Acronis and Hard Drive Questions.

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I want to make an Acronis true image of my Laptop, 40GB HD O/S XP PRO. My

questions:



1. Will the 40GB HD image to an external (USB) 140HD change it to a 40GB drive?



2. Will the 140GB Hard drive, with two bad clusters affect the Acronis image

(ie, should the image copies on the bad sectors will it affect the 40GB image)?



3. What happen if I use a bigger or smaller HD when imaging a 40GB HD?



Thanks
 
> I want to make an Acronis true image of my Laptop, 40GB HD O/S XP

> PRO. My questions:

>

> 1. Will the 40GB HD image to an external (USB) 140HD change it to a

> 40GB drive?

>

> 2. Will the 140GB Hard drive, with two bad clusters affect the

> Acronis image (ie, should the image copies on the bad sectors will it

> affect the 40GB image)?

>

> 3. What happen if I use a bigger or smaller HD when imaging a 40GB HD?

>

> Thanks

========================================

No...the Acronis backup image won't change the size

of your external hard drive.



Have you tried running Error Checking (chkdsk) on

your external hard drive to repair the bad sectors?



(315265) How to Perform Disk Error Checking

in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=315265



Personally...when I run Error Checking...if errors are

found...I run it again and again until no errors are

reported.



In Windows XP to find the Error-checking log file...

go to...Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Event Viewer /

Application / [Source] Wininit or Winlogon



--



J. Inzer MS-MVP

Digital Media Experience



Notice

This is not tech support

I am a volunteer



Solutions that work for

me may not work for you



Proceed at your own risk
 
On Sun, 7 Feb 2010 23:24:19 -0500, "John Inzer" wrote:





>No...the Acronis backup image won't change the size

>of your external hard drive.



Let me explain; I have a few old HD of various capacity. I intend to use IBM

Deskstar either a 40GB (no bad sector) or a 140GB (with bad secters) to image a

40GB laptop. Norton's Utilities found two bad sectors, not sure if they were

marked.



>Have you tried running Error Checking (chkdsk) on

>your external hard drive to repair the bad sectors?



No, I will do it. I assume if repair, no problem with Acronis imaging?



>(315265) How to Perform Disk Error Checking

>in Windows XP

>http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=315265



>Personally...when I run Error Checking...if errors are

>found...I run it again and again until no errors are

>reported.



OK, understand.

>

>In Windows XP to find the Error-checking log file...

>go to...Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Event Viewer /

>Application / [Source] Wininit or Winlogon



What do I do after that?



Thanks

PS: I just migrate from a Win09SE desktop to a Dell XP Pro and Thinkpad T20.
 
dwn wrote:

> On Sun, 7 Feb 2010 23:24:19 -0500, "John Inzer"

> wrote:

>

>

>> No...the Acronis backup image won't change the size

>> of your external hard drive.

>

> Let me explain; I have a few old HD of various capacity. I intend to

> use IBM Deskstar either a 40GB (no bad sector) or a 140GB (with bad

> secters) to image a 40GB laptop. Norton's Utilities found two bad

> sectors, not sure if they were marked.

>

>> Have you tried running Error Checking (chkdsk) on

>> your external hard drive to repair the bad sectors?

>

> No, I will do it. I assume if repair, no problem with Acronis imaging?

>

>> (315265) How to Perform Disk Error Checking

>> in Windows XP

>> http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=315265

>

>> Personally...when I run Error Checking...if errors are

>> found...I run it again and again until no errors are

>> reported.

>

> OK, understand.

>>

>> In Windows XP to find the Error-checking log file...

>> go to...Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Event Viewer /

>> Application / [Source] Wininit or Winlogon

>

> What do I do after that?

>

> Thanks

> PS: I just migrate from a Win09SE desktop to a Dell XP Pro and

> Thinkpad T20.

=================================

Beware I'm just a dweeb and you probably

should wait on an expert opinion.



The idea is to run Error Checking...and then

check Event Viewer to see if problems were

found and corrected.



When the drive is clean...run Defrag.



Then...run Acronis and create your image.



--



J. Inzer MS-MVP

Digital Media Experience



Notice

This is not tech support

I am a volunteer



Solutions that work for

me may not work for you



Proceed at your own risk
 
If the objective is backup, select the option to image the disk to a file.

