Acronis True Image Home - 7.0 User's Guide

Acronis True Image 7.0

User’s Guide

www.acronis.com

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 6

1.1 What is Acronis True Image? 6

1.2 What's new in Acronis True Image 7.0? 6

1.3 What is a disk image? 7

1.4 Software usage terms and conditions 7

CHAPTER 2. INSTALLATION AND OPERATION 8

2.1 Bundle contents 8

2.2 System requirements 8

2.3 Acronis True Image installation 8

2.4 Running Acronis True Image 9

2.5 Removing the program 9

CHAPTER 3. GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION 10

3.1 Main program window 10

3.2 Acronis Secure Zone 12

3.3 Acronis Startup Recovery Manager 16

3.4 Incremental images 17

CHAPTER 4. CREATING A PARTITION (DISK) IMAGE 18 CHAPTER 5. RESTORING A DISK (PARTITION) FROM AN IMAGE 25 CHAPTER 6. BROWSING AND RESTORING INDIVIDUAL FILES 33

6.1 Connecting a virtual disk 33

6.2 Unplugging a virtual disk 34

CHAPTER 7. TRANSFERRING THE SYSTEM TO A NEW DISK 35

7.1 General information 35

7.2 Security 36

7.3 Executing transfers 36

7.4 Cloning with manual partitioning 43

CHAPTER 8. ADDING A NEW HARD DISK 45 CHAPTER 9. SCHEDULED TASKS 47

9.1 Creating scheduled tasks 47

9.2 Managing scheduled tasks 52

CHAPTER 10. OTHER OPERATIONS 54

10.1 Checking images 54

10.2 Creating bootable media 55

10.3 Viewing logs 55

CHAPTER 11. TROUBLESHOOTING 57

11.1 Recovering Acronis True Image 57

11.2 Frequently asked questions 57

11.3 Technical support 60

APPENDIX A. PARTITIONS AND FILE SYSTEMS 62

A.1 Hard disk partitions 62 A.2 File systems 62 A.2.1 FAT16 63 A.2.2 FAT32 63 A.2.3 NTFS 63 A.2.4 Linux Ext2 64 A.2.5 Linux Ext3 64 A.2.6 Linux ReiserFS 64

Acronis True Image User’s Guide Contents

APPENDIX B. HARD DISKS AND BIOS SETUP 65

B.1 Installing hard disks in computers 65 B.1.1 Installing a hard disk, general scheme 65 B.1.2 Motherboard sockets, IDE cable, power cable 66 B.1.3 Installation modes, jumpers 66 B.2 BIOS 68 B.2.1 Setup utility 68 B.2.2 Standard CMOS setup menu 68 B.2.3 Arranging boot sequence, advanced CMOS setup menu 70 B.2.4 AwardBIOS 72 B.2.5 Hard disk initialization errors 77

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 What is Acronis True Image?

Acronis True Image solves all backup problems, ensuring the safety of all information on your PC.

Using it, you'll be able to create exact hard disk images, including all operating systems, applications and configuration files, software updates, personal settings and all of your data.

If failures occur that block access to information or affect system operation, or if you accidentally delete necessary files, you'll be able to restore the system and lost data easily.

You won't have to select files and folders for backup, as many backup applications require. Instead, you will store all your disk data. As a result, Acronis True Image is simpler and faster than competitive applications.

You can store images on almost any PC storage device: local hard drives, network drives or a variety of IDE, SCSI, FireWire (IEEE-1394), USB (1.0, 1.1 and 2.0) and PC card (formerly called PCMCIA) removable media drives, including CD-R(W), DVDrecordable, magneto-optical, Iomega Zip and Jaz drives.

You can restore the partition or lost data from an image any time. You can also connect an image as a virtual drive, browse its contents and extract selected files to the hard disk.

The unique technology developed by Acronis and implemented in Acronis True Image allows you to create exact, sector-by-sector disk images and restore their content

If you are going to install a new hard disk drive, Acronis True Image will help you transfer information from the old one in minutes, including operating systems, applications, documents and personal settings.

