ATI 10 Does it work -- how can you tell?

[shieber]

Well, I'm trying out the backup location management with the automatic renaming feature in ATI 10, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how it works to any useful benefit. And the so-called help files are designed as if to be of help only to those that already don't need help. Perhaps there's more info in the pdf guide -- nope, it's simply the help file in pdf format.

I was hoping the archive mgt feature would alleviate having to run batch files to rename backups. No chance. I'm not sure I see that the so-called archive mgt has any useful purpose at all, but then I might change my mind if I could read some instructions that actually had some useful info.

You can when setting up a task or schedule click on an icon and have ATI generate a filename and if [filename] exists, it will suggest [filename](1), then filename(2) etc. But once you enter that in the task or in the schedule, that's the name it uses. So, for example, [filename](2) gets used over and over, always overwriting prior version of the file. If you want to sequentially named the files, you still have to run a batch file (post command) just as in version 9.

Did they test these help files on actual users? Did they test the download for the user guide? And why is there still no search function in the help files? Did the designer think that was actually an adequate way to design help files?

Did the archive mgt feature have a point?

So far I haven't found anything that 10 can do that 9 couldn't do as well. So far, I wouldn't call this a new version, I'd call it a minor update, I'd call it 9.1 with some glitter spinkled in its hair.

[foghorne]

Originally Posted by shieber

Well, I'm trying out the backup location management with the automatic renaming feature in ATI 10, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how it works to any useful beneit. And the so-called help files are designed as if to be of help only those that already don't need help. Perhaps there's more info in the pdf guide -- can't tell, it won't download due to an error in the pdf file.

I was hoping the archive mgt would alleviate having to run batch files to rename backups. No chance. I'm not sure I see that the so-called archive mgt has any useful purpose at all, but then I might change my mind if I could read some instructions that actually had some useful info.

You can when setting up a task or schedule click on an icon and have ATI generate a filename and if [filename] exists, it will suggest [filename](1), then filename(2) etc. But once you enter that in the task or in the schedule, that's the name it uses. So, for example, [filename](2) gets used over and over, always overwriting prior version of the file. If you want to sequentially named the files, you still have to run a batch file (post command) just as in version 9.

Did they test these help files on actual users? Did they test the download for the user guide?

Did the archive mgt feature have a point?

So far I haven't found anything that 10 can do that 9 couldn't do as well. So far, I wouldn't call this a new version, I'd call it a minor update, I'd call it 9.1 with some glitter spinkled in its hair.

Hi shieber

thanks for the feedback. Is it possible to tell if there is backup management functionality, as implied by the marketing hype. I would expect this to provide automatic rolling backups, allowing the user to specify a backup frequency and the length of time the backups needed to be available.

Is this feature something you have found?

Thanks
F.

[shieber]

There is mentioned in the hellp file that the "backup locations" feature provides for something called "automatic naming of backup files" so that you supposedly can automatically control backup files without overwriting previous files. But I'll be darned if I can I can get it to work -- every backup overwrites the prior, using the very same name.

The workaround is to make a diff task for each diff filename and set the task to rotate, which one could have as easily done in Ver 9, or 8 for that matter.

sh

Originally Posted by foghorne

Hi shieber

thanks for the feedback. Is it possible to tell if there is backup management functionality, as implied by the marketing hype. I would expect this to provide automatic rolling backups, allowing the user to specify a backup frequency and the length of time the backups needed to be available.

Is this feature something you have found?

Thanks
F.

[Christopher_NC]

Originally Posted by shieber

Well, I'm trying out the backup location management with the automatic renaming feature in ATI 10, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how it works to any useful benefit. And the so-called help files are designed as if to be of help only to those that already don't need help. Perhaps there's more info in the pdf guide -- nope, it's simply the help file in pdf format.

I was hoping the archive mgt feature would alleviate having to run batch files to rename backups. No chance. I'm not sure I see that the so-called archive mgt has any useful purpose at all, but then I might change my mind if I could read some instructions that actually had some useful info.

You can when setting up a task or schedule click on an icon and have ATI generate a filename and if [filename] exists, it will suggest [filename](1), then filename(2) etc. But once you enter that in the task or in the schedule, that's the name it uses. So, for example, [filename](2) gets used over and over, always overwriting prior version of the file. If you want to sequentially named the files, you still have to run a batch file (post command) just as in version 9.

Did they test these help files on actual users? Did they test the download for the user guide? And why is there still no search function in the help files? Did the designer think that was actually an adequate way to design help files?

Did the archive mgt feature have a point?

