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.

Get your copy of Acronis True Image 2009 here   

You can access the Recovery Console in either of two ways: Boot the system to the installation CD-ROM and launch the Recovery Console from there, or install the Recovery Console onto the system so that it’s available as an option from the boot menu.

Starting the Recovery Console with the Windows XP Professional Installation CD-ROM

1. Boot your computer system to the installation CD-ROM and start the Windows Setup installation process.
   
2. At the Welcome to Setup dialog box, press the R key to select the option to repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console.
   

Adding the Recovery Console to the Windows XP Boot Menu

1. Insert the Windows XP Professional installation CD-ROM. You can temporarily disable autoplay by holding down the SHIFT key as you insert the disc.
   
2. Select Start > Run, type d:\i386\winnt32 /cmdcons, and click OK. If d is not the drive letter for your CD-ROM drive, substitute the correct drive letter.
   
3. A dialog box opens, asking you to confirm installation of the Recovery Console. Click the Yes button to install the Recovery Console.
   
4. The Recovery Console files are copied to a hidden folder named \CMDCONS which resides in the root directory of your system’s boot drive—most commonly C:\CMDCONS.
   
5. The next time you restart your system, the boot menu will have the option of starting Windows XP Professional or the Recovery Console.
   
6. Press the C key to select the option to repair Windows XP using the Recovery Console.

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To remove the AntiMalwareGuard

Before you start: Print or bookmark these instructions because you’ll have to reboot into Safe Mode. Also back up your computer in case you make a mistake.

1. Download and save SmitFraudFix to your desktop.
   
2. Restart your computer in Safe Mode (how to do safe mode). Once the
   desktop appears, double click on the SmitfraudFix.exe on your desktop.
   
3. After the credits screen, you’ll see a menu. Select the option number 2, which is ‘Clean (safe mode recommended)’, and then
   press Enter to delete infect files.
   
4. SmitFraudFix will begin cleaning your computer and take a series of cleanup processes. When the process is over, it will automatically begin the Disk Cleanup program.
   
5. Once the Disk Cleanup program is complete, you will be prompted with the message ‘Registry cleaning – Do you want to clean the registry’. Answer Y (Yes) and hit Enter. Reboot your computer.
   
6. SmitFraudFix will now check if wininet.dll is infected. SmitFraudFix will ask you whether to replace the infected file (if there’s any) Answer by typing Y (Yes) to replace file then hit Enter.
   
7. Reboot your computer to complete the cleaning process.
   
8. After reboot, a Notepad screen may appear containing a log of all the files
   removed from your computer. If it doesn’t appear, a file will be created called
   rapport.txt in the root of your drive, (Local Disk C:).
   
9. Restart your computer in Safe Mode (how to do safe mode).
   
10. Go to C:\Windows\Temp, click Edit, click Select All, press DELETE, and then
    click Yes to confirm that you want all the items to go to the Recycle Bin.
    
11. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\[LISTED USER]\Local Settings\Temp, click Edit, click Select All, press DELETE, and then click Yes to confirm that
    you want all the items to go to the Recycle Bin.
    
12. Reboot your computer back to normal mode.
    

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 As the computer restarts, a progress bar will appear at the bottom of the screen, immediately press F8 once every second, before the progress bar reaches the right side of the screen.

 On the Windows Start-up menu, highlight Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking and press Enter.

 Your desktop will appear. Make the necessary repairs.

 Restart the computer and allow it to boot normally.

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Step 1: Go to device manager Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager

    a. Right click and uninstall the missing CD / DVD ROM

Step 2. Remove the registry entries.

A. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

B. In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

C. In the right pane, click UpperFilters.

D. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

E. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

F. In the right pane, click LowerFilters.

G. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

H. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

I. Exit Registry Editor.

J. Restart the computer.

Note: If you notice a loss of functionality in a particular program such as in CD recording software after you remove the UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values, reinstall that software.

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