Acronis True Image question

Norman-B

I have a desktop and a laptop. I back up (to my ext HD) rarely as I mainly surf for pleasure these days (now that I'm retired).
My question is, I was thinking of buying Acronis True Image but wonder if I need it. All my docs are now on Google Docs and photos all on 2 ext HD's.

If I did buy Acronis, can I use it on both the PC and laptop or do I need to buy two copies?
Thanks for reading.

closed

windows 7 has disk imaging built in, if you have a seagate/maxtor/wd hard disk, then a cut down version of acronis is available for free on their websites.

Consider what you would do if either hard disk failed - since you have external drives, you may as well backup, saves all the hassle of reinstalling windows etc.

Also put the photo's on a dvd, viruses can wipe out all three disks

Norman-B

Thank you, Closed. I'm grateful for your advice. Sorry, I should have said that I have all 38gb of photos (about 30gb of my grandchild) on DVD's (dozens of the things!) I better get some more DVD's in as another grandchild due in March!

macman

Restoring from a disk image is a lot less hassle than reinstalling Windows, then all the drivers, then all your own programs and data.

GunJack

alternatively, macrium reflect free edition will do the same thing as acronis, and you don't have to pay for it

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

I use both, and both do the biz no probs....

Mr_Toad

Norman-B wrote: »

I have a desktop and a laptop. I back up (to my ext HD) rarely as I mainly surf for pleasure these days (now that I'm retired).
My question is, I was thinking of buying Acronis True Image but wonder if I need it. All my docs are now on Google Docs and photos all on 2 ext HD's.

If I did buy Acronis, can I use it on both the PC and laptop or do I need to buy two copies?
Thanks for reading.

I'm rather paranoid about backing up data, 40 years working in IT will do that to you.

Backup software isn't really anything clever, it just makes doing backups easy and in most cases automatic.

Over the years I've tried loads of backup software and Acronis is one of the best I've used, it just works.

From what you say you already have backups of your important stuff so from that point of view it's a bit belt and braces. What it will give you is an automated backup solution that you can forget about.

You can set it to run daily, weekly or however often you want. It will also run continuous backups meaning as soon as you save a file it runs and backs it up immediately.

One big downside to taking automated backups is that to work it needs access to the external drive, or whatever drive you back up to. If you don't plug the external disk in it won't work. If the external drive is connected all the time it will.

Once set up you can leave it alone. You can set Acronis up to email you the log file each time it runs.

I set up a rule in Outlook to check the email for success or failure. Success and the email was moved to an Outlook Folder, Failure and it was flagged and highlighted in red and left in my inbox to be sorted out.

In theory you need a copy/licence for each machine. I have no idea if it will let you enter the same number on both machines.

As others have said, as well as backups Acronis, and Windows 7 backup, can also take disk image snapshots. Restoring your entire PC from one of these is a breeze and a *lot* quicker than installing from scratch.

Shimrod

masonn wrote: »

In theory you need a copy/licence for each machine. I have no idea if it will let you enter the same number on both machines.

Versions prior to 2012 you could install on more than one machine, the 2012 version requires activation (like windows), so I would assume it now detects more than one install using the same licence key.
Acronis do a three licence pack for £59 and sometimes do offers so you may get it for a bit less.