# Solved: Acronis Backup and UEFI



## halcour

Just built a new system w/a UEFI Bios. When I go to backup my C: drive (SSD) there is a Recovery Partition (NTFS), an Unamed partiton (FAT32), and the Local Disk C: (NTFS). I went ahead and backed up all three the first time, but in future should I just back up the Local Disk? Also, when I boot into Acronis Recovery to restore my C: drive, should I also check "MBR & Track 0" for recovery? Thanks.


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## Macboatmaster

Were it to be me - I would be very careful in relying ONLY on Acronis
http://kb.acronis.com/content/34965

That said, in fairness to Acronis - one should NEVER rely on only one means of recovery

For your information the FAT32 partition is the partition from which Wi8ndows loads, it is the one containing the boot files, to which control is handed from the UEFI firmware after completion of the POST sequence and loading of the drivers, necessary to proceed to windows.

ON UEFI and GPT partitioned discs, Windows boots from the FAT32 partition. UEFI can read NTFS file systems but cannot boot from them.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463525.aspx

I would recommend you use - whatever you do with Acronis - the following

1. Control Panel - Windows 7 File Recovery
please see screenshot and THIS explanation - although my example relates to HP computers it is the same for all
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=uk&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c03544793

and here is WHY it has such a strange name as Windows 7 File recovery
Control Panel, Windows 7 file recovery - strangely named by Microsoft, because they designed a new system in 8 called file history - but the one I have pointed you to is the far easier to use

So you should also ensure you have the Windows 8 File history - again from Control Panel
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/how-use-file-history

and finally if it were me, but is ONLY my opinion I would create another complete image using Easeus Free TODO backup
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

but I must stress that there are many others and that is only the one I use.

FINALLY it is of course vital that you also have the means to reinstall from the DVD or whatever installation media you used in the first place TOGETHER with a simple backup of all your personal data

The system I use - and I run a triple boot on 8, 7 and XP is that I two system images of each disc - there are two HDD`s in the computer - one from Windows backup and one from Easeus and I then ONLY update these after any major changes.
I then run File History for 8 - AND a simple backup - copy and paste etc of any personal data.

GOING back to Acronis - and depending on if you have BOUGHT it I would strongly advise an email to support asking them if they NOW can assure YOU that their system will restore on a UEFI GPT computer.


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## Macboatmaster

Re the above - as to which partitions you backup
AN IMAGE is what you need and an IMAGE of a drive is ALL of it
An image is a backup, but a backup is not necessarily an IMAGE

OFFLINE for four hours will reply when I return


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## halcour

Thanks for the information and advice.

I made an image using Windows Recovery and created a USB recovery drive. I wanted to test it so I booted into the recovery drive and tried to recover the Windows img file I just created. I got an error msg that it failed because the img was created with UEFI and my system was BIOS. What happened?

I have Gigabyte-Z77X-UD3H mb.


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## Macboatmaster

How did you create the USB recovery drive please and which windows recovery are we talking about
See this please

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/8956-system-image-create-windows-8-a.html

My guess is that you are booting the system from the USB on BIOS having changed the settings in UEFI to disable secure boot and enable legacy boot


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## halcour

I created the USB recovery using the Win "Create a Recovery Drive" function. The image was created via the Windows 7 Recovery method you linked.

I have been into my BIOS but I haven't changed anything from the original setup unless I did it completely unintentionally. As far as I know the only thing I've done is look through it and click Save & Exit. How would I check whether it is Secure boot or Legacy boot?

EDIT: Got it! Found a boot option in the BIOS, the default was "Legacy OR UEFI", then "Legacy", finally "UEFI". I selected UEFI, booted into the USB Recovery drive and did the recovery, no problemo.

Now that I know that works I'll test Acronis and Easeus images this weekend.

Thanks much!


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## Macboatmaster

Cheers
That was my thinking


> My guess is that you are booting the system from the USB on BIOS having changed the settings in UEFI to disable secure boot and enable legacy boot


although I thought mistakenly it seems that you must have so configured it.
If Acronis works - they must have fixed it, as at first it did not, according to many reports
In fact many people bought Acronis True Image and then found that it would not restore to UEFI systems


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## Macboatmaster

I am signing off it is 0200 in UK
For your info - just in case you are not aware
Legacy boot can only be enabled when secure boot is disabled
Legacy boot is the traditional BIOS
UEFI is the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface that is the new BIOS - so to speak.
UEFI must boot from a GPT partitioned disk that is the Globally Unique Identifier Partitioning Table that as I have said must have the FAT32 partition for the Windows Boot manager

BIOS of course uses the traditional MBR partition table - not the GPT

In UEFI you will see the Windows Boot Manager and you will more than likely see the DVD drive UEFI and the DVD drive again but not UEFI 

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL PLEASE about making any changes to UEFI unless you know exactly what you are changing.

The problem or should I say the reported problem to my knowledge has not been the making of the image on Acronis, it has been the recovery to it.

NOTE - Must be time to sign off - just realised you BUILT so you will not I think have SECURE BOOT


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## halcour

Ok, thanks for the info. Believe me, I won't be making any changes in UEFI w/o knowing what I'm doing first.


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## Macboatmaster

Cheers
I would be interested to see how you go with Acronis


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## halcour

As long as I'm sure the Windows Recovery works (I'll test it once more first) I'll try an Acronis recovery this wknd and post here.


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## halcour

Just did a full image backup and recovery with Acronis. Worked fine, no glitches. I've scheduled Acronis backups nightly and Win 8 backups weekly.

Thanks again for your help.


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## Macboatmaster

Good news
Pleased to have helped


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## UserSupport_Pro

I have many success using Acronis to backup and Clone UEFi system without any issues.


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