Every computer user knows for sure that no system is immune from errors and even critical failures, when it is not possible to restore it by conventional means. For this, programs have been developed for and including utilities that allow you to create backup copies of hard drives and logical partitions. Consider the most popular utilities of different levels of complexity.
Programs and data recovery: expediency of use
Some users misunderstand how powerful these types of utilities are. Unfortunately, they mistakenly believe that the simplest option is to simply copy user files to other logical partitions than the system partition. There is another category of users who believe that it is possible to copy the entire system partition to another location, and then, in case of failure, from this copy. Alas, both are wrong.
Of course, this technique is applicable to user files, but not everyone wants to clutter up another logical volume with a bunch of information or constantly keep an external drive like a USB HDD, a bunch of disks or flash drives, the capacity of which is clearly limited, at hand. And with large amounts of data, you should also take into account the time of copying from one volume to another. Backup and restore programs for both the system and partitions work a little differently. Of course, in most cases, removable media will be needed, but the created backup copy will take up many times less space.
Basic principle of operation and options for operation
As a rule, most of today's well-known and widely used utilities mainly use the principles of creating images and compressing copied data. At the same time, images are most often used specifically to create copies of the operating system, which allows you to later restore it after an unforeseen critical failure, and utilities for copying partitions or user files involve compression according to the type of archiving.
As for reservation options, there can be two of them. In principle, almost any system backup program offers to use external media (DVD, flash drive, etc.). This is due only to the fact that when restoring the system, you will have to boot not from the system partition, but from removable media. The image on the logical partition will not be recognized.
Another thing is disk backup software. In them, you can save the necessary information in other logical partitions or, again, use removable media. But what if the volume of the hard drive used is hundreds of gigabytes? No one will allow you to write down this information even in a compressed form. Alternatively, you can use an external HDD, if it is, of course, available.
As for choosing the right utility to save user files, the best solution is a scheduled file backup program. Such a utility is capable of performing this operation without user intervention, saving all changes made over a certain period of time. New data can be added to the backup, as well as old data can be removed from it. And all this in automatic mode! The advantage is obvious - after all, the user only needs to set the time interval between copy points in the settings, then everything happens without it.
Native Windows backup software
So, to begin with, let's dwell on the native tool of Windows systems. Many people think that the Windows backup program built into the system does not work very well, to put it mildly. Basically, they don’t want to use it only due to the fact that the utility spends too much time creating a copy, and the copy itself takes up a lot of space.
However, she has enough advantages. After all, who, if not Microsoft specialists, should know all the subtleties and nuances associated with the components that are essential for the correct recovery of Windows? And many users clearly underestimate the capabilities of the tool built into the system. After all, it is not for nothing that such a backup and recovery program is included in the main set of the system?
The easiest way to access this utility is from the standard "Control Panel", where the backup and restore section is selected. Three main points can be used here: creating an image, creating a disk, and copying settings. The first and second difficulties do not cause. But the third one is quite interesting. The system will prompt you to save a copy on removable media, having previously determined the device itself. But if you look at the parameters, you can save a copy on the network, which is perfect for "locals". So in some cases, such a system backup program will be a good tool for creating a backup with the possibility of later restoring Windows from this particular copy.
Most Popular Utilities
Now let's look at the utilities that, according to many experts, are the most popular among users today. We note right away that it is simply impossible to consider all backup programs, so we will focus on some of them, given the level of popularity and complexity of their use. An approximate list of such utilities might look like this:
- Acronis True Image.
- Norton Ghost.
- back2zip.
- Comodo BackUp.
- Backup4all.
- ABC Backup Pro.
- Active Backup Expert Pro.
- ApBackUP.
- File Backup Watcher Free.
- The copier.
- Auto backup and many others.
Now let's try to look at the top five. Please note! At the moment, backup programs are considered, mainly used for workstations (user computers). Solutions for server systems and networks will be discussed separately.
Acronis True Image
Of course, this is one of the most powerful and popular utilities, enjoying the well-deserved success and trust of many users, although it belongs to entry-level programs. However, she has plenty of opportunities.
After launching the application, the user enters the main menu, where you can select several options for action. In this case, we are interested in the backup and restore section (there are additional utilities in the menu, which for obvious reasons will not be considered now). After entering, the "Master" is activated, which will help create a backup. In the process, you can choose what exactly you want to create a copy of (a system for restoring from scratch, files, settings, etc.). In "Copy Type" it is better to select "Incremental" because it will save space. If the amount of media is large enough, you can use full copy, and to create multiple copies - differential. When creating a copy of the system, you will be prompted to make a boot disk.
Here's what's interesting: the utility shows quite high rates in terms of backup copy creation speed, time, and compression. So, for example, it will take an average of 8-9 minutes to compress data of about 20 GB, and the size of the final copy will be a little more than 8 GB.
Norton Ghost
Before us is another powerful utility. As usual, after starting the program, the "Wizard" is launched, helping you go through all the steps.
This utility is remarkable in that it can be used to create a hidden partition on the hard drive where the copy will be stored (and both data and the system can be restored from it). In addition, many parameters can be changed in it: type of read control, write type, compression, number of points for simultaneous access, etc. As for performance, the same 20 GB application compresses to a size of just over 7.5 GB, which time takes about 9 minutes. In general, the result is quite good.
Back2zip
And here is the scheduled backup program. It differs in that its installation takes only a couple of seconds, and after launch, it automatically creates a new task and starts copying data, assuming that user files are stored in the My Documents folder. Unfortunately, this is also the main disadvantage.
At the start, the task must be deleted, and then the source destination folder must be selected. There is no "master" in the usual sense, everything is done from the main window. In the scheduler, you can set the copy interval from 20 minutes to 6 hours. All in all, the easiest solution for entry-level users.
Comodo Back Up
Before us is another interesting utility that can compete even with commercial products. Its main feature is the presence of as many as five modes of operation and a huge number of settings.
Interestingly, the utility is able to respond to changes in the files included in the backup in real time. As soon as the original file is changed and saved, the application immediately creates a copy of it, adding and replacing the final element in the backup. Not to mention the scheduler, one can separately note the start of creating copies either at the time of start or at exit.
Backup4all
Finally, let's look at another free utility that allows, so to speak, in one fell swoop to make backups for everything that you may need in the future at the same time.
This utility is interesting in that it allows you to save copies not only on external or internal media, but also on networks, or even on FTP servers. There are quite a lot of editable parameters and settings, among which there are four copy methods, as well as support. In addition, the interface is very simple, and the display of folders and tasks is presented in a tree structure similar to "Explorer". Also, the user can divide the copied data into categories such as documents, drawings, etc., assign each project its own label. Naturally, there is also a "Task Scheduler", in which you can specify, for example, the creation of copies only at the time of low processor load.
Solutions for server systems
There are also specialized backup programs for server systems and networks. Among all this diversity, three of the most powerful can be whitened:
- Symantec Backup Exec 11d System Recovery.
- Yosemite Backup Standard Master Server.
- Shadow Protect Small Business Server Edition.
Such utilities are considered to be a good backup tool for small businesses. At the same time, recovery from scratch can be performed from any workstation located on the network. But the most important thing is that the backup needs to be done only once, all subsequent changes will be saved automatically. All applications have a "Explorer" interface and support remote control from any terminal on the network.
Instead of an afterword
It remains to be added that far from all data backup / recovery programs that allow you to create backups of both systems and files, and then restore them from the created copies, were considered here. However, it seems that even brief information about the programs given will give many people an idea of how it works and why all this is needed. For obvious reasons, we leave the question of choosing the right software open, since it already depends on the preferences of the user or the system administrator.
The program is free for personal and commercial use.
FBackup is a free backup software for home and office use. This means you save money instead of paying for another backup program.
Automatic reservation.
You create a backup profile, set it to start automatically, and never remember it again. FBackup will automatically create copies of data at the appointed time, which gives you not only confidence in the safety of files, but also additional free time.
zip packaging of backups.
When backing up the full type, the source files are archived using the standard zip algorithm. FBackup uses ZIP64 compression, which allows you to create archives larger than 2GB. Moreover, you can protect archives with a password that will be requested when extracting data from them.