Wizards and a user-friendly, Windows XP-styled interface will make your work even more convenient. Just answer some simple questions and let Acronis True Image take care of everything else! When a problem occurs, it will get you up and running in short order.

directly from Windows without the reboots typical for similar products.

1.2 What's new in Acronis True Image 7.0?

Acronis True Image 7.0 has several new features:

• disk cloning

• new disk preparation

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

• Acronis Secure Zone

• Acronis Startup Recovery Manager

• file integrity checks

• scheduler

• incremented images support

• logs viewing

• two boot disk variants: complete and safe

• It also has an improved interface and better performance

1.3 What is a disk image?

A disk (partition) image is a file that contains a copy of all information stored on a disk. The image stores the installed operating system, all programs, and all documents and settings.

By backing up your information regularly, you will protect yourself from data loss in case of system failure or PC malfunctions.

By default, Acronis True Image image files have a “.tib” extension and can contain images of several partitions or disks.

Images of large partitions or several disks could be quite large. If so, they can be split into several files that together make an original image. A single image can also be split for burning to removable media. A single image that is split across multiple CDs is sometimes called a “spanned volume.”

Acronis True Image can create incremental images. These images that contain only those disk sectors that changed after image creation.

Acronis True Image stores only those hard disk parts that contain data (for supported partition types). This reduces image size and speeds up image creation and restoration from.

A partition ima and system files), boot record, FAT (file allocation table) and root.

A disk image includes images of all disk partitions as well as the zero track with master boot record (MBR).

e includes all files and folders independent of their attributes (including hidden

1.4 Software usage terms and conditions

The conditions for Acronis True Image software usage are described in the «License Agreement» included with this package. The supplied registration card is the confirmation of your legal purchase and usage of Acronis True Image on your system. Each registration card has a unique registration number.

Under current legislation, the «License Agreement» is considered a contract between you and Acronis Inc. The contract is a legal document and its violation may result in legal action.

Illegal use and/or distribution of this software will be prosecuted.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Chapter 2. Installation and operation

2.1 Bundle contents

The Acronis True Image system package includes:

• an installation disk

• user manual

• License Agreement

• registration card

• advertising materials

2.2 System requirements

Acronis True Image requires the following hardware:

• Pentium or compatible PC

• 32 MB RAM

• floppy disk drive or CD-ROM drive

• VGA monitor

• mouse (recommended)

• free hard disk space for image files

A CD-ROM drive is required to install Acronis True Image

2.3 Acronis True Image installation

To install Acronis True Image:

1. Insert the installation CD into your drive.

2. Follow the instructions on the screen.

3. After making your installation choices and copying Acronis True Image files onto your hard disk, you will be prompted to create a (You can omit this step if you have purchased the boxed product that contains a bootable CD). While Acronis True Image creates disk images in Windows, it might be necessary to restore the image from a bootable disk. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you create one. However, you can do that after the installation as well.

bootable diskette or CD-R/W.

After installation of Acronis True Image is completed, you should restart your computer.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

2.4 Running Acronis True Image

In normal mode, you can run Acronis True Image from Windows by selecting Acronis → window onto the screen.

If your operating system does not load for some reason, you can run Acronis Startup Recovery Manager. However, this must be installed prior to use; see "Acronis Startup Recovery Manager" to learn more about this procedure. To activate the program, press F11 during PC bootup, when you see a corresponding message that tells you to press that key. Acronis True Image will be run in the standalone mode, allowing you to restore previously created images or an image from the Acronis Secure Zone.

If your disk data is totally corrupted and you can not boot (or if you have not installed Acronis Startup Recovery Manager), you should use the bootable media supplied with the retail box version or created during the installation procedure. It will automatically load Acronis True Image partitions.

True Image, from Start → Programs. This will bring the program

, allowing you to recover the damaged

2.5 Removing the program

To remove Acronis True Image from your PC, select Acronis →True Image →

Remove

confirm the program removal. Click Yes to confirm and Acronis True Image will be completely removed. You may have to reboot your computer afterwards to complete the task.

