Acronis True Iimage 10

[Smirnoff]

I intend to purchase an external USB HD for back up purposes.
However, in the meantime I am using Acronis Secure Zone (ASZ).
After reading the Help file, I decided to do a full back up followed by
a scheduled differential back up (each week).
My understanding is that with differential back ups, you only need the
full back up plus one differential back up to restore (unlike
incremental back up which requires ALL files for this purpose).
As I am using my (only) HD, I want to keep allocated space as small as
possible.
I thought that differential back ups would overwrite any previous files.
However, today (scheduled back up) the ASZ informed me that I needed to
allocate more space, this I did.
I now have showing in ASZ recovery one full back up plus two
differential back ups. Obviously the last did not overwrite the
previous.
How do I delete prior back ups?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I intend to purchase an external USB HD for back up purposes.
However, in the meantime I am using Acronis Secure Zone (ASZ).
After reading the Help file, I decided to do a full back up followed by
a scheduled differential back up (each week).
My understanding is that with differential back ups, you only need the
full back up plus one differential back up to restore (unlike
incremental back up which requires ALL files for this purpose).
As I am using my (only) HD, I want to keep allocated space as small as
possible.
I thought that differential back ups would overwrite any previous files.
However, today (scheduled back up) the ASZ informed me that I needed to
allocate more space, this I did.
I now have showing in ASZ recovery one full back up plus two
differential back ups. Obviously the last did not overwrite the
previous.
How do I delete prior back ups?

Your question has nothing to do with Windows. Have a
look at the Acronis ASZ FAQs!

 

[Smirnoff]

Your question has nothing to do with Windows. Have a
look at the Acronis ASZ FAQs!

There have been many posts in this NG about Acronis True image, although
not addressing my particular query. Neither is it referred to in Acronis
FAQ's

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

There have been many posts in this NG about Acronis True image,

Mostly - if not all - recommendations for the program.

although not addressing my particular query. Neither is it referred to in Acronis
FAQ's

Contact Acronis Support.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

There have been many posts in this NG about Acronis True image, although
not addressing my particular query. Neither is it referred to in Acronis
FAQ's

You are perfectly free to ask questions about Acronis in this
newsgroup, same as you can ask questions about Excel, Quickbooks
or DragonSpeaking. However, since this newsgroup focuses on
Windows issues, you are far more likely to get a good answer in a
forum that focuses on Acronis products.

 

[AJR]

A good back up program will include more than one backup in case of
valiation failure.

Acronis help provides info on "Back up Location Management" by which you can
set size limits for backups and the number of backups to retain - old
backups are automatically deleted.

In short "RTFM".

 

[Anna]

I intend to purchase an external USB HD for back up purposes.
However, in the meantime I am using Acronis Secure Zone (ASZ).
After reading the Help file, I decided to do a full back up followed by a
scheduled differential back up (each week).
My understanding is that with differential back ups, you only need the
full back up plus one differential back up to restore (unlike incremental
back up which requires ALL files for this purpose).
As I am using my (only) HD, I want to keep allocated space as small as
possible.
I thought that differential back ups would overwrite any previous files.
However, today (scheduled back up) the ASZ informed me that I needed to
allocate more space, this I did.
I now have showing in ASZ recovery one full back up plus two differential
back ups. Obviously the last did not overwrite the previous.
How do I delete prior back ups?

Smirnoff:
First of all - and this is important if not vital - I would strongly suggest
that you *not* use your source disk (the HDD you're backing up) for the
"destination" disk for your backups. This is a very iffy proposition to say
the least. Should that day-to-day working hard drive become dysfunctional
for any reason you're in "nowhere land". I would strongly advise you to use
another HDD as your destination disk - either another internal HDD or better
yet, an external HDD (USB/Firewire/SATA). The fact that you're storing the
backup files (archives) in a "hidden partition" created by the Acronis
Secure Zone utility does *not* give you the kind of protection/security you
need for recovery purposes. I'm reasonably sure you've created - or shortly
will create - the Acronis "Bootable Rescue Media" CD, yes?

So please...consider using a HDD other than the source disk to store your
backup files. If you want to store them on a separate partition - hidden or
otherwise - on that drive, fine.

