Can´t see selected files in existing backups - Known issue?

Roger, yes I can see the same behaviour and as you say, the backups are created correctly with the originally selected content.

I would recommend submitting Feedback for this issue via the ATIH GUI Help section with reference to this post as this is disconcerting and potentially misleading.  

Steve, i just provided feedback with a screen recording. I did also test it on another computer and it can be replicated as you noticed.

I don´t understand how an issue like this slipped through the beta.

Roger, understand your frustration - I also participated in the 2017 beta but didn't spot this issue as didn't have any particular need to go back in and either check or change the source selection.

Thanks for submitting the feedback with the screen recording.

Whenever I "change source" after something has been selected and bakups have already been run, I've always assumed that you would have to re-pick everything again since you have to re-navigate to the new source and pick what you want.  I Was that not the case in earlier versions - I thought it was, but really can't remember as it's been a long time since I had to go back in and modify an existing file/folder backup.

Bobbo_3C0X1 wrote:

I Was that not the case in earlier versions - I thought it was, but really can't remember as it's been a long time since I had to go back in and modify an existing file/folder backup.

If i did this in TI2016 and earlier versions i could see the selected files and folders. I do video editing and add and remove files to my backup on a very regular basis so this was the first thing i tested yesterday when i installed TI2017 and was surprised that the UI showed me that no files or folders were added though they do backup. Very confusing for my workflow. I hope Acronis adress this asap.

This issue renders TI2017 almost useless for me. Not seeing what files i choosed when opening an existing backupjob is not good. I am on the verge to going back to TI2016.

Do anyone know how long it takes before we can expect an upgrade (new build) of TI2017? How often, approximately, do Acronis update it´s software?

It varies.  Have you submitted in app feedback with a system report to Acronis?  I would suggest opening a techncial support case with them as well to log it that way too.  With it being logged, hopefully it will receive additional recognition (this is just the user forum) where it will be reviewed, tested, validated and hopefully fixed with the next release. 

Bobbo_3C0X1 wrote:

Have you submitted in app feedback with a system report to Acronis?

Yes.

Bobbo_3C0X1 wrote:

I would suggest opening a techncial support case with them as well to log it that way too.

Will do.

I just created an account to report this. I'm trialing 2017 and there is no way to see the files/folders you've selected when editing a backup settings. this makes the program virtually useless. I'm considering buying it but this absolutely is stoping me from buying this program. This is basic and it should be working. Its not. Also I find the file list to be terribly unorganized since it lists the users folders in like 3 places (top of list, this pc, and then finally in the correct location C:\users\). Its lazy design. Fix this. I like the function of the software. I've purchased it in the past but this looks sloppy and not very assuring.

Welcome to these user forums.

If you have just created a forum account to make these comments known then I am sorry to disappoint you as we are all users together here.  Please use the Feedback tool found in the ATIH 2017 Help section to communicate your comments directly to Acronis support / development, as it is unlikely that the right Acronis people would read these forum posts.

I just ended a support chat (02784692) and he connected his computer to mine via Team Viewer. When he did backups from and to the C:\-drive it worked as expected to my surprise but then i showed him a backup from J:\ to F:\ and then it could be reproduced. Hopefully Acronis will fix this ASAP.

That is good to hear Roger, thanks for keeping us updated.

Update:
I have uninstalled TI2017 and reinstalled TI2016 since this issue described by me and others renders TI2017 totally useless when one add/remove files to the backupjob. Also, selecting folders with long paths makes the UI sluggish and finally chrashes TI2017. The same problem is present in TI2016, but TI2017 is far more crash prone than TI2016.

Case numbers: 02784692 and 02784632.

Thanks again for the update Roger, please keep us informed if you have more news.

Steve Smith wrote:

Thanks again for the update Roger, please keep us informed if you have more news.

Updated my laptop with build #5554 today and this issue is still present. Back to TI2016 again.

Thanks again for the further update Roger, sorry to hear it is not resolved in 2017 Update 1.

I can't see the oriiginal screenshot right now - seems to be an issue with the forum.  I'd like to test later, but can't remember the exact issue without the screenshot available. 

Rob, it seems that attachments in the forums are broken after some maintenance yesterday - I sent a PM to Ekatrina to ask that this be investigated by the forum team.

Bobbo_3C0X1 wrote:

I can't see the oriiginal screenshot right now - seems to be an issue with the forum.  I'd like to test later, but can't remember the exact issue without the screenshot available.

