Paragon Exact Image

What's it do?

Paragon Exact Image is a hard disk backup program built around a combination of Wizards that guide you through the backup and restore process. It allows you to back up the entire hard disk or a full partition of it, to schedule regular backups, and to create a secure Backup Capsule to guard against file system failure. You can save your hard disk backup archives to local or network drives, to physical partitions without drive letters assigned, or burn them directly to CDs/DVDs, or place them in the Backup Capsule.


Does it do what it promises?

Reviewer 1: Yes.

Reviewer 2: Yes, it does, via one of the best designed, easiest-to-use user-interfaces that I've come across in a long time. It is intuitive, exceptionally well laid out, and easy-to-use: related functions are displayed together, and it has an outstanding set of Wizards that lead the user smoothly through any back up and restore process.

Reviewer 3: Paragon's Web site is very specific about what the program can and cannot do. I found it accurate in all regards. There is both a product description and a FAQ and it is important to read both in order to understand the strengths and limitations of this program.

Reviewer 4: Yes, as far as I was able to determine.

Reviewer 5: Yes. Paragon Exact Image gives you the ability to create full or incremental backup images of your hard drive(s) to completely restore your computer to a previous state - including all programs, files, registry entries. Unlike simple backup software, disc imaging takes a full "snapshot" of your entire hard drive, allowing you to restore your entire operating system in the event of a crash or to transfer your entire OS to a larger disc or another computer.

Reviewer 6: Yes. Paragon Exact Image is a very good product for performing backup of your hard drive, which we all know is extremely important.

Reviewer 7: Yes, Paragon's Exact Image 7.0 does exactly what it promises; however, the Web site is difficult to navigate. A user really has to search to download the application. This is actually the first release for Exact Image, but it has been built on another Paragon product, Exact Copy, which adds to the confusion of finding both the program and any help files on it. Paragon replied: Paragon Exact Image was based on the product called Drive Backup. Paragon doesn't have a product called Exact Copy. Drive Backup Personal was simplified and is a very easy-to-use program for home users who have little knowledge in PCs and Oss; thus, everybody can use Exact Image.

Reviewer 8: For some reason, I approached the testing of this program with a bit of trepidation. I have used a number of backup programs over the years, and some of them have been fairly elaborate. I had the idea that making an image of a complete hard disk would most likely be complex and convoluted; however, I was pleasantly surprised to find Paragon Exact Image to be well designed, relatively easy to understand and use, and very well supported.


Was it easy to install?

Reviewer 1: Yes. I did have a slight glitch in my system right after the install. This was installed on a laptop and I don't usually shut down, I just close the lid. The first time I opened up the laptop after the install, it blue-screened. This happened after I restarted which is required by the install and after I ran the software for the first time. It has not happened since. I can't be 100 % sure the blue screen was caused by the install, but I feel I should at least mention the incident.

Reviewer 2: Yes. Although I found the encounter with the Back-up Capsule set up tile rather abrupt and definitely sooner than I was ready to deal with, it was easy to defer. The End User License Agreement (EULA) was brief, copyable, and to the point.

Reviewer 3: Installation was quick and simple. The license agreement limits installation to one computer with one copy on backup.

Reviewer 4: The program installation was simple and provided the ability to install in an alternate location. In addition to the installation program, a self-executing tool was provided to create a self-booting recovery CD. This CD can also be created from within the Exact Image program.

Reviewer 5: Yes. The relatively small (11.76MB) download for a program of such complexity and versatility downloaded quickly and installs using a very easy-to-follow installation wizard.

Reviewer 6: Yes, I had no problems at all; it installed quickly and easily.

Reviewer 7: Paragon's Exact Image was easy to install but required a system restart to complete installation. No manual was included with the software download and there was no way to download one from the company's Web site. While registration was quick, I ran into some difficulties that I will go into further. There is an uninstall option available that also requires a system restart.

Reviewer 8: I did have some problems with the installation at first, but this turned out to be more a question of downloading the program from the correct link than an issue of the installation itself. Once I had that issue resolved, the installation was a normal Windows one. Paragon replied: As for the registration link, our customers unfortunately miss this link in the installation shield. We have corrected this and latest editions will now include a registration button.


Good points?

