Acronis True Image 2013 User's Guide

RTM

User's Guide

Table of contents

1 Getting started ......................................................................................................................7

1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 7

1.1.1 What is True Image™ 2013 by Acronis®? ...................................................................................................... 7

1.1.2 What is True Image 2013 Plus Pack by Acronis? .......................................................................................... 8

1.1.3 True Image 2013 basic concepts .................................................................................................................... 8

1.1.4 New in True Image 2013 by Acronis ............................................................................................................ 10

1.1.5 FAQ about backup, recovery and cloning ................................................................................................... 11

1.1.6 System requirements and supported media .............................................................................................. 12

1.1.7 True Image 2013 installation ........................................................................................................................ 15

1.1.8 True Image 2013 activation .......................................................................................................................... 16

1.1.9 Program workspace ...................................................................................................................................... 18

2 How to ................................................................................................................................ 37

3 Backing up data ................................................................................................................... 38

3.1 The difference between file backups and disk/partition images ............................................38

3.2 Full, incremental and differential backups ..............................................................................39

3.3 Backup file naming ...................................................................................................................39

3.4 Backing up partitions and disks ...............................................................................................42

3.5 Backing up files and folders .....................................................................................................44

3.5.1 Data categories .............................................................................................................................................. 45

3.5.2 Support for Zip format .................................................................................................................................. 46

3.6 Backing up e-mail .....................................................................................................................47

3.7 Using Acronis Nonstop Backup ................................................................................................48

3.7.1 Protecting your data continuously ............................................................................................................... 50

3.7.2 Protecting your system continuously .......................................................................................................... 51

3.7.3 Acronis Nonstop Backup data storage ........................................................................................................ 52

3.7.4 Nonstop Backup - Frequently asked questions........................................................................................... 53

3.8 Making reserve copies of your backups ..................................................................................54

3.9 How to make bootable removable media with a backup........................................................55

3.10 Backup to various places .........................................................................................................56

3.11 Adding an existing backup to the list .......................................................................................58

3.12 Deleting backups and backup versions ....................................................................................58

3.13 Backup options ........................................................................................................................58

3.13.1 Backup schemes ............................................................................................................................................ 60

3.13.2 Single version scheme ................................................................................................................................... 60

3.13.3 Version chain scheme ................................................................................................................................... 61

3.13.4 Custom schemes ........................................................................................................................................... 61

3.13.5 Image creation mode .................................................................................................................................... 65

3.13.6 Backup protection ......................................................................................................................................... 65

3.13.7 Pre/Post commands for backup ................................................................................................................... 66

3.13.8 Backup splitting ............................................................................................................................................. 67

3.13.9 Backup validation option .............................................................................................................................. 67

3.13.10 Backup reserve copy ..................................................................................................................................... 68

3.13.11 Removable media settings ........................................................................................................................... 68

3.13.12 Backup comment .......................................................................................................................................... 69

3.13.13 Screenshot settings ....................................................................................................................................... 69

3.13.14 Error handling ................................................................................................................................................ 70

3.13.15 Computer shutdown ..................................................................................................................................... 70

3.13.16 File-level security settings for backup .......................................................................................................... 71

3.13.17 Windows account .......................................................................................................................................... 71

3.13.18 Performance of backup operation ............................................................................................................... 71

3.13.19 Notifications for backup operation .............................................................................................................. 72

3.13.20 Excluding items from backup ....................................................................................................................... 73

3.14 Validating backups ...................................................................................................................75

3.15 Consolidating backup versions ................................................................................................75

3.15.1 Archive to consolidate protection ................................................................................................................ 76

3.15.2 Backup selection ............................................................................................................................................ 76

3.15.3 Result location ............................................................................................................................................... 76

3.15.4 Consolidation summary ................................................................................................................................ 77

3.16 Cloning backup settings ...........................................................................................................77

4 Recovering data ................................................................................................................... 78

4.1 Recovering your system after a crash......................................................................................78

4.1.1 Trying to determine the crash cause ........................................................................................................... 78

4.1.2 Preparing for recovery .................................................................................................................................. 79

4.1.3 Recovering your system ................................................................................................................................ 79

4.2 Recovering partitions and disks ...............................................................................................82

4.3 Recovering partitions protected with Acronis Nonstop Backup .............................................84

4.4 How to recover more than one partition at once ...................................................................84

4.5 Recovering a disk backup to a different disk under rescue media ..........................................88

4.5.1 Recovering a disk with a hidden partition ................................................................................................... 89

4.6 Recovering data from file-level backups .................................................................................94

4.7 Recovering file versions ...........................................................................................................95

4.8 Recovering to different hardware ...........................................................................................96

4.8.1 Recovering your system with the help of Acronis Universal Restore ....................................................... 96

4.8.2 Recovering your system with the help of Acronis Universal Restore under rescue media ..................... 97

4.9 Acronis Universal Restore ......................................................................................................100

4.9.1 Purpose of Acronis Universal Restore ....................................................................................................... 100

4.9.2 General principles of Acronis Universal Restore ....................................................................................... 101

4.10 How to use Acronis Startup Recovery Manager ....................................................................101

4.11 About recovery of dynamic/GPT disks and volumes .............................................................102

4.12 Backup protection dialog box ................................................................................................103

4.13 Arranging boot order in BIOS.................................................................................................103

4.14 Recovery options ...................................................................................................................104

4.14.1 Disk recovery mode .................................................................................................................................... 105

4.14.2 Pre/Post commands for recovery .............................................................................................................. 105

4.14.3 Validation option ......................................................................................................................................... 105

4.14.4 Computer restart ......................................................................................................................................... 106

4.14.5 File recovery options ................................................................................................................................... 106

4.14.6 Overwrite file options ................................................................................................................................. 106

4.14.7 Performance of recovery operation .......................................................................................................... 107

4.14.8 Notifications for recovery operation ......................................................................................................... 107

4.15 Restoring computer to factory settings .................................................................................108

5 Synchronizing data ............................................................................................................. 110

5.1 About the Sync feature ..........................................................................................................110

5.2 How we ensure security of your data ....................................................................................110

5.3 Acronis server login ...............................................................................................................111

5.4 What you can and cannot synchronize..................................................................................111

5.5 Sync icons ...............................................................................................................................112

5.6 Default sync ...........................................................................................................................113

5.7 Sync creation .........................................................................................................................113

5.7.1 How to sync data between your computers ............................................................................................. 114

5.7.2 How to sync with a local folder .................................................................................................................. 114

5.7.3 How to sync data with other people ......................................................................................................... 115

5.8 Synchronizing a mobile device...............................................................................................117

5.8.1 How to install True Image app on your mobile device ............................................................................. 117

5.9 Versions of synchronized files ...............................................................................................118

5.9.1 Reverting to a previous file version ........................................................................................................... 118

5.10 How to clean up your space on Acronis Cloud ......................................................................118

5.11 How to recover a deleted file ................................................................................................120

5.12 How to share folders .............................................................................................................121

5.13 How to create public links to files and folders ......................................................................122

5.14 How to unlink a device from your account ............................................................................122

5.15 How to revoke an invitation to share a sync .........................................................................123

