- Complete file and system disk-imaging backup and restore software
- Create an exact copy of PC for a full backup; clone and upgrade hard drives
- Backup and restore specific files and folders; schedule backups automatically
- Lightning-speed restore with exclusive Acronis Snap Restore
- Designed for home and home-office users
Product Description
Complete file and system disk imaging backup and restore software for home and home office users that can protect your entire system and family pictures, videos, music, and important documents stored on your PC…. More >>
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Cons: Truly bad support, documentation of error codes is completely non-existent, etc. They won’t help you and you won’t be able to help yourself.
This product has been absolutely dreadful for us even though we’re using the newest build released just yesterday (5/22/2006).
The backups of files we select seems straightforward and the process tells us the backup was successful, but then when we go to restore from it we get one error message after another (both when trying to back up to DVDs, and then to the hard drive itself [just in case the DVDs was the issue]). Either way, we still have all kinds of error messages and unreliable backup of data using this product.
Oh, and if you need technical support what you get is you send an e-mail and in A FEW DAYS OR SO IF YOU’RE LUCKY someone responds with a canned answer that’s useless and has little to do with the problem you’ve had to describe to them since no one will talk to you on the phone. (If you want to talk to a human you have to pay $29.99, and that’s right after you just paid them for the product that never worked once.)
This is truly the worst PC product I’ve ever had the misfortune of ATTEMPTING to use in over 20 years of doing this, and the company has an attitude problem — they want your money but they don’t want to hear from you (or help you) after they’ve got it.
For some people the product seems to work, but for those for whom it doesn’t, you will find as I do that this company will be little to no help to you at all.
UPDATE:
My problem with this software turned out to be the length limitation on file paths, and since all the backup files are in a tree branch structure of files, some folders plus subfolders plus file names plus the stuff the program adds makes the name too long for the program to handle. I had to figure this out for myself over two full days (add that to the price of the product!) because Acronis doesn’t tell you that (perhaps by including a box of tips in the backup section) and doesn’t provide a list of error codes and what they might indicate as the problem. Tech support is non-existent unless you want to pay $29.99 per call, and all of this that I went through was completely avoidable. In fact, I got a hunch the file name length might be the issue from using someone else’s product which just plain SAID SO. If Acronis isn’t going to help the user the should provide the means for the user to help himself, but they don’t, and even when they add features like the DVD burning feature they don’t update the downloadable or web site information about it — it just shows up as a bullet point on a list of features at the time of this writing. You may have no problems with this, but if you do you are on your own. Personally I would look somewhere else for your backup needs just in case something goes wrong and you need answers. Good luck!
Rating: 1 / 5
Love the software. Hate the user experience.
Installed the trial version, reboot required. Liked the trial version so bought a copy. No way to enter the serial code in the trial version to upgrade to full version. Uninstalled the trial version, reboot required. Install the full version, reboot again. Found out the full version is out of date. Went to the support site. No downloadable version without registering. So registered, waited for an email to validate registration. Logged into the acronis site. Must register your product’s serial code before obtaining an update. But wait, their website has a bug that won’t let you register the product. Tried to email support to get my copy registered. Can’t email them because you need to register your product before getting support, which is why I’m trying to email them. Shockingly bad user experience.
This is the only consumer software company that demands user and product registration before providing bug fixes. They provide no way to update your software from within the program as many others do.
Acronis, you stink!
Rating: 2 / 5
I have used Acronis True Image 9 many times and have found that it works flawlessly.
I bought this product because I was looking for an easy way to upgrade the hard drive in my laptop. True Image walked me through the steps of duplicating the contents of my entire hard drive onto the new replacement drive that I had purchased. The entire process took less than 30 minutes and voila! Everything worked perfectly.
I thought about buying the Symantec product which does the same thing (Ghost I believe), but I’ve never cared for any of Symantec’s products so I was happy to give the $35 to Acronis.
Trust me, you won’t regret buying this software, even if you’re only planning to back up your hard drive.
Rating: 5 / 5
1. I am a “home” software tech.
I WAS using Norton Ghost, but kept having problems with their system restore bombing!
I needed a “full Image/System” backup, that is dependable, for me and my clients!
Acronis True Image 9.0 is it!
I read MANY reviews on 9.0. The reviews were love/hate?
Users commonly blame problems… on the computer/software/hardware…, but 99.9% of the time it is “user error…!”! The most common error, is that some other running program conflicts (especially AntiSpyware/AntiVirus!), with a PROPER pgm installation (see my PROPER install procedure below).
Things I was able to do while thoroughly testing 9.0 on 2 desktops & one laptop, with NO problems!
1. Backup/Restore from a different partition, on the primary Hard Drive (the best results!).
2. Backup/Restore from a different partition on my slave HD.
3. Backup/Restore from my new Western Digital USB 2.0, 120Gb, 7,200 rpm external HD (WOW!, it does faster backups… than 24x CD, and rivals my 7,200 rpm slave HD’s!).
4. Restored system from installed 9.0 program (best), and Acronis emergency boot CD.
ALL functions worked great for me, except Incremental Backup!
a. “Incremental backup”, is a pain!/slow & did not backup my changed data files…! I do a full image backup instead (faster!)!
II. This is what I did (should work for 8.0 also).
“Highly Technical”, print it out (File/Print…)!
9.0 is supposed to work on ALL/(raid too) HD’s.
1. My new WD 120mb USB 2.0 external HD-
a. Reformatted from FAT32 to NTFS using “quick…”, (I created “2″ 60mb partitions).
b. Forget the WD Software…, XP recognizes this HD, and installs all the drivers…/ Restart.