(BTW, all of my following comments apply to the ATI version 9 program. I
believe they hold true also for the version 10 program but my experience
with that latest version hasn't been as extensive as it has been with
version 9).

Anyway, as to your query...

Generally speaking we prefer to use incremental backups rather than the
differential backups in the Acronis program. We find - in general - there's
a speed advantage in creating the incremental backup files (archives) rather
than the differential ones. And that's an important consideration for us.
Then too - all in all in the final analysis- we don't find any appreciable
disk-space savings when using differential backups rather than incremental
backups. Anyway, we're not terribly concerned with disk space savings in
view of the high-capacity relatively inexpensive hard drives available
today.

It is true that *all* the incremental backup files (images) need be present
in order to effect a recovery of the (more-or-less) current system, i.e.,
the system as it existed at the time it was backed up by the last
incremental backup file. Note however that "generational" backups are
available when using the incremental files backup process. For example, if
incremental backups were made on 5/9, 5/12, 5/15, 5/20 - it would be
possible for the user to recover the system as it was when backed up by
*any* of those dates. Many users find this an important capability. Of
course you could achieve this generational backup capability as well through
the use of differential files, however, the size of the differential files
would ordinarily be larger although admittedly that is not a particularly
important consideration for us.

Now, I'll finally get to your specific query...
Using differential backup images (assuming one has no interest in
maintaining generational backup capability) you need to retain the
*original* backup image *and* - assuming you wish to restore the system to
its most current state as of the last differential image - the last
differential image you created. You can delete all the intervening
differential image files after creating the latest one.

Anyway...

Why don't you experiment with both processes - creating both incremental &
differential backup image files and determine if one process has more appeal
to you than the other. But promise me, whichever one you choose, you'll be
sure to store those backup files on a different hard drive than the one
you're backing up. OK?
Anna

 

[Jim]

Smirnoff:
First of all - and this is important if not vital - I would strongly suggest
that you *not* use your source disk (the HDD you're backing up) for the
"destination" disk for your backups. This is a very iffy proposition to say
the least. Should that day-to-day working hard drive become dysfunctional
for any reason you're in "nowhere land". I would strongly advise you to use
another HDD as your destination disk - either another internal HDD or better
yet, an external HDD (USB/Firewire/SATA).

I can see using a 2nd internal HD for backups. One of these along with
a bootable CD containing the restore program is what I use now.

I am considering using an external USB HD but can not seem to find a
good answer for my question if the USB drive will work when booting from
a CD to restore a totally hosed system.

What are the caveats here?

-Jim

 

[Anna]

Anna

I can see using a 2nd internal HD for backups. One of these along with a
bootable CD containing the restore program is what I use now.

I am considering using an external USB HD but can not seem to find a good
answer for my question if the USB drive will work when booting from a CD
to restore a totally hosed system.

What are the caveats here?

-Jim

Jim:
Not sure if I understand your question...

If you're asking whether a USB external HDD that contains a cloned copy
(created by a disk imaging program such as the Acronis one) of the boot HDD
the answer is "no"; the USBEHD is not (ordinarily) a bootable device in an
XP environment. Although some users have reported this or that workaround to
make an external USB HDD bootable. But we've never achieved that capability.

But I don't understand your reference to "booting from a CD" in connection
with a "USB drive".
Anna

 

[Jim]

Jim:
Not sure if I understand your question...

If you're asking whether a USB external HDD that contains a cloned copy
(created by a disk imaging program such as the Acronis one) of the boot HDD
the answer is "no"; the USBEHD is not (ordinarily) a bootable device in an
XP environment. Although some users have reported this or that workaround to
make an external USB HDD bootable. But we've never achieved that capability.

But I don't understand your reference to "booting from a CD" in connection
with a "USB drive".
Anna

I now use Ghost, and run it from a floppy.

I generate an image and save it to a 2nd HD.

By booting Ghost from a floppy I can restore a saved image to a new
drive or a re-formatted partition if and when my Window$ becomes totally
hosed.

Replace bootable floppy with bootable CD for something like your laptop
that doesn't have a floppy.

My question is that after booting Ghost from a floppy (CD) I am in a DOS
operating system with a simplistic GUI. Unlike a 2nd hd, from what I
have read there are only a select few external HD's that are accessible
under these conditions - no windows, just DOS.

I hope this makes things clear....

