How does Acronis image free space?

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I am trying to get some idea of how Acronis actually images "free" space on a partition. We have a disk partition that is 10GB and the OS takes up 2GB of that space - there are [approx] 8GB of "free" space.

If you have been using the partition for some time, there will undoubtedly be deleted files, text and other data still located in the "free" space [not visible to most programs] that can be potentially recovered by special programs. "free" does not necessarily mean empty/wiped/overwritten with random data.

When Acronis creates an image of the 10GB partition, does it actually copy all of the "invisible" [possibly recoverable] data still on the partition, or does it just remember that there is x amount of free space beyond the 2GB you are imaging and restore the existing file structure *without* what is actually in the free space of the drive that was imaged?

The concern is security. If Acronis images the deleted but accessible information on the drive free space - that is a potential security issue. If it restores just the files to a [another or the same] drive or partition and marks the 8GB space as "free" without actually wiping or overwriting the supposedly "free" space - that is also a potential security issue.

Hope someone can clear this up.

TIA

lun 29/03/2010 - 11:10
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If you backup using the sector by sector option then everything will be copied; the whole disk or partition, otherwise only folders and files will be backup up i.e. those which are recognised as accessible in windows explorer.

Secure deletion (or wiping) of free space can be done using the option in System Cleanup.

As you say, deleting information only marks the space previously used as now available to be used again. The actual information may or may not still be there and although it may look random, it isn't. So its totally down to users as to how this unused space is managed.

There are many free utilities which you can use to delete files securely, sometimes called shredders. Unless most of the information you have is of a secure nature (purely your own criteria as to what is or isn't) it is normally better to securely delete when needed rather than wiping whole areas of a disk as this can take a long time and needs several overwriting passes to be done which also makes your HDD do a great deal of unnecessary work especially if you perform this often.

lun 29/03/2010 - 14:06