Now for a PROPER program install! You need to disable ALL running programs (hidden too!). If you are having problems… with 8.0/9.0 (for that matter ANY pgm!)- Uninstall/restart & do this PROPER install procedure)-
1. To Disable “ALL” Startup Group Items, (except if u have an add on firewall/SHOULD!).
Do this procedure for “ALL” your program installs, not just this one!
a. Start, Run, type in “msconfig”, Selective Startup (remove check from “Load Startup Group Items”, (click on Startup folder & put check in add on firewall only, if needed.), Apply, OK…, Restart Now. SLOW DOWN!
2. Install 9.0./ Restart XP LOVES restarts(All program installs/uninstalls/file deletes…, are NOT complete until AFTER a restart)! After a restart… ALWAYS wait for your tower… HD light to stop blinking, before continuing!!!). For that matter- EVERY time you click ANY pgm selection…, wait 10 seconds… for HD lights to stop blinking! YUP!, “WE” ARE faster than a speeding computer & I gotta super-fast one! (you want your computer/pgm… to play with a “Full Deck…!”) SLOW DOWN!
3. Go to the http://www.Acronis.com web site, and register your “valid” 9.0 software. Open their verification email, and click…
4. Login back onto the Acronis web site (“login” is hidden WAY on the right side) Download/Save…/Run the 37mb, 9.0 product update./ Restart!
note:- This is the complete program, and may/should be installed instead of using the old CD program. It will accept your CD key code.
5. Now do a “Normal Startup”-
Start, Run, msconfig, put dot in “Normal Startup”, apply, ok…, Restart Now. SLOW DOwn!
6. Cleanup your system (Fix-it Utilities 6 (ONLY install this pgm. see my review!), free- EasyCleaner 2.0, & CleanUp 4.0, are also GREAT!). Restart.
7. Now check your System files for errors- Open “My Computer”, RIGHT click on your system “C” drive/(Disk 1), Properties, Tools, Check Now, put ckeck in Automatically fix file system errors (only!, unless you suspect HD errors). Start Now…
a. Let XP do its restart checkup/auto repair, & restart “TWICE!”!
b. PROPER HD Defragment!- Restart, Log off internet. RIGHT click on ALL icons next to clock & exit/stop/disable… what you can, wait 1 min. for HD lights to stop, and defrag (see #7…). Restart TWICE, & log back onto internet.
8. Acronis can be VERY difficult to figure out (I LOVE this challenge!)! (download/install the free trial, first!?)!
a. To Create a bootable Rescue Media CD-
From “Normal Startup…”- Click on the life ring icon… (don’t be TO quick after opening 9.0!!!) SLOW DOWN!
b. Open 9.0, and do a backup to your destination HD(Default settings. Expand +My Computer, to find HD’s…).
The backup file MUST be named- SomethingMeaningful.tib (i.e- LaptopE1.tib (“E” being the HD file is stored on!)). (9.0 took about 5 min to backup the 7gb of files on my C drive).
c. Restart, and run a 9.0 “Check Archive”, on the .tib file you just created (about 5 min.).
9. Now see if System Restore works (Takes about 15min.!)? Don’t open any email…, or any other file/pgm changes… (Overwrites your existing system)! Backup ALL your important data files first(the most important file for most, is your “Email Address Book”!). Restart.
a. Restore fm 9.0 pgm (best), or if “dead in water…” put the emergency 9.0 boot CD in, and restart (may have to change your bios to restart from CD, before your HD?). When the 9.0 “boot” CD opens “Quick!!!”, click on the TOP! option…
Note”: Once restore is started- DO NOT CANCEL, or you’ll lose XP…! (start over if you goof up… Be patient!).
HD letters will “drastically change!”, browse for your .tib restore file (you’ll be glad you put the “E”…, in the .tib file name!), and click it…
Important LATER Note!: I downloaded & installed their later version, that fully supports DVD writing-
1. The DVD backup, took an hour & 15 minutes (HD backup took 5 minutes)! I wouldn’t even try a SLOW restore from this!
a. When you select your DVD writer, and it comes back & says “Invalid CD…”, just click retry…, & it will select DVD.
2. The HD recovery with this new version took 45min! The older version took less than 10min.
ENJOY!
)
Scott
Rating: 5 / 5
In terms of value, reliability, and ease of use, Acronis True Image 9 stands head and shoulders above most of the other backup software out there (e.g. Ghost, Dantz Retrospect, to name but two). Don’t look to the folks at Acronis for great product support, however, because you’re not likely to get it … at least I never have, in the three years or so that I’ve been using their products. A couple of hints to those new to this software: (1) If you are installing your Acronis secure zone on a dual option Firewire/USB external hard drive, DO NOT use USB; always, always, always use Firewire instead. (No matter what they may tell you, True Image 9 IS NOT properly supported by prevailing USB 2.0 architecture, let alone the older 1.1, and if your external hard drive is USB 2 only, you may be in for a lot of headaches.) (2) If you are reinstalling Windows, haven’t updated your applications in some time, AND you happen to own Acronis Privacy Suite as well, DO NOT download antispyware definitions updates directly from the Privacy Suite GUI; instead, go to the Acronis Updates page. Download the largest (oldest) applicable updates file from there, and install OFFLINE. Otherwise you will find that True Image 9 stops working and has to be reinstalled. (3) If you have a printer or other peripheral hooked up to your USB port(s), DISCONNECT it (them) BEFORE starting any backup operations. Good luck. This is a good product.
Rating: 4 / 5