Full Image to CD, Incrementals to Safe Zone?

Okay, my full image is on CD-Rs, but I've had a bit of trouble doing incrementals to CR-RWs, as I would like. So I decided to do them to a safe zone, with a later move to CDs perhaps But I don't seem to be able to. When I indicate that the full image is on a removable, TI wants to do the incrementals there as well. I can't find a way to change to another location.

 

No can do I'm afraid. The full image and its associated incrementals need to reside in the same folder/partition.

Regards

 

Hello foolproof,

Thank you for using Acronis True Image (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/).

You have to write incremental images onto CD since you have full image on the CD. Could you please describe what problem you experience when writing incremental images to CDs?

Thank you.

--
Ilya Toytman

 

Thanks Menorcaman
This sounds like it's a RTFM issue, but I can't recall ever coming across anthing that suggested that I couldn't make an incremental backup image to a location different from that of my full image. Well, I guess I can't fault Acronis for having done it differently than I would have liked.

 

Ilya

Sorry to have taken so long responding. I was trying to see if I could more clearly illustrate the problem by uploading a series of screenshot images of what occurred At this stage of my familiarity with the forum, all I could do finally was to upload the initial image as an attachment.

The problem started right after indicated that I wanted to do an incremental for the full image backup that I had done about a month ago. I have 16.8 gig of data, which is at most perhaps a gig or at most two more than the size of my full backup image that took up 17 CD-Rs. TI indicated that the incremental was going to consist of over 8 gigs of date, would take 8 hrs, and would require an estimated180,730 CDs

There was something wrong there. I had not formatted the disk, so for the incremental to consist of 8 meg seemed ridiculuous. Moreover, the estimated CDs required was off the screen.

Once or twice the TI stopped responding and had to be shut down and the backup had to be restarted.

One of the freeze-ups was accompanied by something I had never seen before: a runtime visual c++ error.

A number of restarts were done, but they all ended with error message saying the CD-RW media MAY be bad although I tried several disks and found them flawless when tested later.

 

Hello foolproof,

Could you tell what build of Acronis True Image you use? Note that the latest one (786) you may download at http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/support/updates/ after free registering at http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/registration/.

Thank you.

--
Ilya Toytman

 

I'm using build 774, which I want to continue using for some time, especially after reading of all the problems of idiosyncratic behavior being reported by many of those going to 786. It just may be the build to skip.

 

Burn a copy of the build 774 installation file to CD so that you can reinstall it if you find build 786 gives you a problem. Build 774 was certainly more reliable than 771 and, for me at least, 786 has proved even better. Give it a try. If nothing else, it gets rid of the non-critical Runtime Visual C++ error, along with other known problems.

If you do install the latest build then don't forget to create a new Bootable Rescue CD to go with it. If need be, it'll be backward compatible with your existing images.

Regards

 

Menorcaman

You mean build 786 doesn't require 186,000 CDs to do an incremental. In miles/sec, doesn't that equal the speed of light? I may take your advice. But I may be coming over to your house to store my data too. ;-)

 

Hi foolproof, sorry to meddle in but if you want a reliable Backup of your entire HD, store it OUTSIDE your PC. Forget about the Acronis Secure Zone (If a virus damage your HD the Secure Zone is Kaput as well) NEVER store Backups inside your HD no matter what they say to you.

Buy yourself an external 120GB USB 2.0 HD (like Simpletech SimpleDrive) and do a Full Backup Image (normal compression) with ATI into it and you are done. (Defrag the HD and check the image after that). When your HD crashes and windows does not boot ... you just connect your external HD to your PC put the ATI boot CD and restart and RESTORE THE IMAGE FROM THE EXTERNAL HD.

There ius no need for incremental Backups (a waste of time, much more if you split it over several CDs because if one of these CDs gets corrupted or damaged the entire backup is useless). Just DO a FULL HD backup image every week (like every Sunday or so), it will only take about 30 minutes (less than an hour depending on the backup size, my backups are 12-13 GB and it only takes 24 minutes with ATI 7 (build 634, the best version and build to date) to do it and about 30 minutes to RESTORE (I have restored my entire HD 3 times already with ATI and it was flawless all the time).

I never do internal Backups not incremental splitting over several CDs or DVDs my approach is "ALL IN ONE SINGLE FILE OUTSIDE THE PC">. try it and you won't regret it.

 

I am a brand new user - have not made a backup yet, but I like very much the idea of making one external full backup each week. I have version 8.0 build number 768 (sent to me on a cd). I noticed people are mentioning build numbers with some problems and Mazaprin noted that he is using a build from version 7 and remarked it is the best. My question - should I update my version 8 or will be it fine for what I want to do?

I am running an Acer Laptop Travelmate 290
Windows xp - professional
Acronis True Image version 8.0 - build 768

Thanks in advance.

 

Hi b_in_vt, to reply to your question i have copied text that i have posted on other forum about this very issue and here it is:

I would like to tell you something that you should know... NEVER use a partition inside your HD for "RECOVERY" purposes for the simple reason that if your system is damaged and does not BOOT (or your HD partitions are wiped out by a virus) the "RECOVERY" partition will be damaged too and you won't be able to recover from it. However, You can recover from the CDs that came with your PC from the factory (they are self-booting) but then... you will end with the system as it was when it left the factory and you will have to re-install every software (not to mention that all your saved documents, pictures, music files are GONE, unless you backup the entire "My Documents" folder every week to a CD or any external media).

