Thanks for the info Starkers maybe it is time to upgrade

Thanks starkers. Good lookin' out.

Good eyes, Mark!

Just to remind folks with a Western Digital Internal HDD: You can pick up the special Acronis WD program for free here: 

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119

take a look at drivesnapshot if you want a relay good imagetool. No installation needed.

Unfortunately, I found that you had to have a previous Plus Pack (2010 or 2011) to be able to install the free Upgrade plus pack.  It is not enough to simply have a previous True Image Home.

Steven, no, that is not what the offer says, so I don't know how that came to be.  The offer clearly states that the Plus Pack is free if you update to or purchase Acronis True image 2012 prior to July 31.... that the only requirement to install the Plus pack is to have Acronis 2012 installed first.

Now I updated from Acronis 2009 to the 2012 version and the free Plus Pack was provided as an optional download on my receipt containing the serial numbers, and it installed then activated without issue with the parent program.

I would take another look at it if I were you, because I'm sure your earlier result was incorrect and that you would be able to install the Plus Pack once the 2012 version was installed.

So why did it ask for a previous installation code for when I tried to install the Plus Pack?  My latest Acronis was 2011.

I dunno, Steven, maybe uninstalling the 2011 version and cleaning up with Ccleaner prior to installing the 2012 version would help.  Once it is installed without remnants of the previous edition, try installing the Plus Pack again.

Other than that, try Acronis FAQ or customer service to find a solution.

It was my error - the accidentally bought version of the Plus Pack (which I got from the second link in the OP ) was an upgrade version, and I assumed it went together with the Upgrade version of True Image Home 2012, which I bought second.  After I accidentally bought the Plus Pack 2012 Upgrade, I went back and bought ATIH 2012 Upgrade with Free Plus Pack, but I had assumed that the Plus Pack Upgrade code was the one I needed to use to install the Free Plus Pack.  The code I had for the Free Plus Pack 2012 did NOT require a previous Plus Pack.  Would you be able to change your OP to make it clear that the first link is the one you buy if you want an upgrade TO the complete ATIH 2012 (when you have a previous version of True Image) with free Plus Pack, and the Plus Pack on its own is the second link, to only be used if you have ATIH 2012 base program already?  I accidentally assumed that the two links in the OP were equivalent, but I found out they weren't.  This is not a criticism of you, but having two "link"s in a post about a free Plus Pack can sometimes mean people assume they're equivalent, even though I know it wasn't your intention!

Thanks in advance for that, and for letting me know about the special deal!  I am shortly getting a refund for the Plus Pack Upgrade version bought on its own, and am keeping the ATIH 2012 Upgrade + Free Non-Upgrade Plus Pack.

Hmmm, sorry about the confusion there, Steve.  The first link was obviously the one from which to purchase Acronis 2012, but the second link was intended to provide more information on the Plus Past.  I will amend the OP to advise this. 

Thank you for pointing it out.