Reviewer 1: Paragon Exact Image has a very easy to use interface for something that does quite a bit of hard disk manipulation. The initial screen was clear and uncluttered. It even showed a section of the disk I do not normally have access to (the Dell utility partition). It was able to backup my main partition to an external device and to my network without any problems. It was also fairly quick. I was also able to backup a smaller partition to CD's. It has a concept of a Capsule for backing up to a sectioned-off partition of your hard drive. I did not use this because I simply don't have the space available for it. I can see this being very useful with today's larger hard drives. The software has several utilities that make working with the backup images easier. These included an image explorer that allows you to look through an image and restore a file from it without having to restore the entire image. The scheduler is a simple interface to the existing windows scheduler that can create jobs that can run during off hours. Reviewer 2: The user interface is clean, clear, and comprehensive. Its Wizards are well-chosen, very easy to follow; in fact, hard to go wrong with. They completely cover its functionality. The price is modest and a good value. The documentation is well-written and thorough, although available only in the form of Web pages and a 30-page Help File documentation available once the program is installed, contrary to most other Paragon programs whose manuals are available online. However, at least the Help File document will print out at a single request, not require multiple chapter-by-chapter printout requests, and all functions are well covered except CD/DVD considerations and HotBackup. Some of those considerations are found in the Q&A section of the Web site, which should be required reading for any user. While I had no occasion to use/test it, Online Support was well-defined on Paragon's Web site.

Reviewer 3: Exact Image uses imaging to backup your data. Imaging is different than copying in that it captures a snapshot of the entire contents and structure of the disk or partition, and not just the individual files. It has a sophisticated routine for backing up Windows system files in that it can skip copying large system files such as the page file and hiberfil files which Windows uses for temporary storage. It utilizes a fairly robust system to schedule different types of backups to run automatically. Because if uses imaging, it needs to back up an entire partition into an archive and not just specific files. The Image Explorer component allows specific files or folders to be restored from an archive without restoring the entire archive. The help section is clearly written and easy to understand.

Reviewer 4: Paragon Exact Image provides a reasonably intuitive user interface, and offers a fairly thorough help system. Wizards guide the user through whatever process is being undertaken, with more advanced options available for those who are comfortable with the inner workings of the process. The Recovery Disk would prove invaluable in restoring or recovering data from a crippled Windows system. One of the primary options is a wizard-driven 'Easy Restore' option, and a Linux command line makes many Linux functions available to those who prefer to get "up close and personal." An image can be created and/or burned of an entire drive or a single partition. Partitions can be created, formatted, or deleted, ala FDISK. Surface testing is also available if the reliability of the drive is in question.

Reviewer 5: While not without its faults, there may be no better disk imaging software for the money. First, Paragon Exact Image attempts to make what should be simple but often incomprehensible tasks relatively easy by allowing everything to be done through wizards. These wizards have easy to use and understand interfaces, even for a novice. So, while creating a backup image may lead you through many sometimes complicated steps, using the wizards all you really need to do is specify the location where you want to store your backup image; the rest is automatic. It offers what is a unique innovation: the Backup Capsule. Rather than needing multiple discs of removable media, a spare hard drive, network drives, or an expensive external drive (all of which can be used), if you choose you can simply store your image on a Backup Capsule which creates a partition on your hard drive. There is a HotBack tool which allows you to backup your Windows OS without interrupting it and thus eliminates the need to create a disk image through a DOS command. It offers an easy to use encryption tool that allows encryption of an image to protect it from compromise, especially useful if you have multiple users on your computer or if you have a small business with records to protect. It supports easy to define automatic scheduling options. While not for the novice, there is a set of advanced tools that an expert will enjoy, and these include a drive analysis tool, sector viewing, and MBR (master boot record) modification. All in all, Paragon Exact Image is a very good disk imaging software with no serious quirks. It allows full or incremental backups in a reasonably easy to use user interface and ample help files, including an excellent online knowledge base and an FAQ section in the customer service forum.

Reviewer 6: Paragon Exact Image 7.0 allows you to back up your hard drive easily. You can choose to do a full backup or perform an incremental backup to an existing backup image. Creating and saving images to partitions is quite simple. It allows you to resize a partition while restoring the data and you can protect your backup image with a password. The program also allows you to skip auxiliary files to save space and time, and schedule backups at different intervals. The program is very easy to use, and has a thorough wizard to walk users through the process. It worked quickly for me, performing the task in just over a half hour, and allows backup of data to CD, DVD, across networks, and to other hard drives or partitions. The user may choose to back up an entire hard drive or just a certain partition.

Reviewer 7: Exact Image allows the user to split backup files based on file size or based on the size of your CD/DVD burner. That means that you if you are writing the backup files to a network or other hard disk, you can break up the files into manageable pieces. That also means that if you are writing to a CD or DVD burner, the program will break up the backup to fill the available space on the discs and then span the backup image across it; however, many discs are necessary. The good news is that the program actually tells the user how many discs will be needed before actually starting the backup image. The Recovery Media Builder was a very cool utility. On my system, it only took four minutes to burn an operating system bootable CD that I could start my computer with. The Recovery Media CD allows the user to boot up the computer and contains most of the main components of Exact Image to allow a user to perform most of the recovery options, including a full restore.

