Information please.

I'm running a Sony VAIO ,Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, 3GHz,
1 GB RAM.
Disk Drive "C" Maxtor 7Y250MO, (250 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA, NTFS 93% free
External Disk Drive "J", USB 2, Maxtor 6Y080L0 USB Device, (80 GB, 7200RPM
Ultra-Ata/133, FAT32 95% free.
Will these configurations permit me to to clone drive "C" to drive"J" using
Acronis TI 10 ?
All your answers appreciated, thank you.

 

Cloning will erase everything on the destination drive. Are you sure this is what you want? If you mean Imaging, then yes you can store an Image of the C drive on the external drive. The image file will be about 60% (using the default Normal compression) of the used space on the C drive.

 

Ralphie, thanks for your info. Yes, I meant Imaging.
One more question, I'm using a router (D-Link, Model DI 604).
Do I have to make any changes to it, before starting the Imaging?

 

Having a router shouldn't make a difference at all to making an Image. But my preference for doing any Imaging, Restore/Recovery or Cloning is by using the bootable Rescue CD and not by running True Image from within Windows. If you haven't yet made that CD, you should. You'll need it in case of a disaster. And you will need to know that it will work before disaster strikes.

 

Ralphie,
Please excuse my constant questions, but, I'm new to all these procedures.
Even though I'm only 78 years 'young", I'm still eager to learn.
So, please tell me how to make a "Bootable Rescue CD".
Your answers are highly appreciated.

 

In ver 10 it seems that the feature that would enable creating that Rescue CD is not installed by default - imho, that is a big mistake by Acronis. So what I would suggest is that you uninstall the software, then reinstall it and choose the Custom install when it presents itself. Now I don't know the exact wording, (I'm sticking with ver. 9), but in the Custom install you should see something that would include creating the bootable Rescue media.

 

Ralphie,
Sorry, but I have some more questions.
In your last answer you mentioned, that you use version 9.
I have NOT installed any version of Arconis so far. At a local :Staples" store,
they still have a boxed version of 9. Doesn't this one have a included
bootable CD? If so, wouldn't that be an easier way for me to go about?
Is there any other things, that would make my life easier

 

Don't really know how the two versions compare, or which has the worse bugs will be more important. It all depends on your intended use of it.
I don't do incrementals, differentials, and don't use the Secure Zone. Also I don't need to backup email using this software. I use Windows Explorer for that. Neither do I do scheduled backups nor backup to optical media.
But if you already bought ver 10 I don't think you need to buy ver 9.
I'm not sure if the boxed ver 9 has a bootable cd, but it will be easy to create one after you install the program.

 

“Also I don't need to backup email using this software. I use Windows Explorer for that”

What are you using for e-mail? If Outlook, why not use its backup option? Works great for me.

 

I use Eudora for email. Been using it for over 6 years. To me using OE is like asking me to use AOL for my isp, or Norton for my antivirus - not going to happen.

 

The boxed version is most likely 9.0. If you want to upgrade to 9.3677 you have to go to the Acronis ATI site and upgrade. However, if you choose to do so you must create a bootable disk for 9.3677. If you choose to stick with 9.0 the disk in the box will be your boot disk.

If memory serves me it is the opinion of most users that one should upgrade to 3677 as it deals with many issues and has a number of fixes.

 

For some at least, there are certainly some show-stoppers in the build previous to 3677 (b3633, May 2006 I think). b3677 is the way to go if you want to use v9.

F.

 

TI 9.0 Recent Releases

Build 3567 - TI 9.0 changed to TI 9.0 Home and contained a completely new imaging engine.
Build 3625 - Introduced self-contained direct to DVD imaging. A disasterous release and was quickly replaced.
Build 3633 - Fixed numerous problems found in Build 3625. Still a number of bugs, particularly when imaging direct to DVD.
Build 3666 - Fixed some of the direct to DVD imaging bugs but still some problems with this and other features.
Build 3677 - No change in the bug department.

As for what has been fixed or not in TI 10.0 Home - I have no idea (not upgraded). Has anyone carried out comprehensive testing against the known bugs in TI 9.0 Home .

Regards

 

Hi Menorcaman,

if you can infer and compile all this excellent information, it does beg the question why Acronis can't do the same and maintain and publish their own version history trail.

The only thing I can add is that in between 3633 and 3677, they fixed problems with SATA2 access. I realise that this does not mean SATA2 works for all (particularly in RAID mode), but changing between these versions allowed me to restore to SATA2 using the rescue disk, where previously I got false validation errors.

F.

 

Hi there foghorne,

Thanks for the info. I guess that's covered off in Acronis' (in)famous history of changes as "Better hardware support". Perhaps it should state "Better hardware support for some" .

Regards

 

Thank you all for the many informative answers.
I'm the one who started this post with the intension of being able to create an image of my PC and make a bootable CD. So far I didn't buy any Arconis
software, and now I'm just wondering whether I should. Like I mentioned before, I'm new to all this. To me it looks like I opened a big can of worms,
that contains "Organized Confusion".
I will think this over very, very hard before I jump into possible fatal consequences, and create more bad then good.
Maybe one of those days I will have enough nerve to do it after all!?!?!?
Again many, many thanks.