ATI2012 a Waste of Time and Money
After finally resolving the glitches and update problems with TI Home 2009, I have been reasonably satisfied with it over the years. However, I succombed to the Christmas hype of ATI Home 2012 with Plus Pack add-on and purchased it. BIG MISTAKE AND WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!!
First off, while becoming familiar with my new version, I learned that the System Report did not work. After posting the problem on this forum, the response was that it was a known problem on some machines and that trying it on another computer would probably work. This is not a solution for two reasons: 1. If it doesn’t work on the installed computer, then it doesn’t work, period, and, 2. I can’t try it on another machine because of the single machine license.
This brought up another major problem. After reading through the forum to learn of others’ problems, I learned that it is a one machine license and not a one user license. This means that the synchronization and transfer between two machines advertising is grossly misleading. The gymnastics involved with transferring the license between two machines is just too much to deal with! How the transfer of OS between two machines would deal with the Microsoft licensing is something I don’t even want to think about. I’ve had no problems at all in using the 2009 version between my two computers.
And, finally, to make matters worse, when I decided to remove 2012 from my computer and reinstall 2009 it would not remove! It stalled and locked the computer repeatedly! I finally had to use restore software to a previous time and then update the computer to the present time.
Actually, I didn’t use most of the “bells and whistles” associated with Acronis in the past. One would think that over the years they would learn about the various bugs and problems and design them away. But, no, it seems to be a rusty Swiss Army Knife with more and more added blades that don’t work properly. Backup and recovery software should be just that. It should be absolutely reliable!!!
I wish I could get my money returned, but I’m sure the hassle would not be worth the aggravation. As far as I am concerned, Acronis has killed the goose that layed the golden egg. NO MORE!
Paragon lacks some important features, even in the paid version (besides being less than user-friendly). I know it, because I bought their B&R Home 2011 - and am now waiting for a refund. Even the free software from EaseUS can do more than Paragon.
Even though I continue to use the 2009 version, it has given me some trouble in the past, like not being able to find the external hard drive that contained backups.
So now I use three backup programs plus a sync program. I use Acronis (2009), Macrium Reflect and EaseUs To Do. For Sync, I use SyncToy to a thumb drive+external. This way if something goes wrong with my main computer, I can get the spare up in no time. Even though XP is rock solid I'm careful with it and always try out new stuff on the spare first. And on the sad, rare occasions something will cause the main to blue screen.
Thanks for the info about Paragon. I'll check it out.
I'd be interested in knowing what "important features" Suicyco thinks are missing. The Hard Drive Manager 11 Suite looks quite complete to me. And, unlike Acronis products, it works cooperatively with the operating system's hardware abstraction layer so that it can handle any and all storage devices recognized by the OS itself. It certainly doesn't cripple any.
As for user friendlness, I'd say that criterion is quite subjective. Personally, I dont find the current ATIH interface to be very user friendly either. On the other hand, system maintenance operations in general tend to get a bit complex at times regardless of any "pretty face."
I'd be interested in knowing what "important features" Suicyco thinks are missing. The Hard Drive Manager 11 Suite looks quite complete to me.
Richard,
of course I was talking about features that are important to me. I cannot speak for the hard drive manager, I tested "Backup and Recovery Home 11". What annoyed me most, is that there is no way to do an automatic cleanup/consolidation of incremental file backups. This is is only possible with the "cyclic backup" - which only works for full partition backups.
Maybe it's a personal prerefence, but I don't do a full partition backup on a daily basis, so I just do an incremental file backup. Unfortunately, there was no way of telling, how many increments B&R 11 would add - and what would happen with my free disk space.
Apart from that, the rest was pertty good, it didn't affect the system and sometimes it even felt like professional software (like BackupExec) that I have to maintain on my customers' servers (I am a system engineer, btw.).
Still, if the software doesn't do what I want, I prefer to switch the software instead of changing my habits. ;)
And, unlike Acronis products, it works cooperatively with the operating system's hardware abstraction layer so that it can handle any and all storage devices recognized by the OS itself. It certainly doesn't cripple any.
I fully agree!
As for user friendlness, I'd say that criterion is quite subjective. Personally, I dont find the current ATIH interface to be very user friendly either. On the other hand, system maintenance operations in general tend to get a bit complex at times regardless of any "pretty face."
I don't think that ATIH2012 has a user friendly interface myself. The GUI is the main reason why I rolled back to 2010. As for the complexity of system maintenance... I think that usually I can handle it, because I'm a professional. ;)
Regards
Oliver
Thanks, Oliver. I was just curious about impressions of someone else who has tried both brands.
