. and eliminate over one month of heavy lifting and suicidal considerations? That is what I need! I am a lifer when I connect with the right things.

There are other questions I should probably ask but do not know what they are at the moment.

Thanks for any information offered!

blair

 

1. True Image every time. It can backup your entire system. I do not know the history of Backup My PC.
2. Yes.
3. Yes by mounting, "plugging in" your image your can explore the virtual drive and copy and paste what you need. There is a method for backing up files and folders separately but as you will be keeping Whole drive images on a daily basis I would stick to that. I believe in the KISS Principle!
4. No. New CD only if you install a later build of TI. However the old CD will still work with the old functionality on new backups.
5. No.
6. YES to all.

Xpilot.

 

Hello blair1,

Thank you for your interest in Acronis Disk Backup Software.

In addition to Xpilot's answers, I would also recommend you to download and install the free trial version of Acronis True Image 9.0 to see how the software works on your computer.

Please note that you can find the detailed instructions on how to use Acronis True Image 9.0 in the respective User's Guide.

Please visit Acronis online store to purchase the full version of the product.

If you have any further questions concerning Acronis software, please feel free to submit a request for technical support or post any of them on this forum. We will certainly try to help you in resolving any issues.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov

 

Xpilot and Acronis,

Thanks for the feedback! Based upon Xpilot's response I have already purchased TI 9.I had downloaded it before for a test drive.

Previously noted:
Yesterday I downloaded TI after looking at Ghost, Drive Inage and all else I can find. Last night I ran a full system backup and I think it went through just fine. I have spent today reading the manual and and this forum. On the forum I see mention of Ghost and lot some things folks like about it. I read about MirrorFolder and things it will do. I see mention of RAID, no time to chase it around. In total I get a bit confused about it all. What I do know is I have got to get it right this time. I have not found a way yet, probably due to lack of digging, to see all the files/folders backed up and perhaps test drive restoring one file to see how/if that will work
My terrific tech assistance guy has reviewed it also and we are both amazed at how quickly the image was accomplished. He is going to test it further and thinks it might be a program to consider for other clients. He has suggested doing a test to blank hard drive to make sure all goes smoothly and feels it should be done on a yearly basis. Tried to do a plugin to read, perhaps even open, a file but my system bonked out perhaps as a result the size of the backup or just not waiting long enough. Hit a bump, trying to restore a single file, probably due to my lack of understanding, and may ask about it later. So far, it looks as though TI is the way to go.

I have now made a purchase and after flopping about trying to figure out how to unlock the trial version (assistance by others seems to suggest that is not the way) I am, at this very moment, downloading what I presume will be the real version that will take the place of the trial version.

I am looking forward to any suggestions that will prove this to be the perfect way to make absolutely certain that I never loose an OS/folder/file etc. in the future. If I need to make a backup of the backup of the backup then I am ready to do it.

Thanks again,
blair

 

You are speaking of "Stomp's Backup My PC", distributed by Sonic? It is a great supplementary program to use for backing up data disks along with Acronis. The new File and Folder is supposed to do the same, but so far you can't plug and mount as you can easily with Stomp. Acronis True Image is the best at active partitions by far, but for a quick backup of data and the ability to restore separate files, I don't think Stomp can be beat. I wouldn't however use it to backup my active partition and MBR, although I know it is supposed to be able. I would trust Acronis to be more accurate with a complete disk image.

And if you were going to mirror a drive I for sure would use Acronis and not Stomp. Both are excellent programs. I am a confirmed user of both.

...Allen

 

Me too. TI for my imaging and BMPC for the Files and Folders. I may use TI in the future but right now there is no reason to drop BMPC.

 

Allen & seekforever,

Thanks for your timely response which came in a nick of time as I was planning to discard BaclUp MyPC soon. I have updated to PC BaclUP (also by Stomp) but never used it before the catastrophe. Maybe I need to load it up for some future use. Have you both upgraded to PC BackUp? For sure, this forum is a real asset for expanding upon ones understanding and to learn how others use the program to assure maximum security.

I am surprised to discover that the Stomp products still have a place in the grand scheme of things. I thought TI might be the all-in-one program. Before I ask more I need to read further. At the moment, it seems the “plug and mount” that you mention (maybe this relates to Stomps catalog creation) is not yet fully refined in TI and may be a reason for continued use of BaclUp MyPC/ PC BackUp. I need to try to understand why and for what purpose one might need to use both programs. So, far I do not use partitions nor do I back up using disk or know of a need to back up much isolated data quickly. My current approach is to do a full back up once a week and incremental or differential. I want it all there and hope to never call for anything to be restored unless absolutely necessary. When needed, I want ed to get to folders/files relatively quickly or do a full restore and move on. Ideally, based upon novice knowledge, I would like to just jump to my backup drive and keep going while restoring or replacing the original.

