[LJSilver]

Hi Guys, I want to copy an installation of XP sp3 I had installed on my PC, so I can have some sort of backup recovery. I had a computer shop install Windows XP sp3 on to my PC. I noticed in the ( all program) dialog box Acronis true Image was installed, when I tried to clone the system to a 2nd HDD I have since installed Acronis would not allow me to, I checked the add remove programs in order to remove the computer shops ATI from the system and install my own Acronis true Image Home edition , but Acronis was not apparently installed as a program to remove??? I do not know how this computer shop installed the XP sp3 and they turned out to be not the friendliest people to ask questions regarding their installations. Can I reimage this HDD in any shape or form in order to have a restorable backup? I originally got the Xp sp3 install in order to surf the internet in the future free of MS hassles as a legal installation. I don’t know if I have a clone on the HDD for sure, but why would ATI be on the (all program) list) the program opens up and everything , but give an error message when trying to clone . Any advice or experienced insights welcomed

[Cookiegal]

Originally Posted by LJSilver

I originally got the Xp sp3 install in order to surf the internet in the future free of MS hassles as a legal installation.

I don't understand what this means. Can you please clarifiy?

[jesseyoung]

I think he means if it's legal to have the OS colned as a backup solution when he need to restore.
LJSilver, actually you can backup your OS instead of clone, you can get your OS back through the image restore.

[Elvandil]

I think you need to read about what Acronis does. Its whole purpose is to make backups of a system without making any clones. Clones are huge, slow to create, and not of much use if too old to recover a system to a recent date.

The images made by Acronis back up everything, are relatively small so that many can be stored in the same space, and they can be scheduled so that you have recent ones to restore your system. I make 6 backups a day, for example.

Images can be made from the boot CD as well as from the installed program.

[LJSilver]

Hi Cookiegal. I’m not on the Internet, and went to a computer shop to insure that what they installed was a legal installation which I could use on the internet in the future I have heard of people buying XP off eBay and the verification code not working, they then have to disable the computer system in order to go on the internet. apparently Microsoft can check over the internet if your XP software is legal, and if its not can bother you with pop up messages. That was a mouthful!! sorry for the distraction from the posts original purpose.
LJSilver

[LJSilver]

Hi Jessieyoung, This is not my Acronis system. The computer shop put it on the system???maybe they needed to install acronis in order to clone THEIR XP system onto my HDD. Please read my reply to Elvandil, thanks

[LJSilver]

Hi Elvandil, I think this post has gone south, I will be more clear and also add my experimentation since the last post, Firstly Acronis IS installed on the system , I found it in the Add /Remove list on a recheck. Secondly there is a dialog box that appears just after windows loads saying “Acronis True Image Monitor” “Acronis had to shut down due to an unexpected error”£, I just click the x and it goes away. Thirdly I can not “One Click Backup “ when I click on the mentions icon, When I go to the HOME tab and click on “Backup my system” I cannot I get an dialog box “ Internal error. Operation has completed with errors” (1) Clicking on “Backup my Files /and Folders on thee same page results in the same dialog box appearing, Recent Backups, on the same page results in (Zero, nothing happens). Clicking on “create bookable rescue media results in a wizard taking me through backing up a CD (66 MB) successfully. That’s it as far as I can do anything with this Acronis system. Fourthly This is not a TIB image nor is my “C “Drive image/ backed up, I don’t know what a bookable media is but I do know it’s not the two (MAIN) items I mentioned. Based on the available evidence can anyone suggest how I can Clone this HDD by any means, AND If you are experienced enough to advise removing the computer shops Acronis in order to replace it with my own Acronis software. Hopefully it is apparent that the computer shop did not give me a free version of ATI, it would appear they used their Version of ATI to install the XP sp3 onto my HDD. Thanks guys all help welcomed

LJSilver
BTW Elvandil , I was going to Clone the computer shops installation onto a spare 40GB HDD , and then remove THEIR version of ATI and replace it with my own ATI software Safely !

[Cookiegal]

Thanks for the clarification.

[LJSilver]

Hi cookiegal , I am very surprised no one on this forum has mentioned Macrium Reflect as an image software to try and image the current system. It has been suggested to me offline, also, that I might try Linux |Mint as an alternative internet OS in the future, should the current system fail while I am experimenting to make a backup image. Thanks for all your assistance in this matter, cheers.
LJSilver

[Cookiegal]

Members should be making their suggestions in the thread rather than contacting you privately. I don't think Macrium was mentioned because you have Acronis so why suggest another program?