True Image 11. To Image or Clone

I have just purchased True image 11 with a view to safeguarding my system by having everything copied and would appreciate some advice.

1. If I make an image of my hard drive does this copy all my installed programs so that there is no need to re-install them.

2. I had originally thought of cloning my HD but if I did this onto my portable HD (Buffalo Ministation) would I be able to transfer all this back to my computer's HD in the event of a major catasrophe.

 

Everything is copied, the good, the bad and the ugly.

This is the purpose of an image. Just create the bootable rescue media, and satisfy yourself that it can see all the locations you use to store your disk images. You will then be immune to problems of any sort other than loss of the images themselves.

 

1. Yes.

2. Yes, by cloning it back to your C-drive, BUT imho you would be much better advised to just do backups (create images) to your external drive and restore them (when necessary). That way you could keep multiple images (representing different points in time) on your external hard drive. You could do this several different ways, including the use of differential or incremental backiups your original backup. Read the user guide!!!

 

Thanks for the replies.

I've now made an image which like most users I hope I will never have to use but we buy these programs for piece of mind.

 

With True Image you do not get peace of mind until you do an actual restore of that image to a spare hard drive. True Image is very picky when it comes to various hardware. A successful validation is no guarantee that the restore will be good.

 

I agree with DwnNDrty, but I would point out that this is not an issue that is unique to TI. I would really recommend that you actually do a restore of the backup to a different HD. It might be acceptable to take risks when you have a couple of sound (proven) backups under your belt, but it is worth the effort for an untried procedure.

For me, one of the advantages of TI is that it is actually pretty painless to do a restore if you have the right setup. If you do decide to try out a restore, make a note of the steps that you take and the options that you select. If it fails, this will help to diagnose the problem; if it is succesful, you have a tried and tested procedure ready for when you really need it.

Pig

 

i have been able to use my backups now on 5 different systems with not a single issue on one of them.. it just simply works

 

You're in the minority among the users who come here for help. What makes of computer are yours?