Solved Best Program For Most Secure Backup

[kado897]

Testing new software in a VM is a really good idea provided you realise that the virtual "hardware" is not the same as your real hardware and act accordingly. There is no way to know, for instance, if a rescue disk which works in a VM will see your real drives.

 

[whs]

For trial runs I suggest you create a small 2GB partition and work with that. It is a lot faster and no damage done when things go bad.

1.Copy some data into the 2GB partition
2. image it
3. delete some data from the 2GB partition
4. restore the image
5. if the deleted data is back, the imaging worked.

I do not remember the details of Acronis (has been too long since I treid it). But be careful, a clone is not an image. You can boot from a clone but you cannot restore it like an image.

Your virtual machine deal may not work because e.g. with free Macrium the partition to which you restore must be at least as big as the partition from where you imaged.

 

[exitPr0gram]

For trial runs I suggest you create a small 2GB partition and work with that. It is a lot faster and no damage done when things go bad.

1.Copy some data into the 2GB partition
2. image it
3. delete some data from the 2GB partition
4. restore the image
5. if the deleted data is back, the imaging worked.

I do not remember the details of Acronis (has been too long since I treid it). But be careful, a clone is not an image. You can boot from a clone but you cannot restore it like an image.

Your virtual machine deal may not work because e.g. with free Macrium the partition to which you restore must be at least as big as the partition from where you imaged.

So both an image AND a backup of an SSD drive can be stores on an external USB drive and used? That's where I was confused at. I'm new to the solid state drive thing.

And thanks for your informative reply.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

So both an image AND a backup of an SSD drive can be stores on an external USB drive and used? That's where I was confused at. I'm new to the solid state drive thing.

The "solid state drive thing" has nothing to do with it. You can put anything you want on an external USB drive--as long as it will fit, in one or more partitions. You can't "use" the image until you restore it.

 

[kado897]

For trial runs I suggest you create a small 2GB partition and work with that. It is a lot faster and no damage done when things go bad.

1.Copy some data into the 2GB partition
2. image it
3. delete some data from the 2GB partition
4. restore the image
5. if the deleted data is back, the imaging worked.

I do not remember the details of Acronis (has been too long since I treid it). But be careful, a clone is not an image. You can boot from a clone but you cannot restore it like an image.

Your virtual machine deal may not work because e.g. with free Macrium the partition to which you restore must be at least as big as the partition from where you imaged.

So both an image AND a backup of an SSD drive can be stores on an external USB drive and used? That's where I was confused at. I'm new to the solid state drive thing.

And thanks for your informative reply.

You can image and restore any partition not just the one containing the OS. What whs is suggesting is that you perform a test by creating a small partition, adding some data to it. Test that you can create an image of that partition and then test that you can restore that partition from the image using a rescue disk that you create.

 

[whs]

So both an image AND a backup of an SSD drive can be stores on an external USB drive and used? That's where I was confused at. I'm new to the solid state drive thing.

No idea what you mean by "Backup". An image is a backup. If you refer to seperate data backup, I suggest to define seperate folders on the external disk - one for images and one for data backup. That way stuff does not get all mixed up.

I also suggest that you move all your user data to a seperate data partition on the HDD (if you have a desktop). The data partition can also be imaged but sync is faster.

For Data partitions there is also another way to backup with Command Promt using the Wbadmin command. I do that sometimes because I like to play around with VHDs.

 

[exitPr0gram]

So both an image AND a backup of an SSD drive can be stores on an external USB drive and used? That's where I was confused at. I'm new to the solid state drive thing.

No idea what you mean by "Backup". An image is a backup. If you refer to seperate data backup, I suggest to define seperate folders on the external disk - one for images and one for data backup. That way stuff does not get all mixed up.

I also suggest that you move all your user data to a seperate data partition on the HDD (if you have a desktop). The data partition can also be imaged but sync is faster.

For Data partitions there is also another way to backup with Command Promt using the Wbadmin command. I do that sometimes because I like to play around with VHDs.

Well all of my data is stored on a separate internal data drive anyway as SSDrives aren't suppose to be for storing data, only for installing programs to (based upon what I know about solid states, at least) unless when you say "data" your referring to what's in my "my documents" folder etc. all of my downloads, music, movies, and pictures are stored on another non SSD drive. The only things on my ssd are my installed applications.

I just want to make an image of my ssd, save it to my external, and restore from it later.

 

[whs]

That's what I thought you were trying to say. Just make sure you frequently backup your user data too. There are many ways to replace your OS, but when you lose your data, you usually have few options - unless you have backups.

 

[exitPr0gram]

Thanks all.

 

[randun]

I'm desperately searching for the best (or close to it) as well...

I too am looking for the "best" backup & recovery software out there for Win 7 (particularly 64-bit) that can handle drives that are >2TB in size.

Just my 2 cents, but I'd avoid Acronis True Image Home 2012 like the plague. I actually purchased the full, paid product, but after a week of being unable to install it on a 64-bit system (along with 100s of others on just their own user forum!) got a full refund.

I've since downloaded the trial version, & you guessed it, it wouldn't install either! Also, another caveat is if you do own a drive that is >2TB, you have to purchase a $35 add-on in order for the product to work. What a rip!

