Before I Start Cloning
I was reading the manual but briefly I did want to check what I think is the proper way to proceed. I have two laptop computers (Computer 1 and Computer 2). Computer 1 is my primary work computer and I want Computer 2 to be a copy of 1 so I have a backup computer which is just like the first one. I do intend to sync 2 to 1 so they will always be alike. So...
I think that I have to take out the hard drive from Computer 1 and hook it up to Computer 2 using a SATA cable and then run Acronis True Image Home 2009 from the CD drive of Computer 2 and run the Clone Utility to make 2 a twin of 1.
I am using Windows XP with the latest service pack. I have Acronis True Image Home 2009 and a SATA cable.
I don't think I have to wipe computer 2 before I start, right?
I do think I have to use a SATA cable to do this, and that is the only other hardware I need to use, right?
I also suspect that if I want to keep Computer 2 an exact image of 1 I have to repeat the cloning process and that there isn't really any syncing (quick) that I can do instead. I hope I am wrong here but I suspect I am right.
Thanks for any insights you have on this. I have read the manual but it seems to be pretty complex for what I think is the way to do this. I just want to ask one time before I do the deed and I don't want to be sorry later.

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If you install the same applications on both then you really only need to sync the data files you create on #1 over to #2. This you can do without the need for True Image.
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Hello Fabienne,
Thank you for using Acronis Products
I would recommend you to have a look at Acronis Universal Restore option.
Acronis Universal Restore is required to restore the image of Windows operating system to another hardware configuration. It the implementation of the unique technology developed inside Acronis that allows changing Windows Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL.dll) and device drivers. Acronis Universal Restore automatically detects if the HAL should be changed and also allows adding drivers for new hardware devices. This feature was designed for Corporate products and can’t be used with Home products.
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Thanks. I got back from a trip I had to take with the cloned computer. I did indeed clone computer 1 to computer 2 using Acronis software. It took a while but it worked. I obtained the proper drivers I needed to make computer 2 work properly, installed them and computer 2 worked like a champ! Perfect copy in every way. My trip was very productive, never missed a beat and I would not have known that I was using anything but my regular computer. Thanks.
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Thanks for letting us know ... did you have to use Universal Restore to get #2 running properly?
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