Is it possible to use TI without installing it?

I have read the help file from the Acronis web site and the user guides for beginners on this forum. I am wondering if it's possible to use TI on a machine without installing it? The install CD that comes with the boxed version is bootable according to the help file. So could you boot from the install CD and create a back up of your system drive, files or what ever it is you want to back up and put it on a CD/DVD or external HD and than when the time comes to restore it boot from the install CD again and use TI from there to restore the back up?

Could you also do this with a rescue CD that was created on one machine that TI is installed on than use that rescue CD on other machines instead of installing the program?

The bootable CD's whether it's the install CD or a rescue CD let you run TI from the disk instead of in Windows and make back ups and restore back ups don't they? Am I missing something here?

 

You can. Some of the store-bought package CD apparently aren't bootable as they are supposed to be -- or so it's been reported but at a minimum you could install, make the bootcd, uninstall and then run always from the bootcd.

 

Yes, that will work as long as you don't want to do scheduled automatic backups.

 

But bear in mind that each copy of the progam is only for a single computer. See the EULA.

Xpilot

 

In that case I bring the package back to the store since I didn't get what I paid for.

Having said that it was TI 11 that I read the help file from. In the section about creating rescue disks it specifically said that it would not be necessary if you have the "boxed" version because the install CD is bootable already.

 

It's a minor thing since you can make the bootable Rescue cd after you install the software. And even so, that retail CD may not be the latest build of that version so you have to register your purchase on the Acronis website to be able to download the latest build number anyway.

 

Understood. Still using the install CD to boot from and make images with is doable if you do not want to install the program itself right?

I find the whole imaging thing unnecessarily complicated. I am looking for the easiest and least invasive way to create and restore my system drive. I do want to install hundreds of MB of unnecessary files/programs to accomplish this. I do not want to jump through all the hoops to create bootable CD's so I can restore my images. Looking at several imaging programs it looks like Acronis with it's bootable install CD is the simplest way to do it. According to the help file I don't even need a second optical drive to do it. Once you have booted from the CD it runs in RAM so you can remove the CD and insert your CD/DVD that contains the image you want to restore and continue from there. It almost sounds too easy that is why I am posting to here to confirm that this is possible before I gladly purchase the program.

 

General wisdom is to store images on a separate hard drive - internal or external. If your image is large and spans multiple CDs or DVDs, your arm will fall off swapping disks in and out as the restore progresses. People also report lots of corrupt image issues when storing to DVDs - I'm not sure why that happens.

 

If you think creating the bootable CD requires you "to jump through all the hoops" then I don't think True Image is the right software for you.

 

Sometimes the newest build is not the best. Norton Ghost for example. If it isn't broke don't fix it.

I am really looking at just using the disk. I really don't want to install if I don't have to. My needs are really simple. Make a complete back up of my hard drive so if I have a HD failure I can reinstall it with the back up image. I do not need scheduled back ups or just certain files or folders and all the other features. Just a complete hard drive back up to a CD/DVD. I will gladly do this myself when I feel it's necessary to make a back up I don't need it to be automated.

 

No I was not referring to the bootable CD you create with TI. That process seems very easy from what I read but you must have the program installed to do it.

I was referring to some of the other programs I was looking into that required the creation of a bootable CD that was not nearly as simple to do. Specifically the free DriveImage XML requires you to create the Bart's/PE and install the Driveimage XML plugin, which I understand is also an option for TI as well. That procedure seems like a lot more work than purchasing TI in a box and using the install CD to do everything without the need to install it.

 

FWIW, the way you want to use TI is exactly how I use it .... only from the TI Rescue Boot CD. Since this is your first version of TI this is how I would proceed:
1. Create a Windows Restore point.
2. Install the TI software
3. Create the TI boot CD
4. Uninstall the TI software via the Control Panel/Add Remove Programs
5. Restore your OS using the Restore point created in #1.

This will give you your OS back with the Registry unadulterated with any TI entries.

 

I could use an external HD if that's better or have an image on both.

