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Some Questions | Acronis 2016

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0. How much slower is an encrypted backup compared to a non-encrypted backup?
 
1. The "Encrypt Backup" option selected from the main menu only prompts for a password, it does not let me choose an encryption method. Does that mean it's only password protected and not encrypted?
 
2. In a Version Chain Scheme, is each new full backup in the chain a complete new backup of all data including data that hasn't changed since the first full backup? If this is true, then every time a new full backup is performed it will take hours to complete for large backups.
 
3. Will using Windows System Restore, or re-imaging the C drive from a Disk Backup cause any issues with further Backups? For example, after a System Restore, will backups still work when backed up and restored? Or will taking the system back in time cause conflicts with the existing data that is stored on the backup destination?
 
4. What happens if the power goes out or a PC needs to be restarted during a large backup procedure, will the entire backup be lost and have to be backed up all over again? Is there any way to pause a backup and continue it after a restart?
 
5. Same as question 4. but with a nonstop backup. What happens if the power goes out during a nonstop backup? Can a PC be restarted during a nonstop backup?
 
6. When using nonstop backup with an external drive, if the external drive enters sleep mode, will the external drive wake from sleep mode when data needs to be backed up?
 
7. In the Account tab, do I need to sign in or create an account if I will not be using Acronis Cloud and will only be doing local backups?
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Please take time to have a read through the ATI 2016 User Guide for answers to many of your questions.

See 'Backup protection' for how password encryption is used - the use of encryption should not have any noticeable impact on the performance of a backup task.

See 'Full, incremental and differential backups' for how the different scheme components work. A Full backup always includes all the selected Source data and will take longer than incremental or differential backup which just consider changed data.

3. Will using Windows System Restore, or re-imaging the C drive from a Disk Backup cause any issues with further Backups? For example, after a System Restore, will backups still work when backed up and restored? Or will taking the system back in time cause conflicts with the existing data that is stored on the backup destination?

Yes.  Any time that you revert your system back in time will require that you start new full backups, not attempt to continue existing backups.  You should use a different target folder for such new backups if keeping backups created prior to such a change to the system.

4. What happens if the power goes out or a PC needs to be restarted during a large backup procedure, will the entire backup be lost and have to be backed up all over again? Is there any way to pause a backup and continue it after a restart?
 
5. Same as question 4. but with a nonstop backup. What happens if the power goes out during a nonstop backup? Can a PC be restarted during a nonstop backup?

4. If power is lost or the system restarted while a backup is active, then that backup will be terminated and a new backup will be required.  If an incremental or differential backup was running, then a new backup of the same type will be created.  If a full backup was running, then a new full backup will be created.

5. NSB is a special case where the backup runs almost continuously (approx min 5 minutes interval) so it is expected that the system might be restarted while this type of backup is active.  The NSB will be restarted after the system has restarted and further changes captured.

6. When using nonstop backup with an external drive, if the external drive enters sleep mode, will the external drive wake from sleep mode when data needs to be backed up?

Yes.

7. In the Account tab, do I need to sign in or create an account if I will not be using Acronis Cloud and will only be doing local backups?

You should already have an Acronis Account as used to post in these forums, plus you should register your license serial for your ATI product in that account.  The Account tab in ATI is used for more than just Acronis Cloud - it also gives you the option of controlling notifications for offers and your backup activity, plus signing in to your account can save having to manually enter a serial as this can be found from your account.

1. See 'Backup protection' for how password encryption is used - the use of encryption should not have any noticeable impact on the performance of a backup task.

It doesn't mention anything about the "Encrypt Backup" option available from the main menu (when adding a new backup). When I select it, it only prompts for a password and does not let me choose an encryption method. Is this option the same as the "Backup Protection" option in the Advanced tab? Why does the main menu Encrypt Backup option not let me choose an encryption method?

 

3. Yes.  Any time that you revert your system back in time will require that you start new full backups, not attempt to continue existing backups.  You should use a different target folder for such new backups if keeping backups created prior to such a change to the system.

Really! In the past, I've used system restore countless times, and have also re-imaged my C drive from backups many times, and have never run into any problems, I have always just continued my backup schedule as normal, and always assumed that Acronis knew about the system restore/re-image and was able to adjust and carry on as normal. Where can I find some documentation about this?

I can't remember, but maybe I only ever did a system restore to a point in time that (luckily) proceeded the most recent backup. And maybe I only ever re-imaged the C drive from the most recent disk backup. Would this explain why I have never experienced any issues continuing backups after system restores/re-images?