Acronis True Image in the Programs menu. You will see a dialog to

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Chapter 3. General program information

3.1 Main program window

The main program window contains the menu, toolbar and the Windows XP Explorer-like interface divided into two areas. The right area contains operation icons; the left one has corresponding action descriptions, typical actions and additional tools.

The main program window

The menu, toolbar and menu items in the left area duplicate themselves, providing more convenience.

Having selected (clicked) an operation, you can execute it in several ways: by double-clicking its icon, by selecting Start Now in the Operations menu, by selecting the same operation in the Operations window, or by clicking Start on the toolbar.

The main window contains operation icons divided into three groups.

The Disk Imaging group contains disk image operations:

• Create Image – create a disk (partition) image

• Restore Image – restore a disk (partition) from a previously created image

• Explore Image – connect and view an image as a virtual drive

• Unplug Image – disconnect the connected virtual drive

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

The New Disk Deployment group includes operations required when a new disk drive is installed:

• Disk Clone – transfer operating system, applications and data from the old disk

to the new one

• Add New Disk – add a disk for data storage, leaving the operating system and

applications on the old drive

The Tasks group initially contains only one operation:

• Add Scheduled Task – create a scheduled disk (partition) image creation or

restoration task with specified time or periodicity.

After a scheduled task is created, its icon is added to the group. The total number of group icons depends on the number of scheduled operations.

Program menu

The program menu line contains the Operations, Tools, View and Help items.

The Operations menu changes when either an operation icon or scheduled task is selected. In the first case, the menu contains only Start Now to execute the selected operation. For information on managing scheduled tasks, see Chapter 9.

• Delete – deletes selected operation. Appears only when a scheduled task is

selected

The Tools menu contains the following items:

• Manage Acronis Secure Zone – creates a special hidden system partition on a

disk for storing disk (partition) images

• Activate Acronis Startup Recovery Manager – activates the boot restoration

manager

• Check Image – runs disk (partition) integrity checking procedure

• Create Bootable Rescue Media – runs the bootable media creation procedure

• Show Log – opens a window with logs

The View menu contains items for managing the program window look:

• Toolbars – contains commands that control toolbar icons

• Common Task Bar – enables/disables common task panel in the left area

• Status Bar – enables/disables the status bar

• Tiles Icons List – controls how operation icons look

• Refresh – refreshes the main program window

The Help menu allows you to invoke help and get information about Acronis True Image.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Status bar

In the bottom of the main window, there is a status bar divided into two parts. The left part briefly describes the selected operation; the right one indicates image operation progress and results.

A double-click on the operation progress line opens the operation progress window. If you double-click on the operation results, you will see the logs window (see "Viewing logs").

Taskbar notification area icon

During image creation operations, a special indicator icon appears in the notification area (the right portion of the status bar with the clock). If you place the cursor over the icon, you will see a tool tip indicating the operation’s progress. This icon doesn’t depend on the main program window being open. It is present for background execution of scheduled tasks as well.

Disk and partition information

You can change disk schemes and data representation in all schemes you see in various wizards.

To the right are three icons:

Arrange Icons by, Choose Details and Display the

properties of the selected item (also duplicated in the context menu invoked by

double-clicking objects).

To sort messages by a particular column, click the header (another click will switch the messages to the opposite order) or

Arrange Icons by button and select the

column.

To select columns to view, right-click the headers line or left-click the Details button

If you click the

. Then flag the columns you want to display.

Display the properties of the selected item button, you will see

Choose

the selected partition or disk properties window.

This window contains two panels. The left panel contains the properties tree and the right describes the selected property in detail. The disk information includes its physical parameters (connection type, device type, size, etc.); partition information includes both physical (sectors, location, etc.), and logical (file system, free space, assigned letter, etc.) parameters.

You can change the width of columns by dragging their borders with the mouse.

