creating system image
I just reinstalled my OS on my new Plextor 128GB M3 SSD and want to create a 1:1 image before installing my usual programs. I just want to know which settings are important when using Acronis. I don't want any backup scheme because I only want one system imag so I chose Full in the backup method and schedule is turned off. I have only one main partition for my OS in my SSD (system reserved partition is deleted). My concerns are these:
1.) What is the use of a sector-by-sector copy and do I need to enable it? IIRC, it copies all sectors of the SSD and so the image size will be the same as the size of the whole SSD.
2.) What is the difference between Disk backup mode and Partition backup mode?
3.) If I choose the standard copy method (NOT sector-by-sector) and recover from that image, will all data be in the same exact sector of the SSD as the original source disk?
Thanks for the help.
What is the use of sector-by-sector? Can you please explain it in detail?
Yes, but if I recover from the full Disk mode backup, will all the sectors be in their original sectors after the recovery?
Also, what is Universal Recover?
Sector-by-sector is used in rare cases such as when True Image doesn't support the disk format. You don't need sector-by-sector.
Even if sectors don't exactly match, it doesn't matter as a full disk backup would restore everything and would create a working disk that is a match for the original. As one can restore to a target disk of different size than the original, I suppose the answer is "no", that sectors may not be in the exact same positions.
Universal Restore, which requires the optional Plus Pack, is for restoring to dissimiiar hardware such as to a new PC with same OS.
Sector-by-sector is used in rare cases such as when True Image doesn't support the disk format. You don't need sector-by-sector.
Even if sectors don't exactly match, it doesn't matter as a full disk backup would restore everything and would create a working disk that is a match for the original. As one can restore to a target disk of different size than the original, I suppose the answer is "no", that sectors may not be in the exact same positions.
Universal Restore, which requires the optional Plus Pack, is for restoring to dissimiiar hardware such as to a new PC with same OS.
Ok.
Makes sense. So there's no any kind of performance degradation if the sectors aren't in the exact same position especially for SSDs because the read/write speed of any sector, wherever it is in the SSD, is relatively the same, right?
So if I restore to the same hardware, I don't need to use that?
I have already answered.
If you wish to learn more about how True Image works, which you should, check out the many user guides and tutorials in the left margin of this forum, particularly Getting Started and Grover's True Image Guides which are illustrated with step-by-step screenshots.
29618: Grover's new backup and restore guides http://forum.acronis.com/forum/29618
What is Recover Disk Signature?
It's covered in the manual, which I suggested that you read.
Recover Disk Signature would be used when restoring a full disk image to a new replacement disk. It will give the new disk the same disk signature as the old one, so that installed apps and Windows won't complain about new hardware.
It's covered in the manual, which I suggested that you read.
Recover Disk Signature would be used when restoring a full disk image to a new replacement disk. It will give the new disk the same disk signature as the old one, so that installed apps and Windows won't complain about new hardware.
Ok. Is that signature harrdware-dependent? Or is just a file in the OS installation?
It's unique to each disk, unless you use that option to make the target disk the same Disk Signature as the original from which the backup was made.
It's unique to each disk, unless you use that option to make the target disk the same Disk Signature as the original from which the backup was made.
Ok. If you check that option, would Acronis overwrite the hardware signature on the physical disk itself or will it just trick the OS by spoofing the disk signature?
Also, when would one even need to use that option? Why would it be important to clone the disk sig?
You don't seem to read my replies. As I wrote, this is why it is used:
Recover Disk Signature would be used when restoring a full disk image to a new replacement disk. It will give the new disk the same disk signature as the old one, so that installed apps and Windows won't complain about new hardware.
So, when restoring for purposes of replacing a drive, check that option.
As for the exact mechanism, I don't know. Does it matter? It works.
Perhaps another MVP can offer detail.
The disk signature is not hardware based ("A disk signature is a four-byte identifier at offset 0x1B8 in a disk’s Master Boot Record, which is written to the first sector of a disk."), but is created when a disk is first prepared for use as an MBR or GPT disk. The disk signature should be unique for each disk in a system.
If restoring a disk image to a new disk, restoring the disk signature is normally not necessary for proper boot operation, but some software applications as well as some Windows features, use the disk signature as a reference value.
If you are cloning a disk and expect to replace the source with the target, the disk signature should be copied from the source to the target drive so that the drives will be an exact copy of each other. Booting the system with both drives attached that have duplicate disk signatures should be avoided.
If both drives are to be used in the system simultaneously, the disk signature of the source drive should not be copied to the target disk.
I would suggest that you spend some time researching what the disk signature is and how it is used by searching for this information on the web, so that you can make informed decisions about whether or not to restore the disk signature based on your needs.
The disk signature is not hardware based ("A disk signature is a four-byte identifier at offset 0x1B8 in a disk’s Master Boot Record, which is written to the first sector of a disk."), but is created when a disk is first prepared for use as an MBR or GPT disk. The disk signature should be unique for each disk in a system.
If restoring a disk image to a new disk, restoring the disk signature is normally not necessary for proper boot operation, but some software applications as well as some Windows features, use the disk signature as a reference value.
If you are cloning a disk and expect to replace the source with the target, the disk signature should be copied from the source to the target drive so that the drives will be an exact copy of each other. Booting the system with both drives attached that have duplicate disk signatures should be avoided.
If both drives are to be used in the system simultaneously, the disk signature of the source drive should not be copied to the target disk.
I would suggest that you spend some time researching what the disk signature is and how it is used by searching for this information on the web, so that you can make informed decisions about whether or not to restore the disk signature based on your needs.
Great explanation. Thanks. I have a simple idea of it now.
Booting the system with both drives attached that have duplicate disk signatures should be avoided.If both drives are to be used in the system simultaneously, the disk signature of the source drive should not be copied to the target disk.
This is important. If the system is booted with two disks with identical signatures, a signature collision will occur and one of the disks will be unusable until the error is corrected.