Reviewer 8: Creating an image (in other words, an exact copy) of a complete hard drive may deter people who worry that this will be a difficult and complicated task. But the Paragon Exact Image wizards are so well-designed that it is really quite simple. In the Main Screen, the process in laid out in logical stages. The first step is one of the innovative features of Paragon Exact Image -- the creation of a "Backup Capsule." As I had just acquired a new hard drive, connected by USB to my computer, specifically for the purpose of backing up my computer, I decided to place this "capsule" there. Choosing this option starts up a wizard, which takes you through the process step-by-step. When it was done, I realized that I had actually divided the drive into two partitions: one remains a normal Windows drive, about half the size of the complete drive. The other has been reserved exclusively for Paragon Exact Image to store its images. Incidentally, this "Backup Capsule" is not visible to Windows, either in Explorer or in the Properties dialog of the hard disk itself. The next step is to create an image of the hard drive. Again, a wizard leads you through the process. At each step, there is a kind of "running commentary". Each time you select an option, an explanation of that choice appears. You can go back and forth through the wizard, making different choices, until you are ready to start the imaging. You can send the image to your Backup Capsule, to a network drive, or burn it to CDs or DVDs. A nice feature of the CD/DVD option is that Paragon Exact Image includes its own CD/DVD burning software, so you do not have to depend on third-party programs to manage this function. And if for some reason the CD/DVD is not ready or available, Paragon Exact Image will place its "iso" files on your hard drive (you can specify where) to be burned to the CD/DVD drive later. A Scheduler Wizard lets you specify when you want do do backups, so that the computer can look after this task on its own.


Weak points?

Reviewer 1: More effort could have been put into the help. It's not that the content of the help is bad; it's just that it is simply an HTML document. Most users have gotten used to the ability the search for keywords. It would be nice to create an image of something less than an entire partition. The company should also have a grammar checker go over their text. Reviewer 2: Although their statement of intent is impressive, Paragon's support access (10 hours a day, 5 fays a week) and 3-business day response time leaves much to be desired, as does the exorbitant $100 per year support fee after 30 days. Few buyers can install and adequately test new software in just 30 days, particularly novices. The Help tab on the desktop is annoying in that it navigates to the Paragon Web pages but does not allow backward scrolling. In my opinion, the Backup Capsule function is an obsolete one. The description of the Hot Backup feature is ambiguous. The EULA restriction for use of this program on one computer only is too restrictive, since many users need the program both on their desktop and laptop.

Reviewer 3: This software promotes use of a "backup capsule", a hidden partition on the same hard drive as the original data was stored. This capsule is not recognized by the operating system and thus cannot be overwritten by it. Keeping your backup on the same disk as the original files leaves your data at risk should a catastrophe cause your entire hard drive to become unreadable. Such catastrophes could include fire, flood, theft, and a failure in the electrical or mechanical components of the hard disk. I am a strong believer that your primary method of backup should move your files to a separate media which can be moved physically as far removed as possible from the original data source as possible while still being accessible in case of loss or compromise of the original data. A weakness of the backup capsule concept is that it is not recognized by the native operating system of the computer. It can only be accessed by special software provided by the manufacturer. Therefore, it cannot be moved, manipulated or even detected by normal means. While this is a strength from the point of view of preventing tampering by an unwanted third party, it is a weakness in that it cripples the ability of the intended user to find and use the backup data through regular channels. The software creates the "backup capsule" by taking control over any unallocated space on your hard drive. If this is insufficient, it takes half of the free space from your first partition. In my case, the first partition was a tiny system restoration file set placed there by the laptop manufacturer (Dell). The resulting capsule size would have been 20MB with a maximum of 40MB, insufficient for any meaningful storage. To Exact Image's credit, you are warned that creating the "backup capsule" will make physical changes to your hard drive and it will not be possible to undo them. It gives you the option to continue and make the physical changes or to reconsider. I chose to reconsider. I then chose to backup my data to CD since it is a "lowest common denominator" media for backup. I have a DVD/CD combination drive in my laptop. I was given the option of writing to the DVD drive or a CD emulator. I chose the CD emulator since I was writing to the CD, but this was apparently a mistake. The system ran for quite a while (approximately 40-50 minutes) before I received a Windows warning that I was running out of space on drive C. This was followed by a warning from Exact Image's Backup Wizard reporting a file I/O error. Apparently, there was insufficient room on my C: partition to store the temporary (ISO) file for writing the image to CD. I freed up space on my C: partition and repeated the process using the DVD drive as the choice to write to. This time it burned a series of CD's to backup my chosen partition; however, burning CD's was a slow process with an estimated time of two hours to burn the 10 CDs to backup my 6GB partition. I had also ran the Recovery Media Builder to have the recovery files available on CD should the operating system crash. It ran through the steps and reported that the process was complete. However, no files had been written to my CDR disk. I re-ran it, choosing the DVD drive instead of the CD emulator, and it recorded the files onto the CD. I am concerned that there was apparently no verification by the program that the recovery files had been correctly written to CD. This could have proved a quite serious flaw had I discovered this when I attempt to recover the backed-up data.