I recently restored a computer with Norton Ghost for a relative. I have never used it before so I was winging it. The computer would not boot and after several hours of trying everything else we used the recovery DVD/s that came with the machine. There was no XP disk just 3 DVD's made with Norton Ghost 2003. The first disk was bootable and booted the machine into the Norton program. It also contained some of the recovery image. When it finished it asked for the second DVD than the third and it finished. Rebooted and the machine runs perfect.

Now I want to create something like that for myself and am doing the necessary research to find the simplest way to do it.

 

That is an option to. You could do this without the install if you just use the install CD correct?

Does TI require a reboot to complete the install. If not I could also install it under Returnill than make the Rescue CD and than reboot out of Returnill and be back to where I was.

Does TI require the .Net Frame Work to install? If so this another reason to just use the Install CD and boot from it because if you don't have the .net Frame Work installed and TI needs it you can't install TI but it will still run from the disk. I look at the system requirements and it did not mention the . Net Frame Work but that doesn't mean it doesn't need it.

 

It's definitely easier, faster, and I think more reliable, to image to an external HD.

 

Unfortunately if you save your backup directly to DVDs with True Image and then do a restore from them, even with just 3 DVDs there is a fair amount of disk swapping over and over. TI does not call for the DVDs in the order they were made. But if the Backup Image takes no more than 3 DVDs the amount of swapping is tolerable. I would draw the line at 3 DVDs though.

 

Sure, if your retail cd boots correctly and you're happy with the build number.

It's been so long since I installed TI that I don't remember - I'm still using version 9 - if it requires a reboot or if it needs .net framwork. I could already have had .netframework installed from other software.

 

OK that is not a problem than to use a external HD in stead if my chances of success are better. Minor difference to save to an HD instead of a disk/DVD.

The main thing is getting into the program to create the back and restore it in the simplest way.

 

Sort of an Off Topic Q, but does ATI Compress the Image?

I have a 750GB Hard disk and currently have about 90GB used.

I have a Second Drive installed which is 160GB.

If I make an Image backup of my larger primary drive, is the image going to be 90GB too, or compressed into something much smaller ?

Thanks, Tim

 

Only the used space is backed up and with the default settings you will get an Image about 60% to 70% of the used space. You could opt for higher compression, but it will take longer to make the Image.

 

If the build works I will be happy with it. I do not feel the need to chase after every update. I will not be a power user of TI. I can see myself backing up my full HD maybe every couple months. Once I have my machines set up I don't do a lot of adding and removing programs. I am past that now I know the ones I like and install them and get the machine where I want it. Than I will make a copy of the HD in case of a HD failure. Every time I have had to reinstall Windows on my machines it has been because of HD failure not Windows corruption or malware so I don't see myself restring often. I also back up my data regularly so my system back ups will not need to be done that often.

 

I think you're overly concerned about installing ATI. If you want ease of use, the easiest is to run it via a simple shortcut. That would require that you install the application and create an Acronis True Image task. I've done that for friends: I install ATI, create a Backup Location and tasks, and all they have to do is double-click a desktop shortcut which automatically does what I told it to do.

If you refuse to install the application and want to run from the CD, which you can do, then each time you must walk through the entire process to select the type of image, select source, select backup location, name the file, choose options, etc. A shortcut or scheduled task is much easier.

 

I don't refuse to install it. I simply prefer not to if I don't have to. From reading the help file it seems it comes with some things other than the simple imaging program is some what bloated. Is there a way to have a minimal install?

If installing is necessary I will do it but I am just exploring my options here.

 

You need to decide what is more important: avoiding an install; or easy operation. Lately you said easy operation is most important. If that's the case, then install it and run via shortcut or scheduled task as I suggested. If avoiding an install is more important, then accept that doing the backups won't be as easy.

 

Understood. I really just wanted to confirm that the program could be used entirely from disk if I wanted and you people have confirmed it can. Thank You.

Just a thought. It seems to me that creating a back up/image of your system drive would be better accomplished (not necessarily easier) if you used the bootable disk to do it. When you boot from the disk you are not using your hard drive or Windows. It makes sense that taking a snap shot of that drive is better done when it's not being used. This can be done by using the bootable disk.

I understand TI is made to be able to make an image of your system drive through TI's GUI while using that drive but it seems that would have a greater chance of creating a bad image. Is there any info that would indicate people are having greater success with images created by the bootable disk compared to using the installed TI?