Acronis True Image vs. SyncToy

[David]

Can someone who is familiar with both please help me make a decision?

If one already has Acronis TI Home 2012, are there any additional benefits
that one might expect by installing "Microsoft's" SyncToy?

Thank you very much for any thoughts.

[philo]

SyncToy is for synchronizing folders
it does not have the ability to clone your drive (which Acronis can of
course do)

--
https://www.createspace.com/3707686

[glee]

"David" <inv...@socrates.edu> wrote in message
news:nb1h385g9p4j1mtde...@4ax.com...

They do totally different things.
Acronis True Image makes an image of your entire hard drive or
partition, to restore in its entirety if needed.
SyncToy makes copies only of folders/files that you choose, with various
options to synchronize folders between two locations, such as between
your computer and a backup media or drive.
--
Glen Ventura
MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
CompTIA A+

[Bert Hyman]

In news:k1af9c$vrg$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

> Acronis True Image makes an image of your entire hard drive or
> partition, to restore in its entirety if needed.

True Image also does file-by file backups, including incremental or
differential.

I've been using it to back up my PCs for years.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN be...@iphouse.com

[glee]

"Bert Hyman" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message
news:XnsA0BA98F79AB...@216.250.188.141...

> In news:k1af9c$vrg$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Acronis True Image makes an image of your entire hard drive or
>> partition, to restore in its entirety if needed.
>
> True Image also does file-by file backups, including incremental or
> differential.
>
> I've been using it to back up my PCs for years.

Yes, it does, to a monolithic proprietary image file, the way Windows
Backup does. Unless it has changed in newer versions, you can only
restore the entire image, not just particular files. The advantage of
SyncToy for file backups is that it backs up files and folders
individually, and they can be restored individually. The advantage of
True Image is that the backup can be highly compressed.
I wouldn't spend the money on True Image just for its backup option....
it's primary value is as an image backup tool. SyncToy can back up
individual files just as conveniently, for free. :-)

[Char Jackson]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:41:54 -0400, "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

I agree with your overall assessment, but I'd like to point out that
Acronis has had the capability to let the user browse through the
backup and choose individual files for restore since at least 2006.

[Paul]

If you look around, a lot of backup tools have some means to "browse"
the backup. This is the first hit when I tried "acronis true image browser"
in a search.

http://www.acronis.com/company/inpress/2008/02-restore-a-copy.html

"The Acronis True Image viewer can open an image you've created as a
local drive by assigning it a drive letter (such as D:). This means
you can view and access copied files and folders conveniently."

Paul

[glee]

"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message
news:j65i38h84akm666oq...@4ax.com...

I can't check the later versions, but Acronis TI v.9's last build, from
2007, can only do that with partition images, not with file/folder
backups. Trying to browse a file and folder backup with the "Browse
Image" option gives an error message, stating there are no partitions in
the image. The "Browse Image" option only works with partition images.

[glee]

"Paul" <nos...@needed.com> wrote in message
news:k1b54e$3q7$1...@dont-email.me...

That only works with partition images, not with folder images. It gives
the imaged partition a drive letter.... it can't give an imaged set of
folders a drive letter.

[Barry Schwarz]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 14:23:48 -0400, "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

That is five years old. The current version is Acronis True Image
Home 2012, Update 2 (build 7119) and it certainly will let you restore
individual files from both partition images and file/folder backups.

--
Remove del for email

[Char Jackson]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 14:27:08 -0400, "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

I just tried it with ATI 2011 and browsing a file backup (as opposed
to a volume backup) worked as expected. Acronis creates a .tib file
and provides the capability to just double-click your way into it as
deeply as you want to go. Once inside, you can pull out any individual
file. There's no need to assign a drive letter. You can drill into any
.tib file without needing a drive letter, even full volume image
files.

I'm not going to reinstall any older (or newer) versions to test their
capabilities, so if you're sure this capability didn't exist some
years back I'll grudgingly take your word for it, but I feel like I
clearly remember being able to do the same since I started using ATI
in 2006.

