First Backup: Is this Right?

I want to do a backup of my C drive before I send my computer off to be repaired. I bought an external drive (E drive) and have connected it by USB. I then proceeded to click on Back Up and highlighted Disk 1 (there were two boxes and I checked both), and I selected a location which I browsed to (E drive) and then gave it a name, and then proceeded and named the backup (same name as the location) and pushed go, ad now it's backing up (about an hour for step 1). I want to make sure this is backing up my programs so that if I were to get a new hard drive, I could just push restore and it would re-install all my programs as if nothing had changed. I am told this is called a full iamge backup (or close). Am I doing the right thing?

 

Which version of TI are you using?

If TI 11 or 2009 then after the Backup there would have been a choice to select My Computer. However by the sounds of it, you have selected the correct choice.

There are three extra steps that would be advisable -

1. Make sure you have given labels to your C: and E drive (right click on the drive icon in Windows Explorer and Rename) - then perform another image.

2. Make a rescue CD and check that it will boot your computer and can find your hard drives. This is where giving your drives names will come in handy as Linux does not display drives the same way as Windows.

3. Copy the Acronis installer and licence text over to your external drive - just in case....

If you have registered your copy of TI (assuming we are dealing with a full version here) then if the rescue CD can't find your drives it may be worthwhile downloading the SAFE rescue environment and reburn the rescue CD - I suggest using a rewritable to just test the rescue CD out.

Colin

 

Colin. Thanks for your response. I am using True Image Home 2009 PC Backup and Recovery.

However, I really don't understand you questions/points.

1. Make sure you have given labels to your C: and E drive (right click on the drive icon in Windows Explorer and Rename) - then perform another image.

Do the drives have labels? I am not sure. The C drive doesn seem to have a name? How do I name it and why name it? The E drive says "My Book" before it. After having done this you want to repeat the back up? Am I overwriting the one I just did? Why am I doing two of these?

2. Make a rescue CD and check that it will boot your computer and can find your hard drives. This is where giving your drives names will come in handy as Linux does not display drives the same way as Windows.

What is a rescue CD and how do I make it? I have a Sony Vaio and it comes with a recovery CD.

3. Copy the Acronis installer and license text over to your external drive - just in case....

How do I do this, and in case of what? Isn't the Acronis software getting backed up as well?

Having finished this first back up, I get a message that says "backup completed".

When I open the E drive, I seem to have 14 back up files of 3.99GB and one of 792MBs. Am I now all set?

 

Well yes and no yes you have an image, but I suggest for ease of use and to minimise data corruption you reformat your My Book to NTFS file system rather than the FAT32 that it probably is at the moment. That way you'll end up with just one image file. If I recall My Books come with auto recognition software - if yours does and you want to keep it then a different way of converting your FAT32 file system to NTFS will need to be attempted.

Refer back to my post which explained one way of naming your C: drive. You name it because within the restore environment which uses Linux it won't appear as C: . To avoid confusion, it is always best to give the drive a specific name. This is even more useful if at some stage you decide to get a larger drive and add extra partitions to it- however this is not the case at the moment, so don't get hooked up on that particualr idea.

That is the label/drive name

Ah your are correct, I was thinking about when you restore the image it will reflect your drive setup as now - in other words drive C will just show itself as C:, whereas if you give drive C a label and then re-image, the image when restored will show C: with whatever name you gave it - I'm surpised that Sony haven't given it a name,IBM call my drive C: pre_load (a totally useless name),

The Acronis rescue CD allows you to boot your computer with no OS on it and contains a Linux version of TI and then you can restore your drive using that. However, if your laptop is returned with Windows still installed on it (you haven't said if the drive is liable to be replaced) and assuming that TI is still there (if not a new drive) then you will restore via Windows - though you should be aware that even if you start the resotre from within Windows TI will reboot the laptop and continue the restore from within a Linux envirnment.

I'm assuming you downloaded your copy of Acronis, in which case you will have downloaded the install file - just copy this across to your external drive in the smae way you normally copy files to things like USB sticks etc.

Yes, Acronis will be in the image file, but if for some reason the rescue CD doesn't work and let's say Sony have replaced the drive or taken the drive back to factory condition, something they sometimes do,you will need to re-install TI so that you can restore the image you made. It is easier to just click on the install file and re-install TI then it is to make sure you have an internet connection and assuming you ahve registered your copy, log into your account on the acronis website and redownload.

The licence details probably came to you in an email, in which case just copy and paste them into a text file (right click on an empty part of your screen, choose NEW choose textfile - left click, give it a name - TI licence for example, then double click on the icon, and copy and paste your licence no: into it. Close and then copy over to your external drive.

Ah yes, forgot to say. The recovery CD/DVD from Sony will probably reformat your drive and take it back to the same condition whne you first got the laptop. I haven't used a Sony recovery disk, so I don't have intimate details on its contents - check, it may just have a copy of XP/Vista on it, but it is more likely to have a Sony Image which will bring you back to the when first purchased condition - none of your software or files on it.



Colin

 

Well yes and no yes you have an image, but I suggest for ease of use and to minimise data corruption you reformat your My Book to NTFS file system rather than the FAT32 that it probably is at the moment. That way you'll end up with just one image file. If I recall My Books come with auto recognition software - if yours does and you want to keep it then a different way of converting your FAT32 file system to NTFS will need to be attempted.

