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NSB - Maximum recommended period to keep running?

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Is there a recommended maximum, or aim, time period to keep a nonstop backup continuously running? I'm noticing an increasing amount of hard disk activity the longer the NSB continues over time (it's been about two months since I started it). I've basically chosen to let it run and it is working well except for the increasing amount of activity of my primary HD (the disk that is being backed up) as the days go by. The disk activity isn't exactly a "killer," in that my PC has two processors and just one of them is continuously running at 100% for a period of up to ~20 minutes per day, so I can get my work done using the other. But it makes me wonder if letting NSB run without some sort of intervention or management for extended, unlimited periods (two months or more) is a good idea or not.

My questions, other than that above, are:
1. Should I do a periodic cleanup to remove older portions of the NSB backup, and if so, daily, weekly, or monthly? Would this be beneficial, or would it be not necessary?
2. Should I leave the NSB alone and just let it "do its thing"?
3. Is there anything else to be considered about the excessive HD activity?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Frank D

BTW, I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium x64 with 4 GB or RAM; Acronis True Image Home 2010, build 7160; a single 320-GB HD containing about 80 GB of stuff including the OS is being imaged; the backup is being kept on an attached USB 500-GB WD Elements HD. Except for this nagging question, everything with NSB seems to be going smoothly, and I don't want to "mess with success."

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Frank,

Space is the only limitation you have. Your NSB will inexorably grow bigger.
I recommend you have a redundant full disk / all partitions backup at a frequency you are comfortable with, in case your NSB backup doesn't live to your expectations after a disaster.

Pat,

Thanks for your advice. What would be really great is if the program's instructions included a strategy or even a few sentences taking into account such an eventuality.

I've sent a feedback message regarding this to Acronis. Let's see how they respond.

Frank