[BillW50]

Like others have already stated, they perform two different tasks.
Acronis True Image 2012 will do everything, but it isn't very practical
for syncing. It isn't as hot for it was built for either like backing up
and cloning.

I personally have mostly given up on backing up (aka archiving). It is
nothing but a pain in the butt. And ATI especially may let you down when
you need to restore. Yet ATI will backup 24/7 reliably. Go figure. There
are programs that does what ATI does, but better and even free.

I also much prefer cloning instead of backing up. This is so much
better. Although it requires more hard drives that fits into your
computer. So it cost more, but it is so much better. And remember one
day your backup drive will fail. Now you have nothing except what is on
your original drive. I don't have those worries.

I also sync too since I have 20+ laptops here. And I can tell you since
I used just about everything for syncing and backing up out there, that
Microsoft's SyncToy is really poor. What is so much better and so much
faster is SyncBack. I use the free one, but they have registration
versions too that costs a little. But the free one works fine and no
nags or anything. It just can't sync opened files. But that isn't a
problem for me.

If you only have one computer, well it doesn't really matter much what
you use. As for most regardless of how many computers you have, you want
to protect your documents, music, pictures, etc. which we normally call
documents and/or data. Syncing works better for this task, but something
like ATI can do this too, but not as convenient.

Next thing to worry about is the OS and the installed applications. If
you have all of the installs for this, you really don't have to back it
up or clone it. As you could just reinstall everything from scratch once
again. Yes this is a royal pain in the butt to do. But it is a gamble.
You save time by never backing up or cloning, but you save nothing if
you have to reinstall from scratch.

For me personally even with all of my computers, the last time I
installed from scratch was from 2002. And that was 10 years ago. And all
of the 10 years worth of backups and clones I have made since was just a
waste of time. As I haven't needed any of them. So like I said it is a
gamble.

Although starting from scratch isn't fun at all. So we backup or clone
or both. Some backup the OS separate from applications backups. I
personally don't like doing them separately. As application updates or
new application installs sometimes updates part of the OS too (and even
change the registry). So if you don't backup or clone them at the same
time, they could get out of sync. Now you could have problems. So I
treat them as one.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v14
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 7 SP1

[glee]

"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message

news:vo9i38tskg68ek5ii...@4ax.com...

Glad to hear that works in versions 2011 and 2012. In version 9, it
gives the message I mentioned when trying to open a file/folder backup
using the Browse Image link in the program. Double-clicking the .tib
file of a file/folder image opens the Restoration dialog. Partition
images work as you describe.

[glee]

"Barry Schwarz" <schw...@dqel.com> wrote in message
news:2j8i38hb6b4ef5vfk...@4ax.com...

Good to know, thanks. I have licenses for True Image 7, 9, 10, and
11... but only have v.9 installed on an XP system. I periodically use
the rescue CD from v.11 for disk cloning, but don't have v.11 installed
in any Windows systems.

[glee]

"Barry Schwarz" <schw...@dqel.com> wrote in message
news:2j8i38hb6b4ef5vfk...@4ax.com...

Just as an aside.... TI 9.x being 5 years old doesn't preclude it from
use. Windows XP is 11 years old, SP3 is 4 years old, I still have
clients using TI v.7. If a 5-year-old version of software works well on
your OS, there is no reason for most users to pay for upgrades to the
latest version. Yes, as you mentioned, some features are improved, but
they don't always warrant to cost of upgrading.

[Bert]

In news:k1av8g$utn$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

> Unless it has changed in newer versions, you can only
> restore the entire image, not just particular files.

I don't know what you mean by "recent," but I can do that with TI 2009.

--
be...@iphouse.com St. Paul, MN

[glee]

"Bert" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message
news:XnsA0BB7262150...@216.250.188.140...

> In news:k1av8g$utn$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Unless it has changed in newer versions, you can only
>> restore the entire image, not just particular files.
>
> I don't know what you mean by "recent," but I can do that with TI
> 2009.

Yes, you're right... you can select particular files to restore, rather
than the whole image.... my mistake.
What you can't do is browse and read files in the image, as you can with
partition images, using the Mount Image option in TI 9 Tasks.

