Backing up files problem

GM66 said:

Acronis First full back up today. Seems to be accurate maybe a little discrepancy. PC Picture folder 160gb-20832 files-1254 folders.
Acronis shows in Pictures folder 160.9gb - 20815 files - 1255 folders.
Screen shot of completed backup. Only took a little over an hour.
Attachment 365793

The free version of Acronis supplied with a qualifying drive is actually a 5yr trial version. Macrium Reflect Free licences are in perpetuity.

GM66 said:

Hopefully the free version after 30 days lets me do the simple backups?

Reflect Free can make Full and Differential images, Incrementals are a Premium feature. File and Folder backups is also a Premium feature. For making a system image of your PC Reflect Free does all that most people will need.

And yes, I downloaded the free version not the trial version. So maybe the mix-up on their part.

No, it's not a mix up. It is quite deliberate that if you try to use a Premium feature, then Reflect Free offers an upgrade to the 30 day trial. At the end of the trial it reverts to the Free version. Reflect Free can always restore any backup, even if that backup was made while using a Premium feature.

In fact, there is no software difference at all between Free, Trial, or the paid-for Reflect Home. It is purely the installed key that determines which features are enabled. You can upgrade from Free to Home just by purchasing Reflect and changing the installed key to the one they will send you. You can also downgrade Home to Free by removing the installed key, should you wish to transfer the licence to another PC.

GM66 said:

No, Acronis is a full Licensed Version which expires in 2027. Macrium, has contradictory statements about their free version. You can use free "Perfect for limited backups and cloning. Capable of basic backup scheduling."

But the option to use just the free version with out starting a trial version is not true as stated on their site. When I click on back up files and folders, it asks if I want to use the trial version, answering (not now) does nothing. So you have to use the trial version first to get an active license to do a simple backup, that's only good for 30 days. Then it reverts to the free version.

Hopefully the free version after 30 days lets me do the simple backups?
And yes, I downloaded the free version not the trial version. So maybe the mix-up on their part.

Expires in 2027. Licence is not perpetual. Full feature trial then - just semantics.

Re. Macrium Reflect not unclear at all. Either download free version (different web page) with no time limit, or download 30 day trial of paid version (lot more features), and then after 30 days if you choose not to buy paid features, it reverts to free version.

You can install trial version and turn off 30 day trial immediately if you prefer.

Free version does full backups, differential backups, schedules backups, creates boot menu, allows images to be run as virtual machines, has ability to fix boot issues, can clone (full or partial) to different size drives etc.

For most regulars here, the free version meets their needs.

Fundamental difference is Acronis version is tied to purchase of specific hard drives, whereas Reflect will work on any drive.

GM66 said:

Not sure I understand that statement to what the free version states "Perfect for limited backups and cloning. Capable of basic backup scheduling." So the free version does only imaging?

Reflect Free can make a system image and can clone a drive. It can be scheduled, and can make Full or Differential images. A Differential contains all the changes since the Full was made. To restore a Differential image you need the differential and the full image it refers to.

An Incremental image is a premium feature, and contains only the changes since the last image, whether that was a full, differential or incremental. The first incremental will be the same size as a differential, but subsequent incrementals can be smaller as they only contain new changes. To restore an incremental you need the Full plus all subsequent incrementals.

See this post showing key features of Reflect Free.

Macrium Reflect vs. EaseUS Todo Backup Home | Page 5 | Windows 11 Forum

GM66 said:

I would, but even Microsoft themselves have stated not to use their backup software anymore!

Features removed or Deprecated in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

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Update: Well, Macrium reflect backed up Docs, Pics, Video, and Desktop in blazing speed at only 39.58 minutes!

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Okay! I just need Backing up of files and folders feature. I do not need any imaging software.
Thanks for the reply!

MS's advice relates to system image backups as a deprecated feature.

File History Backup is not a deprecated feature.

A good free tool for file and folder backup is AOMEI Backupper Free.