PC World October 25, 2005 By Jon L. Jacobi Original article on Smart Computing website
Acronis True Image 9.0 Edges Past Norton Ghost 10
For backups, Acronis's latest True Image remains powerful and affordable, while Symantec's newest Norton is simple and effective.Disk-imaging software lets you create sector-by-sector copies of hard drive partitions, including boot information — so when disaster strikes, system recovery is a snap. Symantec and Acronis take different approaches to this crucial task in the latest updates of their disk-imaging applications. While Symantec's $70 Norton Ghost 10 focuses on improved usability, Acronis's $50 Acronis True Image 9.0 contains several new, must-have features. Both programs perform the same basic functions of creating and restoring full and incremental images to hard drives, CDs, or DVDs. And the two apps simplify automating and scheduling those processes. But the shipping version of Acronis True Image 9.0 that I tested permits differential images, which Norton Ghost 10 does not. Whereas incremental backups include only the data that has changed since your last backup, differentials allow you to create a single file containing all of the changes that have occurred since your initial full backup. That way, you never have to restore a large number of small incremental images. Equally useful is the new option to back up selected files and folders, which eliminates the need for a separate file-level backup program. Acronis has also added a Active Restore function so you can work in Windows before you finish restoring an image — great if you're on deadline. The biggest change in Norton Ghost 10 is the program's new interface, which does a nice job of guiding beginners through tasks while keeping various advanced options out of sight — but not out of reach. However, Ghost 10 cannot create an image while operating from its extremely slow-booting installation/recovery CD. So if your system goes down, the utility can't create an image to help you recover any un-backed-up data stored on a crashed partition. Symantec does bundle the older Norton Ghost 2003 (included mainly for Windows 98 users), which can create an image while running from its CD. But Acronis True Image 9.0's recovery CD handles everything that its Windows application can, and that's a far better approach. When it comes to features and price, you can't beat Acronis True Image 9.0. But I give credit to Ghost 10 for making an esoteric task easier for new users. The most powerful imaging suite available — and it's reasonably easy on the wallet, too.
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