Backup Strategy Recommendations

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by markinvention, Jul 12, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. markinvention

    markinvention Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2008
    Posts:
    2
    Dear all

    Ideally, I would like to schedule a full backup of my C and D drive weekly.

    This means that each week I could delete the previous file, only keeping the most latest full backup.

    Can you tell me if in True Image 10.0 there is a way to do this? The Scheduler seems to make a differential or incremental backup if I leave it to run by itself and don't go in an manually specify a full backup.

    Also, could somebody clarify if I do an initial full backup and then run a differential backup from then on, do I have to keep the original full and every subsequent differential backup if I want to restore at some point in the future?
     
  2. tuttle

    tuttle Guest

    All of that has been answered many times in these forums and in the user guides linked to by many forum members, if you'd care to search or browse.

    ATI 11 allows you to schedule full backups, and/or incrementals, and/or differentials. I haven't used ATI 10, so I can't say for sure, but I would think it would allow scheduling of full backups. Have you checked the PDF manual?

    Yes, if you do differential backups you must retain the original full backup. You don't need to retain interim differentials, just the latest differential and the full on which it's based.
     
  3. markinvention

    markinvention Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2008
    Posts:
    2
    Wow, thanks for the warm welcome.

    I searched and found the User Guide and I think I have scheduled full backups on a weekly basis.

    Just in case their are any new users who are joining and may want to find the V.10 User Guide, here is a link

    http://us2.download.acronis.com/pdf/TrueImage10.0_ug.en.pdf

    As I gain more knowlege of the software, I hope I can be of assistance in the future to anyone else who may be feeling confused as a new user.
     
  4. dougaross

    dougaross Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2008
    Posts:
    59
    I found that if I deleted interm differentials I would get validation errors UNLESS the archive was located in a Acronis Backup Location.
     
  5. CAOgdin

    CAOgdin Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Posts:
    87
    An early version of my strategy is posted at https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=167601
    I'm currently at V2.0 of that solution, and it works with ATIH 10 and 11, and ATIW 9.1 and 9.5 (Echo).

    It provides a complete solution:
    Both current and immediately-preceding backups are stored on a partition (I don't use Acronis' hidden-partition solution, as my solution is more flexible).
    It will automatically copy the most-recent backup to an external drive (and, saves the next-oldest backup on that drive, if you wish)

    If you want a copy of V2.0 of the solution (free, but copyrighted), email me a request to caogdin 'at' gmail 'dot' com.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2008
  6. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2007
    Posts:
    989
    Location:
    127.0.0.1
    My Backup Strategy is HERE
     
  7. Xpilot

    Xpilot Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2005
    Posts:
    2,318
    Well CAOgdin and AKAJohnDoe strategies and solutions obviously work for them.
    I do not find them to be of any use for me. They are too complex, involve too much work and place the emphasis on more than one copy of the same backup image.

    I have a seperate backup drive which automatically manages a set of full backup images. No validations or copies are needed.
    The real backup is a rotation three main hard drives. These are used and updated by removing the current drive, replacing it with the oldest and then restoring the latest image to it.
    Rotating at set of main drives, PC or laptop, is not rocket science it does however need a bit of extra reasonably priced hardware.

    I have run and tested this method over a long period. It is rock solid. I have simulated all modes of hard drive failure that I can think of even disabling any combination of up to three of the four drives involved. No problem.

    Xpilot
     
  8. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2007
    Posts:
    989
    Location:
    127.0.0.1
    Backup strategies for servers and/or desktops are by nature less complex than those for notebooks and PDAs since the latter devices are mobile and hardware is limited.
     
  9. rwt325

    rwt325 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2005
    Posts:
    101
    Location:
    Strasburg VA
    A simple and effective strategy:

    * Once a week full backup, preferably to an external drive. If that is unavailable, a different partition than C:\. Also after some important new software installation. I have all data files on a different partition and do an ATI backup on it.

    * ATI bells and whistles are often ineffective or contribute to file corruption problems, IMO.

    * I found automatic update too erratic years ago, besides when it worked properly, any time I picked for it to start was inconvenient. I grew comfortable with the idea that my working habits are too erratic for fixed time for everything - AV scans, antispyware scans, etc. Hence Sunday night last activity for me is AI full backup.
     
  10. GroverH

    GroverH Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2006
    Posts:
    2,405
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    MarkInvention,

    Perhaps you can find a little more help in my guides listed on line 2 of my signature below. Check out the additional links on that page as well.
     
  11. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2007
    Posts:
    989
    Location:
    127.0.0.1
    Regardless of what strategy or product(s) you ultimately use, be sure to perform a restore of your backup(s) regularly. For, unless you can restore, a backup is useless; it is write-only data.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.