-Jim

 

[Smirnoff]

Smirnoff:
First of all - and this is important if not vital - I would strongly
suggest that you *not* use your source disk (the HDD you're backing
up) for the "destination" disk for your backups. This is a very iffy
proposition to say the least. Should that day-to-day working hard
drive become dysfunctional for any reason you're in "nowhere land". I
would strongly advise you to use another HDD as your destination disk
- either another internal HDD or better yet, an external HDD
(USB/Firewire/SATA). The fact that you're storing the backup files
(archives) in a "hidden partition" created by the Acronis Secure Zone
utility does *not* give you the kind of protection/security you need
for recovery purposes. I'm reasonably sure you've created - or
shortly will create - the Acronis "Bootable Rescue Media" CD, yes?
So please...consider using a HDD other than the source disk to store
your backup files. If you want to store them on a separate partition
- hidden or otherwise - on that drive, fine.

(BTW, all of my following comments apply to the ATI version 9
program. I believe they hold true also for the version 10 program but
my experience with that latest version hasn't been as extensive as it
has been with version 9).

Anyway, as to your query...

Generally speaking we prefer to use incremental backups rather than
the differential backups in the Acronis program. We find - in general
- there's a speed advantage in creating the incremental backup files
(archives) rather than the differential ones. And that's an important
consideration for us. Then too - all in all in the final analysis- we
don't find any appreciable disk-space savings when using differential
backups rather than incremental backups. Anyway, we're not terribly
concerned with disk space savings in view of the high-capacity
relatively inexpensive hard drives available today.

It is true that *all* the incremental backup files (images) need be
present in order to effect a recovery of the (more-or-less) current
system, i.e., the system as it existed at the time it was backed up
by the last incremental backup file. Note however that "generational"
backups are available when using the incremental files backup
process. For example, if incremental backups were made on 5/9, 5/12,
5/15, 5/20 - it would be possible for the user to recover the system
as it was when backed up by *any* of those dates. Many users find
this an important capability. Of course you could achieve this
generational backup capability as well through the use of
differential files, however, the size of the differential files would
ordinarily be larger although admittedly that is not a particularly
important consideration for us.
Now, I'll finally get to your specific query...
Using differential backup images (assuming one has no interest in
maintaining generational backup capability) you need to retain the
*original* backup image *and* - assuming you wish to restore the
system to its most current state as of the last differential image -
the last differential image you created. You can delete all the
intervening differential image files after creating the latest one.

Anyway...

Why don't you experiment with both processes - creating both
incremental & differential backup image files and determine if one
process has more appeal to you than the other. But promise me,
whichever one you choose, you'll be sure to store those backup files
on a different hard drive than the one you're backing up. OK?
Anna

Thank you very much for your reply, Anna.
I do intend to buy an external HD next month. I wanted to experiment
with the program and thought I might as well use the ASZ to back up in
the meantime.
Have started from scratch again. Removed ASZ and re-created with 30GB.
of space.
I do not have a lot of files on my computer (it only takes 14 minutes to
do a full My Computer back up!) and it now shows 16GB of free space. I
will probably end up making a full back up as and when necessary.
As I say, I'm experimenting. For now, I have created a weekly
differential back up scheduled task.
When I did this the first time (and had a full and two diff. back ups),
I could not see a way to delete old diffs (to save space). ASZ gave me
an option to increase space or create new full back up. That was it.
Tried right clicking on diff. file for more options but no joy.
I'll see what happens after first scheduled back up.
In the meantime, thanks again for your help

 

[Anna]

I now use Ghost, and run it from a floppy.

I generate an image and save it to a 2nd HD.

By booting Ghost from a floppy I can restore a saved image to a new drive
or a re-formatted partition if and when my Window$ becomes totally hosed.

Replace bootable floppy with bootable CD for something like your laptop
that doesn't have a floppy.

My question is that after booting Ghost from a floppy (CD) I am in a DOS
operating system with a simplistic GUI. Unlike a 2nd hd, from what I have
read there are only a select few external HD's that are accessible under
these conditions - no windows, just DOS.

I hope this makes things clear....

-Jim

Jim:
I'm not sure I can be of much help to you since I'm still not totally clear
as to what the issue is here.

