Back-Up & Restore Procedure

Since some New people are having problems, I thought it would be a good idea to create this page so Advanced users can share their successful Back-up & Restore procedures.

My technique is a Simple and Easy Full "Back-Up" for a stand alone home pc. I don't use the Scheduling, Secure Zone, or anything else. Just a simple, quick...manual Backup done ENTIRELY from the "Boot-CD".

Back-Up =
1. I run "Scandisc" and then "Defrag". Once completed,...Put the "Boot-CD" in the Rom, and shut it off.
2. Turn the USB External HD on, and then Reboot the computer.
3. Then choose the "Back-Up" in the Boot-CD menu. Then make a FULL Back-up, and save it to the USB External.
(I like doing this better because you're not actually booting into Windows)


Restoring =
I always use the Boot-CD to "Restore" the .TIB file.

 

I use scheduled whole drive images from within windows.
These are stored in and managed by the Secure Zone on an internal slave drive. This holds 10 images.
No user input up to this point and as it happens when I am at lunch the 35 to 40 minutes required does not matter.
On my return I swap main drives over using removable drive drawers. Then I boot from the recovery CD and restore the latest image. This only takes 15 minutes from start to finish.
Main points to note :- No validations are needed as the images are all proved by actual restores. All actions are from internal drive to internal drive which is the fastest and most secure method. At no time is my main drive at any risk as its twin is sitting on the desk or is off site until it is used in the next backup cycle.
So at any time I have a replacement hard drive, as up to date as the latest backup, ready to slip into the computer. There is also a series of backup images all of which have been proved by having already done restores should I need to go back to an earlier time.

Since I bought my internal drive rack/drawer assemblies I see they can now be obtained for only £ 4 each !! So if you have a spare bay in your PC tower get out your screwdriver)

Xpilot

 

starsfan09,
In my experience a backup with the Rescue CD takes alot longer than with ATI under Windows. The restore is about the same.
It must be very easy for you to test this yourself and maybe you will see the same big difference like I did.

 

With v3666, and 3677...it actually takes about 10 minutes to Back-up and Verify it to my USB External. I've tried both ways, and really haven't noticed a difference.

 

OK. I tried it only with build 3633. I will test it again. (I have already build 3677) Thanks !!!

 

No, it didn't work. Build 3677 didn't change anything. It took 34 minutes to backup with the Rescue CD and it takes only 10 minutes with ATI under winXPproSP2.

 

Is it possible to do this simple proceedure and back up to DVD's? If so how? I have been using TI 8 and now 9 and never backed up except through the Windows interface. This seems like a very simple and direct procedure. Can you also validate the backup this way?

Irv

 

I don't consider this as a simple procedure. Using ATI under Windows is easier.
If it is so simple, why do you ask how to use this procedure to backup on DVD?

 

Mainly because when I backup under Windows to my USB external drive I cannot validate the backup without getting an error. I have not found an answer to this problem either here or from Tech support. So to me it's an easy work around!!

 

The image processing time should remain constant unless TI uses a different core engine with the boot disc. Windows uses more RAM and resources. Therefore, I would expect faster performance outside of windows, expecially with an older PC with <256MB of RAM.

E-mail TI's tech support to see if your USB issue can be handled on a one-on-one basis. <snip>

edited to remove off-topic remark - Detox.

 

I think that is a bit simplistic. Windows may use more RAM and resources but unless it is starved for RAM what does it matter. A major underlying factor is how well the OS operates with the MB/chipset and most MBs are designed with XP in mind. It has more to do with how well the Linux environment works with your board.

I had a system that I used Drive Image on which ran under DOS - no nasty Windows resource sucking there. The peformance was dreadful worse than a 200MHz Pentium and this machine had 1.2GHz AMD Athlon. Problem was the Ali chipset outside of Windows.

 

I don't understand why it takes this long. How many Gigs do you have?
Do you have any Partitions? I don't have any...well...besides what Windows assigns as "Unallocated". I have 7.83gb on my C:/ Drive.

I'm thinking that if you have Partitions, then the Boot-CD is backing them up as well. When you boot into Windows, you're choosing only the C:/ Drive. Could explain why it takes less time.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong about this.

 

Yes, you can validate it. But always keep this in mind. As you're going through the Restore process, you can TEST to see if it's gonna work or not. Before you get to the very last button ("PROCEED"), you see a box to "VALIDATE BACKUP ARCHIVE BEFORE RESTORATION". Always check this box. Once you click on "Proceed", it will test the file to see if it can read it. If there's a problem with the file, you'll get aN Error message. You can stop at this time, and Reboot back into Windows (that is if you didn't do anything to it to keep you from booting up in the first place)
But...If don't get an Error message, then the file will Restore with no problems. You can exit after a minute or two because the file is ok. Then just Reboot.

 

There is no need to validate an image either at creation or before doing a restore. All you have to do is restore to a spare or replacement hard drive. For me it works every time and as the original hard drive is not over written by the restore process it is not put to any risk at all.
I always used to do this when testing a new build or version of TI. I have now built it into my regular backup/ restore process. See my earlier post in this thread.

Xpilot

 

My setup is quite simple :

My 1st internal harddisk (WD Raptor) = system partition [C:] containing winXPproSP2 + All Applications
My 2nd internal harddisk (WD Raptor) = data partition [D:] containing my personal files, email-address-book and emails.
My 3nd external harddisk (Seagate) = system backup [E:] and data backup [F:]

My 1st harddisk = 13.3 GB and it took 34 minutes to backup on my Seagate, if I use the Rescue CD and only 10 minutes
if I use ATI under Windows. I have no explanation for this, because
- I have a fast CPU
- I have 2048 MB RAM (2 x 1024 MB)
- it's all USB 2.0, which is supposed to be the fastest connection
- the USB 2.0 cable is very short.

My Rescue CD contains Acronis True Image Home 9.0 Build 3677 (I checked Help/About).
It's not really a problem for me, because I don't backup with my Rescue CD.
I use the Rescue CD only, when ATI is not available anymore on my system harddisk.

 

My setup is almost the same as yours.

My 1st internal harddisk (WD 120gig) = system partition [C:] containing winXPSP2 + All Applications
My 2nd internal harddisk (WD 120gig) = data partition [D:] containing My Documents, email-address-book and emails.
My 3nd external harddisk (Seagate 300gig) = system backup [E:] and some video work.

- I have a 2.4gig CPU
- I have 2048 MB RAM (2 x 1024 MB)
- all externals areUSB 2.0
- Acronis True Image Home 9.0 Build 3677

A typical full image of my data drive [D:] is approx 60GB and from Acronis in Windoz, takes approx 63 mins to write the backup, and another 58 mins to verify. Yeah I setup tasks to verify, I want to know it is good or bad before I need it.

Doing the same from the Acronis Boot CD, takes over 3 hours to write and another 3 hours to verify. I assume this is due to bad or poor non Windows drivers. The reason I say this, is look below:

Using Realtogo-BartPE and Mustang's plug-in and the same Acronis True Image Home 9.0 Build 3677. Booting from it, takes 50 mins to write, and 45 to verify. Again assumed to be the same Windoz drivers, but with less overhead then full bown system.

I generally use Acronis in Windows, running scheduled tasks from Windows scheduled tasks, not built in ones from Acronis, because I need the computer to wake up in the wee hours of the morning. I just create the task in Acronis, then move them so Windoz can send the scripts to Acronis at the proper times and dates. Weekly full images, then daily incrementals, just before the full images run, a batch file runs to rotate the existing one, and clear out the oldest, giving me two weeks of backups to fall back on if needed.

Bottom Line:
Windows runs at about or slightly less then 1GB per min.
BartPe about the same or slightly more then 1GB per min.
Acronis Boot CD, crawls at less then 1/3 of that!

 

Dcrano,
Yes, our setup looks very alike.
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a slow backup, using the Rescue CD
But as I said before, it's not a problem for me.
If I ever really need the Rescue CD, I will use it for restoration and the restoration time is about the same for ATI and the Rescue CD according my tests.
In the beginning I used the Rescue CD very often but only for tests, because I wanted to be very sure that the Rescue CD was as reliable as ATI itself. After all the Rescue CD is my very last hope in the worst scenarios.
Thanks anyway. I feel more relaxed now. LOL.

 

Off-topic post removed. Issues with staff actions/decisions may be discussed in private with the admin.

 

The reason I mentioned to always check the "Validate Backup Archive Before Restoration" ...was in case someone was trying to use a DVD.
If you don't check this box before you click on "Proceed",...
Acronis thinks you're doing a Restore, and automatically deletes the C:/ Partition to Restore it from the DVD. Then, if there is an error reading that Disc, you won't have a C:/ Partition to boot back up to because it's gone.

I have 2 Raptors in my computer. Both has its own SATA cable running from it to the Mother Board. I don't have them set up for RAID because I like to do testing.
When I use my Primary Drive, I go into the BIOS,.. and turn it On. The other one is turned OFF at this point.
Then, later if I want to do testing, I turn the Primary Off, ..and turn the Secondary ON in the BIOS. I love having 2 Hard Drives.
It's great to have 2 computers ...in ONE...of your own system. LOL!

 

I was wondering if one of you Guru’s could help me out. The more I read the owner’s manual that I downloaded for TI 9 the more confused I become.

Here is what I have:
Hard drive has been partitioned into C:\ and E:\
C:\Windows and programs
E:\All personal files, My Doc, My Pictures, etc

Here is what I want to do:
I purchased an 80 gig External USB Hard drive.
I want to create an image.tib of C and E and store it on the External USB Hard drive.
I want to be able to restore C and E from the External USB Hard drive in case of a hard drive failure.
I have a Double Layer DVD that I would also like to backup to as an added precaution and be able to restore from in a real emergency.

Surely there has to be an easier way then all this mumbo jumbo about secure zone /startup and recovery manager.
Could someone please explain it to me in laymen’s terms?
Thanks a lot,
Irv

 

Hello irvdk,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please find my answer to your question in this thread where you mentioned the same issue.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

 

Hi, just bought Acronis Enterprise server for my file server, i am now using tape autoloader, and also using Arcserve. Was thinking of replacing ArcServe with Acronis. Can anybody suggest what to do with my backup? just knw that Acronis does not support autoloader, only can support single tape drive. Please tell me what should i do... thanks

 

This post is a duplicate - please keep the discussion in your previous thread.

 

Here's my setup

C:
D: internal separate drive (Secure Zone)
L: External Network Drive - \\backups\

I backup whole drive C: from schedule.

Mon to Secure Zone
Thur to L:

 

Chief, I have a very similar setup to yours except I don't use the secure zone. I have a secondary system disk that serves as my offline failsafe recovery vehicle. There is a gigabit lan which IMO is as fast as going disk to disk internally and there is a whole series of images to choose from on my Linux server. All disk drives are in removable caddies (they are cheap and the only way to go).

Restore from windows when possible and from the recovery disk when needed. I have found that using acpi=no noapic kernel options when using the recovery CD speeds up the image creation process considerably if you like to use the CD instead of windows (It's a drivers thing).