Reviewer 4: The Image Explorer (allowing one to view the directories and files within an image) depends on storing image data in a Capsule (a reserved space on a partition). I had trouble creating a Capsule (perhaps a result of my excessive arsenal of malware protection), but skipped this step when I found that an image can be created whether or not a Capsule has been reserved. The Recovery CD, while in my view an important component, is a little "rough around the edges." It didn't recognize my USB pointing device, and the keyboard navigation (using TAB and ALT combinations) didn't work in every dialogue. In particular, without access to a mouse, I couldn't figure out how to scroll the help window. It also doesn't recognize remote drives on the Windows network. The program (both the Windows application and the Linux recovery version) disabled most functions for my SATA drive, which is loaded as a SCSI drive. Both recognized and reported space correctly on this drive, but I was unable to image that drive, and I was not permitted to write an image there.

Reviewer 5: There were some small weaknesses, the only glaring area where Paragon Exact Image was lacking was in the ability to work with backup image files. While you can browse images, which is a bit slow, there is no search function which would allow you to search the image files. This is something that both Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image have over Paragon Exact Image. Beyond this, there are a number of small but noteworthy weaknesses. I noted that Paragon required the largest storage space of any imaging software I used, 10 CDs as opposed to 8 CDs with other programs using the same settings. The help and support, as I said above, is very good; however, the online help and support it is not under the Help button on the interface but under the About button. This is counterintuitive and should be corrected. I was also disappointed that automatic updates were not available, something that is becoming almost standard in most professional quality software. While I think the wizards do an excellent job of guiding even the novice through making an image backup, the main GUI is a bit fussy and might easily scare the novice away. Additionally, the advanced tools will require quite a bit of time to learn. I was annoyed that the installation program gave me no option to create desktop icons and, in fact, there were none created by default. It was necessary for me to find the program in my program folder on my hard disc and create icons manually. I was also unhappy that during the installation process there was no progress indicator or bar to allow the user to know how the installation was proceeding. While this is not a serious weakness, it is an oversight that is somewhat inconvenient when installing. Finally, the EULA allows for the installation of this software on a single computer when today most programs are allowing a much more liberal policy to encompass the fact that so many users to day have multiple computers and/or laptops.

Reviewer 6: My only real complaint is that you can only back up the entire hard drive, not individual files or folders. This is a relatively small complaint, as most people are concerned with the entire drive, and the product is marketed toward this function.

Reviewer 7: When I installed the product, I was told that the product was already registered, even though I had received a registration code. Upon installation, I then received two e-mail messages within two minutes of each other telling me I was registered, including a registration password. When I used the registration information included in the registration to download an application update from within Exact Image, I was told that the product was not registered to me, so no download. When I attempted to re-register, I was told again that I had a previously registered version but still received a confirmation email with a registration password. The help was lacking. The bad help search makes it as difficult to find answers as the company's Web site makes it difficult to find the product.

Reviewer 8: For help, other than the on-line FAQ's, the Knowledge Base archives and the direct support system, there are also the "Community Forums". Those readers who have looked at or participate in the Neat Net Tricks Bulletin Board will recognize the format. It is easy to navigate and to participate in the discussions. Generally, I have found these User Forums to be an excellent place for people to raise questions, and have them discussed and answered, not only by other users, but also by people who have a good knowledge of the programs. However, in the case of the Paragon Forums, there seems to be very little, if any input from Paragon itself. I would strongly recommend that Paragon assign someone to look at the questions posted there. I found a number of issues that have been raised by people that have simply gone unanswered. This does not inspire confidence in the Paragon products, and that is unfortunate.



Other comments?

Reviewer 1: Overall, a very useful piece of software. As I mentioned earlier, it takes a very complex process and makes it very approachable for the average user. I also liked that it showed the manufacturer of the disk drive in the display, very useful for those tech calls to the computer manufacturer help desk.

