Acronis True Image 7.0 Freebie - Register now and receive Acronis True Image 7.0 for Free!* Current Version of Acronis True Image is 10.x 12/29/2006
So today I clean up my C:\ (120GB) HDD using EasyCleaner, defrag C:\, and then try to reformat D:\ (12GB) HDD. D:\ doesn't wanna reformat. *grrr* I try several things before I finally realize that I previously set the Swap File on the D:\ HDD. *D'OH!*
After turning off the Swap File on the D:\ Drive, I reformatted the 12GB HDD and then installed Acronis True Image 7.0 (ATI-7.0) and it asked if I wanted to make a set of Boot Disks. I declined because it said I could do this later and I needed to "clean off" some floppies first.
I reformatted six or seven floppies (...'cause that's how many I found layin' about...) and ran ATI-7.0. We entered the Make Boot Disk Wizard and it asked if I wanted to make several floppies or a CD. I chose a CD, it asked for a Blank CD, I gave it one, it created the CD, and then I rebooted as instructed.
Acronis fired up off the CD just fine, presented me with a simple Menu System for...IIRC...Creating an Image File, Creating a Clone, Restoring either an Image File or Clone, Incrementally backing up either an Image File or Clone (...I could be wrong on this one...), and "adding another harddisk"? I know there were several more choices available in the File Menu, but these are the ones I remembering seeing associated with Icon on the Opening Screen of ATI-7.0.
I knew there was no way that approx. 13GB's worth of Data would Clone over to the 12GB HDD. So I chose to run the Image File Wizard and it said it was gonna take approx. 31 mins. It actually took
29 mins.
Then it stopped as it was verifying the file it created and said, "E00040001: Error reading the file." Hmmm...so I click on Cancel and the computer Reboots...Right back into Acronis since the CD was still in the Drive. *blush*
Since I'm already here, I might as well run ATI-7.0's verification of one of its own files. And it replied, "Image archive D:\Acronis.tib is corrupted. Please choose another file." Ummm...No! I don't have another *.tib file to choose. Shut Down...After removing the CD this time. ;-)
I then removed the 12GB HDD and hooked up an 80GB HDD as the Slave and run XXClone on it... (...Details down below in the XXClone Freebie Review...)
Oh, wanna know why the ATI-7.0 file failed? The file was too big for the 12GB HDD. It couldn't tell me this, why? Oh well, I have a coupla more small HDDs that I can use since it says it can split its image files if needed, and IIRC, there was also another option for Compressing the file too.
So, for right now all I can say it that it "almost" worked. But I can't truly complain until I test it properly...Especially considering the price. ;-)
Moving to Linux - Kiss the Blue Screen of Death Goodbye written by Marcel Gagné and printed by Addison/Wesley.
I finally decided to take the plunge and give Linux a REAL try-out and bought the above mentioned book. The book obviously discusses Linux, but it does occasionally mention specific info about the Red Hat, Mandrake, and SuSE distros.
I've used Knoppix for several months now and have been fairly impressed with how the well GUI looks and how easy it is to use, but the speed of a CD ROM drive is waaayyy too slow when compared to a hard drive. Time to install Linux on a hard drive.
I chose to download Mandrakelinux, which was at ver.10.1 when I downloaded it, since it's been recced by a fellow Fool as being the easiest distro to install and operate immediately. I've read this in magazines and in newsletters too. Guess what? It was easy to install.
I decided to actually read the first couple of chapters first and then follow along through each chapter and try the given examples. Now, this book was written when Mandrakelinux ver. 9.x was out, so it is dated. Because of that, there are places in the book where the program/action mentioned does not work because it has/has been changed since ver. 9.x. However, most examples worked perfectly and I was able to install and setup Linux to my liking.
