Acronis True Image

Acronis[4] True Image is a software product produced by Acronis that provides data protection for personal users including, backup, archive, access and recovery for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android operating systems.[4] As disk imaging software, True Image can restore the previously captured image to another disk, replicating the structure and contents to the new disk, also allowing disk cloning and partition resizing, even if the new disk is of a different capacity. The backups are in a proprietary format which saves using a .tib filename format.[5] Acronis was launched in 2003 and in December 2014 claimed to have over 5 million consumer and 500,000 businesses users.[6]

"True Image" redirects here. For font management, see TrueImage.
Acronis True Image
Acronis True Image 2015
Original author(s)Acronis
Stable release
2019 Update 1 / September 24, 2018 (2018-09-24)[1]
Operating systemAndroid, Windows XP or later, Windows Home Server 2011, OS X Yosemite (10.10) or later does not work with iPhone X [2]
PlatformIA-32 and x86-64
Available inEnglish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Korean, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Indonesian, Portuguese, Dutch[3]
TypeData protection and backup software
LicenseTrialware
Websitewww.acronis.com
Acronis True Image 2015 running from Bootable USB or Optical Disc Media

Overview

Editions

Several editions of Acronis True Image are available. Acronis True Image Cloud is a subscription-based software plus service offering that allows both local and online backup with unlimited cloud backup, and offers backup for a selection of mobile phones and tablets.[7] Successive versions of Acronis True Image are the local backup editions. Both editions are available at retail outlets.[8]

Until release 9 there were versions of Acronis True Image for personal and business users, with business versions named Acronis True Image Server.[9] Later server backup software was renamed "Acronis Backup".[10]

Operation

Acronis True Image can make two types of backups: file backup, backing up user-specified files and directories, and full system images, which are exact snapshots of an entire disk partition. The program can back up a system hard drive while the OS is running. Acronis True Image can browse the contents of backups and restore them partially or entirely. It can also mount a disk backup as a virtual disk, readable in the same way as any disk drive.

Although backups can be restored when the system is running, a major purpose of backup is to restore the system when it fails to start. Acronis True Image can install Acronis Startup Recovery Manager (ASRM), a computer program that helps restore backups at boot time. Acronis True Image can also create a copy of Acronis Rescue Media, a bootable DVD that contains a copy of Acronis True Image and can restore backups to a computer not bootable in the normal way, so long as a good boot drive (existing or new) is available.

The Acronis True Image Cloud version allows cloud users to also back up their mobile devices. iPhone and Android smartphones are supported, in addition to iPad and Windows tablets. This edition also brings back the "Try and Decide" option which lets users perform potentially risky actions such as the installation of un-trusted software with the option of returning to the system function before the action if any problems occur.[11]

Acronis True Image Cloud allows multiple devices to be backed up, managed and archived on the Acronis Cloud from the online dashboard.[12]

One complaint from Acronis users is the inability to disable taskbar popups marketing upgrades and new products from the developer. [13] The notification will grab focus (ie. will interrupt a full screen game or movie) and each advertisement must be disabled individually. The company currently offers no way to permanently turn off these advertisements. [14]

Supported file systems

Acronis True Image supports multiple file systems including NTFS, FAT32, ext2, ext3, ext4, HFS+, APFS, ReiserFS, and Linux Swap.[15]

In addition to backing up supported file systems, Acronis True Image provides raw sector backup and restore options independent of file system, thereby supporting a file system that is corrupt, or not supported. This creates a complete image of all sectors on the partition, whether they contain data or not; the image will not be compressed, and will be the same size as the partition.[16]

History

Acronis began in 2001 as a division of SWsoft[6] and in 2003 became a separate company and continued to release the Acronis True Image software. The True Image name was applied to all platforms from Home to Corporate until 2010, when Acronis business backup software was renamed, with True Image being the home version.[17]

Versions
VersionYearNotes
6.02002Supports creation of disk images on recordable DVD media and external USB drives.
7.02003Includes a wizard-driven interface. Supports disk cloning that directly duplicates the contents of a hard drive to another.
8.02004Supports backing up to a network location and restoring individual files from a disk image.
9.02005The last version to support Windows 98 and Windows ME. Secure Zone allows backing up to a hidden drive partition. Startup Recovery Manager helps restore during boot time without a separate boot disk.
10.02006Backs up and restores directly from network shares and FTP servers. Can save archives of Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express as well as Windows Address Book.
11.02007File Shredder helps permanently destroy files. Try&Decide helps set up a sandbox in which untrusted programs can safely run without the risk of permanently changing or damaging the system.
20092009One-click Backup backs up a computer using default settings, without asking any question other than backup destination.
20102010Supports Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) and Windows 7. Nonstop Backup provides continuous data protection. Online Backup backs up data to an off-site location on the Internet. Version 13 home available as free WD Edition (see partnerships below)
20112010Supports USB 3.0, integration with Windows 7 and predefined backup schemes.
20122011Supports File synchronization, Network-attached storage, Nonstop Backup over network and integrated online backup.[18]
20132012Adds mobile access and Windows 8 support (except UEFI Secure Boot).[19] Version 16 Home available as free WD Edition AND Seagate DiskWizard (see partnerships below)
20142013Bug fixes, minor changes. UEFI Secure Boot support was added in this version.
20152014Radically changed the UI and removed many features including backup file conversion from the .tib format to .vhd and vice versa, user backup file management (deletion of specified existing backups when destination has insufficient space for new backup), user-driven consolidation of incremental backups, import and export of backup settings, and the ability to sort backups by date.[20] Version 18 Home available as free WD Edition (see partnerships below)
20162015Added support for Windows 10. Removed support for Windows Vista.
20172016Added active ransomware countermeasures, blockchain-based notary services, and electronic signing (premium version only).
20182017Added cloning of active disks and continuous backups.

