Computer image-Disks & Partition vs. entire computer
I want to create a backup that would enable me to restore my entire PC in the event of a catastrophic crash. I am not sure that I understand the difference between selecting the "entire computer" or "disks and partitions" and selecting the system reserve and the C drive, which to me is the entire PC. When you select entire PC, it is a self automated process and Acronis does not show you what it has selected, but merely moves on to advanced operations. It seems to me that if I select "disks and partitions" and check my C Drive and system reserve that I have selected the entire PC. What is the difference? When I select the C drive and system reserve the resulting Acronis backup is less than the size of the data on my C drive This is understandable due to compression. I do not want to naïvely believe that I am backing up my entire system for use in the event of restoration, only to find out that what I thought was appropriate is inadequate, after the fact. Please help
Thank you for your reply. What made this a little more confusing is that prior backups of my C drive were running about 957 GB when I had about 1TB of data on my C drive Now, at a later point in time with far more data on my C drive, the backup is a running about 640 GB and I have a little more than 1.1 TB on the C drive. So my backup now with more data to back up is approximately one third less than my backup was before. I am selecting disks and partitions and checking the boxes next to the C Dr. and system reserve. Previously it may have been a default setting using the "entire computer", which may have had an additional portion of a 2nd internal hard drive that was being backed up. I do not know because I cannot see what items are being selected by that setting. I would appreciate any thoughts you may have regarding the situation.
All I am only concerned with is knowing that if I select "disks and partitions" and put a checkmark next to the C drive and the system reserve that I will have a full image of my computer, including all applications and preferences, that would restore my computer to its full pre-existing condition in the event of a catastrophic crash. Am I correct in that understanding?
Thank you so much for your help.
48404: Acronis True Image 2015: Creating an Entire PC Backup
https://kb.acronis.com/content/48404
What is excluded from disk backups?
http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2015/index.html#1…
Baron,
The "Entire PC" is the safer choice in that your sure you got everything you need to create a replacement disk--should there be a need.
The "Partition" backup requires that the user select all partitions needed and some partitions can be omitted from the selection. Some users have more partitions that others and some are hidden so it can be an easy mistake. Selecting the "Entire PC" removes any guesswork.
Also, there is another advantage to having the "Entire PC" as an available backup for restore.
When restoring the entire system to either the same or a new disk via the TI Recovery CD, when the disk box is checked on an "Entire PC" is checked as to what is to be restored, the user next screen goes straight to the target disk selection screen bypassing the need to select where each individual partition is to be placed.
This bypassing of the partitions prevents errors and confusion as to what partitions go where.
--
AS compared to Partition backup where the use must choose where each partition is to be placed on the disk--which can be error prone.
This pdf link illustrates the disk image restore method to which I refer as the "Entire PC" backup is a disk image backup except this guide is using the 2014 version to restore the entire disk as a disk image restore.
http://forum.acronis.com/sites/default/files/mvp/user285/guides/tih2012…
Not all restores need a disk image restore but many do and creating a replacement disk can be one of those times--but there are many variables .
There is no down side to selecting the "Entire PC" as the backup method as it takes the same amount of time and the same amount of storage space as a partition backup of the same partitions and the same single restore of files or partitions is also possible.
A disk image backup (Entire PC) continues to be my recommendation as the better choice for most.
The TI Recovery CD is the preferred method of recovery and quite often is the only method available if the Windows disk is not booting.
Even if the Window disk is booting, using the TI Recovery CD as the Recover device removes Windows from its interference.
Note: There are exceptions to every rule but the above would apply to most. Some users want to do everything inside Windows and other users want to avoid Windows. The above has worked for me and I hope will work for you as well.
Hello
Could you please advise if for an Entire Computer backup I can exclude an entire external disk just like a folder.
Thanks.
Hi James,
You certainly can. However, I usually recommend not doing the "Entire PCk" backup method, because by default, it will select all drives attached to your computer, even possibly the one where you intend to write your backups to and that is not a good thing.
Instead, when you setup a new backup, hover the mouse over the "Entire PC" icon and it will change to "Change Source". From there, select "Disks and Paritions" It will show you all of the attached disks and you can pick and choose just the ones you want. Be sure to click on "Full Partition List" at the bottom to show and expand everything. Then make sure that you select all paritions for the disks you want to backup and exclude those that you don't want in the backup by remvoing the checkmarks for those. Once you've selected the desired disks, you can proceed with scheduling, backup type, automatic cleanup, exclusions, notifications, etc. The settings will be saved at the very end when your "run backup now" or click the drop down on that and tell it to run later.
Wonderfully explicit. Am sure it will work. Will let you know. Many thanks.
James