Acronis True Image Workstation version 9.1 (build 3,887)
Select Backup> Files and Folders> select source files> select
destination> select New full backup archive.
When done, click Mount Image> select the .tib image file just created of
the folders and files> click OK.
Error message appears: "Specified archive cannot be mounted since it
contains no partition"

Sorry for confusing the two...

[Bert]

In news:k1ds9q$lpq$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

> "Bert" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message
> news:XnsA0BB7262150...@216.250.188.140...
>> In news:k1av8g$utn$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Unless it has changed in newer versions, you can only
>>> restore the entire image, not just particular files.
>>
>> I don't know what you mean by "recent," but I can do that with TI
>> 2009.
>
> Yes, you're right... you can select particular files to restore,
> rather than the whole image.... my mistake.
> What you can't do is browse and read files in the image, as you can
> with partition images, using the Mount Image option in TI 9 Tasks.

I can do that too.

From the UI, I select Operations->Mount Image, which allows me to select
the backup set (I do a full backup once a week and an incremental backup
the next 6 days, with "last weeks" backup set kept as a backup backup).
I then pick which partitions to mount and assign drive letters to.
There's even an option to mount in "read-write" mode, although the idea
of changing my backup doesn't thrill me.

I can also browse the backups through the Windows Explorer integration.
I can "open" a backup for a particular date on my backup drive and
browse the individual files, and either read the files directly or copy
them to one of my active drives.

All of this works even though I'm NOT doing image backups.

[glee]

"Bert" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message

news:XnsA0BB924DCD...@216.250.188.140...

> In news:k1ds9q$lpq$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
> wrote:
>
>> "Bert" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message
>> news:XnsA0BB7262150...@216.250.188.140...
>>> In news:k1av8g$utn$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Unless it has changed in newer versions, you can only
>>>> restore the entire image, not just particular files.
>>>
>>> I don't know what you mean by "recent," but I can do that with TI
>>> 2009.
>>
>> Yes, you're right... you can select particular files to restore,
>> rather than the whole image.... my mistake.
>> What you can't do is browse and read files in the image, as you can
>> with partition images, using the Mount Image option in TI 9 Tasks.
>
> I can do that too.
>
> From the UI, I select Operations->Mount Image, which allows me to
> select
> the backup set (I do a full backup once a week and an incremental
> backup
> the next 6 days, with "last weeks" backup set kept as a backup
> backup).
> I then pick which partitions to mount and assign drive letters to.

Right there, you are saying "I then pick which partitions to mount and
assign drive letters to"
You CAN'T pick a partition to mount unless you backed up a partition.
How are you picking a partition to mount, when you only backed up some
folders/files, not using to image a partition???

> There's even an option to mount in "read-write" mode, although the
> idea
> of changing my backup doesn't thrill me.

Yes.... IF you backed up a partition, not just files/folders.

> I can also browse the backups through the Windows Explorer
> integration.
> I can "open" a backup for a particular date on my backup drive and
> browse the individual files, and either read the files directly or
> copy
> them to one of my active drives.

How are you doing that, exactly? I can do it with partition/drive
images, bit NOT with file/folder-only backups.

> All of this works even though I'm NOT doing image backups.

It sure sounds like you are doing partition images, not file backups...
see my comments above.

[glee]

"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message

news:vo9i38tskg68ek5ii...@4ax.com...

I am mistaken.... as far as restoring individual files from a
file/folder backup, yes, I can do that. What I can't do is mount and
read the backed-up files unless it is a partition image backup. To do
that, you have to mount the image, and it only appears to work on
partition images, not file/folder images.

Sorry for the mistake...

[Bert]

In news:k1dugd$3hb$1...@dont-email.me "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>

wrote:

> "Bert" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message

> news:XnsA0BB924DCD...@216.250.188.140...

>
>
>> All of this works even though I'm NOT doing image backups.
>
> It sure sounds like you are doing partition images, not file
> backups... see my comments above.

