lhardister Loc: Brownsville, TN

Earlier this year I purchased the Acronis backup software for my Windows 10 computer. I am using external WD hard disc drives for backup. I have installed it and suppose that it is working the way that it is designed to do--but I don't know because I understand so little about it. It takes forever to display the contents of "backed up" folders/files. I have found this program to be (to me) inordinately confusing, particularly with its options of a "full backup", a "differential backup", and an "incremental backup. The same applies for terminology like "scheduled backups and versions" and "recovery" vis-à-vis just copying what is needed from back-up folders/files.

I need, I think, simple step-by-step instructions, preferably written and illustrated, on the use of this software, but cannot seem to find anything that even comes close, certainly not the instructions provided by the producer of the software. Can anyone suggest anything?

Please do not bother to talk to me about alternative "cloud" options and cloud-related back-up solutions. The internet speeds available in my area make the cloud impractical, and my experience with Amazon Photos and the like has been disappointing.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

I use it for years and never found anything confusing or hard to do, sorry.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

You might find what you're looking for by doing a search on youtube. There are a lot of videos, of varying quality, that might provide the help you need.
--Bob

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I would recommend doing some research on what confuses you. like:

https://www.acronis.com/en-us/articles/incremental-differential-backups/

lhardister Loc: Brownsville, TN

Thanks for your reply. Would you mind telling me what type of backup--whether full, incremental, or differential--that you use/prefer and why you chose that type? And if you use incremental or differential, how many interim versions before making a subsequent full backup? I hope my question makes sense....

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Books have been written on this subject.

You need to understand a couple of things and how they work.
- Drive backup - This will backup a full drive by default regardless of content.
- Full backup - This concerns the data. It is a base backup to be updated (remade) regularly
- Differential backup - Best option, this offers a backup of everything that has changed since the last full data backup. Time consuming and asks for more disk space
- Incremental back up - faster to create, uses less disk space but restoring takes more time. Caveat, if one backup is corrupt you will lose data for the concerned period.

Backups should be created on one or more external drives.

Depending on your selection you will need several drives, just to be safe IF you are 'mission critical'. If totally paranoid you need two backups and store one physically away from the facility you are in.

Collhar Loc: New York City.

I think you might want to contact their help center or try YouTube. They will not marginalize your concerns.

SonyBug

Investigate "robocopy" an internal program in all windows 10 computers. I quit using all "for pay" backup programs as they all seemed to be deficient in the way they work, and the instructions they are supplied with.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Like Bob said: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJbh8iM59BMeAvoSnn0GGL_GTQ99IiT_w
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

What I've done in situations like this is take one operation I want to perform and find out how to do that. I read articles and watch videos. Then I write my own directions: 1. Do this; 2. Do that, etc. Since I am writing the directions, they are perfect - for me. I files these away and refer to them when I need them.

When I find how-to articles online, the directions often don't match what I have on my screen - probably different versions of the program.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

The only thing I use Acronis for is to CLONE my main drive. Unfortunately I don’t do it as often as I should but if something happens to the main drive I can just swap out the cloned drive to a new HD.

Cloning makes an exact duplicate of the main drive, including hidden sectors, like the computer manufacturer’s recovery sectors.

It has saved my butt a few times and I’ve also been able to completely swap out my old drive to a new computer.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

I have used Acronis since 2005. For help I suggest you refer to the "Help" section. Here's the link:https://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2020/index.html#35899.html
You may also "Chat" with tech support. I'm going to PM you with another offer to help.
Mark

Tommg

I also have Acronis True Image 2020, like you, I find the explanations from Acronis "overly technical" difficult to get a straight forward answer to fairly simple questions. Also I find it very difficult/impossible to contact customer service at Acronis - frustrating!
I use Acronis to "backup" my C drive (where the operating systems in installed). I use the single backup method ... when I do a backup there is usually already an existing backup on the drive (from an earlier backup) ... the single backup scheme executes a new full backup then deletes to old backup so you always have a current full backup, not sure that helps you or not?
I'm fairly sure it's a good program, but makes me a little nervous as to what will happen if I ever need to do a restore, and pretty sure the backup on my external drive is compressed. I only have the OS and my programs on the C drive.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Removed .......

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Here you go! Link to Acronis Support - they are excellent - I've used it many, many times including remote sessions.
https://support.acronis.com/start-chat
I do incremental redundant backups of my laptop and three internal drives on my desktop. I have used full recovery quite a few times. Best to download a bootable media to a flash drive for any future restore operations, particularly for OS drive:https://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2020/index.html#26974.html

Mark