Acronis True Image 8.0

[bucwylde23]

If i re-format and do a install of windows on a desktop computer, what is the average size of the disk image? Will it be the exact size how much used space is on the hard drive?

The computer does not have a DVD burner, just a CD-R/RW burner. I want to be able to have an image available instead of having to re-install all of the time.

I also do not have a USB drive at this point.

also, is true image the best program for this? I am looking to buy soon (today) so any help would be appreciated!

 

[bucwylde23]

ONe more question, once I buy this, is it only a license for ONE computer?

I want to be able to use it on my computer and my parent's computers. Is this possible? I would think that backup software isn't really that helpful on just ONE computer.....

 

[DaveSimmons]

I think the license is for one computer, but if you burn the bootable CD it does not enforce this.

If you are the only one ever using the software (i.e. you don't teach your parents to use it or give them their own copy) that might be OK.

Image size is something like one-half the actual used part of a partition, which varies based on what you have installed. Acronis can split this into multiple files.

For using the bootable CD I normally have it write to the D: partition instead of writing directly to the CD burner but you can do that too.

 

[MustISO]

Generally speaking all the image programs use a boot disk of some type so you could use it on 100 PC's if you wanted to.

It only images the data and not the size of the partition. So if you're using 1GB, it'll be 1GB or smaller.

They usually have some type of compression for shrinking the images. Some can do 50% of more compression.

 

[bucwylde23]

Thanks everone, bought it as a download.

I installed it and created a boot disk, it worked great! Program was very easy to use and I love it.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: chrisg22
Thanks everone, bought it as a download.

I installed it and created a boot disk, it worked great! Program was very easy to use and I love it.

I'm curious, what's the answer to your original question...the compressed image size of an xp reinstall?

 

[bucwylde23]

Well, I re-installed XP. Downloaded all of the windows updates, including SP2.
I also installed: norton internet security/antivirus
printer drivers
sound card drivers
Office XP
Microsoft Anti-spyware.

I had put around 2 GB of random crap of my mom's on there.

I used normal compression, as the only difference between normal and highest was 1 disk.

My image size was around ~8 GB, and took 7 CD-R's.

I checked, and without using any compression, the disk size was around 10-11 GB, and it would have taken 14 CD-R's!

Overall, having a DVD burner would help a lot!

 

[corkyg]

It would be cheaper and perhaps more useful to just buy a second harddrive and put it all on using Acronis' Clone Function - that way it would be "plug-and-go" to another machine.

TrueImage 8 is really a good program. I always use the bootable CD it creates so nicely, and that bypasses the OS - gives you real freedom to clone or image anything. It also will work across a LAN - and that is very useful.

 

[bucwylde23]

well, i don't really want to buy a second hard drive. This was for my parent's computer. I already have a 80 gb and 320 gb HD, and a DVD burner also.

So at the most it would only take 2 DVD's on my computer, or I can just back it up to my 320 GB storage drive.

I'll probably never touch their computer again for a while.... hopefully!

Yeah, i like acronis to.

 

[SuPrEIVIE]

Originally posted by: chrisg22
Well, I re-installed XP. Downloaded all of the windows updates, including SP2.
I also installed: norton internet security/antivirus
printer drivers
sound card drivers
Office XP
Microsoft Anti-spyware.

I had put around 2 GB of random crap of my mom's on there.

I used normal compression, as the only difference between normal and highest was 1 disk.

My image size was around ~8 GB, and took 7 CD-R's.

I checked, and without using any compression, the disk size was around 10-11 GB, and it would have taken 14 CD-R's!

Overall, having a DVD burner would help a lot!

i don't understand when i try to burn an image on DVD with dvd burner under True Image it states that it cannot burn to DVD-/+ Rs and that it would have to be CD-Rs or left on a HD or other capacity alternatives?

 

[bucwylde23]

Originally posted by: SuPrEIVIE

Originally posted by: chrisg22
Well, I re-installed XP. Downloaded all of the windows updates, including SP2.
I also installed: norton internet security/antivirus
printer drivers
sound card drivers
Office XP
Microsoft Anti-spyware.

I had put around 2 GB of random crap of my mom's on there.

I used normal compression, as the only difference between normal and highest was 1 disk.

My image size was around ~8 GB, and took 7 CD-R's.

I checked, and without using any compression, the disk size was around 10-11 GB, and it would have taken 14 CD-R's!

Overall, having a DVD burner would help a lot!

i don't understand when i try to burn an image on DVD with dvd burner under True Image it states that it cannot burn to DVD-/+ Rs and that it would have to be CD-Rs or left on a HD or other capacity alternatives?

I have not tried to use my DVD burner with Acronis yet, but I found this on their website as part of the true image FAQ.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/faq.html#20

You should check this out to make sure this isn't the problem that you are having.

 

[corkyg]

Don't try to burn the DVD directly. Create the Image file on your hard drive - even an ISO file, then burn it using your regular burnware (Nero or Roxio, etc.)