Backup size becoming very large
I do regular full backups. I've been doing this for about a year now. I run a scehduled Full Backup every other day. This gives me a daily Full Backup and 2 backup files which are saved onto an external HD. At first, the backups were about 45 gigs each. Recently, I've noticed the backups taking up more and more space. Now they are each 94 gigs. I checked my C-Drive and it is around 98 gigs. The backups are almost the same size as the C-Drive. I haven't altered my system much over time, so I am wondering why TI can't seem to compress the backups more.
Did you somehow end up with TI saving an image backup of the partition onto itself? This can happen if the external isn't available and the task is edited, for example. TI will default the "save location" to the C: drive. (You don't say which version of TI you're using.)
I'm using True Image Home 2009.
I don't think that has happened, as I can't find any large *.tib files anywhere other than the external HD. There are some *.tib.tis files in the "Script" folder of the Acronis directory, but I guess they are some kind of log files.
Sometimes the external isn't available, but when that happens the backup process fails.
The *.tib.tis files are the task files.
Have you run any recent chkdsk /f on the partition to check for any file system errors?
Have you verified that compression is still enabled?
I ran a disk check and there are no errors. I checked the Backup properties and nothing has been altered. The compression level is set at Normal, as it always was. In fact, in the compression dialogue box it gives an estimate of around 65 gigs for the backup.
If you have room on your backup drive, does the image still come out larger than expected if you boot to the TI CD and do a backup from there?
Did the increase in size happen suddenly or gradually over the year?
Did you run a search for .TIB files on your C: partition? TI will usually default to the MyBackups folder in your Documents (or My Documents) folder.
Have you run a search for large files (for example, files over 5GB in size)?
Have you checked how much space is being used by System Restore?
1: The increase probably happened gradually, but I've only really noticed it recently because with 2 backup files (and a few other unrelated folders) I noticed that the space on my 250GB external was almost all used.
2: I've searched for *.tib files several times and I'm pretty sure the only ones that exist are the 2 files on my external.
3: The MyBackups folder is empty
4: I ran a search for large files on your advice, but it didn't uncover any other backup files.
5: I have had System Restore switched off ever since I began using TI because the program took several minutes to load up with System Restore on.
As it stands, there is almost no compression on my backups. And 3 hours to make a backup and validate it is pretty long, in my opinion. There must be something that has gone wrong somewhere. I just can't find it.
Since the increase was gradual, there's probably not a TIB file causing the problem.
Do you have a lot of pictures, video or music files on the drive? Those won't compress very much, if at all. If you don't have these types of files, of what type does the majority consist?
Has the computer been crashing or having BSOD problems? If so, there may be a build-up of memory dump files.
I am using Acronis TI 11 Home Edition. My secure zone is set up on an external hard disk (with MBR designated as MBR 2 by the Acronis TI). Would it be possible to recover my backups if the primary hard disk fails, which of course appears to be the very purpose of the program ? Just to be sure; a confirmation either way would be much appreciated.
It's not recommended to place the SZ on an external drive. However, assuming it's available when you boot to the TI CD, you should be able to restore from it.
Have you booted to the TI CD to make sure TI can see the SZ and successfully validate your backup images?
There is quite a lot of video and music on my C drive. Maybe that's the problem. Also, I had some problems with a lot of BSOD recently. I can't find any memory dump files, so I don't know if there is a build up or not.
hey guys,
im having the same problem running True Image 10 as Jay is.
Im using Acronis® True Image Home® version 10.0 (build 4,942)
my first fullbackup started at 45 gig, which was fine as i set the secure zone at 50gig
on my main hard drive inside the laptop.
and have been doing FULL BACK UPs of the whole hard drive, operating system vista home premium, and all data, and they have been working fine.
i do this in case i need a full re install, (which i dId a year or so ago and it worked excellently,)
now i went to do one last night and it said the secure zone is too small?
so i increased it to 65 gig because when i got to the stage where it asks for the compression level, i select NORMAL and it said it needed 56 gig, so i would of thought that 65 gig would of been heaps.
and like Jay mine has all of sudden gone from a 45 minute back up time to an estimated time of 4 hours.
except it never gets that far, because it stops and keeps saying there is not enough room, even though i increased the secure zone to 65gig.
i thought that acronis deletes the prior FULL BACK UP and put ths the new full back up in its place, so why would it keep teling me that there is not enough room? as i mentioned it says it needs 56gig and i have alloted 65 gig in the Acronis Secure Zone on my main hard drive inside my lap top?
i am not doing anything different than what i normally do, can anyone offer any help, or should i start a new thread?
any help would be really a huge help, because now i dont have a current back up.
thanks for any help
cheers Kev
Mudcrab, thanks for your helpful reply re SZ on external drive. I don't visit the forum often, hence the late ack.
I have booted to the external drive successfully; however I'll take your advice and try booting using the TI CD ...