Data backup on 2 external HDDs with Acronis TIH 2011
Hello all. Just want some opinions on how to properly backup what I have on my PC with Acronis True Image 2011 (build 6574). My drives are as follows:
Drive C: 120 GB SSD (Windows 7 OS & programs only)
Drive D: 1 TB HDD (my data)
Drive E: 1 TB HDD (spouse’s data)
We got two 500 GB external Western Digital HDDs that's going to be used to backup files. I'm thinking of backing up all the drives on one of them and then manually copying the image files to the other 500gb drive weekly. Here is what I would like to do:
a) Schedule a full image back of C drive; store a copy on each of the 500 GB drives.
b) Do a full image of both of D and E on one of the 500 GB drives. Then do incrementals daily or weekly. Manually copy them to other 500 GB weekly.
I am wondering what’s best way to setup Acronis 2011 to backup on these external HDDs. I have the following queries:
1) Should I pick single chain, version chain, or full image method (custom scheme) to backup the C Drive? I install/uninstall programs all the time, so if something goes wrong (say after say 1 or 2 months), I will probably have to restore from the months old C drive image and have to go through installing all the software again that I installed in between.
In this case, is it a good idea to schedule a custom full image C drive backup once or twice every month? Or, should I do full + differentials (disk backup version chain) so that I will have the original OS version and differentials as well to fall back to if something goes with the OS?
Also, for version chain backup scheme, schedule seems to be 'Off' by default. When I click on 'Turn on', a pop up comes up where 'Schedule your operation' is set to 'Daily'. Doesn't this contradict with what the manual says:
"Backup schemes and scheduler - Scheduler settings for the default backup schemes (single version and version chain) are predefined. You should not change the default backup periodicity settings in the scheduler. For disk backups the setting is Monthly, and for file backups - Daily. If you have selected one of the backup schemes and then change the periodicity settings (for instance, from Monthly to Weekly), the backup scheme will automatically reset to a custom backup scheme with the incremental method selected. In this case the version chain will consist of a full backup version and a sequence of incremental backup versions."
If that is so, how do I set up Acronis to do full + differentials backup of C drive monthly?
2) For D and E drives, which incremental method should I pick: File backup version chain, or custom incremental scheme? Custom incremental has the following rules (I'm not sure what to set them to):
a) Create only incremental versions after the initial version (auto consolidation: on/off)
b) Create a full version after X increamental version (auto cleanup: on/off, Do not delete the first version of the backup: on/off)
Also, do I add the incremental files to the initial full back up archive of D and E drive? Or, should I start a new incremental but keep them in the same location/folder as the initial backup?
3) By default Disk Defragmenter is off on my C drive (SSD). However, for D and E HDD it's set to every wednesday (weekly). Since I'm going to use daily incremental backup for these two drives, how should I adjust disk defrag for these two drives?
4) Finally, how do I access all the features of Acronis True Image Home 2011 Plus Pack? After installing, under programs only 'Acronis WinPE ISO Builder' is available. How do I get access to 'Restore to Dissimilar Hardware' & 'Dynamic Disk Support' features of the Plus Pack add-on? I downloaded the latest build after purchase and installed without any error.
Thanks in advance!
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1. Most of what you ask comes down to personal opinions and how much your data changes. Most certainly, your backups of your system disk should be full disk backups whereby ALL partitions on the system disk are included in the backup. This type backup makes for easy duplication to a new or larger drive --if and when needed.
a. TI does have an option to copy or create second copy of your backup to an alternate location. They may be of interest. If you plan on performing a Windows copy function, I would suggest you explore Karen Kenworthy's Replicator.
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
It is free for personal use and I personally think its a great product and very easy to use. It can be schedule to copy at designated time or dates and after the initial copy, it will only copy the files which have changed. Click on my signature index below and look at index item #12 for other examples how other people arrange their backup procedures.
b. All my backups are full plus regular differential type backups. Look at the schedule screen and you can schedule according to your needs. All my backups also use the Custom backup scheme. I do not use any of the so called default backup screens.
Most likely, you will have one task for your System disk [C] and one (or two) tasks for D & E. You can combine or keep separate. Your choice depending upon how frequent the data changes. The differential backup has less issues (read #2 below) and is the preferred rather than increntals.
C. I prefer to set up all my backups using what you see in the attachment below. This is my suggetion to you but again it really depends upon your needs.
All my backup schemes are custom/differential as per attachment.
]] Checkmark Create a full version after every 6 differential versions. Your choice in number.
]] Checkmark Store no more than 4 recent version CHAINS. (Your choice as to how many chains to be retained.)
]] Checkmark Do Not delete the first version of the backup. (Your choice but it is recommended that this be checked so you can retain your oldest backups for an extended period of time.)
2. Acronis backups (AKA images or archives or *.tib files) are constructed in chains. A chain is the first full backup plus any incremental or differential created before the next full. All parts of the chain must be kept together in one folder. You cannot delete an inner part of the chain otherwise all parts of the chain become useless. The chain must be kept unbroken. So if you have incremental 3 & 4 & 5 and you delete #3, then 4 and 5 bacome useless. On the contrary, a #5 differential backup can be restored even if #3 or #4 are corrupt or missing. I prefer not to use incremental (or at least kept to a very few) because the the broken chain effect if an innner incremental gets spoiled.
