Acronis Backup Software

[Mary Young]

Is anyone using this software and can hold my hand?
Trying to help a friend restore files to a new PC but scared we might wipe the new hard drive. |computer |

[Mike_E]

Not used that software,

but just going to give you some other options which might be easier.

1. Get a USB memory stick - 2gbt ones are now less than £20. you copy the data from PC1 onto the memory stick, then plug it into the 2nd PC and copy the data onto that.

2. Buy a USD-IDE converter - Maplins sell them, or Ebay. You remove the HDD from PC1 and plug into the USB-IDE converter and plug that into PC2, you can then copy all of the contents of the HDD to the new PC.

3. You can get a USB cable which allows you to conect two PC's together.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=25600&&source=14&doy=16m10
£20.00 from maplins. I've done this a few times and is simple. you just switch on eboth PC's and plug the USB into both and copy files from one to the other.

Just a thought. If the old pc is going in the bin, go for option 2. then keep the HDD from the old PC, and do regular backups to it from the new one.

If you need any more info, PM me, or ask in this forum and I'll try and explain in more detail.

[Mary Young]

Mike, thanks for your advice. But the master hard drive in the old PC crashed, we can't get at the files to copy anything.
My friend had used Acronis to back up to a 2nd hard drive inside the old box. We've taken it out and attached to new PC with special cable thingy. We can see two very large files there. think they are Acronis disk images of entire disk.
Needless to say, the downloaded Acronis software was on the crashed drive, he hadn't copied it to CD ... aaargh!
So we'll have to repurchase the software. I am just afraid that, when we open one of the image files, Acronis might suddenly start to restore the disk image (which wouldn't do the new 'puter any good).

[Mike_E]

Hi Mary,

If your friend has the original purchase order, they should allow you to Download and install the software from their site. i would imagine if you spoke to them they would be able to find a record of the purchase and help you that way. I've done this many time for people who have bought and lost software.

the two files, are as you suggest probably image files, the all the backup software I use daily allows you to open the image file up (browse the contents) and select what you want to restore, so you shoul dbe able to select the files you need and ignore any system files.

There are trial versions of the software which you can download, if I wasn't off to sunny London (work not Kew) I'd download a copy at work and learn how to use it tomorrow.
http://eu.acronis.com/homecomputing/
Let me know (PM or post here) and I'll see if I can do that Friday or over the weekend if those time scales are helpful.

[Mary Young]

Hello, Mike
Thanks for your offer of help. We've found proof of purchase so hopefully all will be well by tomorrow. I'll let you know.:)

[Mary Young]

Thanks for the pointer. The new computer is up and running with XP Pro (old computer was XP Home). We'll be installing Acronis tomorrow and confident now that restoring selected documents and pictures will run OK. We had mainly wanted reassurance that Acronis wouldn't "run away with us" and do a complete restore without asking - definitely not desired in this case. :)

[Mike_E]

We had mainly wanted reassurance that Acronis wouldn't "run away with us" and do a complete restore without asking - definitely not desired in this case. :)

Spoke to the Acronis people at Olympia yesterday, they said the home verison of the software does full system restores, but you should be able to drill down into the backup set and select the files you need.

[Mary Young]

Hi Mike and Mr Annie
Reporting complete success restoring my friend's files. Thanks for the "hand-holding" and support. |hug|