This will create a file on the USB disk from which the internal disk can be

reloaded at a later date.



When doing a direct disk-copy Acronis will (if you ask it) resize the

partition to fit the available space. Or, you can tell it to simply transfer

the partition as-is. So, you either end-up with a 140GB partition, or a 40GB

partition and 100GB available for other partitions. Your call.



Existing bad sectors will not result in corruption of a backup to file, but

may prevent a disk-image being made.



In any event I'd be wary that once a disk starts to show bad sectors this

may be a sign of impending mechanical trouble.



"dwn >" wrote:



>

> I want to make an Acronis true image of my Laptop, 40GB HD O/S XP PRO. My

> questions:

>

> 1. Will the 40GB HD image to an external (USB) 140HD change it to a 40GB drive?

>

> 2. Will the 140GB Hard drive, with two bad clusters affect the Acronis image

> (ie, should the image copies on the bad sectors will it affect the 40GB image)?

>

> 3. What happen if I use a bigger or smaller HD when imaging a 40GB HD?

>

> Thanks

>

>

> .

>
 
You must use either Windows' chkdsk utility or the drive manufacturer's utility

to resolve the bad sector issue in the target drive before making your backup to

it.



You need to give a quick read of the Acronis TI User Guide in order to

understand the different backup procedures available.



Acronis TI can backup a drive, partition or selected data.



When it backs up a drive or partition, it can make an image of the data sectors

only (default), a complete sector-by-sector backup, or clone the complete drive.



The regular backup will not change the size of the target drive.



If you make a regular backup of your main drive, the backup file created by

Acronis will be smaller, in total, than the original data. Note that you can

select the backup file size to fit on CD or DVD media. Multiples would then be

made if necessary.



As to target drive space usage, my C drive partition is 50 GB, space used is

23.7 GB, and the backup file for it is only 15.4 GB (using normal compression).



If you select a sector-by-sector backup, both data sectors and empty sectors

will be backed up, but the total size will depend upon the amount compression

you select.



If you clone a drive the backup will be the same size as the original.

Readjustment of the target drive size is an option. Read the User Guide for more

details on this procedure.



Be sure that your target drive is formatted in NTFS in order to support file

sizes greater than 4.5 GB.



Hope this helps.



"dwn>"

> I want to make an Acronis true image of my Laptop, 40GB HD O/S XP PRO. My

> questions:

>

> 1. Will the 40GB HD image to an external (USB) 140HD change it to a 40GB

> drive?

>

> 2. Will the 140GB Hard drive, with two bad clusters affect the Acronis image

> (ie, should the image copies on the bad sectors will it affect the 40GB

> image)?

>

> 3. What happen if I use a bigger or smaller HD when imaging a 40GB HD?

>

> Thanks

>

>[/color]
 
On Mon, 8 Feb 2010 06:47:05 -0500, "David Webb" wrote:



>You must use either Windows' chkdsk utility or the drive manufacturer's utility

>to resolve the bad sector issue in the target drive before making your backup to

>it.



These are 6 to 15 yrs oldies IDE internal HD. I kept two newer ones, 40 and

140GB and the rest will be trash as I am moving.



I am learning, config one laptop at a time and in the process makes lot of

mistakes. I like to mirror the basic setup/config with drivers and software's.

If I screwed up, I just clone back to the basic and save endless hours starting

all over again.



I've an external "D" drive (USB 400GB HD) where I kept my emails, bookmarks,

Newsgroups, essential drivers and word processor for both laptops separately and

will always be safe regardless what I did. I unplug and connect it on whichever

laptops I am using. I "copy" NOT clone. Emails regular to a 16GB (Toshiba flash

memory USB) again to whichever Laptop I am using, and don't violate any

software's agreement. If I lost my laptop or whatever, no sweat, my emails and

essential stuffs are safe!



Question. I really don't know where the bad sectors located and that was a few

years I last used it. If the 140GB external HD bad sectors are within the 40GB

mirror sectors and repaired, will it affect the mirror drive? I am doubtful, if

I should use the 140GB and I agree, it's about time I trash it. But, I still

like to know the answer and your advice below noted.



Thanks for the time. I appreciate it.



>You need to give a quick read of the Acronis TI User Guide in order to

>understand the different backup procedures available.



>Acronis TI can backup a drive, partition or selected data.

>

>When it backs up a drive or partition, it can make an image of the data sectors

>only (default), a complete sector-by-sector backup, or clone the complete drive.

>

>The regular backup will not change the size of the target drive.

>

>If you make a regular backup of your main drive, the backup file created by

>Acronis will be smaller, in total, than the original data. Note that you can

>select the backup file size to fit on CD or DVD media. Multiples would then be

>made if necessary.

>

>As to target drive space usage, my C drive partition is 50 GB, space used is

>23.7 GB, and the backup file for it is only 15.4 GB (using normal compression).

>

>If you select a sector-by-sector backup, both data sectors and empty sectors

>will be backed up, but the total size will depend upon the amount compression

>you select.

>

>If you clone a drive the backup will be the same size as the original.

>Readjustment of the target drive size is an option. Read the User Guide for more

>details on this procedure.

>

>Be sure that your target drive is formatted in NTFS in order to support file

>sizes greater than 4.5 GB.

>

>Hope this helps.

>

>"dwn>" news:hko2s202578@news1.newsguy.com...

>>

>> I want to make an Acronis true image of my Laptop, 40GB HD O/S XP PRO. My

>> questions:

>>

>> 1. Will the 40GB HD image to an external (USB) 140HD change it to a 40GB

>> drive?

>>

>> 2. Will the 140GB Hard drive, with two bad clusters affect the Acronis image

>> (ie, should the image copies on the bad sectors will it affect the 40GB

>> image)?

>>

>> 3. What happen if I use a bigger or smaller HD when imaging a 40GB HD?

>>

>> Thanks

>>

>>
 
On Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:22:13 -0800, dwn wrote:



Correction below: The external 140GB is an internal IDE, install to a USB

external enclosure.



Question. I really don't know where the bad sectors located and that was a few

years I last used it. If the 140GB external HD bad sectors are within the 40GB

mirror sectors and repaired, will it affect the mirror drive? I am doubtful, if

I should use the 140GB and I agree, it's about time I trash it. But, I still

like to know the answer and your advice below noted.
 
"dwn>" On Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:22:13 -0800, dwn wrote:

>

> Correction below: The external 140GB is an internal IDE, install to a USB

> external enclosure.

>

> Question. I really don't know where the bad sectors located and that was a few

> years I last used it. If the 140GB external HD bad sectors are within the 40GB

> mirror sectors and repaired, will it affect the mirror drive? I am doubtful,

> if

> I should use the 140GB and I agree, it's about time I trash it. But, I still

> like to know the answer and your advice below noted.

>[/color]



I addressed this question in the first sentence of my previous reply. Here's a

quote from the Acronis True Image 2010 User Guide:



"Because system disk backups are the most important for disaster recovery, it is

advisable to check both the system disk and the hard disk to be used as the

backup storage for errors with the help of Microsoft's Chkdsk utility, which is

part of Windows. The utility can repair errors and locate bad sectors."



Keep in mind that your backup image will be something less than 40 GB in size.



HTH
 
"dwn >"

> I want to make an Acronis true image of my Laptop, 40GB HD O/S XP PRO. My

> questions:

>

> 1. Will the 40GB HD image to an external (USB) 140HD change it to a 40GB

> drive?

>

> 2. Will the 140GB Hard drive, with two bad clusters affect the Acronis

> image

> (ie, should the image copies on the bad sectors will it affect the 40GB

> image)?

>

> 3. What happen if I use a bigger or smaller HD when imaging a 40GB HD?

>

> Thanks[/color]



An image is just a big file or a set of a few big files

(depending on your file system). Like any other

file, it can be written on any medium with enough

room. It won't change the medium's size. You

can fit as many separate images as you want on

the same medium -- for instance, the removable

(USB 2.0) drive I wrote an image to this morning

now has nine images (from more than one machine)

on it, plus a few miscellaneous files with no connection

to imaging. If you use a smaller drive to image on,

you may overflow it, depending on how much

compression you use -- this is bad. If you use a

drive with bad sectors to save images on, rethink,

and get a new drive. Your image drive should be

_more_ dependable than the original drive -- you

make images for, among other purposes, being

able to recover if something goes wrong with the

original drive, and if the image drive is _less_

dependable you're putting your eggs in a basket

that may drop and break them.
 
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