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Released: 2009-10-08 Rating:  More Details: Acronis True Image Home 2010: Backup and Recovery (PC) Acronis True Image Home 2010: Backup and Recovery (PC) @Amazon Acronis True Image Home 2010: Backup and Recovery (PC) @aStore |
Customer Reviews:
Not sure
*For the record, I'm using Vista, not 7, so I can't comment on compatibility issues with the newest version of Windows*
Now looking at these reviews, it'd seem that either this software either works great for you or it doesn't and you get lots of problems with it. I fall somewhere in between, I'm not computer savvy enough to tell you the whys and wherefores as to what others and I may be doing wrong so it is quite possible that the problems I'm having are down to me, but either way it's enough to make me unsure about this product, but I can see its worth, which is why I'm remaining somewhat neutral in giving it 3 stars. It could well be a great product, or may well become one with more updates, but it isn't for me, at least at the moment.
Software Excellence
Okay, cards on the table, I have been an Acronis user for several years, using their previous versions to backup. I've always found their products (Disk Director and True Image) to be trouble free and great value for money. I have no connection with Acronis, other than as a satisfied customer.
A couple of years ago, I bought a USB attached hard drive (750GB capacity) and began doing complete weekly partition backups of my laptop onto that USB drive, using the previous Acronis version to this one. The way that works is that Acronis copies the entire contents of your hard drive (not just your files, but also all your system settings, bookmarks and so on) into a single - huge - file on your USB drive.
When you think about how much time and effort you've probably put into customizing your PC and installing extra stuff on it and so on, it makes a lot of sense to do more than just backup your files. Anyone who has been through the hassle of having to start again after a hard drive crash for which there was no backup will recognize the value of backing up your complete system settings as well as all your files.
My USB drive could hold about 3 weekly complete backups of my laptop drive (Using just Acronis's default normal data compression). Each backup took about 4 hours to complete, but I just set it running last thing on a Sunday and it was done by Monday morning and it always worked perfectly.
When the hard drive in my laptop failed - on a Monday as it happened - all I had to do was get a replacement hard drive fitted into my laptop. Then I booted up from the Acronis CD, connected my USB drive, and with just a few clicks Acronis restored my complete system back to precisely the state it had been the day before!
I lost nothing: All my data, my files, my website bookmarks, my media library, my desktop settings - everything was PRECISELY back as it had been. Within about 3 hours of getting the hard drive replaced I was working again, just as if nothing had happened. Now, that's magical stuff.
I remember that the previous time I had a disc failure, when I had only been doing desultory file backups in a half-arsed kind of way, it took me the better part of a week to get the laptop back to something close to what it had been, and I still lost some files that I could never replace. So, the improvement gained by having bought Acronis was WELL worth it.
Thus, as an Acronis fan-boy, I'm glad to report that this version is just as good and works every bit as well as the previous one. I fancy it may be a little bit faster than the previous version, but I haven't bench marked it. They've tidied up the user interface a little too. It wasn't hard to use before, but now it's even easier.
As before, you can go back and extract files or groups of files from the backups of your complete hard drive. That way that works is that you tell Acronis to make your most recent partition backup appear as an additional drive letter on your system. Then you can use Windows explorer to browse the contents of your backup and copy and paste whatever files you need to retrieve, just as if it *really* was an additional drive you'd installed. Really simple to use.
I am running Windows XP and am thinking I might try W7: I did try Vista last year, but was not impressed, so went back to where I left XP - again just by using Acronis to restore my last XP partition backup - more magic! So, having this 2010 Acronis version will de-risk trying out W7for me, with the security of knowing that I can restore my XP system very quickly if W7 doesn't appeal.
Alan T
Do you need this?
I am ambivalent about this kind of software. If you want a full disk backup, there arefree tools to accomplish this, such as dd, the unix command that is included in Cygwin and also available as a free Windows stand alone tool.
If, on the other hand, you want to backup your personal files, Microsoft provide a free extra in the form of Synctoy 2.0. In Windows 7 it is just a case of backing up one folder.
Plus if you ever have to reinstall Windows it is probably better to have a fresh install than to keep all the problems that build up over the months.
On inserting the CD, I was almost immediately asked if I wanted to download the latest version, a mammoth download. Before doing this, a 64 character product key must be entered. Acronis at least make this simpler by allowing you to email them the first few characters and they post back the full key to copy and paste in. But that is when you register, and at this stage you have not even entered an email address.
After installation, you will need to reboot. Now what happened to that Microsoft policy that any reboot would be treated as an error?
I think you will have gotten the impression that I am not too favourable about this product by now. Needless to say, it will not be staying on my laptop. It was a review copy and I can live without it.
Too many problems 
Problems started when 'Favorites' in Internet Explorer disappeared when 'non-stop-backup' in Acronis was turned on. After recovering these 'Favorites' using Vista 'restore', the computer crashed when next using Acronis. During the crash loops, two features of Acronis - a 'bootable' disk made using Acronis and use of the 'F11' key - were simply ignored and I had to re-install Vista. Subsequent attempts to install an update - claimed to solve the 'Favorites' problem - resulted in neither old nor new version of Acronis working. Another Vista restore did allow me to re-install the orignal version of Acronis, which I am using successfully with the 'non-stop backup' turned off. Entering the 72-character product key every time I have had to install this program has not improved my opinion. Some problems are due to my incorrect use of the product: every now and again I print a few more pages of the 180-page manual. When it works, this is an impressive backup program: complete recovery in hours rather than the weeks necessary to get all your personal preferences restored; the ability to copy and paste between two versions of the same data file.
First impression -impossible to register it, invalid reg codes 
I've used 2 versions before, so I was glad to get the new 2010 version before my next weeks upgrade to Win7
Unfortunately Acronis have seen fit to institute a silly registration scheme.
The reg code is 64 characters long. (Really loooooooooooooooooooong to input)
BUT -they have a cunning plan, you only register the first 16 characters and they send an email with the rest for cut & paste into the full registration..
Despite 7 attempts at the short code - the process insists this is an INVALID REGISTRATION CODE.
So- I went unto the home site and did the full 64 bit reg code; it's INVALID.
The product is un-installable - I've e-mailed tech support, but on previous occasions, this was hopeless and slow, some 2-3 weeks plus to respond and an idiot answer that meant I could no longer use the 2009 version.
I'll update this if I ever get a response and the thing working.
Don't hold your breath - and BEWARE !
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