3.2 Acronis Secure Zone

Acronis Secure Zone is a special, hidden system partition for storing disk and partition images. Ordinary applications can’t access it, for image security purposes.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

If you create a zone, it will be listed after all PC disks available for image creation and restoration.

The Acronis Secure Zone is primarily meant to be used with Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (see below). It can be used to store both images and data.

The zone is primarily made to manually or automatically create and restore disk images safely. Therefore it is always available for image creation as long as there is space for it. If there is not enough space, older images will be deleted to create space.

This means you can automatically create disk images easily on a schedule (see Chapter 9)., and you won’t be bothered by zone overflow issues.

The Acronis Secure Zone can still be filled completely when creating incremental images (see "Incremental ima image, since it mi free space when creating incremental images, to increase it, if necessary, or re-create base images.

We do not recommend that you create alternating incremental images. If you need to create incremental images of several disks (partitions), you should combine these operations into a single operation.

es"). This happens because the program can't delete the first (complete)

ht be required for restoration. Thus, you should periodically check zone

Acronis Secure Zone can be located on any local disk. It is created at the expense of unallocated space, if available, or at the expense of partition free space. A PC can have only one secure zone. To create a zone on another disk, you must first delete any existing zone.

You can store a disk (partition) image on the same disk (partition) if there's enough space for it, but you should not keep your primary images on the same partition or disk. You should burn images to removable media, such as a CD, DVD or Zip disks, another hard disk or a network drive. The only reason to create an image on the same partition (except for creating an image in the Acronis Secure Zone) is to use the image as a local, secondary backup. This backup could be used to restore damaged files. (Remember, if your disk becomes physically damaged, an image stored on the same partition will be inaccessible.)

When you click Manage Acronis Secure Zone in the menu, the program searches for the zone on all local drives. If a zone is found, the wizard will offer to delete or resize it. If there is no zone, you’ll be prompted to create it.

Before you create the zone, estimate its size. To do this, start image creation and select disks and partitions to image into the zone. At the compression level stage, you will see estimated image size. Multiply this by 1.5. If you plan to install additional applications or create incremental images, increase the zone size.

Creating Acronis Secure Zone

If there are several disks installed, select one on which to create Acronis Secure Zone.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Select the partition on which space will be used to create the zone.

Enter the size of the zone or drag the slider.

In the next window, you will see a zone creation script containing the list of briefly described operations to be performed on partitions (disks).

After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image will start creating the zone. Progress will be reflected in the opened window. If necessary, you can stop zone creation by clicking Cancel. However, the script will be canceled only after the current operation is finished.

Acronis Secure Zone creation might take several minutes or more. Please wait until the whole procedure is finished.

Resizing Acronis Secure Zone

When prompted by the wizard, select Manage Acronis Secure Zone.

Select to increase or decrease the zone. You might need to increase it to provide more space for images. The opposite situation might arise if either partition lacks free space.

After this, select a partition from which free space will be used to increase Acronis Secure Zone or that will receive free space after the zone is reduced.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Set the new size for Acronis Secure Zone.

In the next window, you will see a zone resize script containing a list of briefly described operations to be performed on partitions (disks).

After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image will start resizing the zone. Progress will be reflected in the opened window. If necessary, you can stop zone creation by clicking Cancel. However, the script will be canceled only after the current operation is finished.

Zone resizing might take several minutes or longer. Please wait until the whole procedure is finished.

Deleting Acronis Secure Zone

When you are prompted by the wizard, select Remove Acronis Secure Zone.

Select partitions to which you want to add the space freed from Acronis Secure Zone.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

In the next window, you will see a zone deletion script containing a list of briefly described operations to be performed on partitions (disks).

After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image will start deleting the zone. Progress will be reflected in the opened window. If necessary, you can stop zone creation by clicking Cancel. However, the script will be canceled only after the current operation is finished.

Zone deletion might take several minutes or more. Please wait until the whole procedure is finished.

Acronis Secure Zone deletion will disable Acronis Startup Recovery Manager automatically if it is activated and destroy all images stored in the zone.