Perform actions before/after backup.
For each backup profile, you can specify an action to be taken before or after. For example, if you set the action "Purge" before starting a backup, it will delete all previously archived files before creating new ones. As an action after backup, you can set the shutdown of the system, logout of the user profile, immersion of the system from sleep mode - any such action will be performed at your discretion after the successful completion of the file backup operation.
Exact copies of files.
If you do not want to store files in a single archive, FBackup can create exact copies of the original objects. Due to the fact that FBackup correctly handles empty folders, you can use this type of backup to create a "mirror" copy of the original files in a specified location.
Ease of use.
The two main functions of a backup program are data backup and data recovery. FBackup makes it easy for you to use friendly wizards. Starting work with the wizard for creating a new backup profile, you specify where, how and how often to create copies - and that's it, the profile is ready to run. If you want to restore files - open the restore wizard, which will only ask where you want to restore the backup files.
Automatic updates.
FBackup automatically checks for updates once a week to keep you up to date with new versions. The option to check for updates can be disabled, but this is not recommended to keep your version of FBackup up to date.
Multiple reservation assignments.
By default, the location of future backups is the operating system partition. To keep your backups safe, you will need to place them on other destinations supported by FBackup (such as external USB/Firewire drives, or a mounted network drive). In this case, if a hardware failure occurs, your data will be safe and sound on an external independent medium.
Plugins.
Archiving open files.
If the file is being used by another program while the backup is in progress, FBackup will still be able to back up the file by using the Volume Shadow Copies service provided by Windows. Thus, if you are using Windows 10, 8/8.1, 7, Vista, XP, 2016/2012/2008/2003 Server (32/64-bit), FBackup will archive these open files. For example, you can backup your mail database and Outlook settings without closing it.
Multilingual
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In this article I want to talk about the problem of saving data.
We all once face the fact that we need to save important information, whether it be photos, text documents, 1C: Enterprise databases of all configurations, or any other important information for us. Many users do not want to waste their time or do not know how to write a small batch file correctly to copy their data. That's why there are small programs for backing up various data. You can read more about backup.
I encountered the need for automatic backup when I needed to copy databases from 1C:Enterprise every day. When searching for a program that is convenient and meets my requirements, I found what I need - this is the Cobian Backup 11 program. This program turned out to have a very clear and not complicated interface, and most importantly, it is free, which is very good in our time.
1. Installing the program
And so we proceed to the installation of the program. Download the distribution package of the program from the official site and run the downloaded file. On the first page of the installer, select the language you need and click "Further" .
On the next page, we will be prompted to read the license agreement and accept the terms of this agreement. Click "Further" .
Before us appears here is a window with a choice: where and what to install.
- "Shadow Copy Initiator" serves to copy files, even when they are open or in use by applications. I recommend installing it, but if you need a backup for one time, then in principle you can not install the shadow copy initiator. The Shadow Copy Initiator requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 to be installed. How to install a .NET Framework component in , read.
- "Install Script" is needed in order to remember all the parameters of the current installation, and at the next installation, do the same without your participation.
By default, we are offered to install this program as a service, I recommend leaving everything as it is if you use it on a server or on a computer where there are several users. Firstly, as a service, the program will work even if no one has logged in, and secondly, the program will be able to use network resources to store data on an ftp server, on another local computer on your network, or on a network storage.
If you need it, for example, for a one-time use or you do not have to access it too often, you can choose any of the items of your choice.
When installing the program as a service, you must specify the administrator account and password.
Everything, the installation is completed.
2.Program setting
Let's proceed to the main task of setting up a backup task. Run the program, choose from the menu "Exercise" , then "New assignment". 
The New Job Creation Wizard will start. Here we set "Name" tasks, set the necessary checkboxes and select "Copy type» .
Go to tab "Files", then press "Add" to specify what to copy and where.
