Starting Acronis Loader

Clones or restores should be performed from the ATI bootable Rescue Media, not from Windows.

Clone should be used only by advanced users who know what they are doing. It is riskier and can result in a loss of data and a failed system. Create a full disk mode backup and restore it, using the bootable Rescue Media, to the new disk, as it's far safer.

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 which I believe includes instructions on how to restore to a larger drive and allocate the space.
There's also a full on-line user manual, and a downloadable user manual.

I would like to expand on the problem I'm experiencing which is similar to John's. Unfortunately tuttle's response didn't really provide any insight to what is causing the problem John described. tuttle basically just said, don't do this - and don't attempt it unless you're an advanced user.

I have been using Acronis True Image for years without problems. I have been using Acronis True Image 2014 without problems. I regularly clone a 240GB SSD to a 750GB HD and a 500GB USB without problems - both directions. I just bought a new 480GB SSD, and initialized it as I have done with the previous 8 SSDs I've bought and initialized as secondary drives and installed in multiple computers without problem. Cloning a disk starting with the Acronis True Image interface while in Windows is a feature of the tool. I've never seen any documentation that says do not do this. I've never had any problem cloning a primary system disk or a secondary drive - ever - until now. I'm only experiencing this problem with the "Starting Acronis Loader..." hanging with this new drive.

When I'm in Windows, I can save files to the drive. I can view files on the new drive. And I can move files off the drive copying them to another drive without problem. So as far as I can tell the drive is working properly.  But Acronis acts as if the drive hasn't completely loaded or isn't part of the system.  It sees the drive when I select it as the destination drive in the cloning process. When I shut down the computer and disconnect the drive after experiencing the "hang" with "Starting Acronis Loader..." and then restarting the computer, the system still thinks I'm trying to clone the drive, but because no drive is connected I get the option to cancel the process. Then I can restart my computer without issue. I just can't clone to this new drive as the destination drive.

Thoughts anyone?

Most likely you are experiencing some compatibility issues between the Linux drivers used in the recovery CD and your hardware. We have seen in the past the Linux compability actually regress with a new version, so having seen it work with an older version wouldn't mean much, just in case.
With Windows 8, with its very common GPT/UEFI and secure boots, ATI has been challenged.
Your option is to purchase the premium version and create a WinPE boot disk. At least, you shouldn't have driver issues. Or if you have some, you can inject the drivers in your WinPE image.

I have had the same issue trying to clone a Samsung 840 EVO (1tb) to my new Samsung 850 PRO (500gb). There is only 300gb of data on the 840, so there is still plenty off room for the 850. I kept getting the Black Screen from hell after booting from a bootable CD that I created from the True Image (2014) program. I would boot from the CD (choosing it in BIOS as bootdisk) and then it would say loading Acronis booter......then BLACK NOTHINGNESS.

Just before poking my eyes out with frustration, I checked my BIOS again. My MoBo is an Asus Rampage Black Edition- it like UEFI to boot I selected the UEFI choice of the True Image bootable disk, and "presto" everything worked perfectly!

I hope that this saves someone from the incredible frustration that I experienced!