I also tried EaseUS a couple of months ago & ran into the same drive limitations. I haven't been back as I found that their agents on their own user forums were constantly 'blowing smoke' & passing along misinformation.

So, if anyone out there who has found a software recovery & backup tool that can perform a full disk image then incremental backups on a 64-bit Win 7 PC with a hard drive that is >2TB, please let me know!

Thanks!

 

[whs]

Try free Macrium. I am not certain about the 2TB+ capability. Matter of trying. But don't you have that big drive partitioned?? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

 

[randun]

Try free Macrium. I am not certain about the 2TB+ capability. Matter of trying. But don't you have that big drive partitioned?? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

Thanks for the tip. I actually came across reviews of it a couple of times in my search that lead me here. I'll definitely give it a try.

As for partioning, long story, but the PC that my current data resides on is in queue for replacement, which will occur in the next 1-2 months. Thus, I don't wish to partition until its replacement arrives.

 

[OldMX]

For those Acronis lovers Beware of Acronis "Leftovers" Issues - Wilders Security Forums pretty nasty if you ask me, so, before installing any flavor of true image, make a windows image backup, has no compression, but works flawless all the time, and yes, i recommed Macrium Reflect Free, 100% bulletproof on every possible scenario tested.

 

[randun]

For those Acronis lovers Beware of Acronis "Leftovers" Issues - Wilders Security Forums pretty nasty if you ask me, so, before installing any flavor of true image, make a windows image backup, has no compression, but works flawless all the time, and yes, i recommed Macrium Reflect Free, 100% bulletproof on every possible scenario tested.

Thanks much for the further follow-up re Acronis. Too bad as a coulple of years ago they produced a quality product. I had started a troubleshooting ticket with TS but I think I'll just have them close it now.

I've already downloaded a copy of Macrium Reflect Free & will definitely give it a shot now. The only problem for me, which I noted in my original post is that whatever product that I came up with, it had to be capable of backup also. According to their comparison chart the free version doesn't offer File and Folder backup & Differential and Incremental backups, which is a requisite for me. So, I'd have to end up purchasing the Standard version at some point.

 

[kado897]

Try free Macrium. I am not certain about the 2TB+ capability. Matter of trying. But don't you have that big drive partitioned?? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

If it is a GPT disk I don't think free or STD will do it. You need PRO which is not cheap.

 

[randun]

Try free Macrium. I am not certain about the 2TB+ capability. Matter of trying. But don't you have that big drive partitioned?? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

If it is a GPT disk I don't think free or STD will do it. You need PRO which is not cheap.

You would be right Sir!

It doesn't appear that they sell through retailers either. I did a quick search of "Macrium software" on Amazon & it pulled up Acronis's True Image. :huh:

 

[kado897]

Try free Macrium. I am not certain about the 2TB+ capability. Matter of trying. But don't you have that big drive partitioned?? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

If it is a GPT disk I don't think free or STD will do it. You need PRO which is not cheap.

You would be right Sir!

It doesn't appear that they sell through retailers either. I did a quick search of "Macrium software" on Amazon & it pulled up Acronis's True Image. :huh:

I think they only sell online.

 

[randun]

If it is a GPT disk I don't think free or STD will do it. You need PRO which is not cheap.

You would be right Sir!

It doesn't appear that they sell through retailers either. I did a quick search of "Macrium software" on Amazon & it pulled up Acronis's True Image. :huh:

I think they only sell online.

Yep, CleverBridge is their only merchant, at least in the U.S.

 

[randun]

For those Acronis lovers Beware of Acronis "Leftovers" Issues - Wilders Security Forums pretty nasty if you ask me, so, before installing any flavor of true image, make a windows image backup, has no compression, but works flawless all the time, and yes, i recommed Macrium Reflect Free, 100% bulletproof on every possible scenario tested.

I wanted to follow-up with you on the info re the info posted on the Wilders Security Forums.

I did visit the site & reviewed the registry items that are supposedly left over by any Acronis True Image install. I use RevoUninstaller for all uninstalls even though they point out that suppsedly RU doesn't uninstall the registry entries that they list. I did a random search of my registry, after backing it up, of several of the entries that the site claims are left over regardless, & I found none of them. Maybe I'm just lucky...?

 

[randun]

I coudn't find the post where I noted that my first attempt at creating an image failed due to insufficient storage on the destination drive. I followed up noting that I made a stupid mistake as I had left an old backup on the drive & didn't check storage space prior to starting the image process. A user replied "Good luck" but I simply can't find the thread.

Oh well, I've now tried to create a full image image of my C drive 3 times (only 760+GB out of 2TB!) & each has failed due to insufficient space on the destination drive. The destination drive is a 1TB FreeAgent GoFlex drive & is completely compatible with Macrium. Prior to trying the last 2 failed attempts there was 790GB of free space available, which should been more than enough for a compressed 760+GB on the source drive.

I tried Medium & High compression & I'm wondering if compression is actually working. I do have Verification turned on but I don't know if that would come into play as far as space is concerned; only slows down the imaging side.

One thing that irked me about Macrium is there is essentially no support for users of the free version. Even the Forum is locked to free version users! You can only browse posts, not post. So, essentially you'e on your own except for troubleshooting on Forums like this. I may just buy the Pro version (30-day guarantee) so I can get support.