Specify the file, directory or folder on the ftp server that you need to copy. We also indicate where to copy by choosing from the list. Everyone should understand that making a backup and saving it to the same hard drive, if it physically crashes, nullifies all your efforts, it will be problematic to restore information, if you save it to different disk partitions, it will save you only in cases where you crash section where the main information is located or when deleting. Therefore, try to save it to an independent medium, such as a network storage, an external hard drive, a flash drive, or to a computer located on the same network, and of course, to an ftp server.
Go to bookmark "Schedule". As you can see, the settings here are for any occasion of life, you can set it up as you like: at least once a year, at least every day at a certain time.
Go to tab "Cyclic". W Here you can set the priority of your job and to save space you can set the number of full copies to keep.
Go to tab "Compression" and specify what compression and division into parts of your files we need.
3. Conclusion
In general, I really liked this program, I think many will like it. A very clear and simple interface will not cause problems with setting up those tasks that you may need in everyday life.
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A simple, convenient and long-established program for backing up files and synchronizing folders on a schedule. Russian developer. The program has a simple, intuitive interface, but it has a wide range of features and flexible settings. Allows you to copy all or only new/changed files between local, network, removable drives, FTP/SFTP, NAS servers.
The program has 3 editions:
- Exiland Backup Free (free, basic features, Windows app)
- Exiland Backup Standard (paid, advanced functionality, Windows application)
- Exiland Backup Professional (paid, maximum features, Windows service)
Key features of the program:
- 4 types of file copying: Full, Differential, Incremental, Synchronization.
- Flexible setting of the task launch schedule
- Compression to standard ZIP format, AES-256 encryption, archive splitting, integrity checking
- Operation of the program as a service (Windows service)
- Copying files from multiple PCs on a local network
- Fast file copying to multiple threads (parallel)
- Support for FTP, SFTP (SSH), copying files from Linux systems
- Detailed logging
- Notification of results by E-mail, SMS
- View backup and restore files in case they are lost
- Launching external applications, command line (before and after execution of tasks)
- Grouping jobs
Built-in scheduler
You can use the built-in scheduler, launch tasks by clicking a button in the program, or assign tasks to the Windows Scheduler (Task Manager) - in this case, you do not have to keep the program running all the time. The Windows Scheduler will run a program that will execute the task and the program will be unloaded from memory.
Duplicate backups
To be safe, you can store your backups in multiple locations. The program allows you to specify an unlimited number of locations for storing backups.
Safety
To prevent access to ZIP archives, set a password, specify the AES-256 encryption algorithm, and save backups to a network folder with restricted access (Exiland Backup allows you to specify a login/password to access the network folder). All settings, passwords in the program are stored in encrypted form. Access to the program settings can be restricted by setting a password to enter the program.
Reliability
The program has existed since 2005 and over the years of service has shown its reliability and resistance to emergency situations, such as disconnection (network failure) during backup, incorrect file names, disk problems, etc. If the connection is broken, the program will wait for the connection to appear for the specified time and continue copying when a connection to a network drive or the Internet appears. The user (system administrator) will receive an SMS or e-mail notification about all problematic files and abnormal situations.
Create a task
Creating a task is very easy. To do this, click the Create -> New task button located on the top panel. Next, specify the name of the task, for example, "Working Documents", select the type of copying, folders and files to be copied, compression / encryption, select a folder for saving backups and specify the launch schedule.
Now you can minimize it to the Notification Area on the taskbar (System Tray) and wait for the scheduled launch. You can also run a task by button on the top panel.
Backing up the operating system will allow you to quickly restore the health of your computer and all installed programs in the event of a failure in Windows or a computer infection with viruses.
1. What you need for backup
In order to create a reliable copy of the system, you need to set up your computer from scratch, make a complete image of the C drive and the boot partition (if any). This can be done using a dedicated backup program. In this article, we will review the Acronis True Image program.
For a successful system backup and subsequent quick recovery, you need to follow a few simple conditions.
User files should not be stored on the C drive, otherwise they will be lost during system restore. Please note that files on the "Desktop" and in user folders such as "My Documents", etc. are physically located on the C drive. Therefore, store all your files on another partition, such as the "D" drive.
Do not install games on the "C" drive, as they take up a very large amount of space, which will make it difficult to backup and restore the system. Install games on another partition, for example, on the "D" drive.
A-Data Ultimate SU650 120GB Hard Drive2. Where to download Acronis True Image
Acronis True Image is one of the best backup software. Its only drawback is that it is paid. But you can download a free trial version. With it, you can make system backups and bootable media for restoring backups for 30 days. After 30 days, only system recovery from previously created backups and bootable media creation will be available.
3. Acronis True Image system requirements
For successful operation of Acronis True Image, it is desirable that the computer meets the following requirements:
- Processor with a frequency of 1 GHz
- The amount of RAM from 1 GB
- Free disk space from 1.5 GB
- Screen resolution from 1152×720
- The presence of a CD / DVD drive or flash drive (for creating bootable media)
- Keyboard and mouse with PS/2 connector (for older PCs)
- Administrator rights (for work from under Windows)
You can try to use the program even if your computer does not meet one or more requirements.
4. Supported operating systems
Acronis True Image supports the following versions of Windows:
- Windows XP SP3
- Windows 7 SP1 (all editions)
- Windows 8 (all editions)
- Windows 8.1 (all editions)
- Windows 10
- Windows Home Server 2011
For Windows, all 32/64-bit versions are supported, except for Windows XP x64. When working from bootable media, you can create and restore partition backups with any version of Windows and Linux.
5. Supported storage media
Acronis True Image can back up partitions located on the following media:
- Hard drives (HDD)
- Flash drives (USB)
- Memory cards (SD, MicroSD, etc.)
Supported backup partitions in FAT16, FAT32, NTFS (for Windows), Ext2, Ext3, Ext4, ReiserFS, SWAP (for Linux). To back up partitions of other formats and data from damaged or deleted partitions, you can use copying the entire disk in sector-by-sector mode.
6. Supported backup media
Backups can be created on the following media:
- Hard drives (HDD)
- Solid state drives (SSD)
- External drives (USB, eSATA, FireWire, PC Card)
- Flash drives (USB)
- Optical discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray)
- External network drives
- Drives on other PCs
- FTP servers
- Acronis Cloud storage (paid service)
You can store a backup copy of the operating system on another partition of the hard disk (for example, on the "D" drive). For greater reliability, it is also desirable to copy it to a disk of another computer. But the best option is an external drive, on which you can also store .
Bootable media is a CD/DVD or flash drive from which you can start Acronis True Image if Windows does not boot. You can create a bootable CD/DVD or flash drive using the Bootable Media Builder.
Insert a blank CD/DVD or flash drive and select Acronis Bootable Media.
Select your CD/DVD drive or flash drive.
The flash drive must have a FAT32 or FAT16 file system. The files on the flash drive are not deleted and you can use it as usual, so this is a pretty convenient option.
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb
It is better to play it safe and copy all the files from the flash drive to your computer.
Click the Proceed button and the bootable media will be created.
8. Boot recovery
If your computer (laptop) does not have a CD / DVD drive or it does not work well, for some reason you cannot use a flash drive, or you just want to play it safe, then you can enable the "Startup Repair" option.
To do this, select the "More tools" section.
Then "Activate Acronis Startup Recovery Manager".
And confirm activation.
The following message will then appear when the computer boots up.
Pressing the F11 key will launch Acronis True Image, which will allow you to restore your system from a backup.
Please note that in the event of a severe hard drive failure, Startup Repair may stop working. Also, Startup Repair is disabled when Acronis True Image is removed from the computer. Therefore, it is recommended to create a boot disk or flash drive.
9. Create a system backup
The backup copy of the operating system must necessarily include a partition with Windows (drive "C") and a boot partition "Reserved by the system" (if any) with a size of 100-350 MB (depending on the version of Windows).
If you plan to use Startup Repair, then it must be enabled prior to creating a backup.
9.1. Selecting a backup source
To create a backup, open the top tab "Backup" and select the backup source.
Then "Disks and Partitions".
Select the boot partition "System Reserved" (if any) and "Local Disk (C:)".
The data section, where all your files will be located (disk "D"), is unnecessary to choose. There may be other partitions on your computer disk.
