NOT happy with Acronis. Earlier today I inadvertently shut down Windows while Acronis was doing one of its automatic backups, and I was treated to an "operations are running" shutdown screen that did not progress to a shutdown, even after an hour. I had gone out and left it because I figured maybe Windows was running some kind of big update. Anyway when I got home and realized it was still showing the "operations are running" screen, I got worried and Googled it. The first result mentioned Acronis and I put two and two together. It was at that point that I realized my external drive was spinning like crazy and was red hot to the touch. So I immediately turned it off and the computer finished shutting down. 
 
Turns out this is a much complained about problem with Acronis - it hijacks the shutdown procedure, doesn't inform the user that the process is still running or provide an option to abort shutdown or abort Acronis, and leads to this never ending shutdown screen. People have talked about losing data because of it, and there are many complaints that Acronis refuses to address the problem. Indeed I saw a response from Acronis on their forum where they suggested that other software does the same thing (I've never seen it before) and that it's supposed to work this way. I'm using Acronis 2014 but I read someone say that it happens to them with Acronis 2015 as well. 
 
So I'm no longer confident about using Acronis and am open to suggestions for other automatic imaging software. 

Just do manual backups for now and disable the scheduled backup. That way you will be aware of what is going on.
 
 

Unfortunately that doesn't work for me, I've tried it. I just can't seem to get my head together to do manual backups 

I do a mixed process. I make an image backup if I think I need a way back. Otherwise I have a batch file setup to sync the folders that contain all my data, projects documents etc, just lick a link and it backs up all my data to my external drive. If I do it regularly its really fast.
 
 

I love acronis, learn to be subservient to it and all will be ok for you.
 
Plus you will have your backup which is the the best thing for you if you have a hard drive because these days you just cant trust em!

Hi,
 
I have enough computers, that I back up what I do that is important in two of them the minute I get done.
 
However, you ALWAYS, have to make sure that things are saved in one place only, so all you have to do is copy that whole section, and it can be setup automatically, however, I am not a great fan of the system resources that process tends to eat up.
 
So I have a folder on Guru that says Writing -- where I put everything, and that folder gets copied to AshRa and Cymbaline. Done for the day and it only took a few seconds.  The other folder says "Work" and it has the website files and the rest of the stuff, including saved emails and whatever else is needed.

Lots of people have recommended Paragon.  I have Acronis, but I've run into some similar issues with it and will probably switch soon.

I have Acronis but my computer tech guys use Norton ghost to do system images. I just do a system image once a week and call it a day. I find it too hard to pick and choose data and applications so the whole thing gets copied.
 
Since Acronis shuts down windows and reboots into DOS? I lose the use of my machine for an hour or so. In fact, this thread reminds me it's time to do a backup. Later.

Anyone have any opinions or experience with Macrium? 

I was going to suggest you check out the comments about Paragon in the Computer forum (or whatever it used to be called) but, apparently, it's gone...
 
Too bad because there was a LOT of really good information in that forum!
 
Note that if it's just been moved or renamed, that I was unable to find it.