5.16 How to leave a sync ...............................................................................................................124

6 Using online backup ........................................................................................................... 126

6.1 What is Acronis Cloud? ..........................................................................................................126

6.2 Subscription information .......................................................................................................126

6.3 Backing up to Acronis Cloud ..................................................................................................127

6.4 Managing online backups ......................................................................................................128

6.5 Online backup options ...........................................................................................................129

6.5.1 Acronis Cloud connection attempts .......................................................................................................... 129

6.5.2 Acronis Cloud cleanup ................................................................................................................................ 130

6.5.3 Encryption key ............................................................................................................................................. 131

6.5.4 Windows account for Online backup ........................................................................................................ 131

6.5.5 Operation priority ....................................................................................................................................... 132

6.5.6 Network connection speed limit ................................................................................................................ 132

6.5.7 Notifications ................................................................................................................................................. 133

6.5.8 Exclusions ..................................................................................................................................................... 134

6.6 Recovery from Acronis Cloud ................................................................................................134

6.6.1 Recovering data from online backups ....................................................................................................... 134

6.6.2 Selecting a version to recover .................................................................................................................... 135

6.7 Removing data from Acronis Cloud .......................................................................................136

7 Useful information ............................................................................................................. 137

7.1 Protecting your system ..........................................................................................................137

7.2 Deciding where to store your backups ..................................................................................139

7.2.1 FTP connection ............................................................................................................................................ 140

7.2.2 Authentication settings ............................................................................................................................... 140

7.3 Making sure that your rescue media can be used when needed ..........................................141

7.3.1 Selecting video mode when booting from the rescue media .................................................................. 144

7.4 Testing that your backups can be used for recovery .............................................................145

7.5 Migrating your system from an HDD to an SSD .....................................................................145

7.5.1 Preparing for migration .............................................................................................................................. 145

7.5.2 Migrating to an SSD using the backup and recovery method ................................................................. 150

7.6 Trying system changes safely ................................................................................................150

7.6.1 What is Try&Decide .................................................................................................................................... 150

7.6.2 Starting the Try mode ................................................................................................................................. 153

7.6.3 Stopping the Try mode ............................................................................................................................... 153

7.6.4 Try&Decide options and notifications ....................................................................................................... 153

7.6.5 Try&Decide: typical use cases .................................................................................................................... 155

7.7 Scheduling ..............................................................................................................................156

7.7.1 Daily execution parameters........................................................................................................................ 158

7.7.2 Weekly execution parameters ................................................................................................................... 158

7.7.3 Monthly execution parameters ................................................................................................................. 159

7.7.4 Upon event execution parameters ............................................................................................................ 159

7.8 Searching backups and their content ....................................................................................159

7.8.1 Searching ...................................................................................................................................................... 159

7.8.2 Using Windows Search with True Image 2013 ........................................................................................ 160

7.9 Choosing columns for viewing in wizards ..............................................................................165

7.10 Backup information ...............................................................................................................165

7.11 Timeout settings ....................................................................................................................165

8 Tools and utilities .............................................................................................................. 166

8.1 Acronis Startup Recovery Manager .......................................................................................167

8.1.1 How it works ................................................................................................................................................ 167

8.1.2 How to use ................................................................................................................................................... 167

8.2 Creating bootable rescue media ............................................................................................168

8.2.1 Acronis Media Builder ................................................................................................................................. 168

8.2.2 Creating BartPE disc with True Image 2013 ............................................................................................. 173

8.2.3 Creating WinPE-based rescue media ......................................................................................................... 175

8.2.4 How to prepare a USB flash drive for Acronis Media Builder .................................................................. 180

8.3 Creating factory bootable media ...........................................................................................181

8.4 Working with Acronis Secure Zone ........................................................................................181

8.4.1 Acronis Secure Zone .................................................................................................................................... 182

8.4.2 Acronis Secure Zone location ..................................................................................................................... 183

8.4.3 Selecting partitions ...................................................................................................................................... 184

8.4.4 Size of Acronis Secure Zone ........................................................................................................................ 184

8.4.5 Managing Acronis Secure Zone .................................................................................................................. 185

8.4.6 Acronis Secure Zone summary ................................................................................................................... 187

8.5 Cloning a hard disk .................................................................................................................187

8.5.1 General information .................................................................................................................................... 188

8.5.2 Security......................................................................................................................................................... 188

8.5.3 Selecting clone mode .................................................................................................................................. 189

8.5.4 Selecting a source disk ................................................................................................................................ 190

8.5.5 Selecting a destination disk ........................................................................................................................ 191

8.5.6 Move method .............................................................................................................................................. 191

8.5.7 Data migration ............................................................................................................................................. 192

8.5.8 Manual partitioning .................................................................................................................................... 192

8.5.9 Cloning summary ........................................................................................................................................ 194

8.6 Adding a new hard disk..........................................................................................................195

8.6.1 Selecting a hard disk .................................................................................................................................... 195

8.6.2 Selecting initialization method ................................................................................................................... 197

8.6.3 Creating new partitions .............................................................................................................................. 197

8.6.4 Add new disk summary............................................................................................................................... 200

8.7 Acronis Extended Capacity Manager .....................................................................................200

8.7.1 If Acronis Extended Capacity Manager does not start ............................................................................. 202

8.8 Security and Privacy Tools .....................................................................................................202

8.8.1 Acronis DriveCleanser ................................................................................................................................. 203

8.8.2 File shredder ................................................................................................................................................ 210

8.8.3 System Clean-up .......................................................................................................................................... 212

8.8.4 Hard Disk Wiping methods ......................................................................................................................... 218

8.9 Mounting an image ................................................................................................................220

8.10 Unmounting an image ...........................................................................................................222

8.11 Working with vhd files ...........................................................................................................223

8.11.1 Converting tib images into vhd virtual disks and vice versa .................................................................... 223

8.11.2 Recovery using vhd files created by Windows Backup ............................................................................ 225

8.11.3 Booting from a tib image of your Windows 7 system partition .............................................................. 226

8.11.4 Acronis Boot Sequence Manager ............................................................................................................... 227

8.12 Importing and exporting backup settings ..............................................................................227

9 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................ 229

9.1 Acronis System Report ...........................................................................................................229

9.2 Acronis Smart Error Reporting ...............................................................................................230

9.3 How to collect crash dumps ..................................................................................................231

9.4 General recommendations ....................................................................................................232

9.5 Creating a custom rescue CD .................................................................................................232

9.6 Viewing log.............................................................................................................................233

9.7 Acronis Customer Experience Program .................................................................................234

10 Glossary of Terms .............................................................................................................. 237

1 Getting started

In this section

What is True Image™ 2013 by Acronis®? ................................................... 7

What is True Image 2013 Plus Pack by Acronis? ....................................... 8

True Image 2013 basic concepts ............................................................... 8

New in True Image 2013 by Acronis ........................................................ 10

FAQ about backup, recovery and cloning ................................................ 11

System requirements and supported media ........................................... 12

True Image 2013 installation ................................................................... 15

True Image 2013 activation .................................................................... 16

Program workspace ................................................................................. 18

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 What is True Image™ 2013 by Acronis

True Image 2013 by Acronis is an integrated software suite that ensures the security of all of the information on your PC. It can back up the operating system, applications, settings and all of your data, while also securely destroying any confidential data you no longer need. With this software, you can back up selected files and folders, settings and messages of Microsoft e-mail clients — or even the entire disk drive or selected partitions. Online backup will allow you to store your most important files on a remote storage. Your data will be protected even if your computer is lost, stolen or destroyed. Acronis Nonstop Backup continuously saves changes in your system and files, as often as every five minutes, so you can rollback easily to any point in time if needed.

True Image 2013 provides you with all the essential tools to recover your computer system should a disaster occur, such as losing data, accidentally deleting critical files or folders, or suffering a complete hard disk crash.

With the unique technology developed by Acronis and implemented in True Image 2013 you can perform exact, sector-by-sector disk backups. Such backups include all operating systems, applications and configuration files, personal settings, and data.

True Image 2013 helps you protect your identity as well. Simply deleting old data will not remove it permanently from your computer. True Image 2013 includes Acronis DriveCleanser that permanently destroys files and wipes personal information from partitions and/or entire disks, as well as the System Clean-up tool that cleans up your Windows system of all traces of user activity.

When performing scheduled backups, True Image 2013 automatically selects a backup mode (full, incremental, differential), in accordance with the backup scheme set by the user.

You can store backups on almost any PC storage device.

Windows-style interface and wizards will make your work easier. Just perform a few simple steps and let True Image 2013 take care of everything else! When a system problem occurs, the software will get you up and running in no time.

1.1.2 What is True Image 2013 Plus Pack by Acronis?

True Image 2013 Plus Pack is an add-on to True Image 2013. It is purchased separately, has a separate license, and is installed from its own setup file. True Image 2013 must be installed on your computer before the True Image 2013 Plus Pack can be installed. True Image 2013 Plus Pack adds the Acronis Universal Restore option for use during recovery. True Image 2013 Plus Pack also installs Acronis WinPE ISO builder and provides support for dynamic disks.

Here are the features of True Image 2013 Plus Pack in more details:

 Support of dynamic disks – operations with dynamic disks expand the range of hard drive

configurations supported by True Image 2013. Dynamic disks offer greater flexibility for volume management and may provide benefits in computers with more than one hard drive.

 Users of True Image 2013 Plus Pack have the Universal Restore feature available to them. Acronis

Universal Restore lets you restore an image of a Windows operating system to a different hardware environment. You can restore information on independent computers regardless of the hardware used on the independent computer. This may come in handy, for example, after replacing a damaged motherboard or when deciding to migrate your system from a desktop to a laptop. For more information see Acronis Universal Restore (p. 100).

 Acronis WinPE ISO builder – This program adds True Image 2013 plug-in to WinPE (Windows

Preinstallation Environment) distributions based on any of the following kernels: WinPE 1.5, 2.x,

3.0. To be able to create or modify PE 2.x and 3.0 images, you must have Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) installed. Running True Image 2013 in the preinstallation environment may

provide better compatibility with your computer’s hardware because the preinstallation

environment uses Windows drivers. For more information see Creating WinPE-based rescue media (p. 175).

1.1.3 True Image 2013 basic concepts

This section provides general information about basic concepts which could be useful for understanding how the program works.

Backup and recovery

Backup refers to the making copies of data so that these additional copies may be used to recover

the original after a data loss event.

Backups are useful primarily for two purposes. The first is to restore a state following a disaster (called disaster recovery). The second is to recover small numbers of files after they have been accidentally deleted or corrupted.

True Image 2013 does both by creating disk (or partition) images and file-level backups respectively.

Backup versions

Backup versions are the file or files created during each backup operation. If you do not use consolidation feature, the amount of versions created is always equal to the amount of times the backup is executed or to the amount of stored points in time.

So, a version represents a point in time to which the system or data can be restored. To put it another way, backup versions represent full, incremental and differential backups - see Full, incremental and differential backups (p. 39).

The backup versions are similar to file versions. The file versions concept is familiar to those who use a Windows Vista and Windows 7 feature called "Previous versions of files". This feature allows you to restore a file as it existed on a particular date and time. A backup version allows you to recover your data in a similar way.

This could be useful when trying to find damaged or deleted files. Simply browse through the backup versions in the Acronis Backup Explorer until you find the backup version containing the required files. Additionally, you can recover different saved versions of the found files.

There is one more type of incremental backup version. If you mount a partition in the read-write mode, the program assumes that the mounted image will be modified and creates an incremental version to capture the changes. This type of incremental version has somewhat different properties. For example, it cannot be consolidated.

Disk cloning

This operation migrates or copies the entire contents of one disk drive to another disk drive. This may be necessary, for example, when installing a larger capacity disk. The result is two identical drives with the same file structure. The "Disk Clone" tool effectively copies all of the contents of one hard disk drive onto another hard disk drive. The operation allows you to transfer all the information (including the operating system and installed programs) from one hard disk drive to another without having to reinstall and reconfigure all of your software.

True Image 2013 does not provide for cloning a single partition. You can only clone the entire drive.

You can also transfer all the information from your hard disk drive to another one by backing up the entire old hard disk and then recovering the backup to the new disk.

Backup file format

True Image 2013 usually saves backup data in the proprietary tib format using compression. This reduces the amount of needed storage space.

When creating a tib file, the program calculates checksum values for data blocks and adds these values to the data being backed up. These checksum values allow for the verification of data integrity.

The data from tib file backups can be recovered only through the True Image 2013 program. This may be done in Windows or in the recovery environment.

However, True Image 2013 is also able to save data in the well-known zip format. This allows you to retrieve files from backups anywhere without using True Image 2013.

The most widely used operating systems Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, have built-in support for the zip file format.

Acronis Nonstop Backup uses a special hidden storage for data and metadata. The backed up data is compressed and split into files of about 1 GB. These files also have a proprietary format and the data they contain can be recovered only with the help of True Image 2013.

Backup validation

The backup validation feature allows you to confirm that your data can be recovered. As mentioned above, the program adds checksum values to the data blocks being backed up. During backup validation, True Image 2013 opens the backup file, recalculates the checksum values and compares

those values with the stored ones. If all compared values match, the backup file is not corrupted and there is a high probability that the backup can be successfully used for data recovery.

Consolidation

Consolidation allows you to delete backups which you no longer need from a backup chain.

A chain to be consolidated can consist of a full backup and one or more incremental backups.

If necessary, you can delete the base full backup from the chain. The program will create a new full backup in place of the oldest remaining backup. Consolidation keeps whichever backups you choose and deletes any backups that are not selected.

Because consolidation may require significant time and system resources (including disk space), we recommend using it sparingly. In many cases, starting a new backup chain and then deleting the old one will be a better choice.

Acronis Nonstop Backup uses a different consolidation mechanism. The program consolidates the metadata it uses for managing the backed up data. Because the metadata information volume is significantly less than the backed up data volume, consolidation requires much less time and system resources.

Disaster recovery

Recovering from a disaster usually requires a rescue media and a backup of the system partition.

True Image 2013 provides for recovery from a disaster caused by system data corruption, viruses, malware, or other causes.