3.3 Acronis Startup Recovery Manager

Acronis True Image provides Acronis Startup Recovery Manager to run the program without loading the operating system. This feature is useful if Windows won't load for some reason. Using it, you can run Acronis True Image by itself to restore damaged partitions from images.

To use Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (it must be activated), turn on your PC and press F11, when you see the "Press F11 for Acronis Startup Recovery Manager" message. This will run a standalone version of Acronis True Image that only slightly differs from the complete version. For information on restoring damaged partitions, see Chapter 5.

Be careful! Disk letters in standalone Acronis True Image mi Windows notation.

ht sometimes differ from

To activate the program, click Activate Acronis Startup Recovery Manager.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

This boot manager is required for Acronis Secure Zone to work. If the boot manager is absent, the zone creation wizard will be run (see above). The restoration manager will be installed during this procedure as well.

If there is Acronis Secure Zone on your PC, the boot manager will be activated immediately.

3.4 Incremental images

An incremental image contains only data from those hard disk sectors that changed after the previous disk image (complete or incremental) was created. Thus such an image is significantly smaller and takes less time to create than a full image. However, as it does not contain all the necessary information about disks (partitions), it requires more than one image for restoration, including the current incremental image and at least one previous image or, ideally, all the previous incremental images and the initial complete image. You can't foresee the exact number of images required for a particular restoration, as it depends on how much data changes between image creations.

Note that you can create incremental images more often, as they are far smaller than complete images and take significantly less time to create. If you create such images often, you'll be able to restore disks (partitions) relatively easily and quickly. If you just use complete images, this will require far more time and space (up to 10 times more).

An incremental image created after a disk is defragmented might be considerably lar usual. This is because the defra incremental images reflect these changes.

mentation program changes file locations on disk and

Using incremental stages instead of complete images gives you more flexibility in what you restore. It takes much less time and as little as one tenth the disk space.

er than

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Chapter 4. Creating a partition (disk) image

Disk (partition) image creation means backing up all data stored on your PC. With the image, you can restore your PC after failure and protect yourself from hard disk data losses.

Selecting partitions

In the Select partitions for backup window, you will see the hard disk layout of your

PC. Flag a partition to select it. Flag a whole disk to select all its partitions to image. You can select one or more hard disks or any combination of partitions and hard disks.

Disk and partition layout

Having selected partitions and/or disks, click Next. Note that this button is disabled if no partitions or disks are selected.

Selecting image mode

On this step, you must decide if you need to create a complete or incremental partition (disk) image.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Image mode selection

A complete image contains all hard disk data, so it takes a lot of space.

An incremental image contains data only from parts that changed after the previous complete or incremental image was created, so it's usually smaller and takes less time to create.

Therefore, if you create the first disk (partition) image, you should select the complete mode.

If you already have a complete image, it is recommended that you create incremental images.

(Having a policy for creating full and incremental images is recommended. For example, you might consider creating a full image monthly and incremental images weekly.)

Selecting the previous image

If you select incremental image, you must also provide the previous one (complete or incremental) for the new image to be created. Together with the initial complete image, incremental images make the single file set that must be stored on the same device and in the same folder. If you use removable media, you can still place one image file set on several CDs or DVDs.

Previous image selection

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Incremental image size are based only on changes that occurred after the previous image was created.

If all image files are stored together, if doesn't matter which one you select, as the program will recognize them as a single image. If you stored the files on several removable disks, you must provide the latest image file; otherwise, restoration problems might occur.

Selecting image location

If you need to create a complete image, you must specify its location on a storage device:

• Acronis Secure Zone (see "Acronis Secure Zone")

• hard disk

• network disk

• removable media drive, such as CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, Iomega Zip

or Iomega Jaz.

Image location selection

Select the image location in the disk tree. In the File name field, enter image file name. If you select Acronis Secure Zone, you don't have to provide a name.

If there's already an image file with that name, Acronis True Image will ask if you want to overwrite it.

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Selecting image file size

With this step, you can specify if the program should create a single file or split it into equal smaller images.

