User's Manual
Table Of Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 1.1 What is Acronis® True Image™?
- 1.2 New in this version
- 1.3 Backups created in Acronis True Image 2020 or later
- 1.4 System requirements and supported media
- 1.5 Installing Acronis True Image 2021
- 1.6 Activating Acronis True Image 2021
- 1.7 Trial version information
- 1.8 Upgrading Acronis True Image 2021
- 1.9 Technical Support
- 2 Getting started
- 3 Basic concepts
- 3.1 Basic concepts
- 3.2 The difference between file backups and disk/partition images
- 3.3 Full, incremental and differential backups
- 3.4 Deciding where to store your backups
- 3.5 Using Acronis Nonstop Backup
- 3.6 Backup file naming
- 3.7 Integration with Windows
- 3.8 Wizards
- 3.9 FAQ about backup, recovery and cloning
- 4 Backing up data
- 4.1 Backing up disks and partitions
- 4.2 Backing up files and folders
- 4.3 Backing up mobile devices
- 4.4 Backing up Office 365 data
- 4.5 Backup options
- 4.5.1 Scheduling
- 4.5.2 Backup schemes
- 4.5.3 Notifications for backup operation
- 4.5.4 Excluding items from backup
- 4.5.5 Image creation mode
- 4.5.6 Backup protection
- 4.5.7 Pre/Post commands for backup
- 4.5.8 Backup splitting
- 4.5.9 Backup validation option
- 4.5.10 Backup reserve copy
- 4.5.11 Removable media settings
- 4.5.12 Error handling
- 4.5.13 File-level security settings for backup
- 4.5.14 Computer shutdown
- 4.5.15 Online backup protection
- 4.5.16 Performance of backup operation
- 4.5.17 Selecting a data center for backup
- 4.5.18 Laptop power settings
- 4.5.19 Wi-Fi networks for backup to Acronis Cloud
- 4.6 Operations with backups
- 4.6.1 Backup operations menu
- 4.6.2 Backup activity and statistics
- 4.6.3 Sorting backups in the list
- 4.6.4 Replicating backups to Acronis Cloud
- 4.6.5 Validating backups
- 4.6.6 Backup to various places
- 4.6.7 Adding an existing backup to the list
- 4.6.8 Notarized backup
- 4.6.9 Cleaning up backups, backup versions, and replicas
- 4.6.10 Cleaning up space on Acronis Cloud
- 4.6.11 Removing data from Acronis Cloud
- 5 Recovering data
- 5.1 Recovering disks and partitions
- 5.2 Recovering files and folders
- 5.3 Searching backup content
- 5.4 Recovering Office 365 data
- 5.5 Recovery options
- 6 Archiving data
- 7 Sharing data
- 8 Protecting family data
- 9 Antivirus and antimalware protection
- 10 Vulnerability assessment
- 11 Synchronizing data
- 12 Disk cloning and migration
- 13 Tools
- 13.1 Acronis Media Builder
- 13.2 Making sure that your bootable media can be used when needed
- 13.3 Acronis Startup Recovery Manager
- 13.4 Try&Decide
- 13.5 Acronis Secure Zone
- 13.6 Adding a new hard disk
- 13.7 Security and Privacy Tools
- 13.8 Mounting an image
- 13.9 Unmounting an image
- 13.10 Working with .vhd(x) files
- 13.11 Importing and exporting backup settings
- 13.12 Acronis Universal Restore
- 14 Troubleshooting
- 15 Glossary of Terms
- Acronis Active Protection
- Acronis Drive
- Acronis Notary
- Acronis Secure Zone
- Acronis Startup Recovery Manager
- Archive
- Archiving operation
- Backup
- Backup operation
- Backup settings
- Backup version
- Backup version chain
- Bootable media
- Data synchronization
- Differential backup
- Differential backup version
- Disk backup (Image)
- Full backup
- Full backup version
- Image
- Incremental backup
- Incremental backup version
- Mobile backup
- Nonstop backup
- Nonstop protection
- Notarization
- Notarized backup
- Notarized file
- Online backup
- Recovery
- Suspicious process
- Sync
- Validation
- Version of synced file
36 Copyright © Acronis International GmbH, 2003-2020
HDD (internal or
external)
SSD (internal or
external)
USB flash drive
Acronis Cloud
File server, NAS
or NDAS
Network share
SMB share
FTP server
DVD
Memory card
MBR partitions or
entire disks (HDD, SSD)
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GPT/dynamic volumes
or disks
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Files and folders
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Though backing up to your local hard drive is the simplest option, we recommend that you store your
backups off-site because it enhances the security of your data.
Recommended storage media:
1. Acronis Cloud
2. External drive
If you plan to use an external USB hard drive with your desktop PC, we recommend that you
connect the drive to a rear connector by using a short cable.
3. Home file server, NAS, or NDAS
Please check whether Acronis True Image 2021 detects the selected backup storage, both in
Windows and when booted from the bootable media.
To gain access to an NDAS-enabled storage device, in many cases you will need to specify the
NDAS device ID (20 characters) and the write key (five characters). The write key allows you to
use an NDAS-enabled device in write mode (for example, for saving your backups). Usually the
device ID and write key are printed on a sticker attached to the bottom of the NDAS device or on
the inside of its enclosure. If there is no sticker, you need to contact your NDAS device vendor to
obtain that information.
4. Network share
See also: Authentication settings (p. 37).
5. FTP server
See also: FTP connection (p. 37).
6. Optical discs (CD, DVD, BD)
Blank optical discs such as DVD-R, DVD+R are very cheap, so they will be the lowest cost solution
for backing up your data, though the slowest one.
Due to the necessity of swapping discs, we strongly recommend to avoid backing up to DVDs if
the number of discs is more than three. When there is no alternative to backing up to DVDs, we
recommend to copy all DVDs to a folder on a hard disk, and then to recover from that folder.
3.4.1 Preparing a new disk for backup
A new internal or external hard drive may not be recognized by Acronis True Image 2021. If this is the
case, use the operating system tools to change the disk status to Online and then to initialize the
disk.
To change a disk status to Online: