Backing up your data with Acronis True Image

My advice to any of my clients is to have some sort of way to backup their data right away. It is important to back up regular. A hard drive in the computer system that stores data can go out at anytime. Virus can come by anytime affecting the way your operating system boots, slowing down your system and then “blue screen of death”. All these symptoms with your computer means a possibility of lost of all collected data, music, pictures, work files, outlook backup, email and purchase application.

What are the common way to backing up your data. Simply backing up any important data to an external media or burning them to a cd/dvd discs using dedicated software. Keeping all purchase software store safely in case of computer crash so you have your key and serial handy. Restoring your system to factory settings and reconfiguring everything, reinstalling favorite software and then updating, can take up literally hours of downloading. There had to be a better way, and there is Acronis True Image.

For the uninitiated; Acronis True Image’s main task, among many options, it to create an image of your entire system. This from the Acronis site: ‘back up your entire PC, including the OS plus your data, applications, pictures, video, financial documents, settings and everything!’

The image can then be saved to CD/DVD, flash drive or any internal/external hard drive as well as on a network share or FTP-server; from there you can search for and restore any individual files or restore the entire system. To aid in conserving space there are three levels of compression available; normal, high, and maximum, as well as the ability to schedule incremental and differential backups.

Acronis True Image has long been regarded as the premier imaging software and the latest version (2009) continues that trend with a host of new features making for even greater flexibility, for a full list of features take a look here: True Image Features

True Image has so many advantages over its rivals, freeware offerings in particular always seem to be missing at least one crucial component or are seriously limited in some way but the four key elements when making comparisons are; speed, versatility, ease of use and above all reliability. True Image meets all the requirements and then some; it is fast, extremely versatile, very easy to use and totally dependable. I am a freeware nut and will search high and wide for free alternatives, as I did with imaging software. I say without hesitation, Acronis True Image represents the best investment and value for money I have ever outlaid for my computer.

To help show how easy it is to use Acronis True Image let’s go through the complete system backup process:

1) Start Acronis and you will see the ‘welcome’ screen. Choose the “Back up” option.

2) Now choose what you would like to back up. In this case we will choose “My Computer”.

3) Acronis recognize what storage drives you have connect or installed on your system even an external usb. Choose the source that you want to back up. In this case we choose drive c: only.

4) Now choose a location to save the image. In this case it is the h: drive which is my external hard drive.

5) For initial full back up select the “Create new backup archive” option. View summary if you like then go to the scheduling window. Click “Next”

You shouldn’t to validate the archive this will make the backup longer. Now click “Proceed” button to being the backup.

The backup should take around 20 min this is with the default “Normal” compression. There are more option and much more feature to explore. Acronis True Image 2009 is best and just got better. A must have for anyone seeking a serious way of backing up and fastest way to recovery.

Get your copy of Acronis True Image 2009 here