The install was going to be the most critical part for me since I already have a PC with Windows XP Pro installed, along with the various programs I use daily and all my personal files. The author cautions heavily about installing Linux on a Windows machine without backing-up first because of the possibility of damaging your partitions, folders, files, whatever. Meaning, if you screw this up, you'll most likely trash your system. Do not let this scare you off from reading any further. It's a sensible warning to back-up your HDD as you SHOULD be doing anyway. You do back-up your HDD regularly, right? I thought so.
I left the defaults for most every choice as I installed Mandrake on my computer. However, I did choose the advanced install process (...or whatever is was called...) because I wanted to "see" the install process and what it was doing. I do this any time I install any program on any computer. Meaning, it's a HABIT for me. ;-)
The install went flawlessly and the distro recognized ALL of my hardware without any problems. It seems as though if there is going to be an immediate problem with an install, it will be whether the distro you use will be able to recognize all of your hardware successfully. After a reboot I was able to choose from either Linux or Windows from the menu Linux created. I now have a dual-boot Linux/Windows XP system.
I then followed along as the book described in detail how to customize the KDE GUI (...there are others, such as; Gnome, WindowMaker, IceWM, and many more...) and how to use the various programs that are replacements for programs I use daily in Windows. I'm impressed with the amount of programs that came with this distro. I think they covered most everything a regular user could want/need. (There are also some tools for Admins, but I haven't had the opportunity to use many of them yet.)
I was extremely pleased with the way the author gave instructions on where to find various programs throughout the menu system, because he also included the Hot-Key Combo and the Command Line command for everything he discussed.
The ultimate test for me, will be getting the Wife to install Mandrakelinux on her computer and see what she has to say about it. She can install a Microsoft operating system, but she leaves the Admin work to me. Anyone who can install a MS OS can easily install the Mandrake distro I just installed, especially with this book. I sure hope he writes a newer version soon, I'd buy it.
The only disappointment for me is that there aren't enough instructions for using Admin tools or explanations about how gain better control over Linux. I'll need to find another book for that and it just might be his Linux System Administration: A User's Guide.
Overall, this is a great book for anyone who wants to finally try Linux for themselves...even MS Admins. It gives just enough info to install and use Linux and even advanced users can benefit from the simplicity of this book. I have no problem reccing this book to anyone who wants to try Linux. However, advanced users will immediately want a more advanced book though.
Mr. Marcel Gagné has a great site that you should check out. He writes the Linux Journal "Sysadmin's Corner" Articles, SysAdmin Magazine and UnixReview.com Articles, Other Technical Articles, Linux Links, and more. 11/26/2004
Netcraft Anti-Phishing Toolbar - I downloaded and installed the Netcraft Anti-Phishing Toolbar today and will run it for about one week and then review it. 12/29/2006
XXClone Freebie - So, after trying out Acronis' True Image 7.0, (...Details in the Above ATI-7.0 Review...), I decided to create another New Clone of my Master HDD using XXClone's Freebie Program. This will be a third run of this program. The first two worked just fine. 12/29/2006
As I had the first two times I used XXClone to Clone My Master HDD, I chose to make the 80GB HDD Bootable by copying over the MBR, Boot Sector and Boot.ini. 20.40 mins total time to create the Clone. It also allows me to make this Slave HDD Bootable and have a Menu to choose which HDD I want to use as the C:\ Drive.
They call it "Add Test Boot" and it modifies the Boot.ini file to add the Slave Drive as an Option to Boot from at Startup. I tried it out and it works slicker'n snot (...cain't say sh!t here as M-I-L may be reading...) and when I choose the 80GB Slave HDD, it is identified as the C:\ Drive in Windows Explorer. When I choose the actual Master HDD to boot from, it returned the Master HDD to the C:\ Drive in Windows Explorer. Too cool!
I removed that Boot.ini entry since I will not be leaving this 80GB HDD attached. It is the Main Backup I have of my Daily Use Computer and at this time XXClone Freebie does not do Incremental Backups, only the Pro Version does. I will be using the 12GB HDD as the Backup HDD for my Personal Files & Folders using Karen's Replicator - Also free.
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