Is this any good Acronis ?

[David]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/120089?camp_id=Wk35_08_Acronis&source_id=aw&camp_id=pc%20world

a Is this as good as it states

b is it a good price.

[Rik]

Amazon have it cheaper, David, here. Or much cheaper here.

Personally, I'd go for v10 if you can find it. As to (a), yes.

[David]

  Rik just checked out Amazon too,the 2nd one,no mention of Vista, if it does what it says then would seem an ideal back up, 

[David]

This one Rik

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acronis-Disk-Director-Suite-10/dp/B000CO3IBC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1230987229&sr=8-3

[Steve]

I think I'd try to find version 10 which was on the whole fast and reliable, with any of these products you must check you can restore the backup otherwise apart ftom retrieving singles files its worthless.

[Rik]

I can't remember when Vista support came in, tbh, David. It wasn't there in 8, not sure about 9 & 10, definitely was there by 11, then they changed their naming scheme. Might be worth a quick check on Wilders...

[Steve]

If I recall 10 is ok with Vista providing the boot disk works and its installed on the primary drive in a single partition otherwise following restoration you have to use a Vista repair disk to boot again (no great deal just additional fuss)

[David]

  Steve 

[David]

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=93155

Thanks for this link Rik,really informative,and I had never heard of them but now bookmarked 

[Rik]

It's a useful site generally, David, but that's one big marketing mess Acronis have got themselves in, isn't it. 

[David]

It is and even Amazon is mentioned  I will buy with care but there are many other issues,still a great link though 

[Steve]

Was 2005 though

[Rik]

It's good of Acronis to provide free publicity for the rip-off merchants, though, isn't it, Steve?

[David]

November 2008 on the Amazon review pages Steve  

[David]

It's good of Acronis to provide free publicity for the rip-off merchants, though, isn't it, Steve?

That just occured to me................im always a week behind though Rik 

[Rik]

I can't believe they've handled it the way they have, but then they're not the most market-savvy company I've come across. 

[David]

As long as it works and on the whole it looks good and I do like to back up these days.better safe than in deep do do

I have been looking for a while for something like this,but in my case it had to be easy to use and this one seems to tick all the boxes,and hopefully make a copy of them 

[Steve]

There is a fifteen day trial of TI2009 available from the Acronis website perhaps worth a shot

[Rik]

As long as it works and on the whole it looks good and I do like to back up these days.better safe than in deep do do

I have been looking for a while for something like this,but in my case it had to be easy to use and this one seems to tick all the boxes,and hopefully make a copy of them 

I've used Acronis for years, David, and it is very good. The important thing is to ensure that you can boot from the CD, once you've burnt it, then test each backup when you make it. That said, I've never had one fail and only had some problems in booting with an older mobo.

[David]

There is a fifteen day trial of TI2009 available from the Acronis website perhaps worth a shot

Thanks Steve as long as I uninstall when I get the version from Amazon as its cheaper but you have to uninstall the trial version first from what I have read might do that though 

[David]

I've used Acronis for years, David, and it is very good. The important thing is to ensure that you can boot from the CD, once you've burnt it, then test each backup when you make it. That said, I've never had one fail and only had some problems in booting with an older mobo.

Has to be worth it then,I have external back up but want more this as I say looks impressive without hurting the bank

[Rik]

You still want to back up externally, David, but the difference with Acronis is that it makes an image of the entire drive, so that you can restore the complete OS and apps in just a few minutes.

[Steve]

Cheaper than a Windows Home Server. However as Rik says once you've created a backup image and burnt the boot CD,check  the Boot CD boots the computer (its like a linux Live CD) and you can verify the backup image you've just created

[David]

Yes this was what I intended Rik,this would compliment the other or the other way around I have seen this mentioned a few times on here,I think Noreen has mentioned it a while ago,but for the price it looks like something which in my case will get used and would or could if the worst happened in effect save me a lot of hassle and problems .

heaper than a Windows Home Server. Grin However as Rik says once you've created a backup image and burnt the boot CD,check  the Boot CD boots the computer (its like a linux Live CD) and you can verify the backup image you've just created

Get all of this Steve except for the Linux bit  still give me time 

[Rik]

The Acronis boot disk is based on Linux, David, you don't need to worry about that, though, just whether it will work (it looks a bit like the early stages of a Windows installation).