Also, at what point would I experience an issue? If I was to system restore to a point in time prior to the most recent backup, what would happen the next time I performed a backup? Would Acronis give me a warning message or something like that?

Another thing that might explain why I have never experienced issues continuing with backups after performing system restores/disc re-images is I was using a differential version chain scheme. For example, If I was to system restore to a point in time prior to the most recent differential backup version but proceeding the last full backup version, then the next time I did a backup, wouldn't Acronis just create another differential/full version with no issues. I don't understand why a system restore/re-image would cause issues and require me not to continue with the existing backup. Would you explain this in more detail?

It seems to me like issues would occur only if the backup was incremental.

 

7. The Account tab in ATI is used for more than just Acronis Cloud - it also gives you the option of controlling notifications for offers and your backup activity...

 Where is this option for controlling notifications for offers and my backup activity?

 

8. I have been testing the "Run when the current device is attached" option on the "Schedule" tab (with a "Do not Schedule" schedule) but the option always gets unchecked. I managed to get it to stay checked by swapping the schedule to "Daily", and then swapping it back again to "Do not Schedule", but now I can not get the option to work. I exited Acronis, disconnected the external drive, and attached it again, but nothing happened. Then I opened Acronis, and still nothing. Why was the option getting unchecked? Why is the option not working when it is checked? Does Acronis True Image need to be open when the device is attached for it to work?

The encryption options are only found via the Options > Advanced settings as advised in the 'Backup protection' section of the user guide advised earlier.  If you just click on the 'Encrypt Backup' option on the main ATI GUI panel for the task, you get the default settings with no other choice of encryption method offered.

Really! In the past, I've used system restore countless times, and have also re-imaged my C drive from backups many times, and have never run into any problems, I have always just continued my backup schedule as normal, and always assumed that Acronis knew about the system restore/re-image and was able to adjust and carry on as normal. Where can I find some documentation about this?

Yes, really!  I would say you have been fortunate to not encounter any issues with your backup tasks, at a minimum that these have not been significantly larger (unless you only do Full backups) due to the major changes to the whole OS drive.  There is no documentation about this aspect of recovery as far as I am aware.

See forum topic: Backups confused after system restore - Possible solution? - where this was raised by another user recently.

Another thing that might explain why I have never experienced issues continuing with backups after performing system restores/disc re-images is I was using a differential version chain scheme. For example, If I was to system restore to a point in time prior to the most recent differential backup version but proceeding the last full backup version, then the next time I did a backup, wouldn't Acronis just create another differential/full version with no issues. I don't understand why a system restore/re-image would cause issues and require me not to continue with the existing backup. Would you explain this in more detail?

Any Differential backup contains all changes since the initial Full backup for that version chain, so if you restored back to an earlier Differential backup point which was still after the Full backup, then the impact would be minimal, as ATI would create another Differential based on the changes found since that Full backup was created.  The one issue that would arise is that the new Differential file name may share the same name as later Differentials already present on your backup drive, and thus will get a _v1-2.tib file name ending for this reason, as _v1.tib already exists.

Where is this option for controlling notifications for offers and my backup activity?

See the image below:

 

The CHANGE EMAIL NOTIFICATION SETTINGS option isn't available in the 2016 version.

I tried signing out, but now every time I start Acronis, it prompts me to enter my username and password.

How do I stop it from prompting me for my details every time I start Acronis? If I dismiss it, and not sign in, Acronis still works fine, so I'd prefer not to sign in when using Acronis.

You change setting for emails from Acronis it in you Acronis Account, not via the Acronis GUI.

In later versions of ATI there is a setting from emails, but they are concerned with reporting on success/failure of backup task. This is shown in the screenshot in the earlier post.

Ian

I tried signing out, but now every time I start Acronis, it prompts me to enter my username and password.

How do I stop it from prompting me for my details every time I start Acronis? If I dismiss it, and not sign in, Acronis still works fine, so I'd prefer not to sign in when using Acronis.

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Keylonta wrote:

I tried signing out, but now every time I start Acronis, it prompts me to enter my username and password.

How do I stop it from prompting me for my details every time I start Acronis? If I dismiss it, and not sign in, Acronis still works fine, so I'd prefer not to sign in when using Acronis.

The sign-in window appears at every program start, if a user is not signed in. Currently, it's not possible to remove the prompt except signing in to your Acronis account.