Problems with Backup to Backup Location on a windows share

I configured a Backup Location on a windows share for a schedulded, daily (differential) backup of one PC. Configuration of the Backup Location: slice_count="14", place_capacity="171798691840", slice_age="15.552.000"

The differential backup itself works fine. However, most of the time Acronis True Image doesn't delete an old backup if the sclice count or the capacity exceeds the limit. And if it didn't work for one time, it will never delete old backup files, thus the backup location is overfilled with backups.

Sometimes Acronis True Image sends me a notfication:

Code:

1    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:35    The "Backup of FG1-P4" operation started
2    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:39    Analyzing partition 0-0...
3    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:39    Analyzing partition C:...
4    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:39    Analyzing partition D:...
5    Warning!    23.05.2008 07:58:39    Priority changed to Low priority
6    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:39    Analyzing partition C:...
7    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:39    Analyzing partition D:...
8    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:45    Create Differential Backup Archive From:	Disk 1 To file:	"\\files\Backup\FG1-P4\" Compression:	High Exclude:	Files matching mask Match criterion:	pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys,  
9    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:46    Pending operation 131 started: "Creating partition image"
10    Information    23.05.2008 07:58:46    Locking partition C:...
11    Information    23.05.2008 08:01:10    Pending operation 131 started: "Creating partition image"
12    Information    23.05.2008 08:01:10    Locking partition D:...
13    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:40    Pending operation 128 started: "Saving partition structure"
14    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:41    Check for 'number of backups' rule violation is started. Set number:	14 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
15    Warning!    23.05.2008 08:07:48    'Number of backups' rule violation is detected. Maximum allowed:	14 Current number:	21 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
16    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:48    Check for the 'backup location quota' rule violation is started. Set quota:	171.798.691.840 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
17    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:48    Archive computer .closed
18    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:48    Archive computer .closed
19    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:48    Archive computer .closed
20    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:48    Archive computer .closed
21    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:56    No violation is detected. The following rule was checked:	by location quota 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
22    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:56    Check for 'backup age' rule violation is started. Set age:	15.552.000.000 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
23    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:59    No violation is detected. The following rule was checked:	by backup age 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
24    Warning!    23.05.2008 08:07:59    There is no action available to take against the limit violation. Limit rule: by backup count. By default, the 'delete' action will be used.
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
25    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:59    Archive computer .closed
26    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:59    Archive computer .closed
27    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:59    Archive computer .closed
28    Information    23.05.2008 08:07:59    Archive computer .closed
29    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:02    Trying to fix limit violation: by backup count.
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
30    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:02    Archive computer .closed
31    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:03    Archive computer .closed
32    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:03    Archive computer .closed
33    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:03    Archive computer .closed
34    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:09    Archive computer .closed
35    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:09    Archive computer .closed
36    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:09    Archive computer .closed
37    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:09    Archive computer .closed
38    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:12    Archive computer .closed
39    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:12    Archive computer .closed
40    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:12    Archive computer .closed
41    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:12    Archive computer .closed
42    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:15    Archive computer .closed
43    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:15    Archive computer .closed
44    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:15    Archive computer .closed
45    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:15    Archive computer .closed
46    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:18    Archive computer .closed
47    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:18    Archive computer .closed
48    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:18    Archive computer .closed
49    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:18    Archive computer .closed
50    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:21    Archive computer .closed
51    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:21    Archive computer .closed
52    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:21    Archive computer .closed
53    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:21    Archive computer .closed
54    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:24    Archive computer .closed
55    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:24    Archive computer .closed
56    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:24    Archive computer .closed
57    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:24    Archive computer .closed
58    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:27    Deletion is started. Rule:	by backup count Number of backup will be deleted:	7 
$module="C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\Acronis\Fomatik\Backup.dll"
59    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:27    Archive computer .closed
60    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:27    Archive computer .closed
61    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:27    Archive computer .closed
62    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:27    Archive computer .closed
63    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:27    Archive computer .closed
64    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:30    Archive computer .closed
65    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:30    Archive computer .closed
66    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:30    Archive computer .closed
67    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:30    Archive computer .closed
68    Information    23.05.2008 08:08:30    Backup deletion Location:	atis:network?file://files\Backup\FG1-P4\ Number of backups:	 7

I don't really know what its trying to say to me here though

Acronis True Image Home 11 #8053 is in use btw.
Anything I can do here?