[Steve]

This one Rik

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acronis-Disk-Director-Suite-10/dp/B000CO3IBC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1230987229&sr=8-3

This is not backup software though.

[Rik]

Sorry, missed that - thanks, Steve.  It's a completely different piece of software, David, not what you need.

[David]

The Acronis boot disk is based on Linux, David, you don't need to worry about that, though, just whether it will work (it looks a bit like the early stages of a Windows installation).

I tried reading this but my eyes glazed over and I have only just come out of the coma 

This is not backup software though.

Thanks for this Steve  for saving me from myself,if this is possible 

[Rik]

We do work miracles, David, they just take a little longer.

[Steve]

What you really need is one of these I know says its a music server but it based on Windows home server so will back up the PC's as well. Gosh its expensive but what a toy.

[David]

What you really need is one of these I know says its a music server but it based on Windows home server so will back up the PC's as well. Gosh its expensive but what a toy.

I see you belong to the Rik school of spending Steve   

I will stick with the £27 version 

[Rik]

Most people do when it's not their own money.

[David]

Thats definitely "Risk Free" 

[Rik]

It's my motto.

[David]

Rik,you could find an expensive Free for all if you searched,(or its on your database) 

[Rik]

Easily.

[Noreen]

I certainly recommend TI 10, David, however it doesn't seem to be available anywhere online now. The site where I bought mine doesn't appear to exist now and that was the only place that I found to buy TI 10 in 2007. I'd risk going for a later version in your place. TI 10 certainly works for me and yes I always validate the saved image via the Acronis Boot Disk as that uses Linux rather than using Windows. I always make full drive backups. You'll probably have to use the Boot Disk in an emergency anyway so it always pays to make sure that that works and can see the saved image on your external hard drive. It takes quite a lot longer to validate though.

[Rik]

Sound advice, Noreen.

[David]

Sound advice, Noreen.

The Bass needs a tweak though Rik 

[Rik]

[David]

I certainly recommend TI 10, David, however it doesn't seem to be available anywhere online now. The site where I bought mine doesn't appear to exist now and that was the only place that I found to buy TI 10 in 2007. I'd risk going for a later version in your place. TI 10 certainly works for me and yes I always validate the saved image via the Acronis Boot Disk as that uses Linux rather than using Windows. I always make full drive backups. You'll probably have to use the Boot Disk in an emergency anyway so it always pays to make sure that that works and can see the saved image on your external hard drive. It takes quite a lot longer to validate though.

Thanks Noreen Im just reading the installation instruction and making sure I dont make any mistakes,which would be a first for me,Im surprised it copies the OS though ?

[Rik]

That's why we use it, David. It takes an image of the drive at bit level, it's not interested in files as such (though makes them available). Each image is a clone, or snapshot, of the drive at the moment you make it, so you can restore your system to a given point if anything goes wrong.

[Glenn]

I seem to remember someone posting about Discwizard being made by Acronis

[David]

Im sold on this.......Steve may have the right  idea,try it first 

[Noreen]

Sometime last year I messed up my new computer, can't remember what I did now. Anyway I'd made a complete image backup sometime previously and so followed the simple instructions that I'd downloaded from Wilders Forum and printed out just in case. I just sat there paralysed with terror and watched as everything was put back as it had been before I messed it up, I was so relieved. I now make a full drive backup every month.

BTW if anyone finds a copy of TI 10 it does work with Vista, I also believe that I downloaded an upgrade to it from Acronis, I have build 4942.

[David]

  Again Noreen this has had all good things said from all,which is unusual for anything really  and as a bonus I have found Wilders site.....


Take a bow Rik 

[Rik]

Who should I shoot at?

[David]

Anyone as long as they are West of Birmingham 

[Rik]

That should cover North Wales nicely then.

[David]

Really ? I didnt realise 

[Rik]

Pure  , I know.

[David]

Well I have downloaded the trial version,might as well 

[David]

Just a quick question as I seem to be stuck,I am presented with the media builder do I choose iso image file option,have been reading and am stuck on this point...

[Simon]

Sorry David, I don't use it, so I can't help.  Hang in there, and I'm sure someone will be along soon...

[David]

  Simon   

[sparky]

DiscWizzard is still available if you have at least one Seagate drive and I believe there is a Maxtor version as well.

