Differential Backup - Drive Snapshot

Hi All

Need some help from the experts.

USING THE GUI NOT THE COMMAND LINE

1) I have created a backup of two partitions and got 4 files ie a hash and a .sna for both the C & D partition

2) I want to make a differential image of both partitions using the GUI how do I do it please

Thanks

Terry

 

Hi Terry,

That's actually very easy. After selecting the volume (partition) that you want to backup, the next DS screen prompts you for a filename (as always) and underneath that you will note there's a Differential Image checkbox. As for the filename, let's suppose the name of the corresponding full image is 'C-Full', you might choose a filename for your first differential image as 'C-D1' (DS automatically adds the .sna extension).

Next check the Differential Image checkbox. Upon doing that you will be prompted (directly below) to select the appropriate hash file (you can click the Browse button to find it). Be very sure to select the correct hash file - i.e., the one associated with the corresponding full image backup!

Once you do that everything else works the same as when making a full backup but you will notice that DS identifies the image being created as a Differential on the final screen (while DS is doing its thing). Differential images will take almost as much time to complete as a full image, but they will be much smaller in size until the changes to the volume have become substantial. When that happens I will create a new full image and then start differential imaging all over again).

Wendi

 

Hi Wendi

When I did the backup of the two partitions, it told me to put $DISK in front of the file name. This ensured that both partitions were backed up at the same time.

So when I come to do the differential backups, are u saying I have to do each partition separately, or as per the original full backup is there a way of telling snapshot to do both together?

Thanks

Terry

 

You have to do differentials separately Terry. That's because an integral part of making the differential is to identify the correct hash file for the corresponding full image!

Note that when using '$DISK' DS does not combine multiple volumes/partitions into one image file (as some other disk image programs do). $DISK is just a convenience in making multiple partition full images at the same time rather than having to repeat the process for each partition. Either way you wind up with an individual image file for each partition (which imho makes restoring straight-forward).

Wendi