verification of differential very slow

I'm currently backing up to a NAS.

The initial full backup (26G) took about 48 minutes and the verification about 53 minutes. No problem there.

I just did a differential backup (640M). It took about 3 minutes to backup and 50 minutes!! to verify. Why so much longer? Nothing was going on on the PC during the backup and verification.

 

The validation includes validating the full and the differential and if it is like V9 it validates any intermediate differentials as well. (The intermediate ones have to be there to validate even though they aren't required for a restore to the latest archived state!)

 

That's dumb. I've already verified each backup when it's created. If I've created, say, a full and 6 daily differentials that means the full will have been verified 7 times, the oldest differential 6 times, etc.

 

I'll certainly agree that having to validate intermediate differentials is dumb since most people would want to restore the full and the last differential if they needed to restore.

It can be argued that validating the full each time does increase the confidence level a bit.

I would imagine each piece of the archive, be it full, incremental or differential has their own checksum and in that case could be validated on their own. An option to validate the last addition to the archive or validate the entire archive would be one possible modification to the program. I only do full archives so I don't really care.

In case you aren't aware, if you use the Secure Zone or in TI10, Backup Locations, a validation of an archive causes every archive in the Zone or the Location to be validated. This can take lots of time too.

You'll have to raise the issue with Acronis for more info as to why this is the design of the program.

 

I am using a TIH 10 backup location. As far as it verifying every backup in the backup location will it also verify backups in subfolders of that location or just in the specific backup location folder? I'm thinkingg that I'll peridodically move the full and it's associated differentials into a subfolder prior to creating the next new.

 

Hello riechert,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Yes, as seekforever said, when you validate incremental/differential backup Acronis True Image validates the whole backup chain (all incremental/differential backup archives and the initial full backup).

Note that Backup Location rules apply to the initial folder (the one you specified during Backup Location creation) only. They do not apply to its sub folders.

Please also let me correct seekforever a bit:

Be aware that every backup in the Backup Location validates only if the "Validate backup archive upon operation completion" option is enabled (Tools -> Options -> Default Backup Options -> Additional settings).

If you use Validate Archive tool (Tool -> Validate Backup Archive) of Acronis True Image then only the selected backup archive validates (along with corresponding incremental/differential backup archives, if any).

Thank you.
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Aleksandr Isakov

 

I saw in another thread that you'll be updated TI 10 to allow automatic verification of just the newly created archive file. I also want to see that option.

 

Aleksandr,
I can understand the rationale for this when dealing with incremental/differential files, as the consolidation process probably justifies re-validation. However, in a Backup Location with all full backups, IMO the re-validation ceases to make any sense, and is an unnecessary huge expense of time. It is not convenient. It would be a fine enhancement to be able to automatically validate only a newly created full backup that has no incs or diffs attached. Is the following quote accurate, does Acronis intend to make this change??

Regards, CatFan432

 

Hello CatFan432 and everyone interested,

We are sorry for the delayed response.

Yes, as it was stated in this previous post of mine we do have plans to change this behavior of Acronis True Image 10.0 Home in the future builds of the program.

Thank you.
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Aleksandr Isakov