3. Use defrag only just prior to a full backup. If defraggedd prior to an incrmental, the file size will be considereablly expanded as TI backup stores all disk changes.
4. As PlusPack is installed, you will find it listed (when appropriate) in the backup or restore functins and will be also shown on the Rescue CD which you made after the plus pack was installed.
Explanation about plus pak and safe version addons
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/15307#comment-45973
5. If new to TrueImage HOme, here are some links which may be of interest, plus I would also suggest that you look at some the item inside my signature index below.
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13506: TIH 2011: Scheduling a Backup
http://kb.acronis.com/content/13506
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Acronis True Image Home 2011: Disk and partition backup
http://kb.acronis.com/content/13450
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Difference between File Backups and Disk/Partition Images
http://kb.acronis.com/content/13474
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1772: Acronis True Image Backup Units: Archive, Slice, Volume
http://kb.acronis.com/content/1772
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Difference between Full, Incremental and Differential Backup
http://kb.acronis.com/content/1536
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Acronis True Image Home 2011: File backup
http://kb.acronis.com/content/13456
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Backup scheme/custom/differential

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Wow after reading all your stuff I can only say wow. I felt like I just read the manual! ME, all I want this thing to do for me is make me a back up for when my hard drive crashes.
I don't like all that incremental multi-file mumbo jumbo. The more stuff you throw into the pot the thicker the soups gets. Ask a plumber the more joints in a run of pipe the more chance for a leak. Same thing with compression just more things to possibly go wrong so if you have the space don't compress.
Maybe go with a RAID1 setup with those 2 500 gigers
Always and I mean always validate your backups.
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Matthew,
No, the manual is 217 pages and my response didn't quite get that far. (smile) He asked a lot of questions and a brief answer would not have answered his questions. As you pointed out, my response could have been longer as I did not touch upon the your subject of vaidation--which is very important as well.
The user manual for 2011 is the best ever and it could have and should have been longer as some items are not covered or not adequately covered. Taking the time to read the new manual is a must even for the experienced TI user due to all the new features of 2011.
I agree, full backups offer a lot of advantages and if you want your backup to be able to be restored to a new or larger drive, the type of backup to have (which offers the most restore options and the fewest restore problems) is the disk option backup. This includes all partitions on the drive--in other words, everything on the disk is included in the backup.
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GroverH,
I couldn’t have asked for a better explanation than this; thank you! In the last few days, I have been going through the links you mentioned in your reply and they definitely have helped me a lot to understand about backup strategies.
I’m really impressed by the tool Karen Kenworthy's Replicator and thinking of using it to copy and sync the data drives and keep Acronis for the OS. Out of curiosity, I was wondering how often you schedule to back up your OS & data drives; would love to hear what you do :)
Regarding Plus Pack 2011, please have a look at the uploaded image. Only Acronis TIH 2011 is showing up in the Acronis Media Builder without any plus pack features like restoration. I updated both the software during installation without any problems. It seems that I have Acronis version 6574 and plus pack version 5519. However, in http://www.acronis.com/support/updates/index.html it’s showing the latest version of Acronis TIH 2011 as 5519. Is there something wrong?
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No time to respond tonight. Your attachment looks normal. It has the normal entries. Plus Pack should not be an etnry on that screen.Look for it in yoiur files. The 6574 was recalled so use "as is" until a replacment is released. Do not install 5519. The Plus pack file which you should have installed is this one. This matches the TrueImageHome 2011
ATIH2011PP_6574_en-US.exe i
What makes you believe you have the 5519 plus pack isntalled?
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In my installed windows programs list (I have colored it in the uploaded image below), it's showing my plus pack version as 14.0.5519. I will try to find a link for ATIH2011PP_6574_en-US.exe asap. Thanks!
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I would not be too concerned about the issue with Plus Pack at this point. This program does not change much and I am guessing the only difference between the 5519 and 6574 PlusPack versions might the version identification. As soon as they release a new build again, the build number will change anyway. Just use as is for now.
If you wish to see the plus pack options, boot from the Rescue CD and simulate a restore, you will see the option to use Universal Restore which is the plus pack feature of restoring to different hardware.
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Hi GroverH,
Thanks for helping out with the backup settings for Acronis TIH 2011 about a year ago.. I'm still using those :) Just a quick question though, according to the settings I think Acronis was only meant to retain 4 recent version chains and then create a full version after every 6 differential versions. However after a year, it seems Acronis hasn't really deleted the old backup versions. I have attached a picture of this and was wondering if I have been doing something wrong as the 500GB hardrives became full around October last year.
I was going to delete most of the chains except recent ones and the first full backup but before doing that I thought I would ask you about the settings and whether there's a way to delete the chains automatically.
Thank you so much :)
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Hi there,
On the backup task, click on explore and recover. Verify which versions are actually tracked by ATI in the timeline UI at the bottom of that window. You might notice that the files that don't get deleted are actually not tracked by ATI. You can safely delete older entire chains manually anyway.
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