As I mentioned previously:
“Question #1: Why use anything other than TI if TI is so much better and if TI is better why does BackUP MyPC even exist.”

As a novice, It is naturally beyond me and I know there is a logical and very rational reason that is beyond me. Shucks, based upon my operation, I am trying to figure out whether incremental or differential is the best way for me to do daily back up.

blair

 

Ti is great at restoring your hdrive just the way you had it imaged before a disaster, including all the app installs, custom program settings, performance tweaks, network configs, icons and inumerable other items, In a nutshell, your last month's recovery work could have been done in 30 minutes. The fact that data can come with it, is an added bonus.

But should you rely solely on 1 program or method for your data, absolutely not, no matter how good it is.. Depending on the worth of your data to you, it should be stored a minimum of 2 methods. The methods vary among other things, on the size of data files generated on a daily basis. Whether it be 2 MB or 2000 GB, it can vary from simple cd burn to hardware based multiple data copies. No matter, it is well worth the added time/expense.
Google for "data backup strategies" to arm yourself with some surprising info.

 

My reason for partitions is really very simple, it makes for very easy data backup and also data and OS and programs (which are more often open to corruption and failure) are separated. When setting up a new hard drive, I make two partitions, one C (active), and one D (logical extension partition and inactive). C is the partition that most all operating systems prefer to be installed to, and by installing all programs to the C partition along with the OS keeps the programs easily tied to the OS registry. Then place all data folders, etc. on Partition D (Including the My Documents that is installed on C by default by Windows).

The above makes backups very simple. Use True Image and make one complete backup image of the hard drive and that would include C & D and also include all the master file table data (MBR). This you can do once and store it securely somewhere. To return to this point on the present hard drive, or a new one, would mean just recover this image.

After this I use Stomp to make differental backups of Partition D and check the folders I want backed up. If I have a folder, that say, has large movie files I might be editing and don't want to make a backup...I leave it off. This way with a differental backup and Stomp, I can just overwrite each backup and be current as of that action with one file backup. I can at anytime I need, recover any file from my D partition and restore it to any place I want with Stomp. True Image File and Folder backup doesn't permit such 'selection' of files to restore as of yet.

From time to time I may then make an image of the C partition *only* and save it if I have installed a new program or just to bring things current. If I have a "crash" of C partition or a disk failure that destroys everything, I can then use the older full backup and restore both C and D from that image made maybe 3 months ago. It would be bootable because it is the whole disk. I can then take a more recent image of C and overwrite the older C and be current in a matter of minutes. D partition I can update all my data from Stomp and overwrite the data, but use only 'newer' data, leaving the older data files intact.

Point being...Stomp allows me to backup hourly if I want and do a super fast backup of things that have changed in my data D partition and not have any worries about losing things I can't replace. If C goes bad, so I may not have as current a backup and might have to install a couple of programs, that is all. I just have to be certain from time to time to backup my address books or favorites which are tied to the OS by exporting from time to time. Most of the time, I backup to my separate Backup hard drive E: and maybe once a week or so backup from E: to an external USB hard drive to insure my backups are away from the computer and safe.

Acronis will perfect the file and folder backup to reflect the above in time, but for now Stomp is my solution for data, and frankly I've never used any backup program that's faster at both backup and verifing than Stomp. There are also some 'tricks' you can do with Stomp to save space, that you may or may not have learned, but they are not necessary if you have large drives.

...Allen

 

Before this turns into a Stomp admiration society I just thought I would put forward an alternative view.
I only use one program for backups and HDD protection and that is Acronis true Image. This runs automatically every day and backs up my whole system to a second hard drive and less frequently to an external drive. This does not interupt my work as it runs in the background. If I want to make a copy of data more frequently than once a day I just drag and drop to an external HDD.
There are thousands of different possibilities when it comes to backups. I have chosen mine for simplicity and the knowledge that everthing is covered even when I am away and someone else is using my computer.

Xpilot

 

Quick note that TI9, 2337 does fine with my two RAID drives. I have a 1/2 Terrabyte main RAID 0 on Intel ICH5R and a second Raid 0 (160GB) that I back up to also on my Mother Boards Promise controller. In fact, I used TI9 to restore the 160GB Raid to the New 500GB Raid and all was OK after resizing 160GB Image to use all of 500GB drives..

We use TI for complete backups and can tell you that we have used other file backup programs as well. I like the way TI lets you mount an image as a virtual drive if you just want to restore a file.

However, my wife still uses a file backup software to backup DATA...like Quicken and Excel files to DVD-RW's. We have them offsite. I think she uses Genie Backup Manager Pro for that.