It's paid for itself 100 time over already, because I use it also with customer computers, so that I can continue on my merry way with data recovery while I'm formatting and re-installing their systems. (Acronis allows the hard disk images that it has created to be mounted as virtual drives in Windows, similar to what programs like Alcohol 52% does with DVD ISO images)
Great time saver, really.
What Recovery manager? Isnt this a simple case of creating a bootable drive which can also be used for storage? If yes, theres a simple, free way of going about it. I hope the OP tries it out and if satisfied, stick to it.
Thanks guys for your help, i managed to create an active partiton using diskpart in the CMD prompt. Very simple really didnt realize just how easy it was :). managed to boot active boot now with no issues on my vista laptop but windows 7 dont like it.
I might just stick with macrium anyway as its never let me down reinstalling an image, the only downside to it is you can only reinstall 1 partition at a time
From what I've read about Active Boot, I wouldn't call them comparable at all. They seem to do entirely different tasks. If drive imaging and restoration is what you want, and you were willing to pay for Active Boot, then just get Acronis True Image Home. It's cheaper, and also lets me save and restoring images across my network, even from the boot disc/flash drive.
Correct. For several years I've been carrying around in my pocket the same Kingston Data Traveler retractable USB stick with Win7 and Vista bootable installers, XP 9-in-1 and several dozen other tools I use for repairs and installs.
When I need to boot Win7 or Vista, I simply spill it's installer files out into the root of the HD and boot from the stick. I keep them in folders otherwise so I don't accidentally delete them.
The tool I use which always works to make the stick bootable is UltraISO trial version: from File tab Open ISO, on Bootable tab Write Image File, Format button, then Write button. Doesn't get any simpler.
Last edited by gregrocker; 30 Nov 2010 at 22:27.
The one I've used with great satisfaction and also frequently recommend is the HP disk storage format utility.The tool I use which always works to make the stick bootable is UltraISO trial version
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
Its also very handy to format stubborn usb drives that windows disk management doesnt work on.
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