Acronis^® Image Backup and Recovery Guide

Problems with a standard cloning operation, such as sector mismatch errors, may be resolved without resorting to other software or a clean installation. This can be done by using the backup and recovery functions built into Acronis True Image® for Crucial®.

This procedure takes longer than a standard clone, and is not recommended if you can utilize the regular cloning process. To minimize software conflicts that can result in errors, we recommend this operation be done using bootable media for Acronis, as well. This process works from within Windows®, but all screen shots in this guide are from the bootable version. Please note exact steps and menu options may vary within the Windows® version of Acronis.

1. Access the backup function from the home screen or by navigating to the Backup tab, then selecting Disk and Partition Backup
   

2. The Backup Wizard will ask what partitions and drive letters to include in the backup operation. You may omit some partitions in this step, but most users will want to select and copy the entire disk, which can be done by clicking the box to the left of your numbered disk entry

3. On the Target backup archive screen, you will need to designate a destination for your True Image Backup (.TIB file). This can be saved to the same drive you are backing up, unless you intend to install a new disk to replace the old one in the same location. If that is the case, you will need a secondary disk or flash drive to write the .TIB file to. Ensure it is also formatted to an ExFAT or NTFS file system, as the .TIB file size will generally be too large for other file systems
4. To designate a location, click Browse, choose an easy-to-locate folder to write the file to, give it a name (or click Generate name to let Acronis name it for you), then click OK
   

5. Back on the Target backup archive screen, the folder and filename will auto-populate your backup location field. Then click Next (if the .TIB file is going to the same drive being copied, an extra prompt will appear to acknowledge), and review the summary screen to ensure everything is correct, then click Proceed and wait for the operation to finish. If you don't select the onscreen options to shutdown or restart after the backup, you will simply get a popup when the operation finishes
6. After connecting your new drive, when you are ready to copy your image to it, select the Recovery tab. Your recent image may automatically populate in the Images list, otherwise select Browse for backup... and navigate to the location you previously saved the .TIB file, and select it there to add it to the Images list on the Recovery tab. Afterward, click the Disk Recovery button at the top of the Recovery tab
   

7. Select the backup from the list displayed, then click Next

8. On the Choose recovery method screen, select Recover whole disks and partitions, click Next, then on the Select the items to recover screen, check the box next to your disk number to select all the data from your image to restore to the destination SSD. After making this selection, click Next
9. After some loading, a window to select a destination will come up. Select your desired destination from the list of detected drives
   

10. Any drive can be selected here, but a new, unformatted drive will be listed as "Not initialized." If data is present, even an empty partition, a prompt to confirm the data can be erased will appear. After clicking Next and accepting those prompts (if applicable), a summary window will let you make a final review of the process. Click Proceed afterward, and the recovery will begin. When finished, the target SSD can be used as your primary boot drive with the data from your image as it was when you created the backup.