Distinguishing between full and incremental backups

I have set up a task to do 5 incremental backups and then a full backup (V10). However, it looks as if TI is just doing incremental backups in that if use Explore Backup Achive and open up the Backup Location I can see one large file and then 15 smaller files with names such as these:

2007_09_10_23_47_10_125D2.TIB
2007_09_10_23_47_10_125D22.TIB

It looks to me as if Acronis is just doing incremental backups and not doing a periodic full backup but given the opaque nature of these filenames, I am not certain.

Can anybody tell me what is going on?

And is there a known problem with Tasks not doing periodic full backups?

Thanks

 

The file with a single number (the xxx2.tib in your case) is normally the full, and the sub suffix 22,23,24,25,26 etc should be the incrementals.

What is the frequency option you set the full file up with?

Colin

 

Not sure if this answers your questions but..

If I choose the Edit option on the Task and click through to the Backup Policy screen, I have
* selected the 'Create incremental backups'
* ticked the 'Create new backup after n backups' option
* and chosen '5' as the value for n

and this is what see in the Backup loc

2007_09_10_23_47_10_125D2.TIB
2007_09_10_23_47_10_125D22.TIB
<snip 13 similar entries - D23, D24, etc up to>
2007_09_10_23_47_10_125D216.TIB

which would seem to imply that I have one full backup and 15 incremental backups.

ie: TI is ignoring my request to do a full backup after 5 incremental backups.

 

Hello rcollings,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Please make sure you use the latest build (4942) of Acronis True Image 10.0 Home. To get access to updates you should first register your software.

If updating doesn't solve the problem, please collect some information to let us investigate it thoroughly:

Please create Acronis Report and Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post.

Please collect the application log of the operation:
- run the program;
- select Show log on the toolbar or from the Tools menu;
- select the log with error messages;
- click "Save the log entry to file" (the diskette icon).

Please also collect acronis_backup_place.cfg file from the folder of Acronis Backup Location.

Then submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will investigate the problem and try to provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Thank you for your reply. I have submitted a technical support request as you have suggested. Having looked at the log file, it looks as if I am exceeding the filesize quota that I have set for the backup location and that TI is deleting a file but it is not clear which file. I am still very confused as to what is happening here.

One general observation that I would make is that TI10 does not make it clear what all these backup (TIB) files are: which ones are full backups and which ones are incremental backups and when each one was taken. I find this quite scary - I like to know what is going on so that I can be confident of recovering my system if I need to.

Nor does it explain how the Backup Locations work - ie what happens when the quota is reached - which files are deleted in this circumstance?

I am an experienced IT consultant and if I am confused, I feel sure that I am not alone here. Better and clearer management of the the backup files would be much appreciated - this feels to me like one of the weakest areas of Acronis at the moment.

 

Hello rcollings,

Please see this thread(Details on quotas on backup locations), and, particularly, this and this posts for details on the processes in Acronis Backup Locations.

If you have any further questions concerning Acronis software, please feel free to submit a request for technical support or post any of them on this forum. We will certainly try to help you in resolving any issues.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov