Back Up Q

Can I delete the original back up after making an incremental back up?

 

Backups

Q:-Can I delete the original backup after making an incremental backup ,or do I need to keep both?
Anne

 

Hello Anne,

I have now merged the two threads you have created that have the same subject matter into one thread as We do not wish to have duplicate threads going. Continue with your problem in this thread but do not start another thread concerning this same subject matter Please.

Thanks,
Bubba

 

NO, don't delete the first one !

you need both archives to restore Your system,
(the second archive should be significantly smaller,
than the first one)

in fact, if You create more incremental backups
ALL archives before that (including the first one)
are required to restore the latest system state !!!

when using differential backups however,
You would need only two archives for that:
the first initial backup and the latest one

(some1 please correct me, if i'm wrong)


bottom

 

True as far as restoring the image is concerned. However, as far as I'm aware, TI Build 3677 still contains the bug that necessitates you have the original full image plus ALL previous differentials in order to validate the image.

Regards

 

aaaathanks for your help>bottom

 

@Menorcaman: thx !
wow ! this bug IS nasty ...


bottom

 

Sorry ,but I need some more clarificatios.
First I 've done full backup of my WINXP partition in "Normal" mode saving it in folder located on my partition D:\ which serves as an archve for my important data.
The size of MyBeckup is 3.026.692 KB.
After few days I've done "Incremental" buckup expecting that only the changes as a difference between full backup and new ( actual ) situation will be saved in MyBackup(1) created as an "Incremental" backup, but for my surprize after backup execution found that MyBackup (1) now have size of 3.228.173 KB.
Please revert if this is normal and do you raccomand to delete previous MyBackup file of 3.036.692 KB, to save disc place on my partiton D:\.
One question more:-Does backup creation produces some residues in OS from where backup is done.After each backup seems to me that the size of my WINXP grows and become bigger.
Thanks in advance for your help

 

> Does backup creation produces some residues in OS from where backup is done.
good question. don't know about that, normally it shouldn't !
for me it doesn't (or i haven't noticed)
use a (freeware) tool like TreeSize (http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml)
to watch/compare disk space usage before and after a backup

regarding incremental backups, i can tink of two situation,
in which Your archive seem to grow:
a) in order to do an successful incremental backup,
TI needs to have access to the first full bakup archive;
if the full backup isn't visible/accessible to TI
it may automatically create a new initial full backup
b) i haven't tested this myself
(and currently have not enough storage to do so)
but when starting an incremental backup for the first time
(by selecting the option during backup configuration)
TI may ALWAYS and automatically create a full backup !!
thus, maybe just try a third (=the second incremental) backup,
and check whether this time You really get a smaller archive

- finally You can easily check,
whether You can remove an old backup file:
rename it, e.g. change the file extension
then verify Your latest backup archive.
if verification works fine,
the old (renamed) archive isnt needed anymore...

hope this helps


bottom

 

Hello bottom,
Thanks for usefull link and answer.
In my case seems you are 100% right- TI don't seen first backup and always creating full backup.Tested before read your post and TI created egzactly the same backup as previously done - thats means function of "Incremental" backup doesn't work any more for me.
Try to repear TI using installation CD but results are the same as before.
Hope that Mybackup created in my TI way is not corrupted one and can be used to Restore Image.
What's your opinion abt idea to completelly uninstall and reinstall Acronis TI from my CD to resolve this inconvinient .

 

Hello horn,

Did you do the incremental image correctly? You should select the full image file instead of inputtig a new name for the incremental image and on the next screen select "incremental". TI will create a new file with the name of the full, but with a "1" added.

And no, the creation of an image does not make any changes on the original and leaves no residues there.

 

Hello bVolk,
Yes, I've done as you say.Tested just now making Mybackup of pertition G:\ WIN 98 SE .
Mybackup size was 1.585,333 MB and new created "Incremental" Mybackup (1) 1.560,304 MB.
This become a nightmare to me-why TI created Backup as a full one.
Now should I keep bot of them ,or delete the first one (1.585,333 MB )

I'll try with partition C:\ WINXP , but probably with the same results.

 

If you are backing up the whole disk (not individual partitions) and storing the tib files in a partition on the same disk then the increments will include the backup tib file

Please explain more fully, with screen shots if possable, your actions and if you are not already using the latest build then download and install the latest build, you should uninstall the previous build before installing the new one

 

Hi como,
I'm backing up only partitions , not a whole disc and I store them in two separete folders in Partition D:\ -on the same HD-
Partition D:\ I use to store important data as "Archive "
Other two partitions are OS partitions C:\WINXP and G:\ WIN 98 SE.
Finaly , I have three partitions on the same HD.
One Q more:
If the next backup is smaller than MyBackup like in a/m case , will the TI craete MyBackup (1) or not ?

 

Ok that rules out the tib files being backed up. you don't say what build you are using, make sure it is the latest 3677, you can find this information by opening TI and opening the help menu and clicking on about.

Make sure that you make a new boot cd with the latest version.

I am sure you are aware that by storing the TI images on the same disk as your operating systems and data, should your disk fail you will have lost every thing, the only safe way is to store the images on another disk or removable disks

 

> Now should I keep bot of them ,or delete the first one (1.585,333 MB )

- hide/rename older backup (in your case e.g. "Mybackup")
- try to check/verify the NEWER backup archive (e.g. "Mybackup(1)")
- if verification works well the older backup obviously isn't needed anymore...


bottom

 

Hi,
This time, attempting to create "Incrementa" backup for partition C:\ WINXP, I navigate on the left pane till MyBa
ckup(1) -size 3,267,383 KB- click on it and do the second step- for "Incremental" backup.
TI create MYBackup(1)2 of 119,383 KB size.So looks all O.K. now.
For the next time from which one I have to start for "incremennat" backup- from MyBackup (1) or from MyBackup (1)2.-I suppose from MyBackup(1)
Is it necessary to rename them ,or I can live them as thay are
In case that I do Restore Image from which one of stored MyBackups I should start.
Sorry for my ignorance but as you can see I'm not an expert in this fild.
Thaks a lot for all your help and assistance.
@bottom,
I,ll do verification as you suggest.

 

Verification done.
Stil waiting for reply. Can I rename tib. file i.e. their numbers to be logical-Full backap, than "incremental" tib. file (1)....(2) ....and so on.
Another Q: If for one O.S. are effectuated significant changes and this O.S. become smaller in size, after difragmentation ,ChkD and Clean Disc, what is better to do-delete egzisting Mybackup tib. files and create a new "Full" MayBackup , or do only "Incremental" backup.

 

- don't randomly rename files belonging together / files
which make up an incremental backup,
it should be possible but probably it's best to leave them as they are

- if You have the time (and space) a full backup is always better,
if the initial archive of a incremental (or differential) backup gets corrupted
(by virus, hardware-failure, alien attack, ...)
all succeeding archive files will be 100% useless !
(that's why i strongly recommend that TI should really offer
some kind of repair/protect mechanism for backup archives)

- if You know the majority of Your hard drive content
has changed significantly since the last initial backup
a new full backup would also be advised

- defragmentation shouldn't have much effect/influence
on an incremental backup operation,
as not the data is changed but just its location...
(interesting question though)


bottom

 

If you do a defrag and then a incremental the incremental will be almost the same size as the full.

 

That's right, becasuse if you move unchanged data from one sector to another two sectors will have their contents changed and will therefore be both included in the incremental image.

In TI imaging, individual sector contents are the decisive factor, not file contents or overall disk contents.

Therefore, a defragmentation should always be followed by a full image.

 

Thanks a lot for usefull advices