Version Chain Scheme does not delete intermediate differential backups
Acronis TIH 11, Win 7, Acronis report attached.
I understood from the animation demonstrating the Version Chain Backup Scheme (see attached VersionChainScheme.jpg) that the intermediate differential backups would be deleted to save space when a new full version was recorded. This made sense because the differentials would no longer be needed -- new files would be incorporated in the new full version.
However, the intermediate differential files were not deleted, resulting in filling up my 1TB backup drive (see attached ProgramEventList.jpg). This was recorded in the Acronis Program Event List and Backups simply stopped at that point with no warning message. I only noticed it because I was looking at the backup disk drive for something else.
Have I misunderstood the "Version chain scheme"? Does it not delete intermediate differential backups? Should there be a warning when the backup drive is nearly full? What else should I check? Thank you!
Pat, that might be it. I changed to Incremental because Differential seemed so wasteful, but I did keep nightly. Are you saying that the Version Change Scheme must be used at its default settings?
Perhaps I should just build a customized scheme and not try to be so lazy.
Thank you for your advice!
Daniel,
Yes, the product documentation says that if you alter the schedule of a version chain backup, then it defaults back to an incremental backup. Not intuitive...
You're better off creating a custom scheme in that case.
Time out -- I thought it defaulted to Differential? Isn't it Differential that takes more space?
This is what the help says:
Scheduler settings for the default backup schemes (single version and version chain) are predefined. You should not change the default backup periodicity settings in the scheduler. For disk backups the setting is Monthly, and for file backups - Daily. If you have selected one of the backup schemes and then change the periodicity settings (for instance, from Monthly to Weekly), the backup scheme will automatically reset to a custom backup scheme with the incremental method selected. In this case the version chain will consist of a full backup version and a sequence of incremental backup versions.
Daniel,
You might have better luck using the custom backup chain. You can use either incremental or differential--according to your wishes.
Grover, thank you for your help and patience. I think I should watch the backup sizes for a while and see if they get out of hand. If they do, I will then look at creating a new scheme.
This makes no sense to me. I have set up a Custom backup, using differential backups, and specifying to keep no more than 4 differentials,and delete prior backups when it runs out of space. It does not do that. I tells me I have no more room and does not do anything. I have to empty the My Backups folder so the next day it will do the backup. What am I doing wrong?
Michael,
ATI will first do a new full bakup before deleting an older chain. So you have to have enough space for all the chains you want to keep (a chain is one full + 4 differentials in your chase), plus one full.
This is what ATI will do
Full1 + 4 Differentials
Full2 + 4 Differentials (no room left for another full)
Full3 Fails
In the example above, you are better off specifying to keep only 1 most recent version. Then ATI will do
Full1 + 4 Differentials
Full2
Then ATI deletes Full 1 + 4 Differentials
Then next time the backup runs, ATI starts the differentials on Full2