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A double-check about image backups

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Are locked files copied when the system partition is backed up?

I expect this has been asked before, but had not been able to find it.

The implication of all the descriptions of image backups done by True Image is that, even when working within Windows, ALL files, folders and partition data are copied, regardless of whether they are notionally locked through being in use by Windows or any other process. I note also that True Image merrily backs up my system partition from Windows without warning that any files are not being copied. However, I have not found explicit confirmation anywhere that all 'locked' files are copied.

In my experience, standard backup programs that I've tried couldn't or wouldn't copy files that were in use at the time. The implication of that would be that the only way to get a complete system partition image would be to boot from the rescue disc and then carry out the system partition image backup from there - in other words, to carry out the backup without Windows.

However, that is inconvenient and it would be much easier for me if I could have a backup running while I'm getting on with my work at the computer.

So, what I want to be completely sure of is, whether a system partition backup done from within Windows really has copied all the files that were notionally 'locked' at that time, and so would completely restore my system in the event of my needing to reformat the extant system partition for some reason. -- Many thanks.

Kind regards,
Philip.

Later note:
Since initially making this post I've seen that TI doesn't copy the page and hibernation files, and really I wasn't thinking of those, but really of the files that are important to copy if a complete system partition restore is to be fully effective (i.e. after the original system partition has been formatted).

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Hello Philip,

No worries, I will resolve this query concerning locked files backup.

The opened files are handled by the snapshot technology of our product.

Acronis Snapshot Manager flushes the file system mounted to the volume temporarily freezing all the operations on the system volume. Immediately thereafter, the Snapshot Manager driver creates a point-in-time view of the system volume and a bitmap describing the used sectors on this volume. Once the bitmap is created, the filter driver unfreezes the I/O operations on the system volume. It generally takes just several seconds to create a point-in-time view of the volume. After that, the operating system continues working as the imaging process is under way.

So all your opened files will be backed up with the exact state they were at the moment of snapshot creation (if you make some changes after, product does not include them).

Regarding hibernation files: in Acronis True Image Home 2010 there's an option to exclude hibernation files from partition backups (in Source Files Exclusion 9.4.1.1. Chapter of this User's Guide), and you can turn it off so the product will create a backup with those files as needed.

Additionally to this, you are welcome to ask me any other questions concerning Acronis, and I will assist you further.

Regards,