If the operating system fails to boot, True Image 2013 will recover the system partition. The boxed product comes with a rescue CD. Other legal owners of the program can create a rescue media by using the Media Builder tool.

Scheduling

For your backups to be really helpful, they must be as "up-to-date" as possible. This means that you should run backups on a regular basis, say once a day. Although creating an True Image 2013 backup is quite easy, on occasion, you may forget to do a backup.

With the scheduler, you do not have to remember. You can schedule automatic backups ahead of time. Your data will be backed up as long as there is sufficient storage space.

Understanding these terms and concepts will be helpful when using the program's features.

1.1.4 New in True Image 2013 by Acronis

 Windows 8 support - True Image 2013 supports the next version of the operating system

released by Microsoft, namely Windows 8. You can safely buy and install Windows 8 without worrying whether you will be able to restore your system if need arises.

 New backup naming rules - The new automatic backup naming is more flexible and convenient.

By default, True Image 2013 creates for each backup task a folder with a backup task name and keeps in this folder all related backups. A backup filename always contains a task name, a backup method, a backup number, and a sequential file number (if the backup is split into several files, the suffixes will be v1, v2, etc.). Optionally you may add to the name date, time, etc. by adding the appropriate macros.

 Synchronization with mobile devices - Now you can sync your data not only between your PCs,

but with your mobile devices as well. Such devices include phones and tablet PCs with the iOS and Android platforms. Simply go to App Store or Google Play, install the free Acronis app and get access to your data on Acronis Cloud anyplace and anytime.

 Easy sharing of files and folders - Users subscribed to the Acronis Cloud service now can share

files and folders with one click. All you need to do is to right-click the desired file or folder and choose Create public link in the shortcut menu. The program creates a public link and places it in the Clipboard. You can share the link with any person. What is more, you can create public links to any file or folder and not only to those which are included in syncs or online backups.

1.1.5 FAQ about backup, recovery and cloning

 I have a 150GB system partition, but the occupied space on that partition is only 80GB. What

will True Image 2013 include in a backup? - By default, True Image 2013 copies only the hard disk sectors that contain data, so it will include only 80GB in a backup. You can also choose the sector-by-sector mode. Note than such a backup mode is required only in special cases. For more information see Image creation mode (p. 65). While creating a sector-by-sector backup, the program copies both used and unused hard disk sectors and the backup file will usually be significantly larger.

 Will my system disk backup include drivers, documents, pictures, etc.? - Yes, such a backup will

contain the drivers, as well as the contents of the My documents folder and its subfolders, if you kept the default location of the My documents folder. If you have just a single hard disk in your PC, such a backup will contain all of the operating system, applications and data.

 I have an old hard disk drive which is almost full in my notebook. I purchased a new bigger

HDD. How can I transfer Windows, programs and data to the new disk? - You can either clone the old hard disk on the new one or back up the old hard disk and then recover the backup to a new one. The optimum method usually depends on your old hard disk partitions layout.

 I have replaced my failed motherboard with a different one and now Windows does not start. I

have backups of my system disk. Is it possible to use them for restoring my computer back to life? - Yes, this is possible, but only with use of Acronis Universal Restore (provided by the separately purchased True Image 2013 Plus Pack). You will need to select the Use Acronis Universal Restore checkbox when configuring recovery. For more information, see Recovering to

different hardware (p. 96). You may need to download the chipset and the hard disk controller drivers from the Web site of your motherboard manufacturer to add them during recovery.

 I want to replace my old desktop PC with a notebook. Will True Image 2013 be able to transfer

Windows, programs and data to the notebook? - Yes, this can be done. First back up your old PC and then recover the backup to the notebook with use of Acronis Universal Restore (provided by the separately purchased True Image 2013 Plus Pack). You will need to select the Use Acronis Universal Restore checkbox when configuring recovery. During recovery with Universal Restore you may need to provide drivers for the chipset, hard disk controllers, etc. of your new computer. For more information, see Recovering to different hardware (p. 96).

 I want to migrate my old system hard disk to an SSD. Can this be done with True Image 2013? -

Yes, True Image 2013 provides such a function. For procedure details, see Migrating your system from an HDD to an SSD (p. 145)

 What is the best way to migrate the system to a new disk: cloning or backup and recovery? -

The backup and recovery method provides more flexibility. In any case, we strongly recommend to make a backup of your old hard disk even if you decide to use cloning. It could be your data saver if something goes wrong with your original hard disk during cloning. For example, there

were cases when users chose the wrong disk as the target and thus wiped their system disk. In addition, you can make more than one backup to create redundancy and increase security.

 What should I back up: a partition or the whole disk? - In most cases, it is better to back up the

whole disk. However, there may be some cases when a partition backup is advisable. For example, your notebook has a single hard disk with two partitions: system (disk letter C) and the data (disk letter D). The system partition stores your working documents in the My documents folder with subfolders. The data partition stores your videos, pictures, and music files. Such files are already compressed and backing them up using True Image 2013 would not give you significant reduction of the backup file size. In this case, it may be better to use a local sync for the data partition files and a separate backup for the system partition. However, we also recommend creating at least one whole disk backup if your backup storage has enough space.

 Could you tell me how to clone: in Windows or after booting from the rescue media? Even

when you start cloning in Windows, the computer will reboot into the Linux environment the same as when booting from the rescue media. Because of this, it is better to clone under rescue media. For example, there may be a case when your hard disk drives are detected in Windows and not detected in Linux. If this is the case, the cloning operation will fail after reboot. When booting from the rescue media, you can make sure that True Image 2013 detects both the source and target disks before starting the cloning operation.

 Can I clone or back up and recover a dual boot machine? Yes, this is possible in most cases. If

your systems are installed in separate partitions of the same physical hard disk drive, cloning or recovery usually proceeds without any problems. If the systems are on different physical hard disk drives, there may be some problems with bootability after recovery. Please note that activating Acronis Startup Recovery Manager on dual- and multiboot systems with Linux loaders requires special preparation. For more information, see How to use Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (p. 101). Furthermore, recovering a backup of a dual boot machine to different hardware requires using Acronis Universal Restore.

 Does True Image 2013 support RAID? - True Image 2013 supports hardware RAID arrays of all

popular types. Support of software RAID configurations on dynamic disks is provided only with True Image 2013 Plus Pack. Even with the Plus Pack, the program does not support software RAID 1 (mirrored) and RAID 5. Acronis Bootable Rescue Media supports most of the popular hardware RAID controllers. If the standard Acronis rescue media does not "see" the RAID as a single volume, the media does not have the appropriate drivers. Owners of the True Image 2013 Plus Pack can try to create WinPE-based rescue media. This media may provide the necessary drivers.

 Can I use True Image 2013 to migrate from a single disk to RAID? This is possible in many cases.

However, it is better to use the backup and recovery method rather than cloning. If you recover a backup of a single disk to RAID, you will usually need to use the Universal Restore feature provided by Plus Pack to add the RAID drivers during recovery. The drivers must have the .inf filename extension.

