My question is: Can the Vista Ultimate image be restored to a new HD? Of the same size or larger? i've already tried using a smaller HD, and it didn't work.

Yes it can - here's a link: http://vistasupport.mvps.org/windows_vista...air_options.htm I presume that it'll fit any hard drive with enough size - but haven't researched it myself.

Thanks! i'm just testing the restore option to make sure it works, and it did until it started to format the HD...then a pop-up that i'm missing a drive because this one is "smaller". i'll exchange it for a larger one...

Just tried it on a new drive (almost same WD drive that came with computer, same 250gb, but with 16mb instead of 8mb cache). Worked great...settings, data, programs, etc. were the same. The CPU was working its a$$ off for some reason (maybe trying to catch up to 'newbie'), Vista wasn't listed as activated ("had 3 days" to activate), but those are minor. i'll format the new drive (listed as F drive now...under my original setup), and then unhook it until needed...hopefully never.

Had tried a Acronis 3-pak special - Disk Cleaner could format/wipe, Disk Director didn't work in Windows, and True Image made my hard drive unbootable (that's how i ended up getting the smaller hard drive that i just exchanged). Long story...anyway, that's why i went out and bought the full Vista Ultimate, even though i had Vista Basic and Vista Premium on the 2 new computers that had a combined cost of less than $1000 (nice setups with 19" widescreen TFT monitors) after almost $600 worth of rebates. The computer with Vista Basic will get the $49 (special for buying Ultimate) upgrade to Vista Premium, and i gave the other $49 upgrade to a friend. This computer had Vista Premium (no disk though, just a restore F11 partition), but i HATED the Lenovo Care and Lenovo Repair & Restore that was everywhere it seemed. Great computer, but they can keep their software.

I believe that only the Acronis True Image Home v10 is Vista compatible.

Yes - and it should be Build 4942 (Released Mar 12, 2007) or higher, too.

i downloaded it from Acronis on April 28, 2007, but don't know the build (should've been the latest) since i'm done with Acronis. After True Image 10 made the image...to a partition on the HD, it rebooted and my computer said 'no' after BIOS ran. It never offered to put the image on a CD or DVD, just the HD. The HD was not bootable after that, which took time to correct. Maybe it had something to do with the SATA HD, but i don't care any more since Vista Ultimate solved the problem of restoring my HD if ever needed (from a DVD). Acronis gave my money back, but at first their support only offered a choice of other products (their 'Home Products'...of which i had already bought the 3-Pak special, which left 2 to choose from) as a fix for Disk Director not working...no solutions, just an offer. i was nuts to even try True Image 10 after that, but was searching for a way to re-install my entire computer, so gambled.

Anyway, Vista Ultimate was well worth the $399, and solved the problems involved in doing re-installs - of DATA, settings, and programs like Virus Protection, Diskeepers, Adobe, Office, Roxio, PC-Doctor, wireless 'stuff', printers, etc. - after doing a re-install of the OS. i'm sure Acronis will fix any problems that they are having under Vista, but i didn't want to wait. Software companies are looking for ways to stop piracy, even if it means 'questioning' or stopping you about a re-install or a new install. Diskeeper Corp. recently stopped my last install of it...don't ask me how they knew?!? i downloaded PC-Doctor from Lenovo support, and tried to install it on my eMachine...it 'sorta' installed, but the program spotted that it wasn't a Lenovo, and basically did a uninstall...don't ask me?!? i installed Vista Ultimate the same day that i bought it, and the 'Product Key' didn't work...from there i was sent to some 'Voice' phone number that said the new numbers on my computer screen were wrong (9-groups of five or six numbers each) and from there to a real human (in India probably), who gave me another 9-group of five or six numbers to punch in...it worked after that. Only 1 of the two computers with Vista on them came with a disk...Vista Basic. i did several re-installs with it, and the 'Product Key' didn't work (see above steps that followed)...did a downgrade to Basic from the Vista Premium on the Lenovo, just to get rid of Lenovo Care and their Rescue & Recovery. Microsoft, if you are watching...is a downgrade or re-install considered piracy?

The Vista Ultimate's DVD image restored my whole computer, on a new HD, but didn't allow the restore to restore the activation part. How did they do THAT?!?