How can I Refresh the 'this computer' list of available Backups?

Modifying existing backup task names or the backup task itself usually results in trouble - I think most of is in the forum will recommend against this.  I have tried importing previous backups into the Windows version of the ATIH application and get mixed results (just to have them there - don't bother trying to add to them though - you won't be happy).

If you need to recover from your old backups, offline bootable recovery media is the way to go.  If you've never done this, don't wait until you have to and give it a try before you need to.  If possible try a recovery to another drive (external USB) at least to make sure the data is there and accessible.  If it's an OS image, push it to another drive, swap it for the original and see if it boots.

As for the backup name, you create that.  No it does not include the backup date.  Within the application, though, as long as nothing has been manually modified (to include moving the location of the .TIBS or manually deleting them through Windows Explorer), it will show you the date of the last backup and if you attempt to recover, it will give you the possilble recovery dates then.  It is definitely a change from previous versions of 2014 and earlier. 

Bob,

To add existing backups, click on the down carat (with a circle around it) in the lower left corner of the main menu...it will pop up a little box "Add existing backup"...Picture 1 below.  Click on the Add existing backup and it will bring up an ATI explorer...Picture 2 below.  Navigate to the folder containing your backups and you can add them.

Personally, I am in full agreement with Bobbo...I don't want old backups in my current list.  I only want active tasks in the list. In fact, I hide old backups so ATI can't find them. I put them in a folder that ATI doesn't have permission to read or write.

If I need to restore an old backup, I always use rescue media. 

Bobbo's recommendation to practice a "restore" on another drive is spot on.  The knowledge gained practicing a "restore" will be invaluable if you ever do have a disk crash or malware infection.

Regards,

FtrPilot

Thanks all. Well, I can say emphatically that Bobbo's advice should be heeded as I managed to corrupt my database by trying to 'fool' the Acronis app into using the file I wanted instead of the ones in the list. I tried renaming the file to one that was on the list. It didn't work. Now I cannot open the application at all.

I have a virus and the files shown, or rather was shown, in the list are also corrupt.

FtrPilot, I tried the 'add backup' button, selected the .tib I wanted but never saw it added to the list and nothing happened that I could see as a result of doing the 'add'. I tried it twice- NADA, nothing, zippo.....so I gave up on it.

I guess I'm going to have to do this using my recovery media given I can't even open the application now.

Thanks

Bob T.

Bob,  not sure what damage the virus did - I have a feeling it isn't the culprit for Acronis, but the modifying of the files manually did it.  You can try this before you resort to a recovery if you want to try and tackle Acronis and the virus separately.  If the suggestion below doesn't get Acronis working for you, you'd probalby need to uninstall, run the ATIH2015 cleanup tool (it works for 2016 too - see my signature for the link), reboot and reinstall fresh and start new backup jobs.  Your old backups should still work, but you'd want to resort to using the offline bootable recovery media to fully restore from them. Otherwise, you can still double click the .tibs and navigate with Windows File Explorer to pull out files/folders as needed for data recovery... once Acronis is working again that is:

http://forum.acronis.com/forum/113144#comment-332540

There are times where backup scripts do get corrupted.  You could try creating a new backup set (keep the old one too but disable it if you want) and see if it behaves better.  A few of us have also had problems with the database being an issue.  There is a word-a-round of disabling the Acronis services (4 of them), renaming,  "C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Database" to "C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Database.old" or something like that, starting the acronis services and running the backup job again.  This should keep all of your settings and backups in place, but if the database was corrupted, it will force Acronis to make a new one and hopefully resolve the issue (perhaps do that as a last resort though - I have done this a few times in the past with no apparent issues as a result, but you are manually fiddling with the application doing this).

@Bobbo- I wasn't implying that the virus did anything to Acronis. I know how far my backups go (I backup about every two weeks) and I'm 100% sure that the virus has been backed up for at least three, maybe 4 iterations. The .tib file I want to use goes back to a time that I'm 99% certain will not contain the virus. Unfortunately, the .tib didn't show up on the list and that's why I went off on this trek.

I'll have to use my recovery media to restore to that particular .tib file now that I've corrunpted the database by 'fooling around' with it.

Bob T.

Roger that.  If you're going to restore anyway, give this a shot first anyway, can't hurt, but might save you from having to recover, unless you feel that needs to be done because of the virus.

I'm curious if this would get Acronis working for you though.  If this doesn't work,  though, you have your previous backup to fall back on.

1) rename the actual .tib file(s) back to what it/they was/were originally.  At least change it/them to something other than what your backup task was originally since this was an attempt to fool the application.

2) Go to control panel >>> administrative tools >>> and right click "services" and "run as administrator". Stop the Acronis services (4 or 5 of them) Acronis managed machine service mini, acronis nonstop backup service, acronis remote agent service, acronis scheduleer2service, acronis sync agent service or something along those lines.

3) Once the services are all stopped, rename "C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Database" to "C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Database.old" or something like that.  You can rename it to anything you want.  You can actually delete it, but I usually rename first, just in case I still need it (which I never do, but just being cautious). 

3) Start the acronis services up again.

4) Launch Acronis - does it run?  If it does, it should recreate the "C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\Database" folder on it's own and you should still have your backup tasks and hopefully backups run again.  Worse case, you create new backup tasks.

You're a genius. That worked perfectly! I was able to restore the database to the list that was shown before I corrupted it AND the 'add exisiting backup' button worked so I was able to select the file I wanted and complete the restore.

Thanks again

Bob T.

Bob,

Congrats on getting your problem solved and kudos to Bobbo for providing the knowhow.

With regards to "Buttonology" and "user friendly interface"...  A lot of beginners, and experienced users of earlier versions of ATI struggle with 2016 and 2015, me included. In my earlier post, I was just trying to verify what you had done with regard to trying to add the earlier backups. 

FtrPilot