Using boot CD or installed program

The rescue CD you create is the same as the rescue environment on your original disk. However, if you update the build by downloading a newer build, then you need to create a new rescue CD which will have the latest fixes and will (should be) superior to your original disk.

The installed program lets you backup while Windows is running including making an image of the partition containing Windows. TI uses special snapshot technology etc to allow the image to be made while Windows and applications are still using the disk. This seems to scare some people but the reality is that very few problems are attributable to this technology. Since it is using Windows drivers and other features, it tends to run faster than if the CD (which is a Linux environment) is booted up.

Booting and running from the CD has the advantage of dealing with a static HD. Some people like this aspect.

To restore you can do the same as above. However, there is one wrinkle. If you start a restore of an image within Windows of the partition that is the Windows active partition, typically C, then the program will collect the information from you about the restore and then reboot and bring up the Linux recovery environment. This is because Windows can't be running when the partition is restored. If the active partition is not being restored or if you are only restoring files and folders, the restore may be totally carried out within Windows.
Or you can just boot up the CD and do the restore.

There is no problem making the image with one method and restoring with another, the images are independent of the environment used to create them.

There is one thing that appears to be a good idea in general. If you are doing a clone it appears to be a good idea to boot up the CD. This doesn't mean starting it Windows doesn't work but starting with the CD maybe is less problematic.

I always make my images from within Windows and start the restore within Windows and have had no problems doing so.

If you are a new user of TI you should test your procedures to make sure you can restore your image or data before it is a necessity. TI gives the hardware a good workout and may uncover problems that aren't obvious in regular PC operation. Also, there is a chance the Linux recovery environment won't support all you hardware properly.

The absolute best way of doing this is to do an image restore to a spare HD. A spare one in case it fails and leaves you with nothing. If you have a data backup (data files and folders only) then you can easily restore to a different location.

If you don't want to do a test restore to a spare drive for any reason, then the next best thing is to boot up the CD and go through the backup wizard and create an image. This will demonstrate you can see your devices and create an image.

Next, using the CD, Validate the image using the TI validate wizard. This will demonstrate you can see the archive on your backup device, read it into RAM and successfully recreate the 4000 checksums/GB. If only 1 checksum is bad the archive will be declared corrupt.

If this works then run through the restore wizard as if you were doing a restore but cancel out at the screen where you have to click Proceed to actually do the restore. This shows that you are able to access the devices and archive and make any setting changes required.

Not as good as doing the actual restore to the spare HD but if you can do the above, there is a very high probablilty that it will work.

Hi Alan, if you have installed using the latest build from your Acronis account then create a rescue CD (or two) using that. When you ever install a new build then create new rescue CD's to use.

As for what to use then my rule is to backup and restore the system partition using the Startup Recovery Manager and only backup using the installed TI in Windows for mainly static partitions such as for music, photos, video's etc. Once I'm in Recovery Manager I usually backup everything from there anyway while I'm in a backing up mood!

You can activate the ASRM from within the TI program and can be initiated during the initial stages of system boot up by pressing the F11 key. You can use the rescue CD if you wish but I don't see the point unless the ASRM won't work or the system will not start up at all.

The main reason for backing up using the ASRM is so that Windows is in a 'shut down' state and ready to start up rather than active in memory with files open and system processes doing things.