OK, maybe you want to try "burning" it to USB sometime. I think this tutorial is still good: ht tp://themudcrab.com/acronis_grub4dos.php (if not, please let me know). Just make sure the ISO "lands" on the USB in one piece (literally!!), it can't be fragmented!! Easiest solution for beginners would be to make a test-USB flash drive that you can format every time you test it. Put Grub on it first, then the ISO (by itself). When 2013 doesn't work, why not try the older versions? I was surprised to see (in the beta 2013 email) that testers are encouraged to also download older version for free! Version 2011 seems to be quite good, so why not try that one as well? (see the links in your Acronis email). I recommend version 2011 14.0.6942 (20110922). As I said, I always use the ISO, and put it on USB flash drive.
Thanks for your link to the Grub tuto, it seems to cover everything one needs to know. I will give it a shot . Hopefully that would solve my incompatibiliy problem with my laptop. I think it would be a good idea to give up burning images on cds as they are not as reliable as usb sticks. As for trying older versions of Acronis, I've already been there with True Image Home 2011 (build 6696) and unfortunately it failed to restore MBR. By the way, did you try the version you recommended (20110922) with Windows 8? Edit: I've just performed a test with Acronis 2013 using Grub on usb stick and it worked perfectly on my laptop! . It's a really great tool! I will add the other version you recommended and also Paragon if it works. It's really strange that using an usb stick instead of burning iso to a cd has fixed the incompatibility issue I had with my laptop.
So which is better, Acronis 2013 or Paragon Windows 8? Acronis 2013 makes me nervous because it is "beta", whereas the Paragon is not a beta, it is a freeware.
I guess the only right answer to "which is better" is:..... .... "the one that works for you". And for that you will just have to test them, I guess. So that's both the backup *and* the restore. If you go by what's working best for most people right now, I'd say Acronis 2011!!! I can't say too much about 2013 yet, I will test it this week. Paragon doesn't work at all for me, but I'm not giving up on it just yet.