TSGL: Acronis Full HDD Backup Question

[Lee Bunyard]

Yes, I did select "My Computer" when Acronis asked me what I wanted to 
backup, so it sounds like I did get the mirror image of the desktop 
HDD.  Thanks for the input.
Lee in the Mountains of Northern California

The Computer Whisperer wrote:
> 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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