Dee you do not need to buy a program. As you have bought a Seagate hard drive you can download from the link below. This is a rebadged and modified version of Acronis True Image. Click on 'English' to start the download procedure.

When you create an image you can add comments to aid recognition of each backup. Yes, you can back up any computer to this external drive.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seagate DiscWizard

Owbist - thank you for your help! I clicked on English, and nothing happened. It might have been easier if I hadn't backed up my files already? I'm really not sure what to do. I'll retry.

Thanks again, Dee

Owbist, I tried again, and realized I was clicking on 'English' in the wrong column. *blush* Anyway, I downloaded the program, so thank you very much. If I have any questions about how to use it, I'll ask. : )

Dee

Dee the fact that you have already saved files to the external drive has no bearing on any other data you save as long as file or folder names are not the same. The hard part is being sure to use meaningful names. I did a backup of a laptop and called it 'Laptop'. Clever and intuitive huh? Not so, shortly after I had another laptop and now have no idea which the image is for.

Just create a folder on the external hard drive labeled for each of your various computers(specific so you know which it is) then when you do a backup or image make sure you select the correct folder to store it in.
This site has good tutorials for using Acronis so should be similar.
Using Acronis
using Acronis TI
Restore using Acronis
Creating a Bootable CD

Owbist, thanks for the advice. I made a comment accompanying the image backup  something like, Âfirst backup image for laptop with Vista OS Nov 09Â. So, I wonder, like in your situation, if I named the folder just Âlaptop whether it would be possible to delete the image from the HD, and then do it over again, saving it with a more detailed description? Or once something is in the HD, is it impossible to take it out?

And thank you for your help, and the links, Raven. IÂm not sure if I actually created a folder when I backed up the image today. IÂll have to check. I unplugged the HD, and put it away. IÂm not really sure whether to leave it connected to my computer at all times? Also, when I tried to Âsafely remove hardware when I attempted to shut off the HD, I got a message saying something like it couldnÂt be shut down because a program was using it (which as far as I could tell, there was no program using it). I searched the internet, and see that this isnÂt an uncommon problem. I eventually resolved it by shutting down the computer and then disconnecting the HD.

to me it is much easier to keep things neat and in the right place when you create folders, you can still create a proper folder and just move your current saved files into it and go from there.

Always remember to let it have plenty of time to do that backup because if you do go ahead and disconnect it unsafely while it is still in use you will create problems.

Dee assuming your external drive is powered through the USB port it is unwise to leave it plugged in all the time. This is due to a heat build up in the external drive culminating in a shorter life expectancy for that drive. Mine is a much older model and has it's own power plug plus a cooling fan. It is usually also not necessary to be plugged in all the time.

It does not matter really where you saved the image or any other folder or file to on the external drive because you can move, create and delete folders and insert or remove items from those folders in the same way you would do with the hard drive in your computer tower.

I assume the Seagate version of Acronis is much the same as the original program so at any point you can elect to create another full backup or just an incremental image saving only the work done since the previous backup was created.

I have a different brand of external HDD, but use Acronis. I do not leave it plugged in. It has both USB connection and its own power cord with a switch for "on" and "off". In fact, I only plug in and turn it on when I'm ready to do a backup. I have it set to make a backup on the 1st of every month at 5PM, so I set it up early in the day so that it's ready to go when 5PM rolls around. Seems to work just fine.

I really appreciate all of your advice  really good stuff. So, I can basically treat the external HD like the HD in my computer, and nothing is permanent. : D And, I now know not to leave it plugged in. Yes, IÂll set it up on the day itÂs scheduled for backup. Thank you owbist, raven and grandms.

Dee