Advice on backing up
Hello,
Im new to Acronis and would like some advice re backing up.
My pc has a number of drives connect to it. I have read in the manual that if I do a full back up, if I need to say retore the OS after a system failure I can only restore everything which I tek it will mean the data on all the drives.
If that is the case will backing up folders (all folders) be a better option. I take it that this will include everything as would be backed up via the full back up but on restore after a system failure I can just restore the OS drive C:. As the other drives just hold files once C; drive is back up and running all the other drives will be fine as its just data.
Is that correct or should I use anothe rmethod.
Thanks


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Thats great thanks so I will select disks and partitions and make sure all the full partition list is selected so I have a back up of the OS drive and all others.
Ill also make a boot disk.
In terms of making sure I have everything I need in the event of the main C: OS drive failing for a full recovery of that drive can you recommend anything else I need to consider. Im not 100% sure what I would need to do if C; drive failed to get be back up and running gain. I take it I would need a new drive, then add the OS, then acronis but that seems to defeat the idea of a back up of that drive. Is there a way to put a new drive in and then copy the old drive (back up) on to that and be back up and as as before the failure?
My C; drive just holds the OS and programs like Office etc.
many thanks
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Ray, provided you have made a full backup of your current main C: OS drive to an external disk drive (or other safe place), then in the event of your C: drive failing and needing to be replaced, the process is fairly straight-forward.
You would remove the failed disk drive, replace it with a new disk drive of equal or larger capacity, and of the same type, i.e. SATA drive.
Note: you could replace a standard 'spinning' hard disk drive with a new Solid State Drive (SSD) and this could be of less capacity providing it was large enough to hold all the data stored on the original drive plus spare free space.
Next, you would boot from the Acronis bootable rescue media, with the external backup disk drive connected, then perform a Recovery of your backup image from the failed drive to the new replacement drive.
When the Recovery / Restore is complete, shutdown the computer, disconned the external drive, remove the rescue media, and boot the system from the new OS drive and be back at the state of the system for when the backup was created.
See: 117004: Great Acronis "How-To" videos and other Acronis Resources which offer some good tutorials.
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Thanks and as simple as that. Very impressed and would have saved me hours when my bio corrupted on my old board a few months ago.
Once i have my boot disk would I need to create new ones as time went by and the sytem changed with say windows updates or is that a once time job and save to CD or usb and keep safe.
Thanks again.
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Ray, the boot disk would only need to be recreated if there are further significant updates to Acronis True Image. Your full disk backup image should be updated regularly to limit the amount of data loss that you would encounter should you need to recover your system from the backup.
For example, if you created your full backup image today, then installed a mix of Windows and program / application updates over the next few weeks, plus also created / updated personal documents, photos etc. If you then experienced a failed disk drive, all of those changes would be lost if your last backup was the one made today. If you update your backup regularly, and especially after any significant changes, then the impact of any data loss is minimised and should be easily recovered after a recovery.
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Thanks again Steve that is all very helpful. I plan to back up weekly or when I make a major change such as updates to OS etc.
For clarity as you mention full back up, I take it as I plan to use disk and partitions for my back up so I can include all drives, including external ones, the back up of the main OS c: drive will be able to be used for a reinstall with the boot disk should the original disk fail. or would I need an additional back up to the disk and partitions using the full back up option. I want to get things right from the outset rather than realising I have it wrong come the day things go wrong.
Many thanks again.
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Ray, when it comes to backing up multiple disks (internal and/or external drives), then I would recommend doing a separate backup for each physical drive and not trying to include all together in one gigantic backup archive.
The key advice when making a full disk backup is to ensure that all required partitions are included, in particular, any hidden system partitions that are required to allow the OS to boot from the drive successfully.
When on the Disks & Partitions panel, look for the option at the bottom for 'Full partition list' or 'Short partition list' and click on this to see how the list of partitions can change between the two views with the full list showing all partitions including any hidden ones.
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Great advice on the backing up each disk at a time and I was just about to embarck on doing it all at once.
I think I might be getting the full disk wording a bit mixed up. I take it we are not talking the entire pc option but rather disks and partitions click (full partition list).
For the main OS drive C:. I should select disks and partitions, the full list and make sure all partitions are ticked (there are three in my case for C:), then select my back up drive and start the back up. The back up can then be used for a recovery to a new drive if needed via the boot disk. Once done then repeat the process for each drive.
If that is the case I clear on the process.
I take it the entire pc option is for set up with there might only be one main drive etc
many thanks
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