Bootable, OS, Programs and Data

I need a backup that will restore my system to full operation after a crash, failure etc.

I have windows 2000

I have a 120gb drive, with a CD/DVD RW
but my OS, Programs and Data total up to only 9.4gb (about 2 DVD's)..

The rest of the stuff I dont need to back up like music, downloads etc.

If I backup by selecting files/folder using True Image 9, will that backup the boot information (boot sector, system files, partitions etc).. If not how do I get that back on the system, will a Rescue Media backup allow me to restore that info..

Thanks in advance

 

Just create a backup image of your entire drive. In the event of a catastrophe you only need to restore the image and your back in operation. I use this approach and it has worked well. The Rescue media can be used to restore. You can backup the image to DVD, second hard drive or an external hard drive. Search the forum and read the user guide you can download from http://download.acronis.com/pdf/TrueImage9.0_ug.en.pdf.

 

I think the original poster did not want to back up all data in one big image to save on disk space.

I believe it is not possible to make a BACKUP of selected files and the OS and partitioning info also, but I am not sure since I still use the 8 version.

However, I received a mail a few days ago which said that in the upcoming (or already released) TI Home 9.1 it is possible to delete or replace files from the image. That might be an option: Make a full image as suggested, then afterwards delete the unwanted files out of it.

However -- if I may speculate before having seen this in vivo -- it may not make the image smaller in size because it is very difficult to change the internal structure of a sector by sector compressed image, therefore the delete may only mark the file as erased in the file system without physically removing it from the image. But as I said, I have not seen it working yet.

Regards,

Tana

 

How about putting everything you don't need to back up onto new partitions (or old ones that have room). That will leave the 9.4 GB you want to back up on your primary partition, and True Image will have no trouble making an image of it and it alone. Good luck, Dan

 

An image is what you need to restore a bootable OS. Files and Folders are for data backups and they are much slower than image backups because they use the file system rather than an in-use sector map.

The deleting files in TI 9 is done by storing changes in an incremental backup based on the original base archive so it does not modify the base archive in anyway. If it's big, it will stay big.

To use imaging softare effectively unless you just want everything, every time is to partition your disk(s) with your requirements in mind. The smallest unit a program like TI deals with is really a partition.

Many of us have OS and installed programs on one partition, data on a second and perhaps other partitions.
I also have large games that rarely change installed on another partition and only make the odd backup of it. IMO, it is not usually (apart from rarely changing games or whatever) a good idea to create a separate partition from the OS partition (C) since installation of a program modifies the registry and can write various files on the OS partition.

 

Thanks for the replies..

How does the Partition Recovery feature of the Acronis Disk Director figure into this?? Will this product backup ONLY partition, boot info?? Then maybe I could use True Image for the rest..

Also, I guess I need to split my partition into smaller partitions.. I guess I can leave about 20gb (C for my OS and programs and the rest for everything else..

Will Disk Director allow me to do this??

 

First, I have never used Disk Director!!!!!

I would imagine the DD partition recovery feature permits you to restore an accidently deleted partition or other similar mishap. It is not intended as a backup/restore product; that product is True Image which will backup your OS, data, MBR.

Disk Director should allow you to re-partition your disk and keep the data intact. However, you would be very wise to carefully backup all data before you begin, just in case....
Read the user guide or whatever instructions first !!!

 

Hello gguerra,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

I am sorry for the delayed response.

Please take a look at this previous thread. It should answer your question.

I would do as Greyhair and create a second partition (if you do not have it already) with help of for example Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 put everything you don't need to back up onto this partition and then back up only the system partition. Then if the system fails you will be able to boot your computer from the rescue media and restore the system.

When booted from the bootable media you are able to access any connected hard disks as well as a wide variety of IDE, SCSI, FireWire (IEEE-1394), USB (1.0, 1.1, 2.0) and PC card (PCMCIA) interfaces and devices, including CD-ROM, CD-R(RW), DVD, magneto-optical drives, network, Iomega Zip and Jaz. So you can store your image files there.

I believe Tana is talking about mounting the image as a virtual drive in Read/Write mode. Please note that in this case the program assumes that the connected image will be modified, and creates an incremental archive file to capture the changes. The original image archive is not change. And, therefore, as Tana assumed it will not make the image smaller in size. The additional incremental backup will be created.

Please note that seekforever is right and this tool of Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 allows you to recover deleted or lost partitions.

Yes, Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 allows you to split, resize, copy, and move partitions without losing data.

Please visit Acronis online store in order to purchase 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.
--
Aleksandr Isakov