If the computer has UEFI interface support, then you may see an "Encrypted (EFI) system partition" 200-450 MB in size, which contains the files necessary to boot the system. It is also desirable to include it in the backup.
If you bought a laptop with a preinstalled operating system, then its disk may have additional partitions for system recovery. Then, in addition to the “C” drive, I recommend ticking off all sections of a small volume (somewhere up to 1 GB).
9.2. Choosing a backup location
Now you need to choose the location where the backup will be located.
Click Browse.
It is best to make a separate folder on another partition of the hard drive and save the backup to it, and then copy the backup file somewhere else. I made a "Backup" folder on the "D" drive.
If your computer or laptop does not have a separate partition for data (drive “D”), then to create a backup you will need an external drive, a large flash drive (from 16 GB), blank DVDs (from 4 pcs), a network folder on another PC or access to the Acronis Cloud (paid).
I recommend using an external drive to store a system backup, which is also useful for. You will not only be able to quickly restore the system in case of failure, but also save your valuable documents, photos and videos.
9.3. Starting a backup
Once you have selected the partitions to back up and the location of the backup, click "Backup".
The process of backing up the operating system with installed office programs on a modern computer takes 10-20 minutes and should end with the addition of a new backup to the directory and the appearance of the file in the selected folder.
A Windows 7-10 x64 backup file with installed drivers and basic office programs takes an average of about 15 GB.
10. Restoring a backup
In the event that your computer starts to slow down, malfunction, become infected with a virus, or stop loading altogether, all you need to do is restore the system from a backup.
Please note that all files located on the "C" drive, on the "Desktop" and in user folders such as "My Documents", etc. will be removed. Therefore, place all your files on another partition (disk "D") and make regular backup copies of them.
10.1. Recovery from under Windows
If the computer boots, then System Restore can be started from under Windows. To do this, select a backup and click the "Recover Disks" button.
Select the checkboxes for all partitions from the backup and click "Restore Now".
A successful system restore requires you to restart your computer.
The process of restoring the operating system with installed office programs on a modern computer takes 5-10 minutes.
10.2. Recovery from bootable media
If Windows does not boot, then system recovery can be performed using a bootable CD / DVD, flash drive, or Startup Repair.
If you have enabled Startup Repair, then when the following message appears, quickly press F11.
To start Acronis from media, insert a boot disk or flash drive, turn on the computer and hold down the Boot Menu call key.
The boot menu can be accessed using the F8, F10, F11, F12, or Esc keys. You can often see them in the tooltips on the computer's initial boot screen. You can also find this information from the instructions, on the website of the manufacturer of the motherboard or laptop, by searching the Internet or by typing.
Immediately after turning on the computer, hold down the "Boot Menu" call key until the boot device selection menu appears.
Use the up and down arrows to navigate to the DVD drive or flash drive and press Enter.
Wait for the menu to appear on a blue screen and use the mouse to launch Acronis True Image.
If the mouse does not work, then all actions in the program can be performed using the keyboard. The transition between the items is carried out with the arrows or the "Tab" key, setting the checkboxes with the "Space" key, and confirming the actions and pressing the buttons with the "Enter" key. The transition between the buttons is carried out by the "Tab" key.
Click the Browse button.
Find your backup, select it and click OK.
In this and following windows, drive letters may differ from those assigned in Windows. Be guided by the sizes of sections and folders on them.
Make sure "Recover disks or partitions" is selected.
Select the checkboxes for all sections and click "Next".
Further, depending on the number of partitions being restored, several identical windows will appear for the possibility of manually comparing partitions from the backup with partitions on the disk where the restoration is taking place.
Here, the drive letters usually do not correspond to those assigned in Windows, but the partitions are mapped correctly and it is enough just to click "Next" several times.
If you have multiple hard drives, then to restore the Master Boot Record (MBR), select the drive on which Windows is installed.
The last window will display a summary of all ongoing operations.
Carefully check that the partitions are restored to their original place, otherwise you may overwrite the partition with your files (disk "D"). For reconciliation, it is easy to navigate by the size of the sections. The partitions to be deleted must be identical in size to the ones being restored.