Reviewer 2: I like this program: it packs a lot of universally-important function in a superb, very easy-to-navigate user interface that is just right for new/novice users. The Web site is very informative and the amount of information is just right, although I would have appreciated a Table of Contents or tree layout to prevent going around in circles on some topics.

Reviewer 3: The first thing that this program does when you run it is to ask you to create the backup capsule. In advanced mode, the Wizard shows a schematic of your drives and partitions. It asks you to "use the buttons" to move the capsule to the desired location. It was not immediately obvious what they are referring to. I would suggest to the developers that give more guidance in this section for new users and that they highlight the capsule in a different color or with a flashing display so it is distinguished from the other partitions. (I have my hard drive divided into 5 partitions so it may be more visually confusing than most systems.)

Reviewer 4: While Paragon Exact Image does strive to provide a simple, friendly interface, I suspect many users might still find it a little intimidating (particularly the Recovery CD version). I would strongly recommend that anyone who is not fairly comfortable with the internal workings of Windows and hard drives download the free trial version before purchasing Exact Image. It's not difficult to use, but is powerful enough that some people might be frightened off. Still, $40 seems very reasonable for a fairly powerful yet relatively user-friendly imaging program.

Reviewer 5: While there are a few weaknesses and while its ease of use and overall look and feel falls a bit behind Acronis True Image, at $39.95 it is the best value for your money over Acronis True Image ($50.00) or Norton Ghost ($70.00). While there is no real trial period offered (there is a trial version which allows you to make a backup but the restore function is disabled), there is a 30 day unconditional money-back guarantee. I can easily and confidently recommend this software.

Reviewer 6: Overall, I liked this product, and it performed flawlessly for me. The wizard and help files are clear and easy to use, and the online knowledge base is excellent. Backing up data is important, especially as drives get larger and we keep more valuable data on them. One accident or virus can easily destroy irreplaceable photos and files. There may be better backup products available, but I doubt any are more powerful or easier to use. Paragon Exact Image made backing up my hard drive a very simple and quick task.

Reviewer 7: The Backup Wizard allows the user to create a backup of the Master Boot Record (MBR) and the first track of the selected hard drive. These are usually the most important parts of the hard drive in order to access files. While the compression of the backup files was fairly speedy, the wizard does not allow the user to do a selective backup of folders, only an exact image. I suppose I should have expected that but I personally would have liked to be able to select certain directories that I deem more important than the Temporary Files folder.

Reviewer 8: In spite of the issues mentioned above concerning the Community Forum, I found the support to be excellent. You need to register on-line on their Web site, and you have to fill in your comment or question online. I prefer to be able to write out my comment in my own email program, and send it in. I am sure that people who have a dial-up or somewhat unstable Internet connection would find this process to be frustrating, for it presupposes a fast and stable access to the Net. That aside, the support is quick, very courteous, and efficient. Shortly after you have written your comment online, a message appears in your email, with a ticket number, and a link to connect to your support question and answers. If you need to go back-and-forth several times on the same topic, they are grouped together, so that you can see a history or your comments and their replies. During working hours, answers usually came back in a hour or so, and sometimes more quickly.

Will you continue to use it?

Reviewer 1: Probably not, but only because I do not need it in my situation. Reviewer 2: No. If it were a choice between Exact Image and Norton Ghost I would definitely prefer Exact Image. However, I regularly need and use the richer functionality provided by Acronis True Image and/ Genie Backup Manager.

Reviewer 3: No. While there are a number of strong point with this software, I am already using another backup imaging program that works reliably.

Reviewer 4: Yes, not regularly, but probably after a Windows installation/upgrade or before a hard drive swap, and perhaps now and then just to have a recent image to restore from in the event of a tragedy.

Reviewer 5: Yes, once my current license to Acronis True Image expires.

Reviewer 6: Yes.

Reviewer 7: Yes, I will continue to use Paragon's Exact Image as a one-stop-shop for "snapshot" backups of my computer. As a day-to-day backup solution, this may not be for everyone but could be invaluable for someone quickly preparing for a disaster. The only drawback is that a full restore is tailor-made to a specific machine, so if the backup is performed on a Compaq desktop, do not expect to restore cleanly to a Dell computer. Obviously the drivers just will not match.

Reviewer 8: Yes, certainly. Now that I feel comfortable with the process, I have set this program up to burn an image of my main hard drive to bootable DVDs from time-to-time, to prepare for the inevitable crash. But I will also continue to use a back up program for my other data, where I have daily back ups for my currently changing files and folders, and regular back ups of selected portions of my drives.

 

Operating Systems Used In This Review Windows XP Home, XP Pro, 98, 98SE, NT, 2K, ME

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