This version

Mike,

I've thought very highly of Acronis products for many years and have been using True Image 2010 and Disk Director. I installed True Image 2015 and found the dumbed-down interface highly annoying. Not only that, but when I manually start a backup the UI won't minimize to the system tray. Its like it locks up. In addition, 2015 removed a lot of features like being able to date stamp the backup file names.

I evaluated StorageCraft Shadowprotect and I think its vastly superior to True Image 2015. The UI is much cleaner. I was going to purchase it but then I was able to find my True Image 2010 install program and license key so I'm going to reinstall it for now. I have a 3TB NAS arriving today. So providing 2010 works with the NAS I'll stay with it. But if there is issues I'll be purchasing Shadowprotect.

I really hate this notion companies have that in order to sell software they have to change something every year and often times the UI becomes worse instead of better. Acronis would have been smarter to stay with the 2010 UI and add functions like being able to boot a backup in virtualbox or something along those lines.

I also submitted 3 requests to Acronis and heard nothing back. Its like a big black hole.

If you want a refiund, call cleverbridge at 866 522-6855.

David,

I bought it to long ago to get a refund.

I don't expect to get an answer on here either but had to vent somewhere and give it one final go before switching to another software.
It's ashamed this used to be such a good product.

The only thing I can say is; a satisfied customer tells 100 people, an unsatisfied customer tells 1000 people. I would fall in the later category.

Mike,

Very true. I used to recommend their software to other people, too.

I read that if you used the clean up tool to remove true image it does remove disk director's hooks into the OS, too. The uninstall via windows doesn't do that.

David,

I used Windows uninstall and I guess you're right it removed the hooks.
Bad marketing ploy, that was more or less the last straw for me.
I'm a member of several well known programmers forums and I will be recanting this situation.

Mike,

Crud.....you're right the windows uninstall of True Image broke disk director too. I just checked it on my system. I'm going to uninstall disk director, clean everything up and then reinstall disk director and true image 2010.

Generally I have no problem upgrading software every few years and I'd have loved to have a more recent version of true image but I can't justify it with 2015 being a step backwards.

David,

I'm going to try reinstalling DD12 but I don't have faith that it will work.
Have you had any experience with EaseUS or ShadowProtect?
I used EaseUS a few years ago to clone a disk when Acronis failed to, I should have switched then but it had served me well and I thought they would fix the problem. Stupid me!

Anyway good luck with your ordeal I've got a feeling we're both on our own. They have our money why would they care what happens?
The last of my money!

Mike,

Acronis refunded my money.

I installed Shadowprotect as a trial a few days ago and so far I like it a lot. But I can't test a cold iron restore because they don't provide the bootable recovery CD with a trial. There are youtube videos where they demo everything though.

David,

It's been longer than 30 days for me so a refund is out of the question.

I like the features of ShadowProtect but don't know if I can justify the cost. EaseUS is half the price, just wondering if it's worth it though?
They have a special going right now, the Todo Backup Workstation + Partition Master Pro?

I tried downloading their Partition Master Pro trial and AVG warned of malware/adware and that throws me off, I won't download those adware apps onto my computer. I'm a lone software developer and am sensitive as to what I download as my personal machine is also my development machine, hence the need for backup software I can depend on.

Good luck to you,
Mike

Before you commit to StorageCraft, be sure to try a Restore operation. I found it difficult and slow.

Thanks _JC for the heads up.

Guys, I agree, the earlier versions worked well, were intuitive and hard to break. I used to recommend Acronis Home and 2010 constantly. Customer service was excellent.

2015 by comparison is very poorly designed, unstable, and the GUI interface is weird. Example: apparently it is impossible to clean slate the backup log; any attempt to clear out old non-existent entries with it and the program locks solid. Only killing it in Task Manager can get control back. Try finding instructions to reinstall the program. Good luck.

The customer service is now worthless . Emails aren't answered. The racket is that most users will not have a substantive question until 30 days or after -- which will then cost you $20 a pop. That must make the stockholders happy. I called on the log question and was rudely told " we MIGHT help you, but your 30 days has expired, fork over $20 or we'd really, really prefer you to go away." Yes sir, going away--permanently sir.

Acronis is now competing with more than Norton Ghost. Norton AV started down the same ill-considered path, then reversed course, simplified everything and made it work, and has become good again.

I'm checking out the freeware ReDo and paid EaseUS Todo software as options. Would welcome any comments on those. RIP Acronis.

I get the same feeling with Acronis as I do when I watch commercials for MyCleanPC.

I've talked to a lot of people since this started and nearly all of them have moved away from Acronis. What a shame!

Venting is a good thing. Last year, for me, it was clear that Acronis had "screwed the proverbial pooch" on this release. Up until 2015, the product was reliable and trustworthy.

Yet, and for reasons unknown, I've rocked along with the idea that Acronis would have the issues corrected, and a product update would be forthcoming.

I'm enough of a businessman to know that the decisions were based on cost, not on the public's acceptance and use of their product. This is clearly evident from the issues plaguing the product. Combine that with the dropping or decoupling of several key features of 2014 and prior releases (TryIt for example, file/disk cleanup) the driver for this is evident.

Sadly, appropriate updates arriving in a timely way has not been the case. Issues continue to plague the product. Just think of businesses that have relied on Acronis over the years. How badly they are affected. The type of issues being identified can put a viable and robust business on the street, along with the 100's or more employees that rely on that business to feed their families.

Yet, it remains clear. A complete architectural redesign and deployment was initiated for 2015. The Executive decision to deploy it without adequate testing and support in house has resulted in a clearly inferior product from past releases. And, unfortunately, the slow downs and lack of response could very well be actions by the Executive that permitted such a product to be sold, and he is undertaking a CYA approach by removing Customer and Technical support associates from the payroll of Acronis. Bad decision too, as they are the ones that understand the fundamentals of the product.

Despite the issues plaguing the 2015 release, even for my 24x7x365 system, I believe that Acronis recognizes these issues and is working to resolving them (somehow.) It is very unfortunate that the buying public should have to suffer through their poor decision to take this path with the product. I know that a few may remember the day that Coke changed their formula and marketed it as 'Coke'. The backlash was severe enough to get Coke a Cola Classic out to the market as rapidly as possible, while the Executive which made that decision, well, lets say he had incentive to find greener pastures elsewhere.

Venting is a good thing. Last year, for me, it was clear that Acronis had "screwed the proverbial pooch" on this release. Up until 2015, the product was reliable and trustworthy.

Yet, and for reasons unknown, I've rocked along with the idea that Acronis would have the issues corrected, and a product update would be forthcoming.

I'm enough of a businessman to know that the decisions were based on cost, not on the public's acceptance and use of their product. This is clearly evident from the issues plaguing the product. Combine that with the dropping or decoupling of several key features of 2014 and prior releases (TryIt for example, file/disk cleanup) the driver for this is evident.

Sadly, appropriate updates arriving in a timely way has not been the case. Issues continue to plague the product. Just think of businesses that have relied on Acronis over the years. How badly they are affected. The type of issues being identified can put a viable and robust business on the street, along with the 100's or more employees that rely on that business to feed their families.

Yet, it remains clear. A complete architectural redesign and deployment was initiated for 2015. The Executive decision to deploy it without adequate testing and support in house has resulted in a clearly inferior product from past releases. And, unfortunately, the slow downs and lack of response could very well be actions by the Executive that permitted such a product to be sold, and he is undertaking a CYA approach by removing Customer and Technical support associates from the payroll of Acronis. Bad decision too, as they are the ones that understand the fundamentals of the product.

Despite the issues plaguing the 2015 release, even for my 24x7x365 system, I believe that Acronis recognizes these issues and is working to resolving them (somehow.) It is very unfortunate that the buying public should have to suffer through their poor decision to take this path with the product. I know that a few may remember the day that Coke changed their formula and marketed it as 'Coke'. The backlash was severe enough to get Coke a Cola Classic out to the market as rapidly as possible, while the Executive which made that decision, well, lets say he had incentive to find greener pastures elsewhere.

Jim,

Your right I am venting, after trying all other means and falling on deaf ears I thought perhaps there might be an admin on here fielding question and defending the honor of Acronis. But alas it seems, as you have stated that the bottom line is all they care about and when that happens they will fail. It doesn't matter how big you are, DEC for instance you are never immune to failure.

Mike

Sadly, my personal system loss would cause me and mine to have a level of hardship that is unacceptable.

By EOD Saturday, 4/4, I shall have a new backup solution. Will it be TIH 2014 (don't know, I've only purchased upgrade licenses since 2009). Will it be another product (don't know, it'll depend on my ability to reactivate 2014).

Either way, the decision is made to have a viable and trustworthy backup product on my system within the time frame stated, even if money is involved.

It does not hit the level of 'tragedy', but it certainly moves the buying public (me) away from a once viable and stable product. One can only hope that the business called "Acronis" has the financial ability to weather this storm, because once a customer is lost, it is near impossible to regain their trust to put their own hard earned money back into the business.

Jim Low wrote:

It does not hit the level of 'tragedy', but it certainly moves the buying public (me) away from a once viable and stable product. One can only hope that the business called "Acronis" has the financial ability to weather this storm, because once a customer is lost, it is near impossible to regain their trust to put their own hard earned money back into the business.

Agreed and turning a deaf ear to their customers is not a good indication of their intent. They have the last of my money and I'll be using an older version, True Image 2013 finally works on my machine until Windows 10 comes out later this year then I will be moving away from them completely.

I thank you for the heads-up too!!

Though I might take it a step further, is there another product besides StorageCraft and Acronis that is trustworthy, reliable and has the best possible speed?

Jim,

I've downloaded StorageCraft and EaseUS on a VM to evaluate. I will be moving to one or the other of them later this year.

If you guys find an alternative that you like please share your experience here.

Thank you for the update Mike.

As an FYI Only, I was successful in removing TI 2015 and re-installing 2014, fully licensed product. It activated and everything. After installing the last patch to it, I was also successful in saving my OS and Data drives, encrypting them, and restoring my system to it's original state using the 2014. So, I feel better now.

Doesn't mean I'm not going to move forward with finding an alternative, just that the immediate need is met.

Again, thanks for all your great advice, obvious knowledge you have graciously shared, and support.

I agree .... long time .. faithful TI user over many versions .. and 2015 hangs consistently and opening old backups and creating new ones.

This is really disappointing. I've asked for a refund.

FYI ... I use crashplan running on my NAS to backup media, I need something that will provide a barebones or bootable backup for my windows media PC.

What's the view on Paragon Backup?