Like a guardian angel, fink is always there. Thanks again for another post fink and for the info. Now with the ISO of Windows 7, I can install and use Windows 7 and create the Repair you speak of, I guess.(Could do that now--right?) The ISO is like an install CD of win 7; right? The only reason I ever created full backups was because I needed to always have the OS installed because I had no Win 7 disk.
It appears from a quick read of your reply that I will need to do pretty much of what was originally asked of me to prepare my machine. It seems that the more I read/study Acronis then thicker it becomes. Maybe I will just have windows run a backup just in case I have to fall back on it and hope Acronis will sink in after a few days bread from it.