How can I tell if it's backing up correctly?

Christy,

Which version of True Image?
My suggestion is not to use the default configuration for your backups but to make your own custom backup scheme.

Review link #2 below.
My recommendation is to do a "disk mode" backup as listed in the first few illustrations.
Then for a custom backup scheme, look at illustration 11-Dif and create yourself a similar custom backup scheme but change the 6 and 4 examples to fit your own needs.

This custom backup will create a revolving set of backups based on how many "keep X number of recent version chains" you decide to keep. The oldest will be deleted as new replacments are added based on your setting of the 6 and 4 example.

If you have the storage space, keep the old backups until space needs dictate they be deleted.

It might be helpful to post a screen capture of your disk as pictured by the Windows Disk Management console.
The names you list ( source "ServiceV001" and "Preload C:" are checked.) as partition names are unfamiliar to me.

Also, the link 2 example below will also show you how to assign backups to a specific storage folder of your choosing and name the backup to a name of your choosing.

Grover, Wow!! Thanks so much!
I've been floundering with this for a long time because I don't understand their terminology and there's not a lot of help with the product.
It will take me several days to work through all this. I may have follow-up questions later.
I'm on True Image 2013. I have an 1T or 1.5T external drive dedicated to backup -- except that it's currently two-thirds full of random TI versions. I won't post screen images because it sounds like I'll be starting from scratch so you probably don't need to know where I've been misguided. Amazingly, though, I did have a successful recovery after my hard drive was replaced -- with many, many hours on the Acronis help line.
Thanks for your help. I'll be back......
Christy

Grover, as promised, it did take a long time but I'm back.
I'm using TrueImage 2013. On XP.
Last night, I went through your instructions. Beforehand, I deleted most of the backups on my external drive - left 2 MySystem fulls and 1 incremental.
I also deleted all the backup tasks from Acronis except for 1 MySystem. Then I went through your instructions, manually started the backup, and got a successful message. The new one, Christy's_T61_XP shows on the drive.
My questions and issues:
1) When I click on the double cogs and go to Explore my backups, it says it can't find MySystem(2) (not the one I kept) and then thinks forever. I tried again after deleting the MySytem task and it does the same thing (can't find MySytem(2) & thinks forever). So I cannot see my Christy's backup.
2) Do I need to do anything bootable? I have a bootable CD created on the 2011 version, one from a trial version of 2013, and one from 2013? I did not check bootable media in creating my new backup task.
3) If I were to get a new Windows 8 PC, with a few months migration to fully using it and dumping the old, do you have a recommendation for Acronis versions? If I move my license to the new PC, would I be able to recover the old if needed? Do I need to get a new, 2nd license on the new one?
Thanks for all your help. You made the backup much easier than I could ever figure out before. However, I will add that the Acronis people were very good in walking me through a full recovery when I got a new hard drive.
Thanks.
Christy

P.S. I closed Acronis and brought it up again. Now, "Explore all backups" is grayed out, not an option.

Screenshots are attached.

The reason "Explore All Backups" is greyed out is that you have only one visible task and it does not show you having any backups--which you do. Yes, as your backups were manual, the 2013 version has the wrong trait of showing "not backed up" yet as no scheduled backups have run. Afte the next scheduled backup, this message will disappear.
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1) When I click on the double cogs and go to Explore my backups, it says it can't find MySystem(2) (not the one I kept) and then thinks forever. I tried again after deleting the MySytem task and it does the same thing (can't find MySytem(2) & thinks forever). So I cannot see my Christy's backup.
Response:. Most likely, this is not the option you really want.

If you are wanting to look inside a specific file, then put your cursor inside that task and click the cog wheel--extreme right inside that specific task.

I believe what you were wanting to do is to look at your backups and see which ones were listed, etc. To do so, note the option "Browse for backups" across the top header. By using this option, you can browse and search/find any/all of your backups. Once found, they are candidates for file or backup recovery.
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2) Do I need to do anything bootable? I have a bootable CD created on the 2011 version, one from a trial version of 2013, and one from 2013? I did not check bootable media in creating my new backup task.
Response:. : If you have not done so, you should have a bootable media of the same version/build number you have installed. To see the build number, check the Help/About in upper right corner of TrueImage. You should not keep or use the trial version. It has limited functions so there is no reason to keep it. Discard it.
The 2011 CD can be kept if you have any backups created by the 2011 version. Normally, newer versions such a 2013 will restore a older or 2011 version but I like to label. Each time you install a newer version, you should create a new TI Recovery CD. It is the TI Recovery CD which is the tool you need to use when you want to restore a backup to a old or new disk so always have one handy.
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3) If I were to get a new Windows 8 PC, with a few months migration to fully using it and dumping the old, do you have a recommendation for Acronis versions? If I move my license to the new PC, would I be able to recover the old if needed? Do I need to get a new, 2nd license on the new one?

Response:.

