True Image Backup file larger than data being backed up

I did a full backup of my 200G C drive with 45G of data on it to my 320G External Drive. The backup file created is 118G. It validates. What's wrong?

Thanks for any help,

Kent

 

Hello keh6444,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Backup software.

Please check if any defragmentation applications are running. The can cause a crucial increase if the backup archive size. Here you can find detailed instructions why this can happen.

Thank you
--
Nikita Sakharov

 

Is this Vista? Vista's System Restore uses Volume Shadow Copy, so, depending onhow much space is allowed for Sys Restore, it can start to take up a large amount of space after a while (multiples of all the rest of the drive space in use). Since windows can yield this space if it needs to, I don't think it counts inthw Win's report of used space.

You can shrink the space allowed for Sys Restore if you want to keep it smaller -- or delete all the restore points before doing your backup.

 

The space used by Vista's shadow copy files is counted in the reports of used space, so that's probably not the issue.

Kent - have you tried running chkdsk /r on your disk before imaging? If there is file system corruption (which chkdsk can usually fix) then sometimes Acronis True Image will do a sector-by-sector backup which will contain all of the sectors on your source disk including those not in use. Once you've run chkdsk and allowed it to fix your file system then you should see much smaller backup images.

 

I came to the forums looking for a resolution to the same problem.

I am doing a full backup of the just the data files on my HDD. My entire HDD is only 30gig, but the backup is 38gig and counting (I am getting an error that the disk is full). I am backing the data up on an external HDD via USB.

What gives? I'm not running any defrag software and only backing up the data files, not the whole drive.

Windows XP home 32 bit
TI 10.0

Please Help!!

Addendum....

I tried again last night backing up the data. I deleted unneeded files on the external drive to free more space, I defragged both HDDs and ran a CHKDSK on both. Both were fine. I ran a full backup of the data files only.... this time I chose NORMAL compression (I used none before). The operation failed because it ran out of space (at about 53 gig). This is larger than my whole hard drive! More compression - larger backup file??

I did notice something curious.... Even though I selected the local C: drive as the source for the data backup, it tried to backup some data files from the E: drive as well (that is the external destination drive). The drive was NOT selected (and I double checked). Hmmmm....

I've spent more than a week trying to get my data backed up. Please, someone.... help.

 

Hello tekkitty2,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

We are sorry for delayed response.

Please make sure you use the latest build (4942) of Acronis True Image 10.0 Home. To get access to updates you should first register your software.

If the latest build doesn't solve the problem, please download the latest version of Acronis drivers and install it with disabled logging.

If the issue persists, please collect some information to let us investigate it thoroughly:

- Reinstall Acronis drivers with enabled logging;
- Reproduce the issue and collect the log file without closing any application windows (including the error message windows if there are any). The log file will be created at C:\ . The name of the log file will be snapapi [date-time].log

Please create Acronis Report and Windows System Information as it is described in Acronis Help Post.

Please also collect the application log of the operation:
- run the program;
- select Show log on the toolbar or from the Tools menu;
- select the corresponding log;
- click "Save the log entry to file" (the diskette icon).

Then submit a request for technical support. Attach all the collected files and information to your request along with the step-by-step description of the actions taken before the problem appears and the link to this thread. We will do our best to investigate the problem and provide you with a solution.

Thank you.
--
Marat Setdikov

 

See my response to another thread on a similar issue:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=214453