Maybe it's a terminology problem between Acronis and the rest of the
world.

I might be doing a "partition image" backup, but I can still do either
full or incremental backups with the incremental backups only saving the
files which were changed since the previous backup, and I can also
selectively read or restore individual files from the backups for
specific dates.

It really doesn't matter to me exactly what Acronis is doing, other than
to say that the specific operations that you were talking about in your
earlier posts can all be performed on the backups that I make each day
using the 2009 version of the product.

[Char Jackson]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:02:08 -0400, "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>

Just to clarify, you can explore your "file backup" file and select
individual files to be restored, but you can't explore your "file
backup" file and select individual files to be opened (read)? The
right click context menu should have both Read and Open commands
available. Your older version doesn't have that?

Note that I'm talking about exploring ATI's .tib file with Windows
Explorer, not with any tool inside of Acronis. In fact, Acronis isn't
even running.

From personal memory, I don't remember a time when I've had to mount
an Acronis image of any kind, (file or partition/disk), in order to
read or recover individual files. Maybe I'm absently choosing an
"Integrate with Windows" option during installation and promptly
forgetting about it?

>Sorry for the mistake...

No problem, I'm here to learn and share. :)

[glee]

"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message

news:2fbl38ptfqmk8j2md...@4ax.com...

The right-click context menu in Windows Explorer for .tib files here,
besides the usual stuff that all files have, has Restore, and Mount...
with Restore in bold as the default. Selecting either one opens TI 9 in
either the Restore or the Mount mode. A .tib file made using the image
backup of a drive or partition can do either.... a .tib file made using
the file/folder backup option fails the Mount option with the error I
mentioned.

> From personal memory, I don't remember a time when I've had to mount
> an Acronis image of any kind, (file or partition/disk), in order to
> read or recover individual files. Maybe I'm absently choosing an
> "Integrate with Windows" option during installation and promptly
> forgetting about it?

I don't think that's the case, as I believe I installed with all
options. Maybe they had an add-on file browser you installed, that I
don't know about?

>
>>Sorry for the mistake...
>
> No problem, I'm here to learn and share. :)

[glee]

"Bert" <be...@iphouse.com> wrote in message

news:XnsA0BBA3983E2...@216.250.188.140...

I think you may actually be doing partition images, since you mention
mounting and giving a drive letter, which can only be done with a
partition image. Both partition images and file/folder images give the
same choice of Full, Differential, or Incremental Backups. I think
maybe you are seeing that and considering it a file backup when it is a
partition backup. {shrug} The important thing is that it works for
you. :-)

[Bill in Co]

Relatedly, I'm using ATI Home 11 (circa 2007), and never have specifically
requested "mounting an image" to see or copy a file in that tib image. (but
maybe it's getting "mounted", per se, behind the scenes when I click on the
tib file in Windows Explorer - I don't know). To be more specific:

I simply use Windows Explorer as a file manager, and click on the partition
image backup tib file, and then click down a layer or two (subdirectory
wise) to specifically see or copy any file I want out of the tib image.

[Char Jackson]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 21:23:17 -0400, "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>

wrote:

>"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message

>news:2fbl38ptfqmk8j2md...@4ax.com...

>>
>> Just to clarify, you can explore your "file backup" file and select
>> individual files to be restored, but you can't explore your "file
>> backup" file and select individual files to be opened (read)? The
>> right click context menu should have both Read and Open commands
>> available. Your older version doesn't have that?
>>
>> Note that I'm talking about exploring ATI's .tib file with Windows
>> Explorer, not with any tool inside of Acronis. In fact, Acronis isn't
>> even running.
>
>The right-click context menu in Windows Explorer for .tib files here,
>besides the usual stuff that all files have, has Restore, and Mount...
>with Restore in bold as the default. Selecting either one opens TI 9 in
>either the Restore or the Mount mode. A .tib file made using the image
>backup of a drive or partition can do either.... a .tib file made using
>the file/folder backup option fails the Mount option with the error I
>mentioned.

Alright, thanks for your patience. I'm beaten into submission and
figure I'm just not remembering correctly, or my experience with ATI
simply doesn't go back as far as the version you're using. Though I
first started using it in 2006, I'm not at all sure I did file backups
with it that far back. As you've said, ATI isn't usually the first
choice when reaching for a file backup tool. Thanks for hanging in
there and setting me straight.

>> From personal memory, I don't remember a time when I've had to mount
>> an Acronis image of any kind, (file or partition/disk), in order to
>> read or recover individual files. Maybe I'm absently choosing an
>> "Integrate with Windows" option during installation and promptly
>> forgetting about it?
>
>I don't think that's the case, as I believe I installed with all
>options. Maybe they had an add-on file browser you installed, that I
>don't know about?

More likely I'm simply referring to a later version than what you're
using. Sorry about that.

[Char Jackson]

The question is, can you do that exact behavior when the .tib file is
the result of a *file* backup, or only when it's a partition or disk
backup?

For Glen and version 9, the right click menu contains Restore and
Mount. For me and version 2011, the right click menu contains Open and
Copy. I'm curious if v11 is the same as v9, the same as v2011, or
something in between.

[glee]

"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message

news:1pml38d4733ka0oip...@4ax.com...

When I have time in the next week or two, I may replace v.9 with v.10 on
the XP system, to see what if anything changes. I have v.11 also....
when I get a chance, I'll install it on my Windows 7 system and see what
the differences are.

[Bill in Co]

If I right click on a FILE within the "tib" partition backup image file
(using Windows Explorer), I only get Open and Copy, like you.

I have never used ATI as a folder or file backup utility, per se, only as a
partition backup utility (which I think is its main purpose).

I think using ATI to simply backup a folder or file is underutilizing ATI,
and that there are probably better (and more basic) software alternatives to
doing just that.

[David]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 15:36:36 +0700, David <inv...@socrates.edu> wrote:

>Can someone who is familiar with both please help me make a decision?
>
>If one already has Acronis TI Home 2012, are there any additional benefits
>that one might expect by installing "Microsoft's" SyncToy?
>
>Thank you very much for any thoughts.

Thanks folks for all of your responses. I am learning a lot from your
perspectives.

I think I unintentionally mislead some of you with the wording of my
Subject: "Acronis True Image vs. SyncToy". What I should have said is,
"Would SyncToy provide a useful addition to Acronis TI 2012?". If this
clarification changes anyone's thoughts, I would welcome your opinions.

Thank you again for your viewpoints.

[David]

Thank you for your response (below), Bill.

It's refreshing to hear from someone who has been spared big problems!
Mostly what I read are horror stories of backups that failed, or that were
nonexistent in the first place. I am presently digging my way out of my
own horror story, of which I will spare you; but unlike you, I am now, as a
consequence, intensifying my backup procedures. This was the reason and
preface for my original post.

I had read some pretty positive reviews of SyncToy, so was surprised to
read your response. Could you please elaborate on its shortcomings, as
compared with SyncBack?

Thank you very much,

[Bill in Co]

BillW50 wrote:
> On 8/25/2012 3:36 AM, David wrote:
>> Can someone who is familiar with both please help me make a decision?
>>
>> If one already has Acronis TI Home 2012, are there any additional
>> benefits
>> that one might expect by installing "Microsoft's" SyncToy?
>>
>> Thank you very much for any thoughts.
>
> Like others have already stated, they perform two different tasks.
> Acronis True Image 2012 will do everything, but it isn't very practical
> for syncing. It isn't as hot for it was built for either like backing up
> and cloning.
>
> I personally have mostly given up on backing up (aka archiving). It is
> nothing but a pain in the butt. And ATI especially may let you down when
> you need to restore. Yet ATI will backup 24/7 reliably. Go figure. There
> are programs that does what ATI does, but better and even free.
>
> I also much prefer cloning instead of backing up. This is so much
> better. Although it requires more hard drives that fits into your
> computer. So it cost more, but it is so much better. And remember one
> day your backup drive will fail. Now you have nothing except what is on
> your original drive. I don't have those worries.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one, Bill. I much prefer
imaging (my C: partition) to an internal backup drive, and I've NEVER had a
problem restoring that image (and I've done that quite a bit).

