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Backup to external USB drive somehow corrupts files.

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Hi,

As the subject says. My backup files get created OK and validate OK when I first create them. I have 2 physical hard drives and I always create the backups to the second internal hard drive first. Then when I move them to my external USB Western Digital Hard Drive for archiving they somehow become corrupt.

I make only single full backup points once a week and whether I try to restore them from the external or move them to my second physical hard drive to restore Acronis always tells me the file is corrupt if I try to restore one.

If I just leave the backup files on the second hard drive they stay intact. But that is why I bought the external drive, to archive various backup points.

Any ideas?

Joe Lore
Fall River, MA

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Most obvious guess is that you have a problem with the USB drive/interface. Image files tend to be larger than most files so it might not show up with smaller files. Also the validation process is very rigorous compared to normal file transfers so it is more likely to pick up a problem.

Try connecting the USB drive to the rear ports on your PC. This reduces cable length, especially inside the electrically noisy PC environment.

Run chkdsk X: /r on your external HD. This will scan the entire drive for bad sectors and will take some time if the partition is large. Replace X in the command with the drive letter of the partition being tested.

Download a free file checksum calculator. Select one of your archive files on your internal HD and calculate its checksum and write it down.
Copy the file to the external and re-run the checksum calculation. It must agree perfectly, if not it got screwed up in the copy.
Copy the file back to the PC (put in a different location) from the external and re-run the checksum calculation. It also must agree perfectly.

If this works then the problem is not likely in the USB drive/interface and you need to look elsewhere.

I am having a similar problem, but I am just creating the full backup on an external (plugged into the back of the unit) and when I try to validate it the program says the file is corrupt.

I am having a similar problem, but I am just creating the full backup on an external (plugged into the back of the unit) and when I try to validate it the program says the file is corrupt.

Seekforever wrote:

Try connecting the USB drive to the rear ports on your PC. This reduces cable length, especially inside the electrically noisy PC environment.

This can't be over-emphasized; the wires that connect a PC's front panel USB ports to the motherboard are not to be trusted, particularly given the route they can take (past fans & noise sources).

In addition, it is advisable to procure the heaviest-and-shortest USB cables one can find to plug from the rear of the PC to the external drive.