If you move to Windows 8, you will want to upgrade to the TI 2014 as 2013 does not support Win8. You can get the lessor priced upgrade rather than the standalone full version. There is no function difference between the upgrade and the full version. With the upgrade version, you will need to input both the 2013 serial number plus the 2014 serial number. The 2013 version does not need to be installed in order to install the 2014 version but both serials needed. You could install a new 2013 upgrade version directly onto a new computer and move the license from the old to the new--via the program installation.
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New
A: Note along the left margin of this webpage. There is help there which can be quite beneficial. Now the link lists the 2014 version but much applicable to 2013 as well. If you have not reviewed these links, you should--especially the WebHelp. This is a massive help tool. Each click on the each sub-header takes you deeper into the many offerings. Its content has many headers so just keep clicking each header to view what's behind it.

Acronis True Image 2014 - Getting Started
Acronis True Image 2014 - Web-Help

B: Referring to your screenshot attachment. You can use the "Browse for Backup" option and browse to your backup files. Select all 3 files and click the "Add to backup list" option which is on the same screen.
This will cause those selected files to appear on you main screen. These newest backup should appear within the new backup task.
The two oldest will appear as a new task available for recovery.
Within the oldest task, click on the cog wheel (extreme right) and choose the "Validate" option. If you get error message, keep clicking the ignore
option until the validation begins and completes (successfully).

C. My rules I practice is that I do NOT make changes to an existing task. If changes needed, I stop using the old task and create a new task pointing to a new empty sub-folder. I noticed you have all your backups inside one folder. My recommendation for any new tasks in the future would be to assign each new task its own folder.

Thanks, Grover. Making progress.

Re 1) above. What I was trying to do was screens 21 & 22 from your opus. I have not figured a way to get the screen 22 view. Maybe that will come after my first scheduled (rather than manual) backup.

2) I am on Build 6514 of the 2013 version. I created a bootable CD in April when I installed 2013. Since I have "automatically check for updates", how do I know if my PC version has been updated and I therefore need to create a new bootable CD? I don't know what Build the CD was done with.

B & C) Having been through an iteration or two of browsing for backups & validating, I now know why you don't keep different backups in the same folder. I'll move my old ones to a new folder (since it now doesn't have a task pointing to them anyway).

C) Do you create a new folder for each task change even if you're only changing a scheduling variable?

Thanks again.
Christy

1. This is view 22 or how to get your own view 22.
http://forum.acronis.com/system/files/delete-tib-file.jpg

2A. The build is shown in the Help/about of top upper right of both the CD and the Windows installed version.

2C. A new task is not needed for a schedule change but do use the approach as shown in these links.

http://forum.acronis.com/system/files/turn-on-or-change-scheduler.jpg

http://forum.acronis.com/system/files/turn-off-scheduler.jpg

Thanks, Grover. I'm back. Again. Your information is all helpful but I still have a few questions.

I created a new folder, a new task, and a backup with a schedule. Right afterwards I was able to click on the cog and see your screen 22. I was surprised that the screen included my prior backups with no indication which was chained or not to which. After rebooting today, I do not get the Recover option from the cog so cannot see screen 22. My screenshots are attached. Oh well, though. I think I have enough versions and enough confidence that they will recover even if I do not see that screen.

Question: Is it OK to be doing computer activities while the backup is occurring? Such as email, web searching, Excel, etc.

Another: Do you use Auto Update for your version of Acronis? If so, how do you know when you have a new build version and therefore need to create a new bootable CD?

I think I'm very close to being done for the month. And hopefully, all will run smoothly next month.
Thanks so much for your help.
Christy

You should be alright to use the computer while a backup is being created. I am assuming that validation is activated as part of the task settings?

Also, I have my update turned off. I feel it is a pain for these checks to occur--which is an interruption. I visit the forum often enough the normal announcements that an update has been issued. The update is just a notice. You have to then agree for your computer to be updated. Your computer will provide notice that it has been updated. Then you can make a new CD.

(If I remember,, you asked a question I failed to answer. Yes, I use mostly one main backup folder and then each task has its own sub-folder inside the main folder so there is no intermixing of backups within the same folder.)

But, I am not understanding your pictures.
Question 1:
Were these taken before or after the new backups.
Was the backup created manually using the "Backup now" option?
I am assuming that the answer was yes as the tasks show no evidence of the backups being completed via schedule. Use the "Browse for backups" option at the top of your screen and browse to the new storage folder. Select the new backup file and click the "Add to backup list" option. Then return to the main screen and look at how your new task is displayed. Is the Recover option now visible and does the task show the details of the backup such as size and when, etc?

Question 2:
You created a new folder or sub-folder so the only backup file that should be in that folder is the one created by your latest task--yet the backup name is a b3 which is full backup #3. The B3 should be reading B1. Did you not also assign a new name to the actual backup file? This would be illustrated in link 2, illustration #8 which is where the backup name is assigned.

If b3 is actually an old file, the only way that an old backup would be in that was if you were using the same folder again and it was not empty when you selected it for your new task. Can you help to clarify? What is the date and time of the B3 backup file?

Grover, thank you for being so prompt and so patient.
Being able to do work while I do my numerous attempts at backing up will be a big help. Yes, it validates.

