To follow this tutorial, you will need:
Acronis 2015 supports two types of bootable media:
| Media Type | Base OS | Pros | Cons | |------------|---------|------|------| | Linux-based (default) | Custom Linux | Small size (~250 MB), fast boot, wide hardware support | May lack very new storage drivers (NVMe, RAID) | | WinPE-based | Windows Preinstallation Environment | Better driver compatibility (can inject drivers), familiar interface | Larger (~500+ MB), requires Windows ADK to create |
Note: For the Linux media, you can create it directly from the installed Acronis software. For WinPE, you need Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8.1/10.
If you have Acronis True Image 2015 installed on your PC, this is the easiest method. The software includes a built-in wizard to create the drive for you.
Step 1: Open Acronis True Image 2015 Launch the application on your computer.
Step 2: Navigate to Rescue Media Builder Look at the sidebar on the left. You will see an option labeled "Rescue Media Builder." Click on it.
Step 3: Select Device The wizard will ask what kind of media you want to create. Insert your USB drive and select "Removable drive" (your USB stick) from the list.
Step 4: Choose Boot Options You will usually be asked to select the startup parameters. Acronis 2015 typically offers two modes:
For most users, the default Linux-based media works perfectly. If you are restoring to newer hardware (like NVMe SSDs) and run into issues, you may need to rebuild the media using the WinPE option.
Step 5: Create Click Proceed. Acronis will format the USB drive (wiping all data on it) and install the necessary boot files. Once finished, label the drive and store it in a safe place.