So far I haven't found anything that 10 can do that 9 couldn't do as well. So far, I wouldn't call this a new version, I'd call it a minor update, I'd call it 9.1 with some glitter spinkled in its hair.

Shieber,

Thanks for the excellent detective work! Seems as though at least this one new feature is far from mature. Wonder if they'll get it working before V 11?

Even Acronis Support seems to be having a difficult time calling this is a new product, here referring to Version 10 as "the new version of Acronis True Image 9.0 Home":

Originally Posted by Acronis Support

Hello mad scientist,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Please note that we released the new version of Acronis True Image 9.0 Home. It is Acronis True Image 10.0 Home. The new version has some new features:

...snippped

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=147448

I like your analogy better, of calling this new version, "9.1 with some glitter sprinkled in its hair."

Sounds like they haven't upgraded the caliber of help, either, or found a way to clearly explain ATI features to novices (or even to more advanced users).

Regards,

[John2222]

I haven't tried it yet, but the option to limit the number of backups is in the "Backup Locations Management" of the online pdf user manual:

7.1.2 Setting the backup rules

The backup rules include:

1) maximum size
This is the maximum storage space allowed for a backup location.
To estimate the location size, you can start a backup and select all data you are going to backup in the backup location. At the Set Backup Options step choose Set the options manually, then set the compression level. You will see the estimated full backup size (for disk/partition backup) or the approximate compression ratio (for file-level backup) using which you can calculate the estimated full backup size. Multiply this by about 1.5 to be able to create incremental or differential archives (roughly). Also consider the following rule, especially if you are going to create multiple full backups.

2) maximum number of backups
This is the total number of backups allowed for a backup location.

3) maximum storage period for the archives in a backup location.
When a user starts backup to a backup location, the selected location will be checked and, if any limitation is exceeded, the oldest backups will be consolidated or deleted.

[shieber]

Yes, but setting a value for the number of backups in a managed backup location doesn't seem to have any effect. For one example, I set the number at 3, and then made backup 1 and then another and went up to 4, 5, 6, etc. without any warning, deletions, etc. Literally, the quota is not met, the threshold doesn't hold, the dog doesn't hunt. I would describe the behavior as exactly the same as if no threshold had been set.

I haven't had time to try the cumulative file size quota as a limit and probably won't until Monday or later.

Originally Posted by John2222

I haven't tried it yet, but the option to limit the number of backups is in the "Backup Locations Management" of the online pdf user manual:

. . .

[Crappopotamus]

Originally Posted by shieber

Well, I'm trying out the backup location management with the automatic renaming feature in ATI 10, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how it works to any useful benefit. And the so-called help files are designed as if to be of help only to those that already don't need help. Perhaps there's more info in the pdf guide -- nope, it's simply the help file in pdf format.

I was hoping the archive mgt feature would alleviate having to run batch files to rename backups. No chance. I'm not sure I see that the so-called archive mgt has any useful purpose at all, but then I might change my mind if I could read some instructions that actually had some useful info.

You can when setting up a task or schedule click on an icon and have ATI generate a filename and if [filename] exists, it will suggest [filename](1), then filename(2) etc. But once you enter that in the task or in the schedule, that's the name it uses. So, for example, [filename](2) gets used over and over, always overwriting prior version of the file. If you want to sequentially named the files, you still have to run a batch file (post command) just as in version 9.

Did they test these help files on actual users? Did they test the download for the user guide? And why is there still no search function in the help files? Did the designer think that was actually an adequate way to design help files?

Did the archive mgt feature have a point?

So far I haven't found anything that 10 can do that 9 couldn't do as well. So far, I wouldn't call this a new version, I'd call it a minor update, I'd call it 9.1 with some glitter spinkled in its hair.

With one feature that they think will lure a lot of us Ti9 paid testers to the table again; Vista compat.

[Acronis Support]

Hello shieber,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please accept our apologies for the delay with the response.

First of all, please note that one of the principles of backup locations organization is automatic naming of backup files not re-naming as you stated in the first post. Let me clarify this. Backup Locations is similar to Acronis Secure Zone. So, when you want to store the image archive to backup location no file name is required. The image archive automatically gets file name. The name is like 2006_10_22_11_29_14_218F.TIB. The archive file name contains the information about image creation data: 22 of October 2006, 11:29 AM in this case. "F" means that the image type is full. The name of the first incremental/differential backup to this full backup archive will be 2006_10_22_11_29_14_218F2.TIB (number 2 adds).

You can also take a look at this previous post of mine where I described one example of using backup location with its automatic management function.

As for the "Search" option in Help file, I will contact the appropriate person regarding this question and get back to post here as soon as I get a reply.

