Backup/Recovery Software Recommendations

[DirkGildun]

I've used Acronis TrueImage (2010 version) for years for backup/recovery of our PCs' hard drives. I had purchased versions 2011 and 2012 when they came out, but they had a lot of bugs (the 2012 version even corrupted the hard drive of a PC that I used at work -- a very bad thing!!!). So I went back to version 2010. However, this version does not seem to like my wife's new Windows 10 PC.


Can anyone recommend any current (compatible with Win 7 and Win 10) software that will create a recovery backup (including a USB and/or CD/DVD bootup option) that you use and like?


Does anyone know if TrueImage 2016 is more stable than the previous versions (going back to 2011)?


Thanks!

[Bikerdude]

Ive been using Acronis for a while now, converted in 2012 from Ghost when it stopped being reliable (as in when Symantec bought them)

 

I am now on Acronis 2016, I have weird issue in the past with older versions where it failed to restore from an image. But that has only happened 2 times in as many years, so I can't completely point the finger at Acronis. I was using 2014, but upgraded to 2016 to get NVMe SSD support.

 

I use Acronis recovery on a USB stick, but you can install it on a machine and do restores locally. Simialr to the way OEM factory restore works on pre-built PC's from HP, Dell, etc.

 

An similar looking alternative to Acronis is a util called Macrium Reflect, and of course there is good old CloneZilla (but this is painfully slow)

 

- http://alternativeto.net/software/acronis-true-image/

[DirkGildun]

Looking at reviews of True Image 2016 on Acronis' forum and on Amazon, it seems 2016 has a lot of the same problems that have plagued the versions after 2010. I don't feel comfortable shelling out more money to them for a version that potentially I'll try and then scrap.

 

I've seen some good reviews for a free backup/recovery package -- AOEMEI Backupper Standard 3.5 (you have to pay for the Pro version). I've installed it, and, while its GUI is much more simplistic that what I was used to with Acronis, it seems to do everything I'm looking for. But I need to play around with it some more before I feel comfortable enough with it to have our PCs be totally reliant on it.

 

Thanks for your thoughts, Bikerdude!

[Bikerdude]

Looking at reviews of True Image 2016 on Acronis' forum and on Amazon, it seems 2016 has a lot of the same problems that have plagued the versions after 2010. I don't feel comfortable shelling out more money to them for a version that potentially I'll try and then scrap.

Interesting, got some links..?

[Oldjim]

I am still using 2009 and see no reason to give them any money to upgrade

[DirkGildun]

Interesting, got some links..?

Acronis True Image 2016 Forum:

https://forum.acronis.com/forums/acronis-true-image-discussions/acronis-true-image-2016-forum

 

Amazon Reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/Acronis-True-Image-2016-Computer/product-reviews/B013LIFUNO/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful

 

AOMEI Backupper Standard 3.5:

http://www.backup-utility.com/

[Bikerdude]

Re: Acronis -

 

• I would say a lot of those users were using the applcation instead of the recovery media - I have never ever doing a backup and restore from windows. I always boot frome the recovery media, this is safer and also allows me to restore and image direclty a brand new and empty hard drive etc.
• And a bunch of them are using Windows 10
• And some of them are trying to restore from the cloud.
• I also disable ALL the Acronis services, as there is no need to have them running

[DirkGildun]

Bikerdude,

 

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Acronis announcing the new 2017 version of True Image. It quoted a price that was for 1 license for 1 PC for 1 year. Was this the case for the 2016 version also -- only good for 1 year?

 

I dropped McAfee anti-virus back when they went to that crap -- no updates to their virus definitions after 1 year.

[Bikerdude]

The licence never expires so you can carry on using the same version of Acronis for as long as you like, so yeah its doing the same thing as McaFee- but you dont need to keep updating Acronis for it to do its primary function.

[DirkGildun]

Thanks!