You're obviously a braver man than I am. The mere thought of relying on automatic consolidation of incremental file backups scares me silly. But, as you say, a lot of it depends on individual preferences and previous experiences.
Didn't mean to impugn your professionalism, BTW. I was just suggesting that so-called "user friendly" interfaces can only go so far when it comes to handling system maintenance operations. At some point, the need for more specific instructional inputs from any user becomes almost inevitable.
Paragon lacks some important features, even in the paid version (besides being less than user-friendly). I know it, because I bought their B&R Home 2011 - and am now waiting for a refund. Even the free software from EaseUS can do more than Paragon.
I never had a problem with Paragon B&R 10 Suite. Never needed any help with that one. Thanks for the tip. I will definitely look into EaseUS.
I have found Paragon backup and Recovery 11 to have more features than ATIH that I am interested in using, particularly in disk partitioning and backup using their Windows PE environment. Since I do backups and restores via recovery discs, many of the features of ATIH are of no use to me. I have not tried EaseUS.
Easeus is certainly worth a look. It should be noted, however, that it also inserts its own device class filter services and drivers like Acronis does. That's not necessarily a problem provided any "leftover" conflicts can be avoided when switching. Just something to be aware of in case of any nasty "blue screen" incidents and/or problems with some types of storage devices.
I will pass then but it's good to know. I would like to see an verson of ATIH that just works via a recovery disc or USB stick. All the development effort could go into a rock solid backup and restore environment sans the fancy stuff. ATIH-lite if you will.
I fully aggree to the statement of marty56:
I would also appretiate to get a kind of ATIH-lite some day in the future, that really concentrates on the basic tasks of backup/recovery instead of waisting time in developing more and more "nice-to-have" features and "user-friendly" or "one-click" interfaces.
Backup and Restore for my opinion is hardly a subject for each and every PC user - even though this would make a lot of sense for everybody. My children, my parents, a secretary, my neighbour next door probably won't miss anything when not having an appropriate backup/restore strategy.
For my understanding people who buy such a product have a lot of computer experience and know-how. They know what is a directory, what a subdirectory, what a file and so on. They can navigate using standard explorer and they feel happy with that since DOS times!! And they don't need and don't want to see a flattened and simplified view on the backup files!!
Making a GUI "too easy to use" or "safe to use for children" is not a good idea for a backup/restore program! I liked the step-by-step wizard used up to ATIH 11.0. Of course you had to click on a lot of OKs step by step, but by this approach you finally knew exactly WHAT operation you start finally (source partition, type of backup, destination file, pre- post-commands, file-exclusions, comments and so on).
After having bought ATIH2012 (and finally returned back since it doesn't work to my satisfaction) I will list just a few of the things, that I disliked:
(not to speak of the trouble involved by the low level filter drivers, that tend to corrupt the user's system)
- too much bells and whistles: Nonstop backup, Sync, Try&Decide, Backup Time Explorer etc.
- annoying internal data base being used to manage backups instead of a transparent approach based on the structure of the file system:
Just think of the following example, which is a simplified view according to my workflow:
drive X:\Backups\ComputerA\Month
Now think of having three computers ComputerA, ComputerB, ComputerB and lets assume to have just one full backup each month.
Within the file system it is absolutely easy to identify each and every individual backup related to month and computer.
The flattened view within ATIH2012 in worst case will display dozens or even hundreds of backups named "Drive_C"
(the tree structure of the file system is no longer visible) and so you will never find the right one
- at least I don't even need all these files being displayed at all. Just let me select the backup of interest in a tree structured browser like
being used in ATI 11.
- comments are NOT just nice to have! They are mandatory if you have to handle a big number of backups. Up to ATI 11.0 the backup
comments were clearly displayed in the very moment I had to select a backup to be used to restore. And when creating a backup I
more or less "needed" to enter some meaningful comment before starting to backup. Since ATIH2009 this important commenting
feature was more and more reduced to being no more useful (just think of the funny ONE-LINE edit field - ridiculous, when u can
enter several chapters or even pages of comment)
- good old ATI 11.0 clearly displayed what its doing after having started backup or restore (source, destination, type of backup, comments...)
all having been displayed throughout the complete operation. So you could lean back or drink a coffe and when returning you still knew
precisely what this great program was just doing. And now? More or less just the name of the backup file and a nice big green progress bar.
This is not a transparent user interface indeed. (I must admit, that commenting got slightly better now in ATIH2012)
Just to make it not too long:
Please, Acronis, return to the former qualities again: RELIABILITY, RESPONSIVENESS, CONFIDENCE, TRANSPARENCY
Don't waste more and more time believing you could sell this product to each and every computer user, rather satisfy those, who really know what's the sence and benefit of a reliable backup/restore program.