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=DiscWizard&vgnextoid=d9fd4a3cdde5c010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD

DiscWizzard appears to me to be TI 11 ??

It worked for me under Vista.

[Steve]

Just a quick question as I seem to be stuck,I am presented with the media builder do I choose iso image file option,have been reading and am stuck on this point...

Are you trying to create the rescue disk at this point? if so I recall you have 2 options: one is to write the rescue image to a cd drive,yours should be listed as an option try it. or create the iso image of the rescue disk. This an image file saved to your hard drive, no use unless you burn it to cd at some point. Some poeple will create the iso image and then import this image into to say Nero and let that program burn the cd image. Clear  no as mud

[Rik]

I have to confess I don't recognise a media builder, David, this might be a new feature. If we can't help here, ask over on Wilder's.

[David]

http://www.top-windows-tutorials.com/Acronis-True-Image-Home.html


Thanks anyway I found this on my travels for any new users to Vista may come in handy

[Rik]

Nice link, David. 

[Noreen]

David, did you notice what they said about v11? Or is that not the version that you're getting?

[Rik]

David was going for Acronis 2009, Noreen, which I assume must be v12.

[David]

No Noreen missed that,I have actually uninstalled it and may get the boxed version there seems to be a different way of setting up with the CD.but I managed to get a lot of reading done,that manual I think has 82 pages and a lot of it is quite complicated,I followed a few threads where people who are new to this had similar issues and there is a brilliant post for the new user it covers most things.

Apart from Wilders I visited a few other forums..................god Im glad Im here some are aggresive,and isnt for me......interesting reading though not to my taste,some dont seem to know what swear filters are either 

[BrianM]

I was lucky enough to be able to download the free offer in Computeractive recently of TI 10.   It's now installed on PC (XP)  done a full back up  to external HD, everything is ok.  Just out of interest, has anyone installed the Secure Zone partition and the Start up Recovery Manager on you internal HD, and is it worth doing as extra security?   

[Rik]

I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, Brian.

[Noreen]

I was lucky enough to be able to download the free offer in Computeractive recently of TI 10.   It's now installed on PC (XP)  done a full back up  to external HD, everything is ok.  Just out of interest, has anyone installed the Secure Zone partition and the Start up Recovery Manager on you internal HD, and is it worth doing as extra security?   

Surely you get most security from having, as you have, the backup on an external HD and making a Recovery Disk, there is no point in installing the Secure Zone anywhere.

[Rik]

I agree. Using secure zone is risking you won't be able to access the backup when you need it.

[BrianM]

Very good, won't bother then, thinking about belts and braces , thanks for that Noreen/Rik, like all of us lets hope i never have to use it, but i feel safer now.

[Rik]

It's like all insurance policies, Brian, you take them out hoping never to have to use them.

[Noreen]

Brian, have you validated the backup? It's recommended to validate using the Recovery Disk (Linux) as that is the method that you'll use if you have to do a restore. It'll take quite a bit longer but worth it to know that the Recovery Disk can see and use your backup.

I have had to do a restore using TI v10 Home version and it worked well.

[BrianM]

Good to know you've done a restore and it works Noreen. I'm new to Acronis, i've only used the limited back up programme which came with my external HD for backing up important files and photo's (with photo's backed up on DVD's also). Seems a great programme this Acronis, well pleased, can't wait to try it out,       Yes Noreen i've made a Recovery disc, validated everthing and booted up with the Recovery disc, that works. Thanks, was just a bit unsure wether to install the Secure zone bit or not, glad i asked your opinions on that, advising me not to bother so,  advice taken. 

[JB]

The only time I had a problem with Acronis, it was due to another cause. I had a situation where backups would frequently fail to validate and was ready to uninstall Acronis TI. I checked the Acronis forum and there was great talk of problems if people had faulty RAM. I thought it couldn't be my problem as I wasn't getting any crashes or funny effects.

I downloaded Memtest86+ and low and behold it detected an obscure problem on one of my 1GB sticks. Had the memory replaced under the Crucial lifetime warranty and sure enough Acronis never fails to validate a backup now.

I've found it a solid and reliable program and as someone who loves to tinker it has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.

[Rik]

Welcome to the choir, JB.

[BrianM]

Thanks for that JB 

[Lance]

MEMTEST86+ is often one of the first programs I reach for when making a diagnosis on a poorly PC.