Question on TI 9...

Hello, Ive just bought TI 9 in the last 30 mins but just want to check something...

How long does it take you to do an incremental backup after a days work (no large files, just the usual office stuff) and also verify it?

I have been using Retrospect Express 6.5 which came with the MAxtor drive, it takes about 5 mins.

Also, how big are System Restore files, would they make incremental images large?


Thanks in advance!

 

Hello jazzy639,

Before you do an incremental, you must have a full image available. A full image will be about 60% of the used disk space in size, under normal compression in TI. Files with their own native compression (photo, music, video) will not compress further while imaged. For the incremental, I couldn't give you a guess, you shall have to try.

Yes, System Restore files enter into the image, but you can set the space used by System Restore yourself. The default is, if I remember well, 20% of total disk space, which with today's large disks can easily build up to many GB. You can set the space assigned to System Restore down to 200 MB minimal or you can just disable this utility. Keep in mind that some software (especially registry cleaners) require System Restore to be available, that's why I did not disable it altoghether.

You can access the System Restore settings by right-clicking My Computer, Properties, System Restore, Settings.

 

Thanks for your comments,

I had already tried a trial and after creating a full backup and then an incremental, the resulting size was 300MB and then when I did another, around 1.5GB. I didnt defragment or anything, just changed a few files under 1MB. But some incrementals were only 15MB and I was backing up accross a network (waiting on new external drive being delivered) and it took quite a while.

Was wondering what speeds other people acheive and the rough size of the incrementals.

 

To do an incremental image TI first compares the actual snapshot to the old one to determine the changes that will then be imaged. Therefore the incrementals aren't as fast as they are small. Validation too goes all the way down the chain of incrementals and through the full every time it is performed.

The 1.5 GB incremental could very well be due to a new Restore Point created in the meantime.

 

Thanks for your advice. Do you back up with TI, and if so, roughly how long does it take for your backup?

Thanks

 

Yes, I do backup with TI regularily.

Having enough storage space I went back to full images only, after trying the incremental strategy. My full images of C: (image size under 4 GB) being stored on the second internal SATA take under 3 min to create and about that much again to validate. Used space on C: amounts to 7 GB, but that includes also the hibernation file which TI does not include in the image.

When my images grow larger I will probably have to implement the incremental strategy (or buy a larger storage disk) but for the moment the full-only method is simple, makes for easy files management and is even faster if you consider the longer validation time of a string of incrementals. Not to mention the trouble if one of the incrementals in the chain goes corrupt.

 

One of the best features of True Image is that backup images can be created from a scheduled task whilst still booted in Windows. This means one can continue working with the backup running in the background or, even better, one does not even have to be present. Mine are scheduled to take place at lunch time so as long as they are finished when I get back the actual time is not of any importance.

 

Ye, I know they can be scheduled but can I work (without any noticable difference in speed) while the backup is being done as at the moment, I take a 5 min break while the backups are done.