differential backup question

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Larrycleve, Dec 23, 2005.

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  1. Larrycleve

    Larrycleve Registered Member

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    My strategy would be to do a full backup, then a differential the next week, then another differential the week after etc. After doing the second differential would I be able to delete the one done before? It would seem to be possible since differentials are based on the original full backup and not on anything intervening. Thanks. :rolleyes:
     
  2. adolikian

    adolikian Registered Member

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    I tried to remove an intermediate differential file, but found
    that when I try to verify the "pruned" set of files, the verify
    fails, complaining that the intermediate files are missing.

    Ironically, I can mount the pruned set of files, and I can
    recover files. However, I don't feel comfortable working with
    a set of files that will not pass a verify test.

    What am I doing wrong? Is this a bug?
     
  3. paeng

    paeng Registered Member

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    Same thing here: I have two 200 GB HDs, and I installed a secure zone in the second HD set at maximum disk size. I backed up the entire contents of the first HD to the secure zone and used up around 100 GB.

    Is it a good idea to create a schedule where I do weekly differential backups, with the oldest differential backup being deleted if storage space is lacking, and then once every one or two months do a full backup that erases the old full and differential backups?
     
  4. adolikian

    adolikian Registered Member

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    Yes. That is exactly what I want to do. I was hoping that the differential backup feature of TI 9.x would enable this strategy. Can anyone help with a workable solution?
     
  5. adolikian

    adolikian Registered Member

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    Ignoring the failed 'verify' symptoms, I get unexpected behavior if I continue to do more differential backups adding to the "pruned" set of base+incremental backups.

    Example: Full backup has suffix [1]. A bunch of daily differentials over the course of a week have suffixes [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]. Now, I go in and "prune" the oldest four differential backups to make room for newer ones. I now have files with suffixes [1] [6] [7] [8]. Doing the next differential backup, I would expect it to have suffix [9]. Instead, the next two backups gets suffix [2], then [3], etc. I don't know what happens when the series catches up to the existing [6] backup. Somehow, I don't think this strategy was tested or planned. :(

    Still looking for a workable backup strategy using TI 9.x ....
     
  6. paeng

    paeng Registered Member

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    I can't think of any other option except to make a full backup weekly or monthly to an SZ in the second HD, and then backup selected folders and files (e.g., your data files) an external HD daily or weekly. That way, if anything goes wrong with the system, you might still be able to recover. If the first HD crashes, you can probably put in a new HD and then restore everything from the second HD. If worse comes to worse, you can reinstall the system and then copy the data files from the external HD.

     
  7. billwv

    billwv Registered Member

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    I am having the same problem with differential backups--I don't think the feature is working correctly.

    As I understand it, each time you create a new differential it should be written over the previous one--i.e at any time you shoul have the original and one and only one differential. Otherwise, what is the difference between a differential and an incremental?

    Is my understanding incorrect, or is it not working?

    Would appreciate a response from one of you experts. I'm using 2302.

    Thanks,

    Bill
     
  8. Rick_G

    Rick_G Registered Member

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    This is a bit of a guess. The problem may be that TI does NOT handle differential backups in the same fashion as other backup software.

    I know that Acronis' definition / handling of incremental backups is NOT what I expected. :eek:
     
  9. bctf1

    bctf1 Registered Member

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    As a new TI user, I'm also interested in clarification of this question. I posed the following question to Alexey and am hoping to get a response. If I do, I will post it in this thread.

    The User Guide states:
    "However, if you created several differential or both incremental and differential backups based on the same full backup (and therefore, in the same folder), you will need ALL of these successive backups to check the archive"

    It seems that If I create an initial Full Drive Backup and then later create differential backups of the same drive while overwriting the last differential backup with the newest, that I will not be able to use the Check Archive feature on the latest differential backup. In other words, do I have to save all past differential backups to be able to use the Check Archive feature on the latest, or can I still use Check Archive if I replace the Differential backup file each time it is created and keep only 1 differential file? Would I be able to successfully Recover/Restore to a replacement drive if my Differential backup is being overwritten each time?
     
  10. adolikian

    adolikian Registered Member

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    The questions and concerns in this threat beg for a response from Acronis.
    Are these bugs waiting for a solution?
    If not, Is there a better way to accomplish a backup strategy using differential backups?
    How to get Acronis' attention?
     
  11. Ozmaniac

    Ozmaniac Registered Member

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    Hi bcft1
    Acronis have stated in a previous thread that the reference to differentials in this paragraph of the User Guide is incorrect. I see that the new version 2337 change list refers to documentation changes which probably fixes this, but haven't had time to check yet.:cool:
     
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