Acronis Secure Zone?

I have a couple concerns about the Secure Zone.

Since you cannot see what files are being saved in the Secure Zone, how exactly does it work?

#1) When I save a new backup image here, is the old file simply replaced?

#2) Can the Secure Zone hold more than one file?

#3) How about incremental or differential backups? I guess being that you cannot see and select files in the Zone, that you cannot add an incremental or differential... right?

 

If it has the same name, it will be replaced. If it has a different name and there is room for both files in the SZ, the SZ will store both files. See the User Guide (link below)

Yes, see above and the User Guide.

You can select files in the SZ to which you can add incremental or differentials.

All of this info is in the User Guide which can be downloaded from here. You should read section 3.2.3 - Deleting Backups in Acronis Secure Zone for further information on your first 2 questions.

 

Hi there Ozmaniac,

Umm, no can do I'm afraid . You cannot assign a file name to an image being created to the Secure Zone. Therefore it will only hold one full image plus any associated incrementals/differentials at a time.

Regards

 

Mmmm.... Perhaps I am mis-reading some of these answers, as it is possible to have several images in the secure zone at the same time. Currently I have 6 full backup images in my secure zone and when the next one is created tomorrow the oldest will be dropped automatically. The different images are identified by creation date and time. To see what is in the secure zone go through the motions of launching a restore while still in Windows. Select the secure zone as the source and the contents are listed and one can choose which one to use or cancle the operation.

Xpilot

 

I'm with you. So long as there's sufficient space, the Secure Zone can hold multiple full backup images; not just one.

Based on my recent experiences, Acronis still has some bugs in its Secure Zone feature, but that's a different matter.

 

Well, I guess I have a bug, because when I go through the Restore Data Wizard and select "Aconis Secure Zone" as the source, there are absolutely no files with dates on to select from anywhere within the dialog.

Even though there are only 8 GB's of free space out of 20 GB listed on the Secure Zone partition (and I know that I have added at least one image backup to the secure zone). Very, very odd.

 

Hi Xpilot & Skytrooper,

You can tell that I don't use a Secure Zone other than when I'm testing new TI builds!! I knew you couldn't do what Oz said (i.e. provide different file names) but didn't realise that, if you created a second full image, TI would differentiate them by Time and Date. Thanks for enlightening me .

Regards

 

A secure zone on a dedicated slave drive is a great facility. Once a backup schedule has been set up it manages backups automatically on the FIFO basis. I can go away and leave my computer in the hands of another user knowing that there will be a set of backups available on my return to restore to a pristine condition should this be necessary. It has never missed a beat to date and the backups run in Windows with no operator intervention.
Being somewhat paranoid I also image the maindrive to a USB drive on a weekly basis quite independantly from the other backups.
But Hey, there are as many different backup methods as there are ways of cooking eggs!

Xpilot

 

Although I image manually as and when required, I agree with you Xpilot. Unless one is stuck with a single internal HD and no access to external media, The best feature of the Secure Zone is its ability to automatically manage the number of images created within it. However I guess that, like me, you would advise steering well clear of also activating the (infamous?) associated Startup Recovery Manager .

Regards

 

Hi Menorcaman and everyone else,

Thanks for the correction. I don't use the SZ either but knew that it could hold several images and wrongly assumed that you could name them. The heat here is obviously affecting my brain!

 

So, can anyone else actually see the creation date and time of multiple images in the secure zone, or do I have some kind of bug in my program? I've created several more full backups and stored them in the SZ. If I try to recover from the SZ, and go to "Restore disks or partitions", it does not show me a list of images backed up with associated dates and times at all. I am wondering if this function is working or even worth my time....

 

There are several possibilities here. When you start from the "Pick a task screen" you have to progress using four left click selections to get to the list of available archives in the secure zone. Perhaps you are not progressing far enough. Perhaps you have a botched installation of TI because it is NOT a bug. The solution would be to uninstall you present version and make sure you reinstall the current build. Perhaps you in fact come from another Planet and have been sent here to waste OUR time )

Xpilot

 

(I am using True Image 9 build 2,337)


From "Pick a Task" here are the next 6 clicks:

#1) Select "Recovery"

[next]

#2) "Restore Data Wizard" - Welcome screen

[next]

#3) "Archive Selection" - on the left side box, I select "Acronis Secure Zone". The right side box says "Acronis Secure Zone" and tells me I have 5.474 GB of Free Space and the Total Size is 20 GB. There are 2 general sentences below this explaining the purpose of the Secure Zone.

[next]

#4) "Restoration Type Selection" - Here I choose "Restore Disks or Partitions" because this is the type of backup I previously made and placed in the secure zone.

[next]

#5) "Partition or Disk to Restore" - This shows me the disk and partitions that I have in the secure zone. I then check all the partitions. It displays the Partitions, Flags, Capacity, Free Space, and Type. NOWHERE within this dialog is there information regarding date or time of the selected backup. There is also no indication that there is more than one archived backup (which there should be).

[next]

#6) "Restored Partition Location" - Here you are supposed to select a target partition or unallocated space for the restore.

[next]

#7) "Confirmation" - This is as far as you can go without making changes.




Could a couple more users go though these steps and confirm what information TI gives them? Is there any indication on any of these screen that displays:

#1 - date of Secure Zone Backup
#2 - time of Secure Zone Backup
#3 - if you have more than one backup archived here, does it show them, or does it only show the latest, most recent?

Thanks!

 

The steps that you state are not the same as the ones that pertain to TI V 9 build 2337 as installed on my computer. Did you have a previous version installed and did you uninstall it before you installed build 2337?
My steps are Select recovery on the pick a task screen, Next on the restore data wizard, Select Acronis secure zone, Next lists the backup images by date and time.

Xpilot

 

"Next lists the backup images by date and time."

Same with Ver 8.0 937

 

Just a thought but maybe mgravy has only got one full image in his Secure Zone because there isn't enough free space available to create another? I quote from a previous Acronis Support reply:

Regards

 

So, xpilot, are you saying that after selecting the Acronis secure zone, your next step doesn't allow you to specify the restoration type? In my program, am given three options... 1) "Using Snap Restore", 2) "Restore disks or partitions", and 3) "Restore specified files or folders". If I select "Snap Restore" and "next", I am taken to the "Ready to Proceed Screen" Operation 1 of 1. If I select "Restore disks or partitions" and "Next", I am taken to a screen that tells me to select a partition or whole disk drive to restore (this is where I'm assuming are the contents of my SZ backup with no dates associated). If I select "Restore specified files or folders", then "Next", I am taked to a screen that says: "Please select restore mode": with the option of "Original Location" or "New Location".

I previously had .v 8 and then uninstalled it. Then I installed v. 9. I now just uninstalled and reinstalled the program and it is exactly the same.


My partition is 20 GB and backup of my Boot drive is a little over 7 GB when backing up to another drive. After my first backup to the SZ, the free space listed a little over 12 GB and then after my sencond backup to the secure zone it listed a little over 5 GB, so it would appear just by the size of the free space that there must be two images residing in the SZ?!?!?

 

"Just a thought but maybe mgravy has only got one full image in his Secure Zone"
I think we have a BINGO.
When I first went through the steps I had a Full & 3 Incs in the ASZ. I just now ran another Full (which deleted all the old images) and now that restore step is skipped.

 

I was thinking that my next step would be to put another 10 or 20 GB on the SZ partition. I'll give that a shot.

 

Even so, wouldn't the one image still display the date? or not?

 

And if that does not put things to rights the next thing to do would be to delete the secure zone and it's contents using the manage secure zone wizard.Then recreate it to it's larger size. After a couple of new images all should be well.

Xpilot

 

"Even so, wouldn't the one image still display the date? or not?"

I couldn't find it anywhere (Ver 8 937)

 

O.k.

Well, some good news...

First I resized the partition and tried to add another image backup. That didn't work...

Then, I deleted the SZ and Created it again with a partition size of 30 GB. I created an initial backup and did not see a date. After that, I tried to create a 2nd backup and the computer crashed with about 80% remaining in the archive. I restarted and tried again. After the crash I was 2 GB short of what the SZ told me previously that I had in free space. But, I went ahead and started another backup... it worked...

Now, when I go through the recovery wizard I have a screen on the left which shows the Backup Dates and I can select one. From there it takes me back into choosing one of the three restoration types.

So, for whatever reason, if you are having trouble with the secure zone, delete the whole thing and start over.

FWIW -This "Secure Zone" thing doesn't make me feel too secure, I must say. I'll just cross my fingers and keep backing up to other hard drives and DVD's...

 

One other thing I have found...

I was under the impression from other users that you could initiate a schedule and save to the secure zone. After the SZ is full, it would simply drop the oldest file and cycle through. I liked this idea a lot and that's the main reason I wanted to use it.

Well, this is not the case, at least with my install. After the SZ is full and I try to add another backup, the program freezes and completely crashes windows. I have tried this 5 times now. I might add that the PC I'm using with this is a brand new build using a dual core Opteron, 2 GB RAM, and an all SCSI (15k rpm Cheetah Hard Drives) and a fresh install of Windows 2000 Pro. It is not some clogged up 4 year old machine!

So, I guess my only option is to either do one full backup each week for a month (my SZ will hold 4 full backups) and then reformat or disable/enable the SZ and start over, or to do a boatload of incrementals untill it fills up and start over.

Overall, I will have to say that I am very disappointed with True Image 9. In a "mission critical" application such as this, the most important thing to the user is to have some piece of mind and at least an ounce of stability. My confidence level in the reliability of this program is very, very low.