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Acronis True Image ~ Simple way to make backups and clones

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trs96

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12/11/19 Current best deal: 3 Acronis licenses for $10.55 each. Use the promo code: EMCUVUT27
Your sales tax rate may be different. Sale ends on Monday December 16th.

Note that this is for the physical CD disk in a box with the included Product Key.
Not the digital download version. It will be shipped out to you.


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There are many options you have for cloning and backing up your Hackintosh. The most popular choices are Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) and Super Duper. Those two apps do not clone the EFI partition. It's not that these apps can't do this, it's simply because those that write the software, choose not to. Here's CCC's definition of EFI from their glossary:
EFI Partition
The EFI partition is an Apple-proprietary partition. That partition is created automatically when a disk is partitioned with the GUID partition scheme, and its contents are managed internally by OS X. Third-party applications shouldn't attempt to modify, nor copy that volume.
So that is why CCC software will not copy the EFI partition for you. We hackintosh owners must have the EFI folder copied over to the cloned drive's EFI partition or it simply won't boot. Acronis True Image will do all this for you. That's one of the main reasons I'm using Acronis instead of other options. Makes the whole process quick and seamless.

If you are more tech savvy it's possible to use Terminal to clone your complete macOS system drive, even the EFI partition. With the terminal method you must really know what you are doing and the drive you clone to must be the exact same size as the one you clone from, not ideal.

The above methods may not work for everyone depending on their skill and experience level. If you are a hackintosh beginner and not comfortable with the Terminal approach, Acronis provides a clean and easy to navigate GUI that makes backups and clones extremely simple to make. It also reduces the risk that you may cause problems by entering the wrong commands or choosing the wrong partition in Terminal. If you dual boot with Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 then Acronis is clearly the best choice for you. When you make a bootable USB with ATI 2020 for PC on it, you'll be ready for just about any kind of problem that will crop up from time to time on your macOS and Windows installs.


What I like about this software is that the cloning function copies the whole macOS drive sector by sector. Even the contents of the EFI partition. CCC doesn't do that for reasons mentioned previously. With CCC you either need to run a script to copy the EFI or manually copy and paste the EFI partition's EFI folder to the cloned drive. Like Time Machine, you can set Acronis to make regular incremental backups to the system image you create. It's the only backup/recovery software you'll need on either a Mac or a PC running Windows 7, 8.1 or 10.

It's best for most hackintoshers to go with the standard one time purchase over the yearly subscription.

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A one-time purchase, also referred to as a “perpetual license” supports local backup only (i.e. external drives, network shares, and NAS). No cloud features are available with a Standard license.

License includes:
  • Full image backup
  • File and folder backup
  • Active disk cloning
  • Archiving
  • All-in-one recovery drive
  • Universal Restore / boot media

Owning and operating a hackintosh is already complicated enough and problems will occur. If you neglect to make regular backups and a bootable clone of your system drive, at some point you could end up with a non-functional hack. Having this Acronis software on a bootable USB with makes it very easy to be ready for potential problems.

The .dmg Mac version vs. the .exe Windows Version

This can be somewhat confusing so read carefully

At the download page on Acronis.com you will see either option depending on whether you use a PC or Mac/Hack to access the site.

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This Acronis2020.dmg Mac version of the software installs directly to macOS 10.11 through 10.15. If you download the PC .exe version, you have the option to install it on a Windows system. When you download the ISO and create a rescue USB with Acronis 2020 on it that is what makes cloning your hackintosh system drive and Windows drive possible. Since our hacks run on PC hardware it's very easy to boot that USB, open up Acronis and Clone the macOS system drive installed to your PC hardware. Nice. You get to clone/backup all your Windows/macOS drives indefinitely after buying a single perpetual ATI 2020 license.

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Image shows how to select the ISO for downloading and burning to a USB drive.

What version should I get ? Mac or PC version ?

Booting from the Acronis rescue USB made on a PC seems to be the best, most reliable approach to making clones of your macOS drives that will be fully bootable. You can also clone Windows drives with the USB if you have a multiboot setup. Think of the rescue USB as a Unibeast drive for recovering your windows or Mac system when things go haywire with a bad update, a virus or a simple hackintosh experiment that goes awry and leaves your hackintosh unbootable. I've created a Mac version of the rescue USB but was unable to boot it on my hackintosh, even with the Clover bootloader. It can be booted on an Apple Mac by holding down the Option key at bootup only on a Mac not a hackintosh.

Here's a video showing how to easily create your PC rescue USB without even having to install Acronis to a PC. Works the best if you are borrowing a PC short term to make your rescue USB drive.

