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Pre-Command - Format Drive Before Backup

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Hello from Texas, U.S.!

I'm using Acronis True Image 2021, but there isn't a forum group created for that version, so I'm posting here......

I store data on a Syba RAID box containing five (5) 1TB HDD's for a total storage space of 5TB.  This Array is a little over 50% full and is the M:/ drive.  I backup the Array periodically whenever I add data to it to another Syba RAID box containing the same configuration...five (5) 1TB HDD's.

I wanted to use the Single Version Scheme to backup M:/, but apparently the system performs the backup first, THEN overwrites/deletes the previous backup version.  Since the T:/ drive is not big enough to house two full backups and then delete the previous backup version, that scheme is not an option.  Right now, I physically format the T:/ drive before backing up the M:/ drive, but would really like to automate that process using Pre-Command.

I contacted Acronis about doing this, and they pretty much told me I'd have to create my own script and figure it out on my own.  So I turn to the brilliant minds of this Forum, who are WAY smarter than I.  I honestly don't even remember how to create scripts and using the simple .bat file I created doesn't work.

All I want to do is use the Pre-Command function to perform "FORMAT T: /Q" before the backup starts.  Is this possible and how would I write the script to perform this command??

I hope I've explained myself fully.  My thanks for ANY assistance!!

jb

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Joel, welcome to these public User Forums.

I would not recommend formatting your target drive by using a Pre Command as this will change the partition identifier of the drive and require that it be reselected as the destination for the backup task.

Also, if you have Acronis Active Protection (AAP) enabled / turned on, then this will want to protect the Acronis backup files (.tib or .tibx) stored on the drive, so this will need to be turned off before attempting any action to remove files.

Acronis has always taken the approach that no backups are deleted prior to a new backup being created successfully - this is to ensure that the user always has at least one good backup image.

The options that you can choose from are:

If wanting to keep AAP turned on, then find a program that would allow you to rename the file extension of your backup file and whitelist that program to tell AAP to let it do the renaming, i.e. change the extension from .tib to .~tib.  Once the file is renamed you can then delete T:\*.~tib from the drive.

If you have AAP turned off, then your Pre Command can just delete T:\*.tib on the drive.

THANK YOU, Steve!  That gives me way more to go on than what was offered by Customer "Support"!!  I'll dig in and research this later today and see if I can create a solution from your ideas.

My many thanks and good day to you!

jvb

Joel, if you would like some more reading material, then take a look at forum topic: Full Backups no independent entity where I posted a Powershell script to move backup files to another location to solve a different but related type of issue.

Around that same time I experimented with variations of the Powershell script including one that deleted unwanted .tib files (see attached zip file).

The zip file includes a Windows batch command script to use as a Pre Command (see example in the above topic).  You will need to adjust the paths to where the files are stored for your own PC - mine are stored in D:\Powershell folder as shown in the scripts, plus also adjust the first two lines of the .ps1 script file.

These show as:

$testfiles = "L:\Test\WINPE_inc_b?_s6_*.tib"
$taskfiles = "L:\Test\WINPE_*.tib"

So you should change these to point to your T:\ drive and the name you are using for your backup task files, i.e.

$testfiles = "T:\MyBackup*.tibx"
$taskfiles = "T:\MyBackup*.tibx"

Note: the Powershell script to stop AAP worked on ATI 2020 for me but I haven't tested this on ATI 2021 or later as many things were changed by Acronis with the introduction of the new Cyber Protect features!

Anhang Größe
588166-293297.zip 856 Bytes
Joel Bruno wrote:

I'm using Acronis True Image 2021, but there isn't a forum group created for that version, so I'm posting here......

Yes, there is a True Image 2021 forum...

https://forum.acronis.com/forum/acronis-true-image-discussions/acronis-true-image-2021-forum

Steve...pure GOLD, sir!!!  I will take a look at all that and deploy into my backup plan if applicable.

Best regards,

jvb

Joel Bruno wrote:
BrunoC wrote:

 Thank you, BrunoC!  That forum title isn't confusing at ALL!!! :-)

Oh yeah... they changed the name of the product a couple weeks ago and hence the name of the forum changed too.

BrunoC wrote:

Oh yeah... they changed the name of the product a couple weeks ago and hence the name of the forum changed too.

Copy.  Thanks for the clarification. [thumbs up]

jvb

Steve Smith wrote:
 

If you have AAP turned off, then your Pre Command can just delete T:\*.tib on the drive.

Steve...this worked like a charm!!!  Thank again...really appreciate it.

jvb