With imaging, the convenience of 1) being able to store several generational
backup images on one backup drive, AND 2) NOT having to swap out drives,
has been of the most benefit to me.

But that doesn't mean I don't think clones are useful, however (I think
ideally, you'd have both at your disposal if you want the best of both
worlds).

[Char Jackson]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 21:14:58 -0600, "Bill in Co"

Cool, thanks. If you get a chance, you should create a small 'files
and folders' backup so we can see how that behaves.

>I have never used ATI as a folder or file backup utility, per se, only as a
>partition backup utility (which I think is its main purpose).

Partitions and disks, yeah.

>I think using ATI to simply backup a folder or file is underutilizing ATI,
>and that there are probably better (and more basic) software alternatives to
>doing just that.

I would never recommend ATI to someone only looking for a 'files and
folders' backup solution, but if you already own it you might as well
use as many of its features as you need.

[Char Jackson]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:53:16 -0400, "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com>
wrote:

>When I have time in the next week or two, I may replace v.9 with v.10 on
>the XP system, to see what if anything changes. I have v.11 also....
>when I get a chance, I'll install it on my Windows 7 system and see what
>the differences are.

I'll be curious to hear what you find.

[RJK]

"David" <inv...@socrates.edu> wrote in message
news:mlpl381269kqgt8au...@4ax.com...

Hi, seeing as you're all discussing Acronis, I have a few questions :-)

...sorry - bit of background first :-
...A few weeks ago I bought a 60gb Kingston V+200 (SF 2281) SSD and put it
in my CR620 Laptop. SSD came with a cheap plastic USB caddy and Acronis CD
for imaging Laptops' hard disk onto / (back into) new SSD hd in Laptop.
...and I naively allowed Acronis to automatically control reduced partition
sizes, and it reduced W7 Home's hidden 100Mb partition to 12mb's, I think it
was, which caused problems with software that needed W7's VSS service -
which was instantly detected and solved by Paul - in here somewhere :-)
So, after resizing partitions to keep that partition at 100mb's, ...all was
okay.
The 320gb 5,400rpm hd that came out of Laptop, I fitted into a Sumvision
ext. hd enclosure with a eSATA port on it - to speed things up a bit, when I
image my new 60gb SSD boot drive, (in Laptop), out onto it. (bought eSATA
card for Express 34 slot etc.).
...(bought latest version of Acronis and installed into Laptop, so I could
image SSD boot drive out onto external enclosure via eSATA lead).

Not happy with the miserly 25gb? free space on new SSD, I bought a 90gb SSD,
and put that into Laptop, and did procedure as above, though I manually set
partition sizes during imaging of boot drive (temporarily in external
enclosure) back onto new 90gb SSD in Laptop, to keep W7's 100mb hidden
partition at that size.

So now I have 90gb SSD boot drive in Laptop, 320gb 5,400rpm hd in Sumvision
external enclosure,
....and now a spare 60gb SSD that I would like to reconfigure i.e. remove
the three partitions on it, so that there is only 1 partition with a view to
putting it into Kingston plastic USB external enclosure,
....seeing as I can't do that across a USB lead i.e. 60gb hd has to be
connected to a SATA controller, meaning I would have to start swapping disks
around again <sigh>,

Lurking nearby is a "ALL IN 1 HDD docking" station which has a USB and, more
importantly, an eSATA port on it,
so, if I put the 60gb SSD in it, and connect it to Laptops' eSATA Express
34mm card, will it be detected by W7 ?
...would that screw up W7 in Laptop during boot up, because W7 will be able
to see more than one active partition ?

If, after putting 60gb SSD drive into Docking station, (if it works?), and
after deleting its' three partitions, and after creating 1 primary or
extended partition, (not marked active), and then fitting it back into that
Kingston external USB (only) enclosure, with a view to using it as an extra
drive to receive an Acronis backup image, ...where does W7's TRIM fit into
this scenario ? ...i.e. does W7's TRIM work on a SSD that is connected to
Laptop with a USB lead ? ...or would it be best to buy another external
enclusure that has an eSATA port ?