If you don't have a PC to burn the .iso file to USB then use the Etcher app on your Mac or Hackintosh. https://etcher.io/

How to make the rescue USB when Acronis is installed to a PC
In the Tools section, click Rescue Media Builder. Choose a creation method: Simple—This is the easiest option. Acronis True Image will choose the optimal media type for your computer. If you use Windows 7 or a later version of Windows such as 8.1 or 10, a WinRE-based media will be created. It's incredibly easy, no way to mess this up.

I like to use Acronis software and it has worked for me. At work I back up PCs and Macs. Like most people I tend to put off doing my own backups and clones if it involves a lot of complex steps and the use of terminal. Using a USB rescue drive with Acronis is super fast and easy, the easiest approach I've ever used. Once you try it, it's all you'll ever use.

The perpetual license, for one or more computers, is probably what most people will want to get. You only need to pay for it once. With a yearly subscription, you will need to renew it every year, albeit at a discounted price. If you must have off-site cloud backups that you can access from any device, anywhere, the year subscription is the best way to go.

What if I don't want to invest the full retail price to get a genuine Acronis license ?

I haven't found any simple and reliable way to make a bootable clone using Acronis without having the licensed edition. The paid version for PC, which enables the disk cloning option, makes it incredibly fast and easy to get your bootable clone made. So scrape together $ and buy it, you'll be glad you made the investment. Your hackintosh cost you more than $500 or $1000 or whatever you paid, make this small investment to protect it and keep if functioning.

You can also look for 3 to 5 license purchases that are steeply discounted in Newegg.com email deals. I've seen a 5 license Acronis TI bundle going for $50 on Newegg with a coupon code. Buy the 5 licenses at 10 dollars each. Use one for yourself and sell the others to your friends and family members that also need backups and clones of their hack or PC.

The slightly more complicated "free" way (you pay with your time) is to use Acronis 2017 on a booted Windows 10 PE drive. https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...able-clone-of-your-macos-system-drive.254705/

The other best "free" option is to use CCC, clone your drive and then manually copy and paste your EFI folder to the EFI partition of the cloned drive. Then test to see if it boots. Some people have used Clonezilla with success as well. The GUI of that program is very minimal.
 
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What I like about this software is that the cloning function copies the whole macOS drive bit for bit. Even the EFI partition. For some reason CCC doesn't do that. With CCC you either need to run a script or manually copy and restore the EFI partition to the cloned drive. Like TimeMachine you can set it to make regular incremental backups to the system image you create. Either to a hard drive or to the cloud. It's the only software you'll need on either a Mac or a PC running Windows 7, 8.1 or 10.

This software installs directly to macOS 10.11 through 10.14 or you can boot it from a USB flash drive. You have the option to create either a WinPE or Linux based USB with Acronis 2020 on it. Doesn't work on Yosemite or older versions of macOS. There should also be free upgraded support for Catalina later this Fall.

If you have a real Mac and multiple Hacks it's best to install it to the real Mac and use the USB recovery media to boot from and clone your Hackintosh system drives. You can do this on as many machines as you'd like but install it to bare metal on only one machine. You can even backup any VMs created on your Mac or hack.

You'll need a coupon code that you'll enter on checkout to get this price. I have no affiliation with Acronis and don't get any remuneration when you use the code. The license as opposed to the yearly subscription is probably what you'll want to get. You only need to pay for it once. The code will work through September 30, 2109.

CODE is: BackupWithCarey_50 which gives you 50% off the retail price. Don't leave out the underscore after the y.

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Like @trs96, I have no affiliation with Acronis, but have used it for years and find it to be rock solid. Unlike MacOS that allows not only booting from different, even external volumes, and restoring an OS to different hardware, Microsoft doesn't support installing a backed up Windows OS different hardware (a royal pain). An Acronis backup can be restored to entirely different hardware (referred to as a bare metal install).
 
An Acronis backup can be restored to entirely different hardware (referred to as a bare metal install).
What you are talking about is the Universal Restore feature that lets you migrate a Windows install. It lets you add the necessary drivers to make it work with the new PC.

ATI costs about the same as CCC and also lets you backup Windows too. Another advantage over the Mac only CCC software. If making only one clone of your hackintosh, using the free version of CCC makes more sense but you will eventually have to refresh that or make others in the future so why not just buy either CCC or Acronis and be able to keep using it indefinitely.
 
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Question: What should I do if I only use macOS on a real Mac and on my Hackintosh ? I don't even own a PC.

Here's a mini-guide that shows you how to get the Mac version and install that.

You'll have to download and install the Mac .DMG file and then move Acronis to applications if you don't want the PC version for use via a bootable USB for cloning your Hackintosh system drive and any Windows drives.

The free Mac trial version though doesn't allow full disk cloning you can only make an image with that.
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An image is not bootable the same way a clone is. You would have to restore it to another drive. Then test it out to see if it boots.

