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Sector by sector, Full backup

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I stayed within the "disk partition" option and created a full backup and a sector by sector backup. My intent is to restore on another hard disk, maybe larger, utilizing the backup file(s).
Someday in the future or if it is forced upon me due to a drive failure, the files will save hours of work.

Should I utilize the disk mode instead? Will this create a full image or is what I've done going to work too? If I restore with files I created will an exact clone of the orginal disk be restored to the new hard drive?
Have I created a "disk image" or a backup of files, even though I selected the full option?

How do I create a full disk image to restore 100% to an alternate hard disk?

Years ago I utilzed Norton Ghost to manage a ghost server. We used to build industrial PCs, some with WinNT and they were not plug and pray. We re-created the configurations booting from a floppy with its particular LAN driver and pulled the correct image off of the server. My recollection of terms and the modern software is confusing me. Please correct me or suggest better approaches. I bought Acronis True Image 2011 for my two home computers.

Thank you. BTW> I do like the software. The image validation confused me briefly due to the shutdown delay. I found the answer here- in the FAQ.

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Gary,

Are you referring to ABR 10 or TIH 2010/11 ?

You shouldn't need to run a sector by sector image so long as you have NTFS/FAT32 formatted drives.

For my OS drive I prefer to make complete disk image, for my data drives I uses partition by partition.

The only difference between making a partition image of your OS drive and a disk orientated one is the MBR won't be included in a partition image. If you are running Vista or W7 natively installed making these a disk image would aito include the System partition that is made upon native install. You can always recover a disk image per partition (if you have more than 1 partition to a drive) if needs be.

Be aware that you need to be wary of the term clone, for Acronis software it has a specific meaning. Having said that, an image restore is only restoring used sectors as that is all that is in a normal image, it will stretch (to disk capacity) or shrink(slightly) your image to fit the new disk drive. To all intents and purposes this is an 'exact' copy of your old drive as far as the user is concerned.

Technically of course that is not so, where as a clone will lay back each sector as it was warts and all, though again you can 'extend' the partitions to fill the new disk size.

You need to make a rescue CD, and make sure it can boot your PC and see all your drives and that your keyboard, mouse and any network connections you need work. You don't want to find Linux can't handle your system the day your drive dies. If the rescue CD has problems there are alternatives. You also need to make or ought to make a new rescue CD with each new build that Acronis puts out, making sure you mark the CD's as to which version and build they belong to.

It is also advisable to give all your partitions labels beyond the drive letters allocated by Windows, this is because Linux sees partitions differently so partition 'C' in Windows may end up partition 'E' in the Linux environment, whereas names never change between the systems.

If you could mention how many drives you have and partitions on each drive, we can give you more specific information.

I have already made the rescue disc. As I understand it, I should boot the disc and note what drive letter (partition) is the target referenced by the environment of the boot OS.
Both of the computers have one NTFS partition. I know what you mean; I will add unique labels.
My software is ATIH 2011 update 1 (build 6597) Wndows 7 64bit.
I want the master boot record. If I choose the disk mode, included in the image is the MBR. Is that correct? That's what I mean when I said "restore 100%." Sector by sector is not necessary.
Finally, the disk partition- full back up files- I created do not have the MBR within the saved image. Is that correct?
I've always been very careful to understand exactly what I'm told. Some of my questions or requests for confirmation may seem rude but that is not my intent. If anything, I'm too cautious and may a little thick headed.
Thank you!

Gary,

Assuming you have given your partitions labels.

1. Boot the rescue CD and just check that it can see your internal drive and your external drive. You'll soon find out if it can't work with your keyboard or mouse (sometimes wireless keyboard and mice are a problem). As the rescue environment uses Linux, the drivers are not always as up to date as Windows ones, which is the reason you need to check now that it can work with your system without workaround being put in place.

2. Correct, complete disk image will include the MBR.

3. Careful of the term backup files. TIH can make files and folders backups, which is not the same as an image file. Whilst the terms are often used interchangeably it can cause confusion sometimes when troubleshooting peoples problems via cyberspace.

Your sector by sector image would contain the MBR, and if it has imaged correctly would be the same size as your current drives total formatted capacity.

Your partition only image won't have the MBR included. As your system only has one partition (the C:\) I would only make disk images, there is no advantage to ticking the partition selection.