Here is the screen shot: http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb792290/cant_see_selcted_files.jpg

Roger, thanks for the external screen shot.  I have tested this myself with ATIH 2017 build 5554 and confirm that I see the same behaviour, i.e. that the files/folders selected for my Source data are not shown as selected when I go back to look at this, even though the total size for the selected data is shown and there is a 'tick' showing the drive that is selected etc, but am left to guess at what exactly was selected previously.  This issue has not been resolved in build 5554.

Confirmed by me as well.  It looks to me like this is a bug.  If you look at the path that is displayed after the app searches for the backup data you will note that that path is directed to the source location of the backup and not the destination loaction of the backup file.

I will be reporting this via in app feedback this AM and suggest others do the same as well.

EDIT:  The path refered to above can be seen when selecting Recover Files in the GUI.

The bug is confirmed by Acronis, but please send is your reports so it gets fixed fast. :)

Confirmed by me as well and sending feedback too. 

Same Problem.. So I cannot update to 2017 because this makes it for me not usable.

Something is broken with the selection of already added files/folders. Only the root folder/drive is selected but not the sub-folder/files.

I reported this to Acronis, so let's wait for an update/fix.

Hi all,

I've attached your feedbacks to the existing ticket, we'll continue to investigate the issue. 

Thank you!

Not only do I have the same problem but TI 2017 crashes every time I try to make a change in an existing backup!!

MFL,

This has been fixed in Update 1 version 5554. It should show as available in your Account page in the app GUI.

No update 1 is showing in my Account.

MFL, it will not show up as update 1 in the Downloads page of your account, but as build version 5554 - see attached screen shot.  5554 = Update 1.

Enchantech wrote:

This has been fixed in Update 1 version 5554. It should show as available in your Account page in the app GUI.

I still see it in version 5554. I updated Acronis so they are aware of it.

I have Build 5554 and  the problem has not been fixed!  If I open an existing backup, none of the files or folders I previously checked shows as checked.  In order to add files, I have to recreate the whole backup.  There is no way to uncheck a previously checked one because every file and folder is unchecked. 

MFL & Roger, I can confirm that I still see this issue with build 5554 too.

I abandoned TI 2015 on one of my computers the other day because of its problems so I am reluctant to go back.  But it appears that I may have to do so.

My other computers all have TI 2010 which survived the switch to Windows 10 and works quite well.

Afternoon to All:

I too can confirm that the same behavior is happening to me. (Build 5554).  If you go to the script, you can see the selections but it is NOT showing up in the application.  

In my case, I am backing up to the Cloud.  I went to the Dashboard and then the cloud to "see" what was backed up and I see the files/folders I selected.

According to Vishal (Tech Support) it is "...set to critical priority."  I too now have a Case Number: 02809360.  I think the more of us that either submit feedback or create a case via the support site, the more quickly this will be addressed.

Regards:

Louis

UPDATE!

This may be a bigger problem than we thought!

Suppose you Make the following selection in the GUI:

• Folder A
• Folder C
• Folder E

If you were to look in the script you would find something like:

                <files>
                    <include>C:\Folder A\</include>
                    <include>C:\Folder C\</include>
                    <include>C:\Folder E\</include>
                </files>

If you then go back at a different time and add Folder B and Folder D

When you look in the Script, you would find something like:

<files>
         <include>C:\Folder A\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder C\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder E\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder A\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder C\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder E\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder B\</include>
         <include>C:\Folder D\</include>
</files>

In other words, it doesn't replace the list but adds duplicates.  I wonder how that is going to be handled.

Louis

I've recently downloaded the trial version and trying to get to grips with it.  Interestingly I've just raised this issue with a tech guy who said that it isn't recommended to go back and change the source after you have run a back up because it can corrupt the script.

If you can't see the folders that you have selected for back up it makes this software no good for me as I think that should be a basic feature.  But also if you can't go back and change the folder selection for back up without running the risk of corrupting the thing then it doesn't seem fit for purpose.  Shame as I had high hopes.

MFL and other posters,

My apology here, I misspoke about this issue being fixed in the 2017 5554 version, I mistakenly got this thread confused with another.  As Louis James states the issue has been elevated to a "Critical Status". 

@Enchantech what do you think about info I received from support that once you've created a back up task  you shouldn't change it?

Yes, that is recommended practice.  Changes made to an existing backup task often result in corruption to the backup database which is where the backup tasks are stored and result in unexpected behavior of many types.  It is best when changes need to be made to create a new task and stop using the old one preferably by deleting it from the database which you should do from within the True Image GUI backup screen.

@Enchantech!  May I respectfully take issue with what you just posted?  Maybe I'm confused.  But suppose I have a backup job that is backing up about 250 GB to the cloud.  The job might have several folders selected.

Are you saying that if I wanted to "add" another folder to the job, I'd have to start all over?  

I say this because in my case, when I had a complete system reinstall, I had a large existing online backup job with lots of data.  Per Acronis Tech Support, I could not use that exiting job, even though ATH 2017 found the job.  I had to start all over.

This would be a stunning admission and failure because the assumption would be that data never changes.

Thank you for your clarification.

Regards

Louis James

AN UPDATE!

While I realize this information is coming from "Level ONE" support and I respectfully question its reliability, I just found out that the next build MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE for another TWO to THREE MONTHS.  

That statement was stunning.  I sure hope they are wrong.

Regards
Louis

So it seems they will not fix it this year? Hmm... 

This custom made controls are always a bit problematic. Maybe they forget to implement a feature to restore the state of this file tree view from the settings. The bad thing is only, that's an important feature. How will you add new files/folders if you don't see the always included files?
Critical bug.. should be fixed very soon and moved to "top priority" IMO

Frank Arnold wrote:

So it seems they will not fix it this year? Hmm... 

This custom made controls are always a bit problematic. Maybe they forget to implement a feature to restore the state of this file tree view from the settings. The bad thing is only, that's an important feature. How will you add new files/folders if you don't see the always included files?
Critical bug.. should be fixed very soon and moved to "top priority" IMO

 

Agree and this bug is putting me off buying it as well as not being able to add a folder to a back up  because it could corrupt the file.  I'm with Mozy at the moment and no such issue but they are more expensive on cloud space.

"not being able to add a folder to a back up  because it could corrupt the file."

I dicscussed this issue with a "supervisor" to make sure I understood correctly and he "confirmed" that this is true - especially with cloud backups.  In short, if you select files/folders in the initial backups, adding files/folder in subsequent backups will corrupt the backup. 

He was not specific on how the corruption would occur - if it was the data or the script or both. 

I then pressed and asked if there is documentation to support his claim.  (Remember, not only did he but his level one support agent say the same and so did Enchantech warn of of this problem.)  The supervisor said that he would never make such a claim unless there was documentation.  I asked for a copy of that documentation and he promised that he would supply it within 24 hours.

IF HE IS CORRECT, in my opinion, that makes ATH 2017 a complete FAILURE regarding online backups.  Typically, you would use ATH (whichever version) for "IMAGE" backups to a USB drive so the point would be mute.  You're backing up the entire drive.

However, if you are using ATH 2017 for a cloud-based solution, that would mean you would have to do an image to the cloud.  That would take forever to transfer - at least for the first run.  

He made his promise this morning at 2 AM so he has until tomorrow 2 AM to fulfill his promise of documentation.  

Enchantech, I would appeal to your wisdom as you too brought this to our concern.  If you could provide more info/clarification, I know myself and others would be most grateful.

Thank you all again.  Frankly, I hope I'm TOTALLY WRONG.  This is one time were being wrong would be so right.

Regards:

Louis James

Louis, & other following this thread, I have written a strongly worded message to Gaidar, General Manager Acronis True Image, requesting that he get someone from Acronis Development to review this thread and respond to the issues that are being raised here.

If you would care to do the same, the more focus we can bring to this 'Critical Priority' issue in ATIH 2017.

The mystery deepens - a bit.  Although I can't see the selected files & folders in a backup I created after installing TI 2017, I can see them in a backup I created in TI 2015 and have not changed since installing TI 2017.

MFL

Steve Smith wrote:

Louis, & other following this thread, I have written a strongly worded message to Gaidar, General Manager Acronis True Image, requesting that he get someone from Acronis Development to review this thread and respond to the issues that are being raised here.

If you would care to do the same, the more focus we can bring to this 'Critical Priority' issue in ATIH 2017.

I just did the same and asked him to release an updated version of TI2017 before the planned scheduled update.