If you select Automatic, Acronis True Image will try to decide this for every case. If there's enough space on the selected disk, the program will create a single image file.

If there is not enough space, Acronis True Image will warn you and wait for your decision. You can try to free some additional space and continue or stop Acronis True Image, free some space and re-execute the procedure.

Image file size selection

FAT16 and FAT32 file systems have a 4 GB limit for maximum file sizes. FAT32 is currently the most popular end user file system. At the same time, existin 160GB and larger! Therefore, an image file might easily exceed this limit. In that case, Acronis True Image will automatically split the image into several files.

If you need to create an image automatically on CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW

media, Acronis True Image will ask you to insert a new disk when the previous one is full.

You can also fix image file size by selecting Fixed size and entering the desired size or selecting it from the drop-down list. By default, the value is in bytes, but you can also use kilobytes and megabytes.

hard drives have capacities of

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

You can also split the ima you'll be able to easily transfer these files onto CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW disks. Creating images directly on CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW mi longer time then it would on a hard disk.

e file into several volumes when storing it on a hard drive. Later

Selecting data compression level

Now you must select the data compression level for the image to be created.

If you select None, all data will be transferred into an image file as they are, increasing the image size. Maximum compression might reduce the program performance and prolong image creation.

ht take considerably

Image data compression level selection

The optimal data compression level depends on disk (partition) file types and can only be understood empirically.

Usually, it is recommended that you leave the switch in the Normal position. If you need to create an image as fast as possible, select minimal compression. If you need to burn an image to removable media, you can select maximum compression.

Protecting images with passwords

An archive file with a partition (disk) image can be protected with a password. To protect an partition (disk) from being restored by anybody except you, enter a

password and its confirmation into the text fields of the wizard page Image Archive Protection

letters (in the upper and lower cases preferably) and numbers to make it more difficult to guess.

. A password should consist of at least eight symbols and contain both

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

Image password protection

If you try to restore data from a password-protected image, Acronis True Image will ask for the password in a special window, allowing access only to authorized users.

Providing comments

On the Image Archive Comments wizard page, you’ll be able to provide an archive

file with comments about the PC and its user, the hard disk, partition data, image creation time, and any peculiarities and conditions.

An image comment

Acronis True Image User’s Guide

The more details you provide in the comments, the better. If you don’t provide comments, you might mistake images and restore the wrong system partition, for example.

Image creation script

In the next window, you will see a disk or partition image creation script containing a list of operations to be performed.

Image creation script

All operations of a partition (disk) image creation in an archive file are delayed in Acronis True Image. A partition (disk) image creation script is created first; then it is executed.

After you click Proceed, Acronis True Image will start creating an image, indicating the progress in the special window. You can stop this procedure by clicking Cancel.

You can also close the progress window by clicking Close. Image creation will continue, but you will be able to start another operation or close the main program window. In the latter case, the program will continue working in the background and will automatically close once the image is ready. If you prepare some more image creation operations, they'll be queued after the current one.

Icons of the current and queued operations will be shown in the bottom of the main program window.

If you are to burn an ima will have to insert them in order during the restoration.

e to several removable media, be sure to number them, since you

+ 54 hidden pages

Acronis True Image Home - 7.0 User's Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 What is Acronis True Image?

1.2 What's new in Acronis True Image 7.0?

1.3 What is a disk image?

1.4 Software usage terms and conditions

Chapter 2. Installation and operation

2.3 Acronis True Image installation

2.4 Running Acronis True Image

2.5 Removing the program

Chapter 3. General program information

3.1 Main program window

Program menu

Status bar

Taskbar notification area icon

Disk and partition information

3.2 Acronis Secure Zone

Creating Acronis Secure Zone

Resizing Acronis Secure Zone

Deleting Acronis Secure Zone

3.3 Acronis Startup Recovery Manager

Selecting partitions

Selecting image mode

Selecting the previous image

Selecting image location

Selecting image file size

Selecting data compression level

Protecting images with passwords

Providing comments

Image creation script