Help! I Don't Know How to do a System Image!
I'm new to Acronis 2016 and I'm not sure I understand it. I've always simply done a "System Image" with Windows (but, while it backs up my system, it doesn't allow me to restore individual files -- only the entire backup.) And when I needed to restore my system, it always did a great job. But now that I've got Acronis 2016, I'd like to start using it to do my System Images. But I can't find any clear instructions on how to do this.
1. What is the equivalent in Acronis to "Windows System Image". I don't want my two secondary internal drives included (they're for data storage, and I'll back them up separately), only the System itself -- so selecting "Entire PC" is not my idea of a System Image. Do I simply do a backup of C Drive, and that becomes my System Image?
The reason I'm confused is that it doesn't look like the System Images I'm used to. When I do an Acronis backup of C Drive, it seems to allow me to pick individual files and folders for restore (which Windows System Image doesn't). Is this a System Image? If so, IT'S REALLY different from Windows System Image, right?
2. And if "System Image" and "Backup of C Drive" are the same thing, why does Windows have both a backup program and a system image backup? Are "Backup" and "System Image" the same thing in Acronis?
3. And what's the difference between "Cloning" and doing a "System Image"?
I just don't want to make the mistake of doing it wrong, because I'll be up a creek if the time comes to do a System Restore, and I find out that I've done it all wrong!!!
Peg
(PS: I HAVE made a Rescue Media Disk. Not sure how it works, but I'm assuming I just boot up with it (just like with Windows Sytem Image), and it'll tell me what to do.)
To add to FtrPilot's comments... since you want to be able to pick and choose files/folders out of that backup, once you've setup and run your backup, yes, you can do this from within the Acronis GUI using the "revoery" button and telling it what you want to recover. Alternatively, and possibly easier, you canalso navigate to where your backup files were created and double click on the first .TIB (if multiple were created). It will open the backup in Windows Explorer and then you can copy and paste files/folders out of it as needed.
And to continue our piecemeal response:
A clone is a disk to disk operation where the destination disk is created identical to the source disk...a clone. If you clone a system disk, the destination disk would also be a system disk.
Many of the MVPs do not perform clones since a disk backup, using the full partition list and restore is functionally equavalent to a clone.
A backup and restore is "safer" than a clone. If you were to reverse the source and destination during a clone operation, you would destroy your data. Therefore, if you decide to perform a clone, it would be wise to create a full disk backup.
Regards,
FtrPilot
Okay, pilot! I've done as you've suggested in your first post, and I'm backing it up right now.
I'm then going to schedule individual "Files and Folders" backups for my data drives (I have two internal and two external). With this "Disks and Partitions" System Image (and what Bobbo has pointed out below -- that I can restore individual files and folders from a System Image), does this mean that I don't have to schedule a regular "backup" for my C Drive. Won't the System Image also serve as a regular backup?
And all I have to do now, if I have to do a System Restore is boot up to my Rescue Media and follow whatever instructions it's going to give me. And my Operating System (which I will have screwed up) will be back to what it was???? If this is true, I'll be a happy camper!!!
Thank you so much for your help! I was at a loss!
Peg
Wow! Thanks, Bobbo! I never would have figured that out!! This is much better than doing a Windows System Image!
Peg
Yes, if you are taking a full system image of the drive, that wilil include your C: drive as well. There is no need to have a secondary C: drive backup unless you want it, or unless you are running the other system image backup less frequently and want just the C: drive partition backup more often (not sure why though). As long as you're comfortable with the frequency of your system image backup (whole disk), you are fine in that respect.
As for the files and foldes on our other drives, that shoudl work too. If you plan on backing up all files and folders on them though, you can alternatively do full disk images of them as well - not necessary but just a thought. It's entirely your preference though.
For me, I typically take a LOCAL full system image for a week (1 full followed by 6 incrementals = 7 days). After 7 days, the next backup is a full again, followed by 7 more incrementals. I have it set to do this automatically 4 times and then automatically clean up backup chains that are greater than 4 (essentially giving me a month of recoveries where I can restore my entire OS back and be running in a matter of minutes for any day during that time period). I also have a daily System image backing up to the Acronis Cloud (just in case). For me, that's frequent enough and there's no need for additional backups of things like by profile since I get it backed up once a day (actually twice, one local and one cloud and they are spread out 8 hours).
Yes, if you are taking a full system image with all paritions, you should be able to restore them anytime and be up and running. I'd highly recommend verifying though, but removing your main drive and replacing it with a different hard drive for testing. If you can push your image to that second hard drive and things boot, you are good to go. Using that second drive is a good idea so that you dont' overwrite your main drive (just in case) as you can just put back the original drive and create a backup again.
As for the restore process, please become familiar with the offline bootable recovery media and test the restore with it. If your computer takes a dump and you've never used it, it will be another learning curve. You can't restore from the Windows application if you can't boot to it either.
FTRPilot:
I have been using the Clone option to clone my SSD. I have not yet had a crash so I have not tested it. I Clone the SSD once a week. Can you expand on the comment "a backup and restore is safer than a clone". If my SSD crashes on a Wed and I had cloned on the previous Monday I realize I would lose anything that ocurred between Monday and Wednesday but why would it be less safe than if I would have used a disk backup?
I just want to make sure I'm not missing something but it seems the two should be just as safe.
Thanks!
Mike
M Link,
It's safer in the sense that if you have a backup file, an actual, backup, you can push it back at anytime. If your primary hard drive fails and/or during a clone, you might not have anyting to revert to. Techically, it's also possible to clone from the destination to the source, overwriting your original data if you're not careful... not likely in most cases, but it could happen.
Mike,
Bobbo is correct in his explanation. Sometimes, when booting from rescue media, drive letters get assigned backward. A clone performed with the disks swapped will destroy all data on the good drive.
Having a cloned drive ready to take over in the event of a disk crash is a great idea. Having the clone as the "only" backup could leave you exposed to malware threats. If the clone contains the malware infection, then you are stuck. And as you said, you could lose up to 6 days of data.
Full disk mode backups, followed by daily incremental backups (or even twice daily incrementals) provide greater protection against disk crashes and malware attacks. And at most, you would lose 1 days data.
Personally, I have a cloned drive, ready to take over in the event of any problem. I Have a full disk mode backup with incrementals every 6 hours. I start a new full backup every 14 days. I keep the old backups for 30 days. I update the clone drive every 14 days.
Some would consider this excessive. But it works for me.
I would recommend that you boot from your cloned drive periodically, just to check it out.
Hopefully Bobbo and I have answered your questions.
FtrPilot