With a Digital Image you don't have to backup folders into several CDs or DVDs (I also don't recommend spliting a backup into several CDs or DVDs because if one of these media gets corrupted in the proccess... the entire backup is useless.
THE BEST WAY to backup is by creating a digital Image of your entire HD into an EXTERNAL HD and this way you backup eberything into one SINGLE file inside that external HD and then you defrag that HD and check the Image to make sure it is fine.

Always get a external HD (USB 2.0) with AMPLE room (like two or 3 times your HD capacity in GB). My laptop has 30GB HD partitioned in "C" and "D" and only 11GB are being used (and I have a lot of software installed) so the Digital Image I create will only be 11GB (blank spaces are not stored in the Image) so with my external 120GB HD I have been creating full HD images every week for the past 5 months and also use this external HD to store pictures and other things (everything in its own folder).

I even brought with me the external HD to my brother's home and opened a folder inside the HD and backed up his entire HD after he successfully installed SP2 (he has the ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE software BUT he has not purchased the external HD yet and he was afraid that his system could crash before he buys the external HD so I backed up his HD to my external HD (meaning that this is a very portable HD that you can take with you anywhere and plug it to any pc. (this is a Simpletech Simpledrive 120GB USB 2.0 that I purchased for $120 at newegg.com, other HDs with much less capacity are being sold for $200 and more so I think I made a good deal and this HD have been working very well.

Here is the link to newegg.com where you can buy the SimpleTech SimpleDrive 120GB USB 2.0 External HD:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc....CMP=OTC-17exta6

That's the cheapest price I found for this item ($119). I recommend ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE 7.0 (BUILD 634) if you can get it because it works extremely well with any external media no matter if it is USB 2.0 or Firewire, etc.

ATI version 8 is relatively new and still has some bugs to be fixed but I have been told that it is working well now and I plan to Upgrade to version 8 later or maybe I will keep my current version (because it has shown that it works). One piece of advise... If something has been working well for you and it proves to be Reliable, DO NOT Upgrade to next version UNLESS you are pretty sure it will work as well or better than your current version.

If you have two internal HDs (even if each one has its own partitions) DO NOT store the backups on the PRIMARY (or Master) HD where all the system Files reside (this is the first to go dead), you would rather store the backups (or recovery zone inside a partition) on the SLAVE HD (where you store your pictures, music etc.) because it would be less likely to be damaged BUT... even if you can do this, I personally DON'T have any confidence on any Backups or Recovery means INSIDE the PC, so... If you can afford it, please buy yourself an external USB 2.0 HB (as a Christmas gift to yourself) and then you will be worryfree and you can do SEPARATE backups of your entire Master HD and Slave HD separately(you open two folders inside the external HD and name them like "Master backups" and "Slave Backups" and you are set.

I don't know if other people will advise you different but any computer expert WILL CHOOSE external Backups over internal ones.

You should go to the newegg.com and look at the Simpledrive 120GB features and compare it to IOMEGA and you can even look for the same IOMEGA 160GB and compare prices (or go to nextag.com or bizrate.com they will show a list of all vendors of that item so you can choose the lowest price.

When you go to ACRONIS contact them by Email first and ask them information on how you can buy SPECIFICALLY version 7.0 (BUILD 634) AND IF IT IS POSSIBLE buy that version instead of the new 8 version because some people are having a bit of trouble with the new version not working properly (you have to wait several weeks or so after a new version goes out until it gets stabilized and all bugs removed. That's why I recommend buying version 7 (specially the build 634).

But if it is not possible for you to get that version, I can send you a link to download ATI 7 (634) that I received recently from Acronis support. You will only have to purchase the serial number or licence and enter it on the installer to register it on your name. But first, talk with Acronis people to see if that's possible (to purchase a licence and use it on the previous version 7) to see what they tell you
Here is the link to download the FABULOUS ATI 7.0 (build 634):

http://www.acronis.com/files/support/ticket/634/ti_s_e.exe

go ahead and download it FAST before the link EXPIRES and then contact Acronis tell them you have ATI 7 (634) Installer and you want to purchase a serial number to register it. Keep me posted !

 

Thank you Mazaprin for your very helpful posting - I will definitely follow your advice.

Happy Holidays,
Barbara

 

Mazaprin

No way you're meddling. My predicament in trying the safe zone can be traced to practicality, logistics and economics. I had decided on a backup scheme that would involve my full backup on CDs, with incrementals on CD-RWs, which could be recycled. As a practical matter, when TI8 indicated that it was going to take 186,000CDs for my incremental, reality and economics suggested a need for a plan B, at least for the interim. That's how the idea of the safe zone came up. I was groping for a means of completing the incremental. Moving the image thereafter to CD-RWs, while I continued to troubleshoot, would have been the next step. Moreover, I'm a believer in learning just what can be done with a program, especially one involving so critical a function as backup. That's also why I don't want to have to chase down every new build that comes along (each with its own little bag of troubles and woe).

In summary, your methodology and views are all eminently sensible. I know well the need to safeguard date from my most recent experience of having a disk on an older system die completely right under me. That why I dug into my meager resources for this system and have been looking to TI8 as a means to avoiding a reoccurrence.

 

Hi foolproof, here is a very straighforward approach to different methods of Backups by Fred Langa (Langa List):
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-12-03.htm#1

it compares the methods pros and cons and also, this is special for you, about where to store your Backups:
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-11-29.htm#2

Bon Appetit !