Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable disc

I had a question about using True Image 11. For a variety of reasons, I've opted to use the program disc as a bootable disc only (instead of installing the program) and I do a full backup (not split in any way) occasionally that saves to an external hard drive.

1. Is there any reason I can't move the .tib back-up file from one external hard drive to another? Would I just have both drives connected to my laptop then cut-and-paste the file from one to the other? Or do I need to move it to my laptop's hard drive first, then to the new external HD?

2. Is it okay to cut-and-paste the file this way (so it permanently deletes it from the first hard drive)? Or do I need to drag-and-drop then delete it after it's moved? (Would cut-and-paste even really permanently delete it from the first hard drive?)

3. I've also noticed that my backups are almost the full size of my hard drive (the latest is 21 gigs and my C: drive is 24 gigs). I'm not sure if that's because I don't have the right compression setting when I'm doing the back-up -- or maybe you can only do non-compressed back-ups when you're using the program only from the bootable disc (and not installed)? Does it matter?

Any help is appreciated -- thanks!

 

It doesn't matter how you get the file from one external to the other - copy and paste then delete or cut and paste, either is okay.

The thing about using the program disc as the bootable disc is that you may not have the latest build number for the version you have.

If your hard drive consists mainly of pics, mp3 and video files you will not get much compression at all. The default for the software does do some compression on files that can be compressed.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

Does that actually matter? The only thing I use TI 11 for is to do a full-backup occasionally for my entire system (just in case my laptop fatally crashes). I don't use it for anything else.

And I'm not sure what "you may not have the latest build number for the version you have" means...? If there is a more recent "build" than what comes on the disc (which there probably is, as I got it at the beginning of the year), why would that matter?

With using the actual TI 11 disc I have as a bootable disc and creating my full backup that way, is there some reason it won't work if I have to restore it? Wouldn't I just use the TI 11 disc as a bootable disc the same way and restore the full .tib file?

Thanks for the reply and the help! Let me know what you think...

 

DwnNdrty is correctly being cautious since a lot of problems have been caused by people attempting restores using an older build on the rescue CD because they didn't create a new one when they got a later build.

The later build will have bug fixes and very likely better hardware support. If the current build you are using does everything to your satisfaction then it is less of a problem.

Have you done a successful restore? If you haven't you really don't know if TI is going to work when you really need it. A first test restore to a spare HD is recommended so you don't wipe your partitions should the restore fail for any reason. Note that the rescue CD environment is Linux and a TI weakness is sometimes inadequate Linux driver support for some hardware.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

Thanks for the reply!

I haven't done a test restore. I'm not sure how I could do that. Could I do one to an external portable hard drive? How would that work?

Also, if I'm only using the software I bought as a bootable disc, then that means the software I bought is obsolete once they have a newer build (which they probably already have)? That's kind of a bummer if true... You sort of get short-changed if you only want to use it as a bootable piece of software and not install it.

 

I actually use ONLY the bootable disk to do my Backups and, like you, don't have the software installed. But I have done several successful restores so I know my version 9 with build number 3677 works for me. (When Acronis brings out a particular version, before they go to a new version, there may be a few build numbers representing updates). So you really need to do an actual restore to find out if what you have works for you.

To do a test restore you will need to invest in a spare laptop drive. You will also need an external drive to store the Backup. Changing out a laptop drive is actually less labor instensive that changing out a desktop drive.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

The best way is the spare HD since you can then boot it up and ensure it does work. Windows doesn't support booting from an external unless there is a change with Vista to permit this.

The next best thing is to validate the archive from your CD since this will use the Linux environment to read the archive and calculate all the checksums. TI writes 4000 checksums per GB of data and includes them in the archive. The validation process reads the archive and ensures the recalculated checksums agree with every stored one. One bad checksum and the archive is declared corrupt. You can also run through the restore wizard up to the point where you have to tell it to Proceed and then cancel out of the process.

You can register your software with Acronis if you haven't and it is a good idea to do so in case you should ever lose your serial number. After registering you can download the latest builds for your version for no charge. You can then make a new, updated rescue CD.

