TSGL: Acronis Full HDD Backup Question

[The Computer Whisperer]

if you backed up "my computer" ie. your entire drive, then this is an exact
mirror image of your hard disk. if you have multiple disks in your computer
then you may have to select these partitions/drives during the backup
process

Justin

On 06/11/2007, Don Penlington <deepend at tpg.com.au> wrote:
>
> Lee wrote:
> >the Acronis manual indicates that doing a full HDD
> > > backup will include ALL files on the HDD, including the OS (Vista
> > > Premium Home version is on my new desktop).  When I look at the files
> > > stored on the external HDD, how can I tell whether the Vista OS is
> > > included??  When I look at the files, I can't tell what is what.  How
> > > can I tell if the OS itself is included in the backup??>>
>
>
> A backup is different from making an image. You will not be able to
> reinstall the OS from a simple backup, as the registry will not be
> properly
> indexed or "addressed" to connect to the separate files. The NTFS file
> system contains unique physical addresses on the HD for every file, and
> these won't be duplicated on a backup copy.
>
> If you have the original Vista installation disk, a backup is possibly all
> you need, as you could reinstall onto a new HD from the Vista disk. But
> that won't restore all your current settings, and you'd have to reinstall
> all your programs and drivers.
>
> If you wanted to replace your entire HD onto a new HD, with Vista intact
> with all your settings etc, you would need to make an IMAGE of the HD in
> Acronis.  An image is different from a backup, in that it replaces the HD
> in all respects, with everything replaced in its exact same address, so
> that the new HD is an exact replica or clone of the old one, with all your
> settings and installations intact.
>
> Acronis can do that, but you must make an image, not a backup.
>
> The Acronis image file will be a compressed .tib file, which is
> proprietary
> to Acronis. As far as I know, you can't see the actual contents. (Acronis
> might have the facility to enable you to see the contents, but I haven't
> looked).  When you open the .tib file, Acronis will take over and ask you
> whether and where you want to restore.
>
> If you can see the files, I think you've made a backup instead of an
> image.
> So, although you have a copy of the OS individual files, they won't be
> much
> use to you in case of a failure. It's like a jigsaw puzzle before all the
> pieces are assembled.
>
> In brief----- a copy or backup is like an unassembled jigsaw puzzle. It's
> only good for replacing missing pieces. An image, or clone, is like an
> assembled jigsaw puzzle.
>
> Don Penlington
>
>
> From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland.
> Computer tutorials, local scenery,  and other things at my website:
> http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html
>
>
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