What is the best imaging software for Windows 7?

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ubercake

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I have looked at Acronis True Image 2014, but the reviews aren't that great. I'm wondering if this Is simply because people just aren't using it correctly?

Does anyone have experience with imaging software out there (particulary Acronis since it's on sale right now)?

Or if there's a better one out there you have direct experience with, which do you prefer to use?
 
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I use Acronis myself. I clone drives with it, and run my backups with it. I generally like it, but it does have one particular "gotcha;" it doesn't recognize drives merely by their letters, as in this scenario:
1. You set up your (mechanical HDD) C: with a 238GB partition in anticipation of getting a SSD. In the mean time, you set up Acronis to perform image backups of this C: to another data drive. All is well; the backup runs at its scheduled times.
2. You get your SSD, and clone C: onto it, then make the SSD your new C:. All appears well with the way your system operates; oooh fast!
3. You find errors in your backup log. The Acronis job can't find your C: so the backup is failing.
4. The fix is to edit the backup job to...

Hawkeye22

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I've used acronis 2009, 2011, and 2013 with no problems, but I've never fully utilized all the features, especially "secure zone" as I don't like programs messing with my partition tables. The rest of the features have worked fine. Acronis offers a free trial so you may want to go ahead and see how you like it.

If you're using windows 7, the windows backup isn't too bad fo free.
 

Onus

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I use Acronis myself. I clone drives with it, and run my backups with it. I generally like it, but it does have one particular "gotcha;" it doesn't recognize drives merely by their letters, as in this scenario:
1. You set up your (mechanical HDD) C: with a 238GB partition in anticipation of getting a SSD. In the mean time, you set up Acronis to perform image backups of this C: to another data drive. All is well; the backup runs at its scheduled times.
2. You get your SSD, and clone C: onto it, then make the SSD your new C:. All appears well with the way your system operates; oooh fast!
3. You find errors in your backup log. The Acronis job can't find your C: so the backup is failing.
4. The fix is to edit the backup job to respecify your "new" drive C: to back up.
 
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Wisecracker

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Not sure what the plan is, here, but I've been 'hit or miss' with True Image and Ghost ... it's been hard for me to find any consistency. Could easily be operator error, except ...

I'm 3 for 3 with the Samsung Data Migration tool. It's fast, simple and free but it only works with Samsung, of course. It's made by a company called 'Clonix'

 

Hawkeye22

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The only time I've seen people run into problems with any cloning software is when they clone their OS drive with the intent to clone to a new or larger boot drive. This only happens when the user doesn't realize that the boot loader is on a differnt drive than the OS. This is why I always recommend only having one drive installed in your computer when installing windows. This forces windows to put the boot loader and OS onto the same drive anmd makes cloning less stressful.
 

guyshomenet

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Bail on Acronis. Take this from someone who was once a product manager for a UNIX

backup software company.

I have been using their products for a few years. Each new release has at least one

unpleasant defect, and their tech support is the worst.

I recently discovered a design defect n their product. When I reported it and asked for

a fix they (without my request or permission) issued me a refund and ignored my replies

on the support emails.

It your want reliable support, go anywhere else.
 
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