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Differential Backup - First 2 Backups appear to be Full Volume

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I have my backup schedule weekly and set to differential, Create new full backup after every 5 differentials.  My first 2 backups are both about 30 gb's in size (29.3 and 31.7 gbs), in fact the second one is even bigger then the first overall backup!

I was expecting the second backup to be purely the "difference" from the first and much, much smaller in size (hence, a differential backup).

Can anyone shed some light please?  Thanks in advance.

Scott

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Scott, sorry but impossible to tell why this has happened with just the information provided?

If you have modified any of the backup task configuration options after making the first backup full image, then it is possible that this would reset the version chain and cause a new full backup to be made instead of a differential as expected.

Backup file sizes will change and perhaps grow larger or maybe become smaller - there are lots of factors that can contribute to such changes, including Windows Updates, new software etc.

Thanks Steve.  I did another "on-demand" backup and this time, it created a differential backup.  So, appears everything is fine, maybe I did change a setting between full backups.  It's possible since I am still getting familiar with the tool.

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my various posts I have started.  It's helpful.

 

Scott