"Create & configure backup locations" useless endeavor

I spent a lot of time setting up backup locations according to a set of instructions here on the forum to keep 6 backup files on file, but not only does the "consolidation" take an inordinate amount of time, but I have EIGHT .tib files but if I try to do a restore, there are only 5 available...one full and 4 differential.
So the first 4 have been consolidated into ONE full backup.
Somehow I was thinking I would have access to ALL eight days but I don't.
I guess it's not a big deal. Forget I said anything.
I Am unhappy with how long consolidation takes. It'll probably take DAYS with my C Drive backup folder. :-(

 

Hello Hope,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Backup software.

Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience you are currently experiencing. In order to try to fix the issue we would recommend you to make sure you use the latest build firstly. Unfortunately it is not clear from your post whether you try to run the backup task manually or using scheduler. So could you please tell us what way do you use? It is also necessary to know where is the Backup Location organized as the reason of the issue depends crucially on it.

Please note also eight backup files you have mentioned can be related to different full backups. Check this please.
The reason of you have more backup files then it is expected can also be in the file system used. As a matter of fact FAT32 file system has 4Gb maximum file size limitation. So if the created backup archive file is more than 4Gb it is automatically split into several parts. So please check the size of the created backup archives and the file system used. You can find out what file system is used right-clicking partition letter and choosing "Properties".

It would be also very helpful if you post screen shot of the folder you use as Backup Location and the contents of acronis_backup_place.cfg file which can be found in it. Please note that acronis_backup_place.cfg file is hidden and you need to do following to be able to open it:

- Please open My Computer and go to Tools -> Folder Options.
- Please go to View tab and match Show hidden files and folders option.
- Click Apply and then OK to save changes. Now you can open acronis_backup_place.cfg file.

Thank you
--
Nikita Sakharov

 

Otoh, all this can running background with low priority, so if it's automated, then consolidation times shouldn't be a very big issue. If the duration is a big issue then note that consolidation takes a long time, like doing a full backup or worse. So it might be preferable to just do full backups -- when you only do Full backups and Backup Location limits are reached the oldest Full is deleted and no consolidation is necessary or required. It's too bad that ATI doesn't offer an opiton for Backup Locations where consolidation is not used but the oldest backup set is deleted instead.

 

And this is why we don't use the backup server consolidation but created an own shuffle and last week delete script which works very fast and well ;-)

@ECHO OFF
REM ----- ENABLE LOGGING ------------------------------
CALL :ALL 1>>ACRONIS_SHUFFLE.LOG 2>&1
EXIT
ECHO.
:ALL
REM ----- IMAGE CONSOLIDATIE SCRIPT V11 ---------------
REM ----- MADE BY JEREMY OTTEN DATAMEX BREDA BV ------
REM ----- DATUM: 30-01-2008 --------------------------
ECHO.
REM ----- STEL SERVERNAAM EN SERVER SHARE IN ---------
SET NASSERVER=NAS01
SET IMAGESHARE=IMAGE
SET SHAREPASSWORD=[closed]
ECHO.
ECHO ========= BEGINTIJD: %DATE% %TIME% ===========
ECHO.
ECHO.
ECHO DISCONNECT Y: IF EXIST
IF EXIST "Y:" NET USE Y: /DELETE /YES
ECHO.
ECHO MAP Y: TO NASSERVER
NET USE Y: \\%NASSERVER%\%IMAGESHARE% %SHAREPASSWORD%
ECHO.
ECHO RENAME IMAGE BACKUP DIR'S....
IF NOT EXIST "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK1" MD "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK1"
IF NOT EXIST "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK2" MD "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK2"
IF NOT EXIST "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK3" MD "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK3"
IF NOT EXIST "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK4" MD "Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK4"
ECHO.
ECHO GO TO Y:
Y:
ECHO.
ECHO GOTO RIGHT DIR
CD %COMPUTERNAME%
ECHO.
ECHO SUFFLE IMAGE BACKUP DIR NAMES (FASE1)....
RENAME WEEK1 WEEK1A
RENAME WEEK2 WEEK2A
RENAME WEEK3 WEEK3A
RENAME WEEK4 WEEK4A
ECHO.
ECHO DONE!
ECHO.
ECHO SUFFLE IMAGE BACKUP DIR NAMES (FASE2)....
RENAME WEEK1A WEEK2
RENAME WEEK2A WEEK3
RENAME WEEK3A WEEK4
RENAME WEEK4A WEEK1
ECHO.
ECHO DONE!
ECHO.
ECHO CLEANOUT OLD WEEK4 (NEW WEEK1 DIR)....
DEL Y:\%COMPUTERNAME%\WEEK1\*.* /Q
ECHO.
ECHO MOVE BACK TO C:
C:
ECHO.
ECHO DISCONNECT Y: MAPPING
NET USE Y: /DELETE /YES
ECHO.
ECHO DONE!
ECHO ========= EINDTIJD: %DATE% %TIME% ===========