I added the system report of the AcronisReport.exe

//edit: I also added the logs of the last 7 backup operations

 

I think that list answers a question I posed in your other thread. If you are using the German language version of XP, try using the German language version of TI.

I'd suggest try changing you backup location to an external drive if you have one, other people have reported TI occasionally not consolidating the backups, when the limit is reached. I found it to do that when I left the backup location in c\doc-settings-etc, but moved to the external drive it worked.

Colin

 

I see. Will my product key still work with the german version? Because when I log in on the acronis website and view the list of registered products it says "Acronis True Image 11 Home (English)".

I plan to do full backups of all workstations in the small company of my father with ATIH 11 and storing the backup locally on every workstation is a bit counter productive. It's a shame this doesn't work as well... I guess Acronis wants people to use their much more expensive business products...? (Echo Server?)

 

No you need a German product key. I believe if you contact Acronis and give them all the details they might arrange this for you.

I think you'd be better off using Echo Workstation, this would allow you to use one machine to act as the command centre for all the others, it would also allow you to either put all you images in one place or a separate place for each machine.

If you are running MS Server (in any of it's versions) you won't be able to image the server with either TI 11 or Echo Workstation. For that you would need one of the Echo Server versions.

Colin

Colin

 

Well that sucks . I hope they can help me then...
I don't understand why Acronis is limiting a product key like that in the first place? I don't know any other software that does this.

Yeah I think so too now. Another question, how many Echo Workstation licenses would I need to buy, if I want to backup 3 workstation onto one server? 3 or 4?

We don't use an MS Server right now, but thx for the info

 

Hello Spooky,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for delayed response.

Please notice that our Development Team is aware about the problem. Most likely, it will be fixed in the next version of Acronis True Image. We are sorry, but the exact time-frame isn't defined yet.

According to Acronis License Policy, you need to purchase one copy of the product for every machine it will be used to manage. For detals on which components of Acronis True Image Echo Workstation require licenses please refer to chapter 1.5 "License policy" of Acronis True Image Echo Workstation User's Guide.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Thx for the response . But I am wondering the same thing as in the other thread: "next version" as in True Image 12 or next build?

Anyway, regarding the Echo Workstation... I didn't realize that this only works in an Active Directory environment. Unfortunately we don't have that at home. So I hope this problem will eventually be fixed in TIH

 

Spooky, could you tell us why you think that is so? I haven't got Echo Workstation, but do have a version of Echo Enterprise, this works without Active Directory.

Colin

 

Oh, well, maybe I got that wrong. The user management of Echo Workstation looks like it's bound to windows user logins...? What if 2 computers have the same login (e.g. Administrator login, when the system is bad configured )?

 

I don't know, but the computers would have different names wouldn't they as well as different IP adresses.

Colin

 

Btw. this is another thing that happens sometimes (see attachment). Occasionally Acronis creates several backup files during one backup, which are named differently. So instead of 2008_07_05_19_00_04_609D.TIB for example they're named F113C3B8-8E6D-4F78-9613-940EE016EECFFDP.TIB. In the case seen in the screenshot, Acronis made a new full backup (since 6 differential backups were made since the last full backup), but out of the usual naming convention. Not only did Acronis make a single new full backup file, it also seems to have created 5 additional differential backups within the same, single backup process.

Is this normal or also an issue with backup locations on a windows share?

 

Check that you haven't two different kinds of schedules active.

