** Reply to message from Michael Norman <michael.norman@xxxxxxx> on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:32:13 -0400 > Robert, can you explain what you mean by a "boot image?" A copy of the whole HD including the boot partition. Acronis doesn't really make an "image" (a 1:1 clone including free space), rather just a copy of all the data. I do staggered backups (complete, not incremental) so that I have at least two weeks' worth at any one time. > I too use Acronis weekly to create an image of my HD. > And I have ... BartPe with an Acronis plug-in on it. Me too. BartPE is a crucial utility -- a lot better than booting from a Linux or DOS disc because you can run native Windows programs/utilities. I've written a bunch of plugins for it: XyWrite, UltraVNC, UltraVNCSC, I forget what else... went on a plugin binge a few years ago... > Is that the "boot" you mean -- booting up with either of those > disks, then using Acronis to restore the image that's stored > on the external HD? No. Usually I reinstall the operating system from a Windows installation disk, partition the HD, do CHKDSK /R on all partitions several times, use BartPE/Acronis to overwrite the data in the new boot partition with my old boot partition, make sure it boots properly, then copy the other partitions. Obviously you have to be alert to the possibility that in reinstalling your old system, you are also reinstalling problems -- perhaps the problems that caused the old machine to crash! All IBM/Lenovo TPs have a hidden FAT32 partition with a clean reinstall on it. I always order that on a separate set of CDs/DVDs, then wipe it off the HD, and disable the proprietary System Restore utility (the hidden "RRbackups" directory on the boot drive). Those two steps liberate a whole lot of disk space. ----------------------------- Robert Holmgren holmgren@xxxxxxxxxx -----------------------------