I don't know why you don't want to install TI. I and probably most other people always live image with Windows running and the technology is fantastic. There are very few problems reported caused by live imaging rather than working with a static disk and the Linux CD. It is typically faster and certainly much more convenient.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

The vendor makes improvements in your software and offers the improved version to your for free! Isn't that a plus rather than a bummer.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

It can definitely be an awful bummer. Newgrades/newdates are not necessarily upgrades/updates. Witness, for one example, ATI 11. Each change in software may present new features or bug fixes but also new issues to deal with, including new bugs. I can't think of better example of than ATI11. And for that particular software, bug fixes have been scarece. Two additional builds have been released since original build, neither of which fixed very many of the bugs or problems -- for most folks the so-called updates where hardly worth bothering with, if at all for most folks having probls with ATI11.

With ATI10, it was diff. There were lots of builds and pretty good fixes in each one.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

How do I tell which version/build I have? I guess version is 11 since it's True Image 11?

Are you talking about choosing "validate the backup" when you create it? I thought I remembered there being a spot in the process (remember, this is from using the actual TI 11 cd as a bootable disc) where you could choose to validate the back-up, password protect it, etc -- but I didn't notice it last time. Does all that come *after* the spot where you type in the name of the back-up and choose where to save it to?

And/or is there a way for me to just go back and validate the backup I already made? Is there that option on the bootable program disc?

Also, isn't there a way that I can use my laptop and actually just access files within the backup to make sure it worked? (Something like it creates a "fake" hard drive on your computer temporarily -- "mount image" or something like that? Or does that only work if the program is actually installed on your computer?)

(And if I can do that, is it 100% temporary and it all goes away when you're done, without causing any issues/changes on your computer?)

So you can do this *without* ever installing the program on your computer?

I had originally installed it and then read about a ton of issues with it, as well as how deeply it embeds itself in your system. I didn't like that, so I did a complete uninstall (according to the instructions on this board posted by the Acronis people) -- and it still leaves a few things behind (which I also don't like). Like I said, I only use it for creating the occasional full backup just as a worst-case-scenario safety net.

Thanks, all, for fielding my layman questions!

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

bloomcounty,
If you wish to remove all traces of Acronis from your computer, you can run their cleanup program after your run the normal Windows add/remove program to remove the install.
http://download.acronis.com/support/acronis_cleanup.exe

Remember, you need to have the TrueImage installed in order to create a TrueImage Rescue CD. My personal recommendation would be to download the most current version and create a new Rescue CD before working entirely from the CD. Version info found in the help file under the "about" section.

If you wish to learn more about the use of TrueImage Home, perhaps my guides can help. Check line 2 of my signature below.

A great deal of informtion is also available in the assorted threads found on the sticky referenced in the first line of my signature.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

Thanks for the reply!

When I uninstalled True Image 11 (a day after installing it on a 100% fresh/clean install of XP Home SP2 OS), I followed this instructions per the Acronis people:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1120006&postcount=4

When I asked about certain things showing up in the security log still referencing Acronis, I was told by their rep that those things are left on the computer because if you took them off, then the MS "last know good <something or other>" feature would not work right (system restore?).

So do I still need to run that .exe you provided now six months later? I haven't hand any issues pertaining to any leftovers (that I know of). Or does that .exe just do some of the things I did manually as shown in the link above?

But the thing is, I don't want to install True Image 11 on my computer. I just want to use the actual program disc that I bought as a bootable disc and create full backups occasionally that way (which is the way I've been doing it). Installing True Image on my system is not an option for me.

Are there guides for doing/checking/etc. full backups in the manner I'm talking about (and that answer the questions I was asking up in Post #10)?

 

If the build number is not on the box, boot the CD and look under Help>About. The latest build for ver. 11 is 8101. If you do not have the latest build and want to get it (it's free after you register with Acronis) you will have to download it. Now if you then want to make a bootable Rescue CD of this latest build you will have to install the software.

If you want to have your registry clean of any traces of the install after you uninstall it, create a Windows Restore Point before you install the latest version. After you uninstall the software in the normal way, restore your system using that Restore Point you created.

 

Re: Q's about moving .tib files & TI11 back-ups made w/using progam disc as bootable

I don't have TI11 but normally there is a separate Validate Archive command listed on one of the first screens. The other place to validate immediately after creating the archive is in Backup Wizard's Options screen.

Yes, you can Mount the image and open or extract files from within the archive. However, this will not guarantee the archive can be validated or restored as an image to a drive. Validation is a much more rigorous test of archive validity. In fact, if you have an image that won't validate you can often get your important data files from it by the Mount method.

Yes, unless you copied a file from the archive and overwrote an existing file with the same name.

It's been a long time since I registered but I think all you need is your serial number.

Your choice.