1.1.6 System requirements and supported media

1.1.6.1 Minimum system requirements

True Image 2013 has minimum hardware requirements corresponding to that of the operating system installed on the computer to be used for running True Image 2013. In addition True Image 2013 requires the following hardware:

 CD-RW/DVD-RW drive for bootable media creation  Mouse or other pointing device (recommended)

Using Acronis Nonstop Backup requires at least 1 GB RAM.

True Image 2013 rescue media has the following hardware requirements:

 512 MB RAM  Processor Pentium 1 GHz or faster  1.5 GB of free space on a hard disk

The recommended screen resolution is 1280 x 1024.

The minimum screen resolution is 1024 x 768.

1.1.6.2 Supported operating systems

True Image 2013 has been tested on the following operating systems:

 Windows XP SP3  Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP2  Windows Vista SP2 (all editions)  Windows 7 SP1 (all editions)  Windows 8 (all editions)  Windows Home Server 2011

True Image 2013 also lets you create a bootable CD-R/DVD-R that can back up and recover a disk/partition on a computer running any Intel- or AMD- based PC operating system, including Linux®. (Note that the Intel-based Apple Macintosh is not supported.)

1.1.6.3 Supported file systems

 FAT16/32  NTFS  Ext2/Ext3/Ext4 *  ReiserFS *  Linux SWAP *

If a file system is not supported or is corrupted, True Image 2013 can copy data using a sector-bysector approach.

* The Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, ReiserFS, and Linux SWAP file systems are supported only for disk or partition backup/recovery operations. You cannot use True Image 2013 for file-level operations with these file systems (file backup, recovery, search, as well as image mounting and file recovering from images). You also cannot perform backups to disks or partitions with these file systems.

1.1.6.4 Supported storage media

 Hard disk drives*  Solid State Drives (SSD)  Networked storage devices  FTP servers**  CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R (including double-layer DVD+R), DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-R, BD-

RE***

 USB 1.1 / 2.0 / 3.0, FireWire (IEEE-1394) and PC card storage devices

* True Image 2013 does not support the following dynamic volume types: Mirrored and RAID-5. There are some additional limitations on operations with dynamic and GPT disks:

 To perform operations with dynamic disks, you need separately purchased True Image 2013

Plus Pack

 Creation of Acronis Secure Zone on dynamic disks is not supported  Recovery of a dynamic volume as a dynamic volume with manual resizing is not supported  Try&Decide® cannot be used for protecting dynamic and GPT disks  "Clone disk" operation is not supported for dynamic disks

True Image 2013 supports large hard disk drives with a capacity of more than 2TB. This support is provided even if the operating system does not have support for such hardware. For more information see Acronis Extended Capacity Manager (p. 200).

** An FTP server must allow passive mode file transfers. For data to be recovered directly from an FTP server, the backup must consist of files no greater than 2GB each.

The firewall settings of the source computer should have Ports 20 and 21 opened for the TPC and UDP protocols to function. The Routing and Remote Access Windows service should be disabled.

*** Burned rewritable discs cannot be read in Linux without a kernel patch.

1.1.6.5 SSD support

The recommended offset for Solid State Drives (SSD) is a multiple of 64 KB (most commonly, 1024KB or 2048 sectors).

True Image 2013 provides full support of SSDs. It keeps the proper offset of SSD during such operations as image recovery and cloning. Specifically, full support means that:

 If you recover a disk backup to an SSD or clone a disk to an SSD, the offset will be automatically

set to the default 1024 KB (2048 sectors).

 If you recover a partition backup to a target empty non-partitioned (unallocated) SSD, the offset

will be automatically set to the default 1024 KB (2048 sectors).

 If you recover a partition backup to a target empty partitioned SSD, the target SSD will keep its

original offset.

1.1.6.6 Technical Support

Maintenance and Support Program

If you need assistance with your product, please go to http://www.acronis.com/support/

Product Updates

You can download the latest updates for all your registered software products from our website at any time after logging into your Account (https://www.acronis.com/my) and registering the product. See Registering Acronis Products at the Website (http://kb.acronis.com/content/4834) and Acronis Website User Guide (http://kb.acronis.com/content/8128).

1.1.6.7 Trial version information

The trial version of True Image 2013 will work only during the trial period of 30 days. It has the following limitations:

 Disk cloning is disabled;  True Image 2013 Plus Pack is not available;  Only recovering is available when booting from an Acronis Bootable Media.

Data synchronization is available without any limitations, but after the trial period expires:

 Your computer will be excluded from all syncs. After installing the full version of True Image 2013

you will be able to connect to the syncs again.

 All the versions of synced files will be permanently deleted from the Acronis Cloud.

To purchase the full version, please visit http://www.acronis.com/buy/atih/ http://www.acronis.com/buy/atih/

Click Go to main screen to start True Image 2013 trial version.

Click Buy now to go to the official Acronis online store.

Click Activate if you have already purchased the full version and have a valid product serial number.

1.1.7 True Image 2013 installation

Installing True Image 2013

To install True Image 2013:

1. Run the setup file. Before starting the setup process, True Image 2013 will check for a newer

build on the Web site. If there is one, the newer version will be offered for installation.

2. In the install menu, click Install to start the installation procedure.

3. Read and accept the terms of the license agreement in the License Agreement window.

4. Read the participation terms and decide whether you want to participate in the Acronis

Customer Experience Program.

5. In the Serial number window, enter a serial number for the full or trial version. Type or copy and

paste the serial number in the text box.

To get a serial number for the free trial version at Acronis Web site, click Get trial serial number. The serial number will be sent to a specified e-mail address. The trial version of True Image 2013 works for 30 days.

Additional parameters:

 Set additional options - if this check box is selected, the Setup options step becomes

available.

 Activate the product automatically - select this check box to activate the product via the

Internet during the installation. You may clear the check box. In that case you will need to activate the product after installation. See details in True Image 2013 activation (p. 16).

6. This step is available only if the Set additional options check box is selected in the Serial number

window.

In the Setup options window, choose the installation option:

 Change the installation folder, if necessary.

7. Click Proceed to begin installation. To make changes in the setup, use the Back and Next buttons.

Note

 If you purchased a boxed product, the installation CD contains an installation file for installing an

True Image 2013 plug-in for the BartPE utility. BartPE (Bart Preinstalled Environment) is a bootable Windows CD/DVD created from the original Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 installation/setup CD. Applications are installed into BartPE in the form of plug-ins and the True Image 2013 plug-in can be included into the BartPE plug-in tab. Booting from the BartPE CD/DVD with the included True Image 2013 plug-in will allow you to work in a well-known Windows environment and use practically all True Image 2013 functionality for recovering your system from a disaster. For more information on the BartPE visit the BartPE homepage at http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/.

 You can also download that installation file from the Acronis Web site.

Recovering from an True Image 2013 error

If True Image 2013 ceased running or produced errors, its files might be corrupted. To repair this problem, you first have to recover the program. To do this, run True Image 2013 installer again. It will detect True Image 2013 on your computer and will ask you if you want to repair or remove it.

Removing True Image 2013

Select Start -> Settings -> Control panel -> Add or remove programs -> True Image 2013 -> Remove. Then follow the instructions on the screen.

If you use Windows Vista, select Start -> Control panel -> Programs and Features -> True Image 2013

-> Remove. Then follow the instructions on the screen. You may have to reboot your computer afterwards to complete the task.

If you use Windows 7, select Start -> Control Panel -> Uninstall a program -> True Image 2013 -> Uninstall. Then follow the instructions on the screen. You may have to reboot your computer afterwards to complete the task.

If you use Windows 8, click the Settings icon, then select Control Panel -> Uninstall a program -> True Image 2013 -> Uninstall.

If you used the Acronis Secure Zone, Acronis Nonstop Backup or Acronis Extended Capacity Manager, select in the window that appears what to do with the zone, Nonstop Backup storages or extended capacity disks. Then click Next to proceed with the uninstallation procedure.

Upgrading from old versions of Acronis True Image Home

If you already have Acronis True Image Home installed, the new version will simply update it; there is no need to remove the old version and reinstall the software.

Please keep in mind that the backups created by the later program version may be incompatible with the previous program versions. Therefore if you roll back True Image 2013 to an older version, you likely will have to re-create the backups using the older version. We strongly recommend that you create new bootable media after each product upgrade.

1.1.8 True Image 2013 activation

To use True Image 2013, you need to activate it via the Internet. Without activation the fully functional product works for 30 days. If you do not activate it during that period, all the program functions become unavailable except the recovery.

You can activate True Image 2013 either on your computer or from another computer, if your computer is not connected to the Internet.

Activation on a computer connected to the Internet

If your computer is connected to the Internet, you can activate the product either automatically or from within the program.

To activate the product automatically:

1. Start the installation procedure. See details in True Image 2013 installation.

2. At the Serial number step, select the Activate True Image 2013 automatically check box. In this

case True Image 2013 will try to perform activation during the first start after installation.

To activate the product from the main screen:

1. Start True Image 2013.

2. On the main program screen, click Activate now on the information bar.

If the computer where you install True Image 2013 does not have Internet connection or if the program cannot connect to Acronis Activation Server, you may select one of the following actions:

 Try again - select this option to try to connect to the Acronis Activation Server again;  Retry automatically later - True Image 2013 will try to connect to the Acronis Activation

Server every hour without the user interaction;

 Activate from another computer - you can activate the program manually from another

machine that is connected to the Internet (see below).

Activation from another computer

If your computer is not connected to the Internet, you may activate True Image 2013 by using another computer which has connection to the Internet.

To activate the product from another computer:

1. Install and start True Image 2013.

2. On the main program screen, click Activate now on the information bar.

3. In the opened window, select Activate from another computer.

4. In the True Image 2013 Activation window, perform 3 simple steps:

1. Save your installation code to a file by clicking the Save to file button, and specify a

removable media as the file location (for example, a USB flash drive). You may also simply write down this code on a piece of paper.

2. On another computer which has the Internet connection, go to

http://www.acronis.com/activation/. The instructions on the screen will help you to get your activation code by using the installation code. Save the obtained activation code to a file on a removable media, or write it down on paper.

3. On your computer, click the Load from file button and specify a path to the file with the

activation code; or, simply type it into the box from the piece of paper.

5. Click Activate.

Moving license between computers

One serial number allows you to install True Image 2013 on a limited number of computers. The Standard edition of the product can be activated on 1 computer only. For the Family Pack edition the limit is 3 computers. If during activation True Image 2013 detects that the limit is exceeded, it

displays an appropriate error message. In such a case you can either buy a new serial number or

In this section

Get started tab ......................................................................................... 18

Backup and recovery tab ......................................................................... 19

Synchronization tab ................................................................................. 23

Tools and utilities tab ............................................................................... 25

Wizards and notification area icons ......................................................... 25

Acronis Backup Explorer .......................................................................... 26

Integration with Windows ....................................................................... 32

Settings menu .......................................................................................... 35

Help menu ................................................................................................ 35

Installing Acronis Hotfixes ........................................................................ 36

move the license to your new computer from another one on which the product is already activated. If you want to move the license, perform the following steps.

To move the license from another computer:

1. In the window with the error message, click Move license from another computer.

2. On the opened Web page follow the instructions on the screen.

To perform this step, you need to have Acronis account. If you do not have an account yet, then create it first. You also have to register your serial number, if you have not done it. Then you need to choose from the list a computer from which you want to move the license. Note that on the chosen computer the product will be deactivated.

1.1.9 Program workspace

1.1.9.1 Get started tab

Starting True Image 2013 for the first time opens the Home screen with the Get started tab selected.

The Get started tab will help you to begin using the main True Image 2013 features, namely backup, recovery and synchronization. The program leads you through the actions required for performing those operations.

If you have not used previous versions of Acronis True Image Home, we recommend you become familiar with the above features by going through the steps required for completing backup, recovery and data synchronization.

After you begin using True Image 2013, it will start with displaying the tab that was selected when you exited the program.

1.1.9.2 Backup and recovery tab

The Backup and recovery tab provides quick access to all of the program functionality related to data backup and recovery.

If you have not created any backups yet, the program will offer to create a new backup or add an existing backup. If you have at least one backup, the screen will display the list of your backups.

The toolbar

See the toolbar commands description in Backup and recovery toolbar (p. 21).

The backups area

The area shows the backups you already have. It provides access to all operations with the existing backups and allows you to start recovery of your data.

 Back up now - adds a new backup version to the existing backup or replaces the existing backup

version, depending on the backup scheme being used.

 Start (available for a nonstop backup only) - starts nonstop backup protection.  Stop (available for a nonstop backup only) - suspends nonstop backup protection.  Recover - click to recover data.

When a backup box is collapsed, the backup and recovery operations can be started by clicking the appropriate icons. These icons, along with the Operations menu icon (a gear), appear when you move the pointer over a box area.

You can collapse and expand the backup box by clicking the triangle near a backup name.

Operations menu

Clicking the gear icon in the box of a selected backup or right-clicking in the free area of the box opens an Operations menu containing the following items:

 View log - click to open the log for the current backup.  Expand - expands the selected backup box (available for collapsed boxes).  Collapse - collapses the selected backup box into a narrow stripe (available for expanded boxes).  Recover files (available only for disk backups) - opens the Backup Explorer window, where you

can select any version of the backup.

 Back up now - adds a new backup version to the existing backup or replaces the existing backup

version, depending on the backup scheme being used.

 Open location - opens the folder containing the backup files.  Edit settings - allows editing of the current backup settings.  Recreate backup settings (available only for backups manually added to the backup list) - allows

configuring the settings for image, file, and e-mail backups created by a previous Acronis True Image Home version. This item may also appear for backups created on another computer and added to the backup list without importing their settings.

Without backup settings, you will be unable to perform certain operations. Specifically, you cannot refresh the backup by clicking Back up now. Also, you cannot edit and clone the backup settings and schedule.

 Validate - starts backup validation.  Delete - deletes all backup versions of the current backup at their location. Be careful, because

the deletion cannot be undone.

 More - opens the following additional items:

 Create shortcut - creates a shortcut on the Desktop. With the shortcut you can run a backup

Command

Description

Disk and partition backup

This feature allows you to protect your computer by creating backups of your partitions (including the system one) and whole disks.

Online Backup

This feature allows you to store your data in the secure Acronis Cloud which is accessible via the Internet. If the backup list already includes an online backup, this item changes to Edit Online Backup settings, because you can run only one online backup at a time.

File backup

This feature allows you to back up your files and folders.

Other backups

E-mail backup

This feature allows you to back up your e-mail messages and settings.

Nonstop Backup

This feature continuously protects your partitions and files.

without starting True Image 2013.

 Consolidate versions - you can delete the backup versions you no longer need while

maintaining the consistency of the backup.

 Clone settings - clones the current backup settings when you need to create several similar

backups. Clone the backup settings and then introduce the required changes.

 Move... - click to move all the backup files to another location. The subsequent backup

versions will be saved to the new location.

If you change the backup destination by editing the backup settings, only new backup versions will be saved to the new location. The earlier backup versions will remain in the old location.

 Remove from the list - removes the current backup from the backup list shown in the My

backups area. This operation also turns off the scheduling of the removed backup (if a schedule was set), but it does not delete the backup files.

 Clean up... (available for Nonstop Backup only) - opens the Cleanup dialog box where you can

delete the backup versions you no longer need. The backup chain will not be corrupted.

 Open Web application (available for Online Backup only) - opens the Acronis Cloud application.

In case of Nonstop Backup and Online backup, the Operations menu will have less items. The Operations menu of backups created on another computer and added to the backup list without importing the backup settings will also have less items.

Backup and recovery toolbar

The toolbar at the top of the Backup and recovery tab contains the most frequently used commands for creating new backups, managing the backup list, validating backups, etc.

Create bootable media

If your computer cannot start, use bootable rescue media to run the standalone version of True Image 2013, and recover your system from a previously created system partition backup.

Browse for backup

Click this item to browse for backups on your computer and add them to the backup list. This may be useful when you have backups created by a previous Acronis True Image Home version which are not shown in the backup list.

Recover

Click this item to recover data from your backups and then select the backup that contains the required data.

Show only my favorite backups

This icon filters the backups which you have marked as favorite.

Expand all backup boxes

This icon expands all collapsed backup boxes.

Collapse all backup boxes

This icon collapses all expanded backup boxes into narrow stripes.

Type

This command sorts all backups by types. The order is as follows: disk backups - file backups e-mail backups - nonstop backup - Windows backups - ZIP archives.

Name

This command sorts all backups in alphabetical order.

Date created

This command sorts all backups starting from the newest down to the oldest.

Sort by

Date updated

This command sorts all backups by date of the last version. The newer the last backup version, the higher the backup will be placed in the list.

Total size

This command sorts all backups by size, starting from the biggest down to the smallest.

Scheduling type

This command sorts all backups into two groups

- backups with a schedule and backups without a schedule, which can be started only manually.

Explore all backups

This command allows you to explore all your backups in the Acronis Backup Explorer using the time line.

Validate all backups

This command checks the integrity of all your backups.

More features

Update backup list

Click to search for lost backups.

Remove from the list

All backups

This command removes all backup boxes from the backup list. The removed backups can be returned to the list by using the Browse for

backup tool.

Notbackedup-yet boxes

This command removes all "empty" backup boxes from the backup list. Be careful because, after removal, such backup boxes cannot be returned to the list.

To search for a backed up file you need to recover, type the filename or part of its name in the search field on the main menu bar. If the search is successful, the program will open Acronis Backup Explorer and show the found file and backup(s) containing the file.

1.1.9.3 Synchronization tab

The Synchronization tab allows you to manage all aspects of your data synchronization process: create new syncs, turn the existing syncs on and off, change their settings, delete unneeded syncs, and so on.

Every created sync is represented by a box, similar to backup boxes. A sync box contains short information about the corresponding sync process and allows you to manage this process.

Sync toolbar

This area contains the following items:

 New sync - allows you to select a folder to synchronize and send an invitation to the computer

you want to synchronize your data with.

 Sync local folders - allows you to select two local folders to synchronize.  Manage shared syncs - opens the Web page where you can manage your shared syncs.

 Show only my favorite syncs (icon) - filters the syncs which you have marked as favorite.  Expand all syncs (icon) - expands all collapsed sync boxes.  Collapse all syncs (icon) - collapses all expanded sync boxes into narrow stripes.  Sort by

 Name - sorts all syncs in alphabetical order.  Type - sorts all syncs according to their types.

Sync list area

The area shows the boxes of the syncs you already have. It provides access to all operations with the existing syncs.

Operations menu

Clicking the gear icon in the box of a selected sync opens the Operations menu containing the following items:

 Sync now - runs data synchronization process forcibly. If a sync process has been interrupted for

some reason (for example, your Internet connection has failed) or it has completed with errors, you can manually restart the sync process. To do this, first try to resolve the issue and then click Sync now.

 Pause - allows you to pause and resume the sync process. Note that the action does not delete

the sync itself and your data will not be lost.

 Share... - opens the window where you can specify e-mail addresses of persons you want to

invite to share the selected sync.

 Sync with... :

 Acronis Cloud - allows you to store versions of the synced files on Acronis Cloud.  Local folder... - allows you to synchronize with a local folder, for example, located on an

external hard drive.

 Other computer... - allows you to synchronize with your another computer. This item is only

present for syncs between local folders.

 Cleanup options - allows you to set automatic cleanup rules for versions of the synced files.  View log - opens the log of True Image 2013 operations.  Remove - deletes the sync. Deleting the sync does not delete the synced folder and its contents.

However, this action deletes on Acronis Cloud all versions of the synced files if they were kept there, including the latest ones.

If you delete or rename the folder selected for synchronization, True Image 2013 excludes your computer from that sync. If you delete a subfolder inside the folder you have specified for synchronization, this subfolder will be deleted on all other computers as well.

Taskbar notification area icon

When at least one Sync is active, the corresponding icon appears in the Windows taskbar notification area. Right-clicking the icon opens the shortcut menu with the following items:

 Open True Image 2013 - opens the program's main window with the Synchronization tab

selected.

 Open sync folder - if you have a single sync, choosing this item opens the synchronized folder. If

you have more than one sync, this opens a submenu where you can select the desired sync folder.

 Pause all syncs - pauses all synchronization processes.  Resume all syncs - restarts all synchronization processes if they have been paused.  Show notifications - toggles the display of notifications at the taskbar.  Acronis Web site - opens in your default browser the page with information about

synchronization on Acronis Web site.

 Help - opens True Image 2013 Help.  Exit - removes the Sync icon from the taskbar and pauses all syncs.

1.1.9.4 Tools and utilities tab

This tab allows you to select the tools and utilities provided by True Image 2013. Launch the required tool or utility by clicking the appropriate link. For more information see Tools and utilities (p. 166).

1.1.9.5 Wizards and notification area icons

When you use the available True Image 2013 tools and utilities, the program will in many cases employ wizards to guide you through the operations.

Wizards have a sidebar listing all the steps (both required and optional) needed for completing the operation. For example, see the Manage Acronis Secure Zone wizard screen shot below.

