Confused

I don't know much about computers. I have a basic question to ask. I can run a total backup of my computer & everything on it, this seems easy to do. How do I schedule a backup to backup evrything that has changed after I do that. Is it only files & folders that change? I want to backup any & all changes that has taken place after my total, or complete backup.

Appreciate any help I can get.

Thank you...

 

Then you would schedule either an Incremental or a Differential backup. You need to read up on both to decide which suits your needs the best.
Depending on the space available to you, you might do as I do and just schedule daily Full backups.

 

Thanks for your reply Weaz. If I schedule a daily full backup wouldn't that take alot of discs?, excuse my ignorance, but this is all new to me. I don't have a manual to read...when I bought this program it didn't come with a user manual. Is there not a way to backup daily changes without doing a complete full backup?

If you or anybody else responds to this question, please reply in the simplest text. I am a real dummy when it comes to matters such as this.

Thanks again...

 

You didn't say what kind of discs you want to backup to. In any case, backing up to CD or DVD directly, has its own set of problems. Some people are successful, many are not.

If your system is a desktop, you would be better off installing a second hard drive to hold your backups.

If your system is a laptop, you would be better off getting an external usb hard drive to hold your backups. You can also use this method for the desktop, providing it has USB 2 ports.

There is a way to backup only changes once a full backup has been made. But again some have problems with the incrementals being corrupt, when they go to do a Restore. For me it is worth the extra time to do Full backups every time.

 

Sorry if I confused you further
I was in a rush and just made the assumption you were backing up to a second hard drive.
Once you fill everyone in on just what configuration you're working with, I'm sure you'll get the help you need

 

Aquabrite,

If you go to www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage, you may download an informative 79-page (2.2. MB) User's Guide for True Image. You'll find the link to the User Guide above the logo for PC Magazine.

 

Thanks to all that replied, much appreciated. I'm running XP Home Edition, and I have a desktop. I did a full complete backup using CD's. It took about two hours to do this with many disks. If I do this everyday, as some of you have suggested will this take the same amouny of time & disks?...Please understand I have no knowledge about these types of things. If I get a second hard drive installed is this the best way to go?...and will it take as much time as doing it as with CD disks? If it takes two to three hours to do this daily... I wont be able to use my computer while it is doing the backup, is this correct?

I will definately download the manual, that should help.

Thanks again for the help.

 

You WILL be able to use your computer while backups take place, This is especially true if you backup to an extra internal slave drive or an external drive. The time taken will be far less than to CDs or DVDs and, depending on your hardware, can be counted in minutes not hours.
One you get to grips with the program, which is really quite straight forward if you stick to the basic functions, you will be able to set up a schedule for backups which will run automatically...Bliss!!

Xpilot.

 

As an example of time required:
I do a Full backup from within Windows of 2 hard drives (total used space 20GB) to a 3rd HD in 13 minutes. Image file is about 15GB.
That's with Normal compression AND a distributive computing app running which keeps the CPU pegged at 100%.