I am really keen to see an answer from Louis James post #44 in this thread regarding that adding/removing files to an existing backup job can corrupt the backup. I have not yet seen this happen though i add/remove files from exsisting backup job´s, but mine are always written to a local drive rather than to the cloud. For my cloud backups i just select a folder and it´s subfolders and that´s it.

If True Image is able to corrupt backups when adding/removing files from an existing backup job it´s time to looking for another software, especially if the recommended "workaround" is to re-create a backupjob for each change. That´s just plain ridiculous.

A few words on Cloud backup.

An initial Cloud backup of an Entire PC for example would include all installed fixed drives.  (If you have an externally attached drive which reports itself as a fixed drive that drive would be included as well.)

If your initial Cloud backup is that of a full disk (all partitions) only that disk is included in the intital backup.

By default backup options are set as a sort of Incremental scheme backup made on a weekly basis based on the time and day of backup task creation.

Cloud based backups run at the default scheme will result in changes made to data during the weekl.  Changed data will be the only data that is backed up to the Cloud.  The Backup method for a default Cloud scheme is what one could consider Delta data to the inital full backup.

If you desire to add additional data outside this scheme then it is necessary to create a new task that backups this additional data which will follow the same default weekly scheme.

There are other choices in the backup scheme which are Daily, Monthly, Upon event, Nonstop, or Do not schedule all of which perform as their names imply. Clicking or selecting each choice will display more information and offer further settings chioces to the user.

In my viewpoint this is a logical and simple approach to backup for a user.  Yes, adding additional data to an existing backup can corrupt the metadata contained in the backup database which again will result in unexpected behavior.  Yes, it is not desirable to have to run a complete new full backup when one wants to change or add data.  Having said that in my opinion the choices in backup scheme configuration offered by the application to the user are sufficient for most users.  A user only needs to develop a backup plan suitable for their needs that fits the applcaiton parameters which I feel should meet the majority of use case scenarios.  It does require planning by the user and an understanding of the fundamental workings of the application however, agreed.

So Enchantech, to make sure I understand, if we did a Weekly "Entire PC" backup to the Acronis Cloud, then once the full backup is completed (In my case the entire PC is 680 GB), subsequent backups would be Delta backups?  And since it's the entire PC, the job is not changing, only the data is changing, correct?  And because of that, we would avoid problems with corrupted data.

Did I get that right?  

Typically, I don't backup the Entire PC to the cloud simply because of size.  I have local USB images at the ready.  I use the cloud backup for data only.  You can't do nonstop backups to the cloud (which makes sense.)  

But maybe my thinking is wrong.  

Louis

Louis, that is correct.  The first backup in the cloud is always a full and then the backup scheme is deltas - technically, it's kind of like incrementals for life, but Acronis has figured out some kind of incremental scheme that seems to keep on working.

I've never heard that modifying the source of a cloud backup can corrupt the database - if that is a case, that is a problem.  I've never experienced this issue though, but perhaps it's how I create my backups.  For me, I have different backups for different types of data. As an example, on my main data drive I have a root folder for music, another for movies, another for TV shows, another for family photos, etc.  I then create a cloud backup for each folder so that:

1) if I have to recover one of those folders, I don't have to deal with the data in all of the others

2) I can add or remove folders inside of these root folders without ever having to go in and modify the backup content again - it's basically set and forget

3) If I do have to restore or completely recover/replace the contents of one of these root folders, the next backup will only have to backup the changes in that one folder and not the entire drive so speed is greatly improved and it avoids having to deal with other data that isn't really a concern since it's compartmentalized.

4) I can vary the different folder backup times and frequency (i.e. I only backup my software repostitory once a month during the day because the content doesn't change much and really is more of a convenience to have the software installers locally than needing to download them again... but family photos, I backup weekly and during the evenings since I want to capture changes more frequently and they may take longer to run as we're always adding new home movies and pictures to the photo folder.

I realize this may not be ideal for every scenario, but it works pretty well.  It also greatly reduces backup and/or recovery times since the backup frequency for each root folder can be different and instead of having to recovery all of the content at one time, I can work with just the specific folder or folders necessary depending on a given situation.  

I also take this same approach for local backups... trying to keep my main OS and user data as small as possible so that I can quickly backup the entire OS and/or restore it (we're talking minutes - less than 10 minutes for a nearly 80Gb OS) and then I can deal with data restores seperately as needed.