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Best Backup for Universal Restore

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I have to recover a broken laptop and "restore" to new one.

What is the best type of back up to do...disk or partition. I assume "full" is proper?

Thanks

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"Full" unfortunately has two meanings here, so it can be confusing. ATI calls a full backup a backup that is independent and depends on no other earlier backups. A full backup is complete in itself, as opposed to an incremental or differential. When beginning a chain of incremental backups or differential backups, the first backup is always full.

But, when I say "full disk mode backup" I mean a backup that is configured by selecting the entire disk, in what we call disk mode selection, rather than selecting just individual partitions. A full disk mode backup includes the entire disk, all partitions (even hidden ones) and the MBR. A full disk mode backup is the simplest and, IMO, most reliable type of backup. Because it includes everything, you can restore to a new, unformatted replacement drive if your current drive fails.

Create a full disk mode Backup. Select the checkbox for the entire disk (not just individual partitions). For this option, switch to disk mode (upper right blue link) until you see disks and not partitions to select. Select the disk. That ensures that you have everything you need, and you won't need to understand how the disk is laid out with possible hidden partitions. A full disk mode Backup captures everything, and is the simplest, safest backup method.
Grover's How to Create a "Disk Image" or "Disk Mode" Image: http://forum.acronis.com/forum/38691

A full disk backup ensures that you have everything, without needing to understand how the disk is laid out. It also ensures that the MBR and disk signature are included.

Thanks...as I guessed

Should I "check" the backup sector by sector and unallocated space or leave default (unchecked)

Do not select sector-by-sector. It is unnecessary. All it does it increase the time used for the backup and significantly increase the backup size, with no benefit (except in specific cases).

You're welcome. There's a wealth of accumulated wisdom here. 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.
In particular, 29618: Grover's new backup and restore guides http://forum.acronis.com/forum/29618
There's also a full on-line user manual, and a downloadable user manual.
Grover's How to Create a "Disk Image" or "Disk Mode" Image: http://forum.acronis.com/forum/38691