Acronis Image backup and incrementals

I am so confused. I did a full image backup when I first installed Acronis. I then scheduled incremental backups for every Monday. I now have 9 incremental backups. So If I continue this I will have like 52+ backups which eventually will use up on the hard drive. I backup to a second hard drive. Sorry I'm really new at this. Is it really necessary to do incremenatal backups. If I understand correctly you can't delete the incremental backups because all of them are necessary if you ever have to restore? My question is couldn't I just do a full image each time I want to do a backup and delete the precious one and thus saving disk space. Or do you have any other suggestions.
Thank you.

 

I'm with you! I only make full system backups and then look back and delete ones that are not important. For example, if you make a full system backup every Monday, some will be the same hardware and software as the previous weeks (but with new data), and some will be after a new piece of hardware is installed, a new program is installed or a whole lot of updates have been installed (for example, MS has many patches on the second Tuesday of each month). I delete the ones that are just like previous weeks except for the last one before a major change. After I have determined that what ever the change was didn't break anything, I can delete the one just before the change. I keep some old backups just in case there is a need to go way back, but the space used is not a problem.

Oh, don't forget to make a full system backup before installing any new hardware or software. That way if the installation goes to hell in a hand basket, you can just restore the image and try again.

 

I (Miles) have a question about incremental backups when partway through the sequence you have done an XP System Restore. This changes the registry to an earlier one. I suspect this jumbles the TI incremental backup sequence as the increments are no longer in a clear sequence. Any ideas? I suspect you can only use TI to restore from increments before the XP System Restore was done.

 

TI incrementals will continue to work fine. TI does not work on a file basis but an in use sector basis. Doing a System Restore would be no different than creating, deleting or modifying any file.