The screen shots were taken after my last attempt. Also, after I had rebooted after that.
For the attempt, I created a new root directory -- Christy's T61 Backup. My last attempt was created in My Backups. Old versions I moved to Older backups (I had deleted the tasks pointing to them.) I created a new task Christy's T61 (old one being Christy's T61_XP, in My Backups). It created the backup by schedule at starting at 10pm last night.
This morning, I clicked the cog and it showed screen 22 with three boxes -- Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday (I didn't take a screen shot). I was puzzled that there were 3 looking related when I didn't think there should have been but I was happy to see progress.
Later today, I had to reboot my system anyway (yes, I need a new one) so I decided to check & then create a new boot CD. After that the system came up (at first without the F: drive attached but then plugged in) and when I brought up TI and clicked the cog, I saw what I sent you in the screenshots.
Also, before the reboot, the new backup did show the backup name and did not say "not backup up yet".
I decided not to do the Browse for backups option because last time I tried that, I ended in long, strange loops of the system adding a task & validating the backup and then deleting it and adding & validating another when I tried that one.
It seems like the system is trying to relate the backups in My Backups and Christy's T61 even though I created a new folder and new task. Also, those backups are b5 and b6.
Does this make sense? Should I be worried? And what should I do?

Maybe I'm not as close as I hoped I was.

Christy

Maybe it would help me if I were to see a listing of your backups.
Try this.
Attach your Drive F storage disk and make sure it is recognized.
From your desktop. TrueImage closed.

Click Start
Click Search (for Files and Folder)
In the search window, type
*.TIB
In top row menu, click View and then click DETAILS

Now, click "START SEARCH" BUTTON (it may take a few minutes and the results should display.)
Look at the near center area for a column labelled "In folder"
All files in that folder should be grouped together.
If not, toggle click he "In Folder" name and the sort method should change. This setting can be toggled back and forth (as can any of the headers for a change of sort methods.

Now, visually examine the display to make sure all the pertinent file data is visible. You may have to expand the screen. I don't need anything along the left but I do need to be able to read all the file names folder and file data--similar to this example.
Note, you can change the widths of the columns by dragging the vertical bars such as the single bar on either side of the column name.
You can also switch the column position by placing mouse pointer on the column name and dragging it to the other column position.
You can also add columns by right clicking on a column name and placing a checkmark beside the desired column header. Note the "more " options which lists more header choices. There is also the up and down arrow to move the column headers left and right.

Now, take the screen capure.

Grover, the screen shot is attached.

Would it make sense to start totally from scratch? After deleting all backups, folders, and tasks.

Before sending this, I decided to bring up TI for the first time today to see if there had been any change. Yes, there is! There are now all three backup tasks listed (I had deleted My_System. TI put it back when I did "Browse for backups" but took it away again while validating the Christy's _T61_XP one.) Also, the Christy's_T61 one shows the Recover option and the "screen 22" shows only the Tues version, as it should be. See Screenshots. I didn't do screen shots but the other 2 tasks (MY_System & Christy's_T61_XP) also have the Recover and the "screen 22" lists the dates as they should be for each one.

Now. you think I'm crazy and I think this system is crazy. Not sure what to do now. If these tasks and screens hold steady in TI, then my backups should be good and the only strange thing is the version numbering of the newest backup. True?

I defer to the guru. If you can figure all this out.

Many thanks,
Christy

When looking or evaluating what is listed, do be sure that drive F is attached and recognized before you start TrueImage. Without the backup storage disk attached, any information provided would be both incomplete and inaccurate.

Except for your latest backup being b3 and not being a "b1", the search picture matches the task pictures so no additional changes are needed.
One possible explanation for the number being what is is would be the backup was attempted to be run but the drive F was not available or not recognized. If you were to look at the log file for only you more recent task, it might privide some info about b1 and b2 for that specific task. When looking at the log file, click the Task Reset option and then reselect Christy T61 as the task to be inspected. If you do not find what you are looking for, you may have to toggle the error message box. Those 3 view options control what info is sorteddisplayed in the log file for viewing.

The monthly scheduled should run on schedule and the next backup would expected to be b4 or 1 higher than current for that specific task.

It looks like you are all set.
The system will create your next scheduled backup and it is up to you to create any manual backups via the Backup now option in either of the two "available" tasks. The last task is not needed and it can be "removed from the listing" (using the "remove from list" option) and could be added add any time you wisk to use it for a recovery.

OK. I'm going to eject the F drive and put it back in the safe box. I'm going to assume you won't need to hear from me after the first Tuesday in January. Everything will be fine from now on.

In several months, after I have a few chains of backups from my scheduled task, then I will delete all the old stuff from TI and the drive.

FYI.
The F: drive has been constantly attached from Nov. 30th when I started this series of attempts, except for the couple minutes while a created a new bootable media.
I cannot find anything in the log file that indicates why TI chose "b3" as the name for the backup. I open all of the Event Details. My count of backup versions and chain limit are each 3 but I don't think that should be the problem.

Thanks so much for all your help. I'm on a much better path now.

Christy