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Create Image of PC - disk mode, image creation mode or both

Thread needs solution

I have a trial version and I'm confused by the options. I want to create an image of the pc and would like to use the incremental setting, as my main reason for trialling Acronis is to reduce the time to create a full disk image. (I have used Windows 7 backup recently and prior to that used DriveImage XML)
I have chosen the disk mode to ensure I get all the disk, including the Sony recovery partition. It takes 45 minutes for the first backup and then 9 minutes once in incremental.
I then noticed the setting Image Creation Mode and switched this on as well. The backup now takes about 90 minutes EVERY time it runs.
Can someone explain how to use these options and what setting I need to ensure a full image restore should the worst happen.
Thank you

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Your first backup settings were correct to cause a complete disk backup and the incremental. The setting "Image Creation Mode" allows you to change from the "Standard" backup mode to "Sector-by-Sector" Mode. You may have turned on "Sector-by-Sector" mode, which is normally not necessary. It is used for non-standard disk and forensic purposes. If you did select the sector mode, the backup will be much longer as it reads every sector on the drive that contains data (or every sector on the drive if you have enable that option as well), instead of just the sectors that have changed.
Here is a link to a great post by GroverH (Thanks Grover) that really helps to understand the backup process and settings of ATIH 2012: http://forum.acronis.com/forum/28705

That is a great help and very reassuring. Thank you.
I think I will be going with the purchase.

You may want to continue to run the 2012 trial until your 30 days are up. The 2013 product should be coming out soon (not sure when). You can always purchase 2012 at the end of your trial. In the past, if you purchased a full version of Acronis True Image Home and a new version is released within 30 days of your purchase, you are entitled to a free upgrade to the new version.