As for the comments about terminology "new version" or "new product" would like to say that as you can see on Acronis web site Acronis True Image 10.0 Home is a new version of Acronis True Image 9.0 Home. We consider changes within the same product (Acronis True Image Home) as a new version. While for example Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 is another product. Once again, it is question of terminology, we are sorry if it confused you or some other customers.

If you have any questions concerning our software, please feel free to post any of them on this forum and we will do our best to answer you questions as soon as possible.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

[shieber]

I don't get those kinds of filenames from ATI 10 (I dont' get something like "2006_10_22_11_29_14_218F.TIB". I only get "mybackup.tib" or if that exists then "Mybackup(1)" etcf., which seems like the old version 9 naming.

It seems like somehow my Version 10 is acting like Version 9 even though I did an uninstall and reinstall of 10.

[blarson]

I also have done clean installs of 10.0 (build 4871) and can not get automatic file names.

[shieber]

I figured out what I was doing wrong. When I was selecting the backup location off of the directory tree, I was selecting the directory under the Drive -- which won't work foor autonaming, there is on the tree a location called "Backup Locations" and the managed locations have to be selected from under that. Then the autonaming occurs. And the options for how many diffs or incs before another full backup is done show up onthe Backup Policy/Mode screen.

However, ATI 10 still seems happy to make more backup files than the limit set in the manged location setup.

Originally Posted by shieber

I don't get those kinds of filenames from ATI 10 (I dont' get something like "2006_10_22_11_29_14_218F.TIB". I only get "mybackup.tib" or if that exists then "Mybackup(1)" etcf., which seems like the old version 9 naming.

It seems like somehow my Version 10 is acting like Version 9 even though I did an uninstall and reinstall of 10.

[blarson]

The 'Backup Locations' was the trick. I set the number of files to '1' and it cleaned up the directory and left the last backup. I may even retire my DriveImage 7 one of these days.

[BlackCat3]

I think you have to make sure there are no existing full backups (which have not been created using an ATI 10 backup policy) in the "Backup Locations" folder. When I had an existing full backup made using ATI 9 in my "Backup Locations" folder, ATI 10 made another differential backup using my original filename. However, when I emptied the folder and tried again it correctly created a file called 2006_10_23_15_01_36_015D.TIB.

Shieber: What was the name of the backup which your policy created?

Cheers, BlackCat3

[blarson]

I did two full backups that were the same size, but the created filenames ended in a 'D' for differential instead of 'F' for full.

[shieber]

The naming issue was solved by noting the restriction to using managed directorires only through the "BAckup Locations" entry on the Directory tree, and not under the drives.

But the file number limit is still not working.

Originally Posted by BlackCat3

I think you have to make sure there are no existing full backups (which have not been created using an ATI 10 backup policy) in the "Backup Locations" folder. When I had an existing full backup made using ATI 9 in my "Backup Locations" folder, ATI 10 made another differential backup using my original filename. However, when I emptied the folder and tried again it correctly created a file called 2006_10_23_15_01_36_015D.TIB.

Shieber: What was the name of the backup which your policy created?

Cheers, BlackCat3

[pedrover]

Ive been able to create a backup policy of one full backup then 6 diff backups. BUt as described above I get a first full backup filename ending in the D suffix.

Under what circumstances does the filename revert to the F suffix.
Is it when not using backup locations/backup locations tree?

[BlackCat3]

I set up my policy to perform differential backups. When performing the first backup ATI 10 created a full backup (which is what I expected) but it gave the filename a "D" for "differential" suffix (perhaps not what I expected).

I set the weekly backup policy to create a new full backup after 3 differentials had been created, expecting to obtain a full backup, then 3 differentials, then repeat after a total of 4 weeks. So now I'm not sure what is going to happen...

[J-Mac]

Alexandr,

You were quick to respond to the question of whether TI 10 is a new version.

How about addressing the functional questions, like the limits on number of backups.

Thank you.

[Acronis Support]

Hello everyone,

Please accept our apologies for the delay with the response.

Please be aware that I was not accurate enough in my explanation in post #8 of this thread. Namely, latter "D" in the name of the backup archive saved to Backup Location shows that this is disk(s)/partition(s) image and letter "F" is for file-based backup (My data, My application settings and My e-mails). I'm sorry for misleading you and others with my previous post.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

[Acronis Support]

Hello J-Mac,

Please note that the discussion of this issue continues in this thread that shieber started.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

[J-Mac]

Originally Posted by Acronis Support

Hello J-Mac,

Please note that the discussion of this issue continues in this thread that shieber started.

Thank you.
--
Aleksandr Isakov

Thank you Alexandr.

Very much appreciated.