Backup Valdation

I use Acronis True Image Home version 9.0 (build 3633)

1. Click on Tools/Default backup options/Additional Settings, where "Validate backup archive upon its creation completion" is marked. That's OK, because I prefer to validate EACH backup, even when it takes more time.

2. Click on Tools/Default restoration options/ Additional settings, where "Validate backup archive before restoration" is also marked.
Since ALL my backups have been validated, why do I have to re-validate my backup before restoration ?
Any very good reason for this double validation ?

 

If you validate right after restore, WHO says or WHERE does it say you still have to validate right before restore ?

Some people will choose to do their validation right before restore and NOT right after backup. In that case, it's not double validation.

IMO, the more useful question would be "Why would someone choos to wait until just before restore to do a validation". I can think of potential answers but since I choose to validate right after backup, I'll refrain from speculating.

 

For sure validate right after creating the archive; better to find out then if it isn't good.

I always validate before restoring (well, most of the time) because if for any reason the archive can't be validated it won't blow away the destination partition contents.

I did have that happen to me, caused by a bad SATA cable.

 

I see. It's a matter of taste .
I will do it right after backup and not anymore before restore.
Thanks.

 

Hello ErikAlbert, crofttk and seekforever,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

In fact, there is a good reason to validate backup archives both after creation and before restoration. I mean the probability of backup archive to become corrupted while it is being stored somewhere. The corruption may occur because of the faulty hardware such as faulty hard drive cable or hard drive surface defects, file system errors appeared on the partition\drive where backup archive is stored, physical corruption of CD, DVD media, etc. That's why it is quite reasonable to validate backups both after creation and before restoration.

Thank you.
--
Alexey Popov

 

I MUST agree with Acronis, hope this does not spoil my reputation.

In addition to validating just before a restore, I find it useful to check the drives using the programs at http://www.standards.com/index.html?CompareDrives.

The Attributes program has been released (new version a few minutes ago), but the Content version is not yet released.

 

That's all good food for thought.

 

I have been using Acronis TI since version 6 - making system images at least daily and frequently more often. Being fairly lazy I soon stopped validating at all and have yet to have a major problem. If the system image I made 20 minutes ago failed to restore I would simply restore the one I made at 08:30 this morning.

I accept that being lazy may one day allow Acronis to bite me but just as a thought I would rather take daily system images to different USB drives and not validate at all than only make an image every so often and validate.
As someone else said earlier - a matter of personal opinion ?

 

I never used to verify any images I made with Drive Image which I used up to version 2002. I started verifying with TI when I installed it as a test then started reading this forum and since this forum tends to show problems rather than successes, I kept doing it.

IMO, if you are having no trouble with the process then you can likely get away without constant verifying. However, it is known that TI puts a real load on memory and disk systems so if anything goes bad, or worse, marginal you are going to get caught. I would say on a system where it is known TI works well, a weekly verify would still be a good idea so you don't end up with many months of bad archives.

I would feel a little safer with the above approach on an internal backup drive. Carrying around USB drives, flexing and plugging cables adds another dimension of risk.

 

You and I obviously sing from the same Hymn Sheet !

Xpilot

 

I don't verify - but I'm still "slightly" paranoid - with system images on 4 different
external and network USB drives, several copies on other network PCs, copies on DVD ( stored in a fireproof safe) and copies off site.....