Understanding what is in my consolidation

Please explain. I am new to Acronis True Image Home but not computers.

I have taken 3 backups of drive C:\
1) A full backup on Sunday called MyFile.tib
2) An incremental on Monday called MyFile2.tib
3) An incremental on Tuesday called MyFile3.tib

As a test to understand the product, I executed a consolidation to a new file called MyNewFile.
Acronis asked me which files I wished to keep and I checked only MyFile3.tib.
It ran successfully and I now have MyNewFile.tib.

Question #1) What do you mean by "keep" in this context.
Question #2) What exactly is in MyNewFile.tib? Is it the contents of all 3 original files?
Question #3) If I restored C: using either the original backup ( 3 files ) or the the new consolidated backup (MyNewFile), would C:\ be identical to what was there on Tuesday?

Extra Question: If I had taken 1 Full backup and 6 incremental backups ( 1 each day called File, File2, File3, etc. ) and then wanted to restore my C drive to Wednesday, how would I do that? Assume the first was taken Sunday.

Many thanks.

 

Hello Acronis Support. Maybe you need more data to respond to my request.

I am using:
1) Vista 64 bit SP2
2) Acronis True Image Home (Version 12.0.0.9709)

Many thanks

 

Hello JCalvert,

Thank you for choosing Acronis True Image Home!

Each backup is a restoration point. So, if you check to "keep" a backup that means that you want to keep that restoration point and consolidate all the previous backups. Consolidation affects only the backups older than the last checked backup of the sequence. You can choose some restoration points to be kept.

In your case all the backups were consolidated to the last restoration point. The resulting backup has the same data as the source sequence.

Extra Answer: If the full backup was created on Sunday then the 3'rd incremental had to be created on Wednesday. But actually there is now difference what backup from the sequence to choose because the whole sequence will be read and you'll be offered to choose the exact point of restoration from the list of available points.

Thank you.
Daniel Pustovoy

 

Hello,

This is exactly why I only do full backups. That way I know what's in them, no confusion, no guessing.

It's also why I wish Acronis would put back the ability to choose only full backups while retaining previous full backups, into ATI 2009.

Thanks,

Larry

 

You can, it's just not oobvious how.


check out htis thread:

Vlad found a workaround, presented in a much older post:

#4 02:34 AM
Vlad V
Infrequent Poster Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1

Re: X full backups, then delete oldest

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The latest build of ATIH 2009 (9646) allows you to get what you want, though the solution is not obvious. Here's how:
1) At the "Backup method" step choose either "Incremental" or "Differential" method, select the "Create a new full backup after" checkbox and set "0" (zero) in the number of backups field. This will result in creating only full backups, but, in addition, will enable the "Automatic consolidation" step (disabled for the "Full" backup method), which will be needed for ensuring automatic deletion of the oldest backup.
2) At the "Automatic consolidation" step select the "Number of backups exceeds" checkbox and set a limit of 4 backups.
The program will create 4 full backups, then on the 5th run it will create a fifth backup thus exceeding the limit set on the number of backups. ATIH can't consolidate full backups, so it will simply delete the oldest one. This procedure will be repeated during the next task run, etc.
P.S. You must have space for at least 5 fulls. If there is not enough room for the 5th backup, the task run will be aborted, and the program will neither create a new backup, nor delete the oldest one.
__________________

 

Daniel, Thanks for your reply.

You said that "you'll be offered to choose the exact point of restoration from the list of available points." Where/when does this happen?
I am attaching a screen shot below. In that list your will see 1 FULL and 3 Incrementals. If I "highlight" the second Incremental (C_FULL_0906083), will it use that one PLUS the previous two, to do the restore? In other words,
C_FULL_090608 + C_FULL_0906082 + C_FULL_0906083.

Thanks again.

 

The batch files I have posted at https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=245112 manage backup archives automatically and never leave you in doubt as to what has been backed up, or when. Archive management is handled completely outside TI.

TGT

 

TGT,
Thanks for the script but I need to really understand what you are doing before using it. Do you have another document that explains each/most steps along the way?

Thanks
Jim Calvert

 

JCalvert,

Read my earlier posts linked to in my most recent message and you will understand all.

TGT