Mixed in...

From: "Donna Parsons"
>Mine is  Version 8.

> I DO have a Dell, Dimension 8200, but if there are extra  partitions, I don't
> see them.

If you ask any more questions, be sure to say which method you use to make
the Image files... (In Windows, or using the boot-cd.)
I only use the boot-cd approach.

Run TrueImage again and look again to "see" what is there.
Start setting up to make another full image.
Put a check to the left of the "Disk 1" selection.
This is where I see three partitions, both before and after making any selections.
Right after you look at this, hit cancel.
If you do not see anything like that, it might be Windows "hiding it" from you.
Try the same thing Booting  from an "Acronis made" TrueImage Boot disk.

If you do not "get" all that Dell put on that drive, you may not be able to use the
computer restore disks or some other DELL features.
FWIW: It surprised me there were two ("hidden") un-lettered partitions.

The following is the way it looks in Acronis Partition Expert, which gives
slightly more detail. The only real difference is the "actual"order (physical
placement on the drive), and being able  to see the empty space at the end...)

This is on a DELL (OEM) 2400 manufactured 09/12/04.
First was fat16, primary, 39M, 0xde (EISA configuration), no drive letter.
Next was NTFS, primary, active, 71G, "C"
Last was fat32, primary, 3G, 0xdb (Concurrent DOS, CTOS), no drive letter.
(There was also the extra 8M un-allocated at the end that MS always puts there
when their tools set up a drive...)

I'm no expert on DELL, so you might have to call them, write to Acronis, or
wait for a more "DELL" experienced list member to speak up...  I generally run
Acronis from a Boot CD that I make with their Media Builder program, (part of
the installed program on your HardDrive.)

Every Dell I've seen in the last two years had at least one "hidden" partition like this.
(I never looked close before, but this DELL had some "other" problems, so I'm giving
it a real going over...)

> It is a simple system, no RAID nor special  controller cards that

That is the only time I have had trouble...
Having (or putting) a drive in the "wrong spot" at the wrong time... (No RAIDS too.)

> I'm aware of or installed.  I backed up the full C  drive, all to the same
> directory.  And I've only backed up once, the full  backup, so that's all that
> should be on my external drive.

When you do "any" incrementals, you put them in the same directory.
There are "advanced ways" to manipulate that.
Basically, IF you properly identify ALL incremental files and move them
out of the backup directory, the next time you "do" an incremental it goes
back and "builds" it on top of the original full file set...
If it completes, (and it should), you can then delete the "old" incrementals
you moved.  (JUST DON'T move ANY of the full set files by mistake, EVER.)
Acronis tech support said that in an e-mail reply to me...
Like always, you do not "delete" the old ones before you have some "new" back-up
that is "at least" verified by the program...

> I only have ONE hard drive and ONE external drive, so I guess I'd  have to
> buy a 2nd HD or external in order to really be able to be  SURE, safely, that
> the backup is right??  Do I read this  correctly??

If you can borrow an internal "big enough" just long enough for the test, that would
be ideal... You would actually be doing someone you borrowed it from a favor since
it would also "test" the drive and give it a good workout...  OTOH, a good Seagate
drive (120-160G) with a 5 year warranty is $50 AMIR if you catch the sales...

I'm not sure about "testing" with an external drive since you are trying to "reproduce"
an emergency situation and full bare metal recovery. (The image could be stored on
the external). A MAJOR change, like trying to boot from an external drive when the
system was NOT backed up when running from an external drive seems to be counter
productive. Windows might "figure out" the changes, but I would "worry" that it would
not... My "restored drives" always work if/when they are installed where the "original
drive" was when the backup was made. (It is supposed to "replace" the old ~"failed"~
drive...) I like to keep the test simple. Nothing "odd" like "restoring to" an external...

One way to keep things simple is to do "everything" with an Acronis Boot disk of
the program. That helps a lot since at that point any and all drives in the system are
"reduced" to data drives and Windows can't get in the way...
Remember, if you ever REALLY need to restore an Image, it is likely either the
hard drive failed OR Windows is trashed and you have to learn the "boot-CD" way
anyway, and have the Acronis Boot-CD made in advance and know how to use it...

If you try any of this "in Windows", you may get different results. I don't do it that
way and have NOT been describing that way... (I'm from the "old school" when
"ALL" back-ups were done when Windows was NOT running...)
Having a back-up program (imaging program in this case) trying to keep track of
an active journaling filesystem making OS delta changes is a little more than I care
to trust at this point...  (The boot-CD gets rid of all that...)

                                             Rick Glazier

> Donna Parsons
Entire old quoting removed to cut length. (See list archives for same Subject if needed.)

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