If everything is fine in the summary, then click the "Proceed" button and the partition recovery will begin. If some partition does not match in size, then select it in the left column and indicate where it needs to be restored manually.
The process of restoring the operating system with installed office programs on a modern computer takes 5-10 minutes and should end with a message about successful restoration.
Remove the bootable media, close the program window with the red cross and the computer will restart.
Before starting the backup or restore procedure, you can configure some settings.
Usually this is not necessary, but I will tell you a little about some of them. The most interesting settings are on the "Advanced" tab.
I will describe the most useful ones that you may find useful.
Splitting a backup– allows you to split a backup into files of a specified size for writing them to disks of different sizes.
Examination– checking the integrity of the backup after it is created or before restoring to make sure it is in good working order.
Removable media settings– allows you to make backup media simultaneously as Acronis bootable media. The recovery program is written to the first disk with the backup.
Turning off the computer– allows you to configure automatic shutdown of the computer at the end of the backup.
The rest of the settings relate mainly to periodic backups and scheduled backups. You can download a detailed description of all Acronis True Image settings in the "" section.
12. Additional features
Acronis True Image has a number of additional features, which I will briefly describe, but we will not consider them in detail in this article.
Disk Cloning– creating a copy of all or some partitions from one hard disk to another. This is useful when replacing an old hard drive with a new one. If the new disk has a larger or smaller size, then the partitions grow or shrink proportionally, or the new sizes are set manually, which is very convenient.
TransferWindowson theSSD- is done using the clone operation or the usual backup and restore method as described in this article, with changing the size of the partitions if necessary.
Universal restore- allows you to restore a backup copy of the operating system to another computer. This is useful if you bought a new computer or upgraded your old one. In this case, restoring the system to it in the usual way may not work, Windows simply will not boot.
Backing up files and folders– allows you to backup individual folders and files to the selected media or network storage. Conveniently, the files are compressed into an archive that can be password protected. The disadvantage is that the archive with files can only be accessed using the program itself and that it is not practical to store large incompressible files such as videos, disk images, etc. in such an archive.
Acronis cloud- cloud storage, where you can back up system partitions and folders with user files. It can be useful for owners of small disks (SSD) with stable fast internet. You can access your files through a browser from any other computer. But this is a paid service with an annual subscription.
Data synchronization– allows you to synchronize selected folders with Acronis Cloud. This is mainly used to synchronize files between multiple computers and mobile devices.
Data archiving- designed to transfer old files to the Acronis Cloud that take up a lot of space and are used very rarely. The downside is that space in Acronis Cloud is limited and large file operations require a stable fast internet connection.
Scheduled backup- allows you to set up flexible schedules for regularly creating backup copies of the system and folders with files in automatic mode. This can be convenient on computers that are actively used for critical tasks, but to ordinary users, nothing.
Continuous protection- constantly monitors changes on the computer disk and makes backup copies of system and important files for the user and their versions. Constantly consumes computer resources and disk space.
try& Decide(Try and Decide)- a very useful addition for safe experiments. After enabling this feature, all changes on the computer are written to a special storage. For example, you can explore various programs and Internet sites without fear of harming your computer. When you disable Try&Decide mode, you will be prompted to save or discard the changes made to the system.
Security zone- a special hidden partition on the hard drive where you can save backups. I do not recommend using this method, as it has several disadvantages. It is not known in advance how much partition is needed and access to backups is difficult.
Adding a drive– allows you to create partitions on new drives connected to the computer.
Disk Cleanup- secure deletion of files from the disk without the possibility of recovery.
System Disk Cleanup- Free up disk space by deleting temporary files.
Dashboard- allows you to manage backups on all your devices through a single control panel using a browser.
Parallels Access- allows you to get remote access via the Internet to any of your computer or mobile device and manage backups on it.
13. Links
Below you can download Acronis True Image and its full manual with a detailed description of all features and answers to frequently asked questions.
Transcend StoreJet 25H3 2TB Hard Drive
Hard Drive Transcend StoreJet 25M3 1TB
Transcend StoreJet 25M TS500GSJ25M 500GB Hard Drive
