Is Cloning My Answer
Being a relative novice I would like a bit of advice about True Image Home please.
My desktop PC has two hard drives 'C' and 'E' with Windows XP Pro and a few other odds & ends on 'C'. Both drives are configured as basic single partition. I am very worried that, inevitably the 'C' drive will sooner or later go up in smoke and I have no contingencies to safeguard my operating system (I have no Windows discs whatsoever - just the licence key).
I am not too worried about 'E' drive failing because it only holds fairly non-critical files which I have backed up conventionally anyway. I have read, read and re-read Acronis user guide and all sorts of forums but am not confident that I fully understand that I am on the right track.
Given that I download Acronis my understanding is that all I need to do is create a Clone of my 'C' drive into the 'E' drive and therefore have my OS sitting on both drives (there is approx 18Gb of unused space on 'E'). Then, when the 'C' drive completely disintegrates I just throw it away and I can carry on as norm simply by using 'E'.
Am I over simplifying things or is it really that easy ?.
Also, if it is that simple do I need to create any sort of boot discs for any reason ?.
Would appreciate some moral support. Many Thanks.

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Thanks very much for that easily understood reply Fungus - what a good idea.
Just a couple more questions please just to satisfy my curiosity/quest for knowledge.
1) Does the ext drive that fits into the USB hard drive base have to be SATA i.e could it be PATA ?.
2) What is the difference between a Clone and an Image ?.
Again, thanks for taking so much trouble with the reply.
Graham
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Sure you could use PATA if the enclosure is made for PATA. There are some enclosures that will handle both types - I happen to have one.
A Clone will be bootable just like the original from which it was made. An Image has to go through the restore process before it becomes bootable just like the original. You can put only one Clone on a drive whereas you can have many Images, space permitting, on a single drive.
To learn more read the Sticky at the top by GroverH - lots of useful info in there.
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