Get the Mac version of Acronis to install to your macOS system drive

Step 1. Click on Try now on the Acronis website.

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Step 2. Click Download for Mac then click to open the .DMG

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Step 3. Move Acronis to Applications then open it up.

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Step 4. Create an account. It's mandatory even for the trial. Enter your Serial
# if you have one.

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5. Once that is done and the trial is started, make a backup image. If you have a serial # activate,
then it's possible to make a full clone that will boot. Test it out once you've created your clone drive.
It should boot to the desktop when it's the only drive connected to your hackintosh.
 
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Avoid any Ebay Sellers that Provide a Link to Download Acronis at a low price
Here's an example of a $4.99 Ebay listing. They promise a download link delivered via email. Sounds too good to be true because it is. They can't even buy legit licenses from Acronis for what they are selling them for. If you want to throw away five dollars and get nothing of value this is the way to go. The same thing happens online with Windows product keys that are for sale. You can learn all about that here: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...y-cheap-low-cost-windows-product-keys.285398/

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They make promises but you'll never get your money back from the seller if it doesn't work. The seller will disappear from Ebay. Filing a claim with Ebay may not work. Anyone can download the software for free from the Acronis site. Note how it doesn't say you actually get the key, just the download link. Some Ebay sellers will give you a download link to a "cracked" version of the software that is illegal. See the following seller feedback for two examples of this. The "sale" price was $2.49. Way too low for a genuine license.

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How to make an Acronis rescue USB without installing Acronis True Image


You can only get the ISO if you sign into your account and enter your valid product key.

The trial version won't give you access to the ISO but you can still make a rescue USB
by installing the Acronis trial to a PC and then making the rescue drive within the program.

The problem with that is that the trial doesn't let you make a clone, only a backup.

To make clones of your macOS system drives choose the perpetual license. The subscription
ends after one year. You can keep using the USB rescue drive indefinitely. It will keep working.

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Just wanted to say, thanks very much for this thread. I live in the UK and the code works here as well which takes the price down to £17.49 including tax (21.81 USD).

Even better, I checked my account with Acronis as I have bought a few licences over the years. I can upgrade one of these licences to 2020 for £10.49, result.

Thanks again.
 
I live in the UK and the code works here as well which takes the price down to £17.49 including tax
Yes, the code should work for anyone anywhere, no restrictions. I just had to replace a failed 7 year old WD HDD for someone who really wishes they would have made a clone or at least a backup. It was a total loss. No data could be recovered. Pro level data recovery on failed drives can run in the 1000s of dollars. Why not spend a small amount on Acronis and avoid the really big ticket, high cost data recovery ?
 
:) Genuine Acronis 2019 License for $8.80 (Licenses for Super Duper cost $27.95 and CCC costs $39.99) In other words you are getting three genuine Acronis licenses for less than the price of one Super Duper or CCC license.

If you've read post #5 of this thread you know that the really cheap licenses selling on Ebay are likely not genuine and that they should be avoided. If you buy a bundle of 3 ATI 2019 licenses and apply a code from Newegg you can get the licenses for $8.80 each. A really good deal. And they are definitely not pirated as Newegg is selling them. Fly by night Ebay sellers (with no or limited feedback) will take your money, send you a download link (that is publicly available) and by the time you figure out you've been scammed, they no longer have a valid seller account.

https://www.newegg.com/acronis-true-image-2019-3-computer/p/N82E16832200150?

How to use Acronis 2019 for backing up your hackintosh

The 2019 version will not get updated to Catalina support as the 2020 version will. That won't matter if you need to make backups and Clones of your Catalina system drive. Simply boot from the 2019 rescue USB and clone your drive with a few clicks and it's a bootable clone. You won't be able to install 2019 to your hack running macOS Catalina but you really don't need to. You just need a 2GB or larger USB flash drive. Create the bootable Acronis rescue drive and boot from that on your Hackintosh. If you are staying with High Sierra or Mojave longer term you can certainly use one license for the Mac (.DMG) version of Acronis. Install it to your system drive to make clones and backups while you are booted into macOS on your hackintosh. Create a rescue USB for "real" Macs that you can use to completely clone your Mac's boot drive. Advantage is that you won't need to restore from a TM backup. That takes a really long time.

Here's the cost for 3 ATI 2019 licenses

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Make sure to apply the code for $15.00 off the $39.99 sale price. You need to be signed up for their email deals for the code to work.

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CODE is: EMCUTTU27

Now the price should be around $8.80 per license depending on your state sales tax rate.


Once you are signed into your Acronis.com account, enter your license and then download the Windows ISO file to make your bootable drive. You can use Rufus on a PC or use Etcher on a Mac.

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