But for what it's worth let me relate - in capsule form - our basic
experience with Symantec's Norton Ghost program.

First of all virtually all of our experience has been with the Ghost 2003
program. We were less-than-thrilled with Symantec's Ghost versions 9 & 10
and never really worked with those programs after some brief
experimentation. We simply found their user interface awkward and the
program cumbersome in operation & effectiveness. But that was a personal
preference. We are aware that many users have found (and continue to find)
those versions completely satisfactory. Perhaps you're one of them (although
you didn't indicate what version of Ghost you're using).

In any event...we used Ghost 2003 (and still do from time-to-time) for
undertaking disk-cloning operations. We were never pleased with Ghost's disk
imaging process and preferred to use the program for basic disk-to-disk
cloning. In so doing in most cases we used a Ghost bootable floppy disk to
perform the disk cloning operation. We found that process simple,
straightforward, and effective. From time-to-time (where a floppy disk drive
was unavailable on a machine) we used a Ghost bootable CD to perform the
disk cloning operation. We rarely used Ghost's GUI in a Windows environment.

As I've indicated, I'm unsure as to whether the preceding is of any
relevance to your query but thought I'd give you some insight as to how we
used (and continue to use) the Ghost program.
Anna

 

[Airman Thunderbird]

What he seems to be asking is whether the GHOST bootable floppy or CD is
able to write to a USB drive. IME, it's problematical.

 

[R. McCarty]

Regardless of which imaging tool is used, the most efficient/reliable way
to work is "Originally" send the image to a local drive. Then afterwards
move it to an external drive or burn to Optical media. Since most PCs
have large(r) drives, I usually shrink the last partition and create a
Images
volume on it, using large cluster sizing. Creating an image on the internal
drive is faster and easier to do a "Verification" pass. Once completed I
boot back to Windows and either copy to an external disk (USB/SATA)
or burn the image to Optical media. The other benefit is if a recovery is
needed, the localized image can be restored faster than if from other types
of media.

I always try to avoid taking an Image directly to Optical drives. The %
of failures/buffering faults is much higher.

 

[RedForeman]

How do I delete prior back ups?

Will it not overwrite? it is supposed to.. unless the name is
different or you're naming them by date, then obviously they won't
'over-write'....

RedForeman

 

[dobey]

I now use Ghost, and run it from a floppy.

I generate an image and save it to a 2nd HD.

By booting Ghost from a floppy I can restore a saved image to a new drive
or a re-formatted partition if and when my Window$ becomes totally hosed.

Replace bootable floppy with bootable CD for something like your laptop
that doesn't have a floppy.

My question is that after booting Ghost from a floppy (CD) I am in a DOS
operating system with a simplistic GUI. Unlike a 2nd hd, from what I have
read there are only a select few external HD's that are accessible under
these conditions - no windows, just DOS.

I hope this makes things clear....

-Jim

Good grief, I don't see what is so nebulous about your question...

Some backup software has network and USB, firewire capabilities. I suggest
you either read help files that come with your software, check out their
website, or just suck it and see.

Boot into ghost with a USB drive connected and see if it is visible.

Some backup software has a problem with third party controllers, so for
example in Ghost 9, (IIRC), you need to include drivers when you boot with
the recovery CD the same way that Windows setup requires drivers to install
to a HDD attached to a third party controller.

HTH.

 

[Rock]

I can see using a 2nd internal HD for backups. One of these along with a
bootable CD containing the restore program is what I use now.

I am considering using an external USB HD but can not seem to find a good
answer for my question if the USB drive will work when booting from a CD
to restore a totally hosed system.

What are the caveats here?

-Jim

You have to test it. Doesn't matter if the documentation is clear that it
will, you have to test to see if it does work with your hardware. The
ability to see a USB drive when booting from a CD will depend on if the BIOS
supports legacy USB.

I don't know about Ghost, I haven't worked with that. I have used both
Drive Image 7 which was bought out by Symantec and incorporated in Ghost 9
and beyond and currently am using Acronis True Image 10. With either one
booting from the recovery CD for each program, USB drives are recognized and
backups can be restored from them.

You have to test not only that you can see the USB drive but that you can
restore the system from one of those backups. One way to do this is to get
a spare hard rive, image the system, swap out drives so the spare is
installed, and restore the system. Does it work?