I think it is in FAT32. If I rename the C Drive like you say, how do I save the next download in NTFS? Also, I presume you want me to delete the first download files?

The Acronis rescue CD allows you to boot your computer with no OS on it and contains a Linux version of TI and then you can restore your drive using that. However, if your laptop is returned with Windows still installed on it (you haven't said if the drive is liable to be replaced) and assuming that TI is still there (if not a new drive) then you will restore via Windows - though you should be aware that even if you start the resotre from within Windows TI will reboot the laptop and continue the restore from within a Linux envirnment.

I actually have a physical Acronis software CD which I biught at BestBuy, and I have restore disks from Sony, so I would think I should be able to bring back Vista, and then use the Acronis restore disk to restore everyhting from the E drive?

Does the fact that I have the Acronis CD and the Sony recovery CD change anything from your perspective?

 

nologic,

You should find it helpful to read my beginners guides listed on line 2 of my signature below. These were written for prior version but the procedures are basically the same.

As for naming your drives, check the last line of my signature for the "avoid disaster" link.

 

Thanks, I did that but still have questions.

How do I save the next download in NTFS and not FAT32?

Also, do i erase the original backup?

 

You need to reformat or convert the external drive from fat32 to ntfs.

If you reformat, you loose all the contents of the external drive.
If you convert, you can save the contents.
For assistance, perform a google search for
convert fat32 to ntfs

A backup can be erased/deleted same as any other file.

 

Well, after backing up my Vaio, I went to back up my daughter's Apple Macbook, and the Macbook software insisted on erasing the Vaio, and now I fear if I got to re-backup the Vaio, it will attempt to erase the Macbook backup. What's the point of having a 500GB back up drive if you can only back up one computer?

 

Let me see if I understand this latest development.

You have now successfully used Acronis TI to make an image of your XP/Vista Sony Vaio to your external USB 500GB drive.

You now wish to image a MacBook using the imaging software provided by Apple to the same external 500GB drive.

The imaging software provided by Apple on the MacBook has insisted on reformatting your external 500GB drive to OSx format.

If the above is correct, then:

This is to be expected as the MacBook system format of placing files on a drive is different to that of a Windows machine.

I can only see two ways around this problem.

1. Have a seperate backup drive for the MacBook - the easiest - but will cost money.

2. Partition the external drive into two partitions and use one for your Sony and the other for the MacBook. - cheap on the wallet, but not on the thinning hair

I'm not up on the current MacBooks and OSX but I thought they could read and even write to Microsoft formatted disks - if this is still the case with - it might be worth checking if the MacBook imaging software can be persuaded to image to an NTFS formatted drive.

Someone who is Mac savvy will have to answer this bit, I would think you would create the Windows partition from within Windows, and then not touch the empty partition and format that in OSX on the Mac.

We can help you partition your drive, but it'd be worth waiting to see if anyone here can see problems as far as the Mac side of things are concerned.

Colin

 

I think you summarized it right, except I backed up the Macbook, which overwrote the Vaio backup using Acronis.

The Macbook is my daughter's and I sent it in for repair: they said there was a chance that the hard drive might be damaged, so I am focusing on that computer first.

As for my Vaio, I have made a copy of my Documents and My Pictures on a USB memory stick. My computer also has to go in for repair, but I think the hard drive is fine. So, I will live with the memory stick of the Docs/Pics.

But, once I get these back, my question remains: I would like to use the 500GB external drive to back up two Macbooks and one Vaio. At least this way, I'd have the basics backed up, including the pics, the kids music, and the current programs (including Office). You're saying I have to partition the hard drive -- that does sound daunting. I am surprised that the hard drive manufacturers don;t sell their drives with software to facilitate this, seeing that it makes their drives more usable.

 

Hard drive formatting is the responsibilty of the operating system manufacturer as in general a hard drive are designed to be used with any OS. In other words, they are the blank piece of paper and the artist gets to decide what type of drawing materials to be used and the drawing to go upon it.

In your particular case, I really would be inclined to bite the bullet and purchase another drive for Mac use.

To add an extra partition to your drive:

Note - doing this from the Mac might be easier- but I don't have access to a Mac to check.

Formatting and partitioning using Microsoft tools will wipe your external drive, tools such as Disk Director or equivalent won't.

In Windows:

Right click on the My Computer icon and choose Manage.

From the panel that pops up choose Disk Management (see picture).

Find the external drive in the list, highlight it. It is probable that Windows will think this disk is not partitioned and if you right click on the drive entry (in either panel) there will be an option to partition drive. Left clicking on this will bring up a dialogue box asking if you want a Primary partition, it will then ask if it is to extend to the whole drive, here you'll put in a figure - lets say 250GB, then just follow the prompts.

You will then need to attach the drive to the Mac and repeat the above, following the Mac's instructions for partitioning a drive - be careful here as I think a Mac is set up to auto partition - if this is the case, you'll be back to square one.

I'n not sure if the trial version of Disk Director allows you to keep changes to disk structure - but using a utility such as that would be much easier.

Colin

To other watchers - I wonder if the Secure Zone trick would work on a drive formatted for a Mac?