File format

Acronis True Image guarantees backward compatibility for image files (with the .tib extension) created with a single previous version, that is, images created with an immediate previous version can be successfully restored (older versions may or may not work). Backups are created to be compatible between different editions of Acronis True Image within the same version (Home, Enterprise), e.g., between former Acronis True Image Echo Workstation and Acronis True Image Echo Enterprise Server, or between Linux and Windows versions.[21] Compatibility is not guaranteed between products that are not within the same version.[22] Guaranteed cross-version compatibility is documented.[17]

In some cases it is possible to extract the .tib file using free offzip utility with commandline "offzip.exe -R -o -a -1 -z 15 <.tib> <.bin>", which produces uncompressed binary image. The command scans all TIB compressed sections and extracts them into one image file.

Format conversion

VMware Converter by virtualization company VMware supports converting .tib files created by former Acronis True Image Echo 9.1 and 9.5, and Acronis True Image Home 10 and 11 into a virtual machine.[23][24] However, after VMware Converter failed to recognize Acronis True Image 2013 .tibs, VMware said "unfortunately VMware Converter doesn't support current Acronis True Image versions".[25]

Acronis True Image has an option to convert backups between its proprietary .tib and Microsoft's VHD backup format,[26] more widely supported, and documented under the Microsoft Open Specification Promise.

Partnerships

Acronis has licensed custom versions of Acronis True Image to some hard disk manufacturers, including Western Digital's Acronis True Image WD Edition,[27] Intel Data Migration Software to migrate from an existing hard drive to an Intel SSD,[28] and Seagate DiscWizard.[29] Such editions are free to download and use, but only with that manufacturer's hard drives.

gollark: It's CB!
gollark: To the hub!
gollark: No, they'll think "oh, my eggs are *special*".
gollark: ~~banned from DC for mildly irritating TJ09~~
gollark: Hah. Expecting TJ09 to *read emails*? What nonsense.

See also

References
  1. "Acronis backup software and recovery services in UK. Backup software for data backup and disaster recovery in Windows and Linux - Acronis". www.acronis.com. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  2. "Acronis True Image 2016". Acronis. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. "Acronis True Image Home".
  4. Williams, Mike (16 September 2015). "Acronis True Image 2016 v19.0.5620". PC Advisor. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  5. "Backup File Extension List". Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  6. Philipson, Graeme (4 December 2014). "Acronis Head Signals Cloud Future". Cloud(Australia:iTWire). Archived from the original on 13 February 2015.
  7. Williams, Rob (September 16, 2014). "Acronis True Image 2015 Brings Overhauled Interface, Huge Focus on Simplicity". Tech Gage. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  8. Backup to the cloud using the regular Acronis True Image 2016. Nick Peers. Beta News. January 25, 2016
  9. "Acronis True Image Server delivers comprehensive server data protection solution for Linux and Windows". Acronis. 3 August 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  10. "Business Backup & Storage Management Software, Acronis Backup 12.5 Standard and Advanced". Acronis. 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  11. Williams, Mike (August 18, 2015). "Acronis True Image Cloud 2016 Gets Mobile Backup". Beta News. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  12. Morgan, Holly (August 18, 2015). "Acronis Launches New True Image". ARN. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  13. "How do I stop these constant "Purchase 2015 Upgrade" prompts?". forum.acronis.com. September 28, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  14. "Acronis True Image: How To Disable Notifications in Notification Area". acronis.com. November 28, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  15. "Acronis True Image 2016". Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  16. "Creating a Sector-By-Sector Backup with Acronis Products". Acronis Knowledge Base. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  17. "1689: Backup Archive Compatibility Across Different Product Versions". Kb.acronis.com.
  18. "Release Notes for Acronis True Image Home 2012". Acronis, Inc. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  19. Collins, Barry (2013-01-15). "Windows 8 Secure Boot snags Acronis True Image". Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 2013-01-16.
  20. "65498: Summary of Features Removed in ATI2015". acronis.com. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  21. Acronis knowledgebase article (subscription required)
  22. "Acronis support staff on Wilder Security forums: tib compatibility between Acronis versions, 2009". Wilderssecurity.com.
  23. "Acronis native file format supported by VMware Converter: VMware Converter Supports Acronis .TIB Format". Acronis.com. 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2012-03-14.
  24. "vCenter Converter Standalone 5.5, User's Guide" (PDF). Vmware.com. p. 20. Retrieved 2014-11-23.
  25. VMWare communities response to "converter standalone problem with Acronis True Image Home 2013", 3 August 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  26. "Run Acronis TIB as virtual machine". Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  27. "WD Support". Support.wdc.com. 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  28. "Download Intel® Data Migration Software". Intel. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  29. "Seagate DiscWizard". Acronis.com. Retrieved 2016-02-20.

Further reading
  1. "Acronis True Image 2018 vs 2017 Features Comparison". www.softocoupon.com. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  2. "Acronis True Image 2018 review". www.acronisdiscount.com. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
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