Using Acronis to rebuild my PC

Beeralbion · 16 Nov 2008 at 13:44

Hi,

I format my PC fairly often and want to know if this would be made easier if I used Acronis True Image Home 2009?

To install XP on to my SATA Raid HDs I need to add the driver at the pre-install section (F6?). If I had the image created once with Acronis would I then be able to bypass this whole section?

I only have a trial version of Acronis TI at the moment so i'm not sure of how this software works. I assume you make a bootable CD and then copy the image you have created to the main drive using it's utilities?? If so will I be able to do this from my external USB 160Gb hard drive?

meghatronic · 16 Nov 2008 at 13:46

Blank your pc, reinstall everything nice how you wanting, including the sata drivers, create an image with acronis.

Burn the image to external hdd, and create a restore cd.

Next time you wanna format, format and restore the image using the cdk bypassing EVERYTHING.

At least, that's my understanding.

thepharcyde · 16 Nov 2008 at 15:15

SATA is not always Acronis/Ghost freindly. If you have Vista Ultimate it has its own image software. Much better and free

Deleted member 77746 · 16 Nov 2008 at 15:27

thepharcyde said:
SATA is not always Acronis/Ghost freindly. If you have Vista Ultimate it has its own image software. Much better and free

I can second this. I have some HP DC7700 at work and Acronis hates the controller!!! Awaiting new version of Acronis to sort out this issue.

meghatronic · 16 Nov 2008 at 15:34

thepharcyde said:
Vista Ultimate it has its own image software. Much better and free

This I did not know, thanks!

Beeralbion · 16 Nov 2008 at 15:49

I have WinXP Home SP3 streamlined.

Thinking about it when I format the PC it no longer recognises my SATA drives so surely I will be unable to copy the image back on to it? It only detects the drive AFTER I F6 at the blue screen install :/

I have removed the floppy drive ages ago and hoped i wouldn't need to put it back in the pc simply for adding the F6 SATA driver. Using an image seemed a great idea!

Deleted member 77746 · 16 Nov 2008 at 16:05

Beeralbion said:
I have WinXP Home SP3 streamlined.

Thinking about it when I format the PC it no longer recognises my SATA drives so surely I will be unable to copy the image back on to it? It only detects the drive AFTER I F6 at the blue screen install :/

I have removed the floppy drive ages ago and hoped i wouldn't need to put it back in the pc simply for adding the F6 SATA driver. Using an image seemed a great idea!

If you format your pc and set it up correctly then it will image. The image contains the drivers it used for the Sata controller on setup.

maddness · 17 Nov 2008 at 14:17

Beeralbion said:
I have WinXP Home SP3 streamlined.

Thinking about it when I format the PC it no longer recognises my SATA drives so surely I will be unable to copy the image back on to it? It only detects the drive AFTER I F6 at the blue screen install :/

I have removed the floppy drive ages ago and hoped i wouldn't need to put it back in the PC simply for adding the F6 SATA driver. Using an image seemed a great idea!

you'd have have rely on the recovery disk (e.g. true image's recovery CD) if it has drivers for your controller then you'll be fine, if the controller drives are not loaded then the drive will not be visible for the image.

maddness · 17 Nov 2008 at 14:18

optitech-uk said:
If you format your pc and set it up correctly then it will image. The image contains the drivers it used for the Sata controller on setup.

it will image but but i think hes asking about the restoring process.

Brian Stuart · 17 Nov 2008 at 16:53

I've restored images created with Acronis onto SATA drives many, many times with no problems.