...phew,

many TIA's

regards, Richard

[glee]

"RJK" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:503c6799$0$9585$882e...@usenet-news.net...
>
> snip

> ....and now a spare 60gb SSD that I would like to reconfigure i.e.
> remove the three partitions on it, so that there is only 1 partition
> with a view to putting it into Kingston plastic USB external
> enclosure,
> ....seeing as I can't do that across a USB lead i.e. 60gb hd has to be

> connected to a SATA controller...
> snip

Why can't you reconfigure the 60GB SSD while it is connected via USB?
The plastic USB "caddy" came with it for that use.

[RJK]

"glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com> wrote in message
news:k1iafb$t3$1...@dont-email.me...

Hi, I thought that I tried to do that. i.e. with 60gb SSD in Kingston USB
external enclosure, (using USB lead from it to Laptop USB 2.0 port), and
using W7's disk management - it appeared that I could not delete, (at least
two), parititions on it, ....two of them, if memory serves were greyed out,
and right-click pop-out menus on two of them, (again if memory serves), were
lacking the option/s to delete them.

...somewhere along the way, (Googling on different PC), I'm sure I spotted
that partition operations of the type I want to perform could not be
conducted across USB, and hd neede to be connected to a SATA controller :-)

...which is why I wondered if I popped 60gb SSD out of Kingston enclosure,
and whacked it into "ALL IN 1 HDD docking" unit, and connected that to
Laptop with eSATA lead, ....to eSATA Express34 card :-)
...and then I got to thinking, might be quicker to foray in here, rather
than upset things - perhaps when W7 spots two bootable partitions, one on
90gb SSD in Laptop, and one in external eSATA docking station.

i.e. one is getting older and rustier by the year !!! ...and lazier !
...with the passing years one is more reluctant to try the most obvious
route, than have it all go bang, ...then have to boot from recovery cd to
restore recent boot drive image, ...all takes time. ..better to have a
better idea of how system will behave in the first place :-)

regards, Richard

[glee]

"RJK" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:503cd914$0$9567$882e...@usenet-news.net...

>
> "glee" <gle...@spamindspring.com> wrote in message
> news:k1iafb$t3$1...@dont-email.me...
>> "RJK" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:503c6799$0$9585$882e...@usenet-news.net...
>>>
>>> snip
>>> ....and now a spare 60gb SSD that I would like to reconfigure i.e.
>>> remove the three partitions on it, so that there is only 1 partition
>>> with a view to putting it into Kingston plastic USB external
>>> enclosure,
>>> ....seeing as I can't do that across a USB lead i.e. 60gb hd has to
>>> be connected to a SATA controller...
>>> snip
>>
>> Why can't you reconfigure the 60GB SSD while it is connected via USB?
>> The plastic USB "caddy" came with it for that use.
>

> Hi, I thought that I tried to do that. i.e. with 60gb SSD in Kingston
> USB external enclosure, (using USB lead from it to Laptop USB 2.0
> port), and using W7's disk management - it appeared that I could not
> delete, (at least two), parititions on it, ....two of them, if memory
> serves were greyed out, and right-click pop-out menus on two of them,
> (again if memory serves), were lacking the option/s to delete them.
>
> ...somewhere along the way, (Googling on different PC), I'm sure I
> spotted that partition operations of the type I want to perform could
> not be conducted across USB, and hd neede to be connected to a SATA
> controller :-)

> snip

You can't use Windows 7's Disk Management to delete some OEM volumes
(partitions).... you will not see the full context menu for some (only a
Help menu), while others will have a delete Volume option but not a
Format option. To delete those partitions, you must use the command
line tool, Diskpart.exe, in Windows 7.

Make sure you select the correct disk... you can use Disk Management to
determine which disk number is your USB-connected external drive.

How to delete OEM Partition:
http://jaredheinrichs.com/how-to-delete-oem-partition.html