The F113..... type naming convention normally occurs if a task is to image to the backup location or the secure zone, however you normally don't get the tib suffix. The date based images are normally where you've used Echo itself (not via the Management Console) to image to the backup location, where you've chosen the backup location in the same way you would any other folder.

Colin

 

No, there is/was only one backup task scheduled. The task is supposed to make a differential backup to the backup location seen in the screenshot and make a full backup after 6 differential backups.

I didn't quite get your explanation why the F113 files happen . And I also don't get why it made a full backup and then 5 differential backups during the same single backup process. And I just realized that it originally only made a differential backup to the full backup of 2008_07_05, and then it started the full backup and the 5 additional differential backups.

 

Ok, I just found out that ATIH produces the F113C3B8-8E6D-4F78-9613-940EE016EECFFDP files (or 22FBF05B-5C45-4A1B-83A3-DCAA993CBBA2FDP1 right now) during the step "Saving partition structure". Now that doesn't sound right. What data is it saving there? The Backup completed the backup operation for the data of the hard disk and is now saving the partition structure, which just contains the content of the entire hard disk again? This seems to happen now every time the backup task is started. This also happened several times in the past and I always deleted the backup task completely and wiped the backup location when that happened, since this just overfilled the backup loaction over and over again because ATIH is also unable to remove any old backups when the size quota or backup number is far beyond the defined limits of the backup location.

 

The backup started the "Saving prartition strucutre" procedure yesterday when I posted my last post. And it's still doing that! 10 hours later. What's even more weird is, that apparently during this process it deleted some of the old F113C3B8-8E6D-4F78-9613-940EE016EECFFDP.tib files and edited some of them too and it is currently filling up a 85E260F0-5A19-4914-BCEB-DF8044430265FDP1.tib file.

//edit: ok, Acronis finally finished. I'll attach a screenshot of how the backup location looks right now and the log of this last backup action. The log says it deleted backup files due to the backup location's limitations, but the backup location is still violating the maximum backup count and the maximum size...

 

Hello Spooky,

We are sorry for delayed response.

Actually, those files are temporarily files created during the consolidation process. They are supposed to be deleted automatically after the process completes, but it seem Acronis True Image 11 Home couldn't receive access to delete them for some reason.

Could you please clarify, are you using the latest build (8101) of Acronis True Image 11 Home?. To get access to updates you should first register your software.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

Thx for the response. Hm... maybe there are some unexpected network troubles sometimes, I'll look out for that. But the process takes quite long.

I am not using the newest build yet, since the changelog didn't mention any improvements in that direction but I'll install it asap.

 

I tried with the newest build today, but Acronis is again unable to delete old backups. See log for details.

 

Even after successfully validating ATIH is still unable to delete the old backups, even though this time it didn't say that the enumerator is invalid. The last log entry says

which is exactly what it should have done, but nothing happened at all. So ATIH tried to delete the backup files at 19:14, but couldn't. The process just hang there for 1 hour.

On another computer I have the enumerator is invalid error again, even though I successfully validated the backup files just before for that machine.

 

Hello Spooky,

We are sorry for delayed response.

Could you please clarify, have you recreated the Acronis Backup Location and the scheduled task, without using old archives? Please also clarify, does every task save archives into it's own Acronis Backup Location?

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

When I recreated the backup task, I always deleted the content of the backup location and the backup location itself and recreated the backup location too.

Every backup task has its own backup location.

 

Hello Spooky,

We are sorry for delayed response.

Please make sure there is enough free space on the drive where Acronis Backup Location is created. Consolidation process requires at least as much free space as the oldest full backup and the following incremental one together.

If the issue persists, we may recommend you to submit a request for technical support with the latest log, a screenshot of corresponding backup location and the acronis_backup_place.cfg file from it. To expedite the resolution we recommend you to use our Live Chat service after that. We will do our best to investigate the problem and provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov