How can I get TI 2011 to make a complete backup

Quite easy. Just choose the "Custom" Backup scheme and then select "Full". You can then optionally define rules for how many backups you wish to keep and when you want old ones automatically deleted. Note though even using its default settings ATI does not create only differential backups. It creates one full then 5 differentials (6 incrementals for file backup), then another full. Full details are in the help files - see "Version chain scheme". Personally though I do find the standard schemes too restrictive and prefer to define a custom scheme.

Actually I prefer the new GUI and the new consolidation method, which involves simply dropping whole chains of incremental backups (if you use them) - the old method could spend many, many hours consolidating large backups. But it does take a lot of getting used too, I do not understand why even the simplest of changes (e.g. schedule) causes a whole new "archive" (old parlance) to be created and any old ones to be "orphaned" (no longer deleted according to scheme rules, and there are too many bugs at the moment. Hopefully "Update 1" will fix things.

I think I get what Gerhard's issue is and, if I'm right, I fail to understand what Jon Gardner is talking about...

First off, I seem unable to find where, in all the screens and menus of ATIH 2011 where that "Custom" Backup scheme option is located.

According to the ATIH 2011 I have, what I can answer to Gerhard's question is this:

-- On first screen choose "Go to Main Screen"
-- Then pick up "Disk and partition backup"
-- On the next screen check mark which disks/partitions you want to backup, enter a destination drive and a new backup file name (I do this by clicking on the down arrow located at the right side of the box and then clicking "Browse" because, as strange as it may seem, I cannot change the options automatically offered by Acronis)
-- Double-click on the drive where you want to seat the new backup
-- Double-click on the folder you want to send the new backup
-- Then, on the "Backup name" box, enter the name you want to give to the new backup.
-- When you're satisfied that all this has been done, click on the button "Back up now".

And there you go!

Now, I must confess that this ATI 2011 looks to me more like a "Beta" version than the final product that I paid for. Honestly, is this a better, more user-friendly version than any prior ones I have owned and used? In my humble opinion, my answer is an resounding NO!

But this is just my opinion, and those are the steps you need to follow, IF your ATI 2011 is the same as mine...

Good luck and best regards.

Cheers

LinYu wrote:

I think I get what Gerhard's issue is and, if I'm right, I fail to understand what Jon Gardner is talking about...

First off, I seem unable to find where, in all the screens and menus of ATIH 2011 where that "Custom" Backup scheme option is located.

After you have picked "Disc and partition Backup", simply click on the blue text next to "backup scheme". Then choose "Custom Scheme" from the drop down box at the top of the window that opens.

Jon Gardner wrote:

After you have picked "Disc and partition Backup", simply click on the blue text next to "backup scheme". Then choose "Custom Scheme" from the drop down box at the top of the window that opens.

My apologies... You are right, the option is there but, believe or not, I had not become aware of it until you guided me by hand to it... Thank you for your great patience.

One thing keeps coming to mind: This last version of ATI, in my humble opinion, is the worst so far in terms of visual presentation and user-friendliness. I loved the "step-by-step" approach of prior versions (this is my third one). Besides being exceedingly simple to follow, the approach provided to the beginner like myself a much better sense of knowing exactly what was going on.

To me, this last version may be the closest thing to a beta version of any program.

This said, I wish to clearly reiterate here, for the record, and to be totally fair, that in no occasion have I been served less than excellently by any version of ATI. To witness, I have performed hundreds of backup operations and dozens of restores.

Cheers.

One thing I can recommend is everyone take a look at the help system.

Unlike a lot of applications these days, with rushed documentation that does not explain the function of many settings and sometimes does not even document them at all, the help system for ATI 2011 is clear and comprehensive.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'll give it another try when I do my next backup and let you know all the troubles and headaches I might experience. But I am still convinced that the new GUI is confusing and no improvement at all. Looking back 2009 was ok, 2010 was lousy and now 2011 ? Well I'll give it another chance before I complain.

Would you believe I finally managed 2011 to make a complete backup. The functions were you can specify what you want to do (and not what TI 2011 thinks you should do) are really well hidden. For some reason Acronis probably doesn't want you to find them.