Considering Macrium Reflect Professional v5

I've had Acronis since the world was young. Frankly I hate it. True Image 2014 Premium I find bloated confusing as hell and unreliable, i.e. it executes as scheduled some days and others, well. . .

I have a current Windows 7 OS/NOD32/Malwarebytes running 24/7 with all other software patched and UTD. I would appreciate backing up to my 4TB Seagate STDT4000100. I simply want to stay within my knowledge base and do a Full backup Thursday night and an Incremental Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Speaking of knowledge base I am confused re the difference between disk imaging & file based backup as full backup strategies.

I see enthusiasm for Macrium and less so but present for Bvckup 2 Professional. Quite open to other suggestions.

Thoughts?

 

Types of Backup Software : What’s the difference between Disk Imaging, File Based Backup, or Synchronization, and which should I use?

 

See what I mean. I'm marginally intuitive with computers on a good day. But I am trainable. My needs are concrete.

1) I need consumer friendly software with above average customer support.
2) It needs ability to create a system recovery boot disk immediately upon instal and have an intuitive recovery wizard.
3) It needs a GUI Wizard to set up and perform full image & incremental backups reliably on schedule to my external HDD (see above posts).
4) Hence, it needs optional ability to schedule backups from a graphical wizard.
5) recovery from a crashed HDD should be as intuitive as setting up the scheduled backup scheme.

Anyone, please recommend a top-tier commercial backup besides Acronis; I hate Acronis with a bloody passion.

 

There are two principal types of backup software - system (or image) backups and data backups.

Latter works at the file system level and it operates with files and folders. Former works one level below it and in addition to files/folders it may operate with disk blocks. But more importantly system backups are aware of non-file elements on your disk such as Master Boot Record. The flip side is that system backups need to integrate deeper into the system, they are heavier and more complex.

So if your goal is to have a backup that you can use to restore a *fully functional* system, then you need a system backup. OTOH, if you are looking to keep a second copy of your photos and documents, then you need a data backup. Looking at what you wrote so far, you need a system backup unless you want to re-evaluate your backup goals. I used to do full system backup, but eventually switched to making a clean system reinstall and restoring from a data backup.

 

I've been using Macrium Reflect for a while making backup images on a regular basis. I am self taught and am not a techie so I need consumer friendly software too. I've never had to do a restore until yesterday, and I was pleasantly surprised as to how simple it was to do. A few clicks and I was back in business.

 

angstrom, thanks for clarifying the diff between imaging and data backups. Finally get it.

twl845, at times it's a simple creature comfort to know you're not the only one. Thanks. Off to continue exploring Macrium Reflect.

Any other suggestions for me to research? Lot's of commercial kudos for Novastor NovaBACKUP Professional, taken with a grain of salt. Opinions? Does Paragon Backup & Recovery get respect around here? Please feel at liberty to recommend other commercial backup software suites based on post #3. A launching point would really help my research.

Thanks for reading.

 

Since I can't answer your question (which wasn't a particularly tough one), I likely don't need the Professional. Childhood habit. The deluxe gumballs have to taste better than the bagged ones at the counter.

Speaking of which, where are my manners? Thanks Pete, I appreciate your time.

 

Pete, good point on the support. Thanks. Y'all take criers here?

 

Alright, it's Tuesday: time for action. Will uninstalling Acronis True Image 2014 and installing Macrium Reflect cause me to explode like the burning bush in the bible?

 

Mark, doing ANYTHING following the pathetic uninstallation of Acronis True Image is purely a crapshoot in my book. I would do it... but only after knowing that I have an excellent, checked and verified image of my SYSTEM partition, just in case. (Acronis is fine for doing this via its BOOT media).

 

I have an UTD Acronis 2014 Image of my system partition. How can I check and verify it?

Excuse my lack of knowledge: Acronis' Help Center is less than helpfull. I'm trying, I really am.

 

Clicking the gear icon in the box of a selected backup or right-clicking in the free area of the box opens an Operations menu containing a series of options... one of the options is VALIDATE. Use that option to "validate" an image already taken.

 

Mark, page #92 of THIS DOCUMENT (True Image 2014 User's Guide) contains the instructions for validating a taken image. You should keep the document handy...

 

TheRolllbackFrog, thank you. Why couldn't Acronis tell me this? Oh, Peter2150 - thanks (again) for your unsolicited suggestion. I wouldn't have thought to look for such an animal. I was on my way to Windows 7 Control Panel.

Onto one last issue; TheRolllbackFrog, this Image is on a Seagate 4TB USB 3.0 Backup Plus Desk Drive (STDT4000100). Assuming I'm successful at "validating" said Image, can I leave it there while (1) installing Macrium Reflect v5.2, (2) creating Macrium's Rescue Media and (3) creating Macrium's first disk image on my Seagate? My concern: twin images generated by different software creating a software conflict.

 

If your Acronis image is all by itself and not in a named folder (which it should be), it will be fine. The two imaging programs should not conflict as far as images are concerned... but I would suggest setting up a Macrium folder of some sort on the external drive before you create your first Macrium image. You can "point" Macrium to that folder when you create your baseline Macrium image... it'll remember after that where things should go.

 

Peter2150, the software between my ears has been called into question more than once and for good reason. TheRolllbackFrog, doing my best with your valued assistance and the PDF of the Users' Guide, I am being told that "The backup is valid". Cause for enthusiasm. Hopefully the *.TXT of the log uploaded appropriately as its 2KB of data is beyond my understanding. Look OK? Can I proceed with the uninstallation with Acronis True Image 2014 Automatic Uninstaller Tool or should I go the manual route? And finally, as per Peter2150's suggestion, study and instal Macrium Reflect Standard v5 as I hope for happier times?

 

Thanks, Pete. Hey, could you or anyone take a gander at the hyperlink in my last post. I need to know if this is the uninstaller I should use, or if there's an alternate, or if I should struggle through the manual process of uninstallation. Also, anything in the above attached validation text I need to fret about? -Mark

 

Hello MarkW,

First off, Your validation looks good to me.

As to uninstalling, I would not use the uninstaller you posted about.
Here is what I would do. The procedure may be long but Acronis is famous for leaving leftovers behind on your system and this is the best way that I found to do the cleanest uninstall possible...
If you use the Secure Zone, I would remove it first (if you do not plan on using it in the future) as I have seen reports of it being hard to remove if it got left behind after uninstall. I am assuming from your previous posts that you do not use the Secure Zone. Note that since you want to save your last Acronis image, if it is in the Secure Zone and you remove it, you would also remove your image.
I also recommend to deactivate the Acronis Startup Recovery Manager at this point and then be sure to reboot.
Next I would use the uninstaller in "Programs and Features" to uninstall all Acronis related entries. Be sure to reboot afterwards.
Lastly, I would go here https://kb.acronis.com/content/34876 and follow the instructions there to use their Cleanup Utility and to be sure any remaining remnants of Acronis have been removed. Again be sure to reboot once you complete this.
This should, hopefully, get rid of everything Acronis.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, although the link I posted above should answer most questions.

 

puff-m-d, your post to my thread is pure gold. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Thanks!

- Mark