The completed steps are marked with green checkmarks. The green arrow shows the current step. After you complete all the required steps and come to the Finish step, the program displays the Summary screen. Check the summary of the operation to be performed and then click Proceed to start the operation.

Taskbar notification area icons

During most of the operations, special indicator icons appear in the Windows taskbar notification area (the right portion of the status bar with the clock). If you mouse over the icon, you will see a tool tip indicating the operation's progress or state. Right-clicking on the icon opens a shortcut menu where you can change the operation's status or cancel the operation if necessary. This icon doesn't depend on the main program window being open. It is present for background execution of scheduled backups as well.

1.1.9.6 Acronis Backup Explorer

The Acronis Backup Explorer provides you with a wealth of information on your backups: backup types, backup versions number, dates, contents, backup results, etc. In addition, the Backup Explorer allows you to explore and recover backed up data (both partitions and individual files and even file versions). It also allows for operations with backups - you can validate them, convert to Windows backup (only disk backups), mount images as disks, and delete backup versions you no longer need.

Let's have a closer look on the Acronis Backup Explorer. It has two tabs for viewing backups and their content: Disks and partitions (available for disk backups only) and Files and folders.

Disks and partitions tab

The Disks and partitions tab shows the backed up disks and partitions that the selected backup version contains.

The tab shows the disks and partitions state of when the current backup version was created.

You can switch between the backup versions by using the time line at the bottom of the screen. For more information see Time line (p. 29).

To recover disks and/or partitions:

1. On the time line, select the backup version from which you want to recover your disks/partitions.

The version's exact date and time will be displayed near the backup name. Your data will be recovered to the state it was at that point in time.

2. Select the corresponding check boxes of the disks or partitions you want to recover.

3. Click the Recover button.

To recover specific files and folders from the disk/partition backups:

1. Click the Files and folders tab.

2. Select files and folders you want to recover.

3. Click the Recover button.

For more information on recovering files and folders see Files and folders tab (p. 28).

Right-clicking on a backup version opens the shortcut menu with other available operations:

 Recover - select to recover the current backup version.  Validate - select to check the integrity of the backup version data.

 Convert to Windows backup (for image backups) - select to convert the backup version's TIB file

to VHD file.

 Mount (for image backups) - select to mount the backup version as a disk.  Delete version - select to delete the backup version (the backup chain will not be corrupted).  View - select to set up the time line to show some additional information.

To find a file or folder you need to recover, type the file or folder name in the search field.

Both tabs also show backup comments, and allow for adding, editing and deleting comments to the selected backup version. If a backup version does not have comments, click the Add comment icon, then type your comments in the comments area and click the Save icon. If there is already a comment, you can edit it after clicking the Edit icon. Having finished editing, click the Save icon to save the changed comment or the Cancel icon to cancel the changes. To remove the comment, click the Delete icon.

Files and folders tab

The Files and folders tab shows the backed up files and folders contained in the selected backup version. The left-hand area of the tab shows a directory tree and the right-hand area - the contents of a selected directory tree item.

The tab shows the files and folders states of when the current backup version was created. You can switch between the backup versions by using the time line at the bottom of the screen. For more information on using the time line see Time line.

To recover files and/or folders:

1. On the time line, select the backup version, from which you want to recover your files/folders.

The version's exact date and time will be displayed near the backup name. Your data will be recovered to the state it was at this point in time.

2. Select the corresponding check boxes of the files and folders you want to recover (see selection

rules below). Short information about the selected items (their number and total size) will be displayed near the Recover button.

3. Click the Recover button.

You can also recover files and folders by dragging them to your Desktop or into a selected folder in Windows Explorer.

You cannot recover files by dragging them to an FTP, recordable CD/DVD or other optical media, as well as mounted ISO files.

Selection rules

Check boxes that correspond to the items may be in the following states:

 Selected (check mark in square) - this state indicates that the item is selected for recovery. A

selected folder means that all items in the folder are selected.

 Cleared (clear square) - this state indicates that the item is not selected.  Mixed (filled square) - this state is available for folders only and indicates that some items in the

folder are selected and the others are not. Note that you cannot set the state by clicking the check box, but you can change it to a cleared or selected state.

Selecting a disk, partition, file or folder to make it the current item in a list does not mean selecting it for recovery!

The majority of user interface elements located on this tab are described in the Disks and partitions tab section. Here we describe the items specific for the tab.

When you click an item, short information on this item is displayed under the browser area. The set of displayed parameters depends on the item's type. Clicking the View versions link opens the View Versions window with a list of all versions of the file in the backup. You can recover a desired version by its backup time.

By double-clicking on a file in the right-hand area, you will recover the file to a temporary folder. Then True Image 2013 will open the file using the associated application.

Time line

Usually the time line at the bottom of Acronis Backup Explorer screen shows information on the backup versions stored in the selected backup. The time line provides easy navigation through backup versions and allows you to recover your data to the state it was in at a certain date and time.

The squares that represent backup versions have colored stripes at the bottom. The color of the stripes depends on the backup types (violet for disk backups, turquoise for file backups, green for Nonstop Backup, and brown for other backups, e.g. created by a previous Acronis True Image Home version).

The picture below shows various states of a time line. The states vary depending on the number of backups and the time interval through which you are navigating.

The "Now" interval shows backup versions created during the last hour. When using Nonstop Backup, backup versions may be created as often as every five minutes

The "Today" interval shows backup versions created from the beginning of the current day to the last hour.

The "week" interval can be named either "Week ago" or "This week".

When today is Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, the "week" interval is named "Week ago". In such cases, the time line shows backup versions created during the previous week and from the beginning of the current week to the beginning of today.

When today is Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, the "week" interval is named "This week". In such cases the time line shows backup versions created from the beginning of the current week to the beginning of today.

The "month" interval can be named either "Month ago" or "This month".

When today is any date from the 1st to 15th day of the month, the "month" interval is named "Month ago". In that case the time line shows backup versions created during the previous month and from the beginning of the current month to the "week" interval.

When today is any date from the 16th to 31st day of the month, the "month" interval is named "This month". In that case the time line shows backup versions created from the beginning of the current month to the "week" interval.

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Acronis True Image 2013 User's Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

1 Getting started

What is True Image™ 2013 by Acronis®? ................................................... 7

1.1 Introduction

1.1.2 What is True Image 2013 Plus Pack by Acronis?

1.1.3 True Image 2013 basic concepts

1.1.4 New in True Image 2013 by Acronis

1.1.5 FAQ about backup, recovery and cloning

1.1.6 System requirements and supported media

1.1.6.1 Minimum system requirements

1.1.6.2 Supported operating systems

1.1.6.3 Supported file systems

1.1.6.4 Supported storage media

1.1.6.5 SSD support

1.1.6.6 Technical Support

1.1.6.7 Trial version information

1.1.7 True Image 2013 installation

1.1.8 True Image 2013 activation

1.1.9 Program workspace

1.1.9.1 Get started tab

1.1.9.2 Backup and recovery tab

Backup and recovery toolbar

1.1.9.3 Synchronization tab

1.1.9.4 Tools and utilities tab

1.1.9.5 Wizards and notification area icons

1.1.9.6 Acronis Backup Explorer

Disks and partitions tab

Files and folders tab

Time line