ATI 2017 cannot find backup list to delete old backups

The only way to cleanup backup tasks through the GUI is to use a cleanup task which needs to be setup in the backup itself.  

http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2017/#13712.html

The work-a-round is to manually delete them through Windows file explorer (but be carefult to delete the right ones - for instance, if you have an incremental backup, you need to keep the full that goes with it and all incremetnals that came before it for that backup job ... aka you can't just leave that last incremental and hope to recover from it).  

After manual deleting, then go into Acronis and Validate the task.  It will prompt that files are missing and ask you to locate them or to ignore them.  Ignore each one that comes up until no more ignore prompts exist and the database will be updated.  

It's not ideal.  Lot's of people have requested that Acronis return the older consolidation method or something similar.  I'd suggest submitting feedback through the app with your inputs/thoughts and reference this forum thread as well. 

Thank you for your informed take on this issue.  I've held similar concerns to the original poster & followed up on your suggestion to submit feedback through the app (in my case, Acronis True Image 2017) with my thoughts and referencing this forum thread.

Here is what I just submitted via the app (REASON - "I have a suggestion or idea" AND "Poor design and appearance")

Greetings,

I've been using Acronis True Image since version 2010. I am currently using Acronis True Image 2017.

I'd like to share a suggestion for an improvement that I believe several end-users, including myself, have had challenges concerning, given that it is not available or visible in the latest version (A.T.I. 2017: Version 2017; Build 8029). Reference: https://forum.acronis.com/forum/127162

Essentially, it would prove VERY helpful to see a LIST of all the actual backups that have been performed in the command interface (Backup) screen (not just the backup configuration but the actual backups listed in date order). Currently, only the status of the last backup performed appears.

This list of backups should be readily accessible. It should also include relevant functionality: right click to add to the backup list (to locate another backup archived elsewhere; similar to functionality and features that were present in Acronis True Image Home 2011), or right click and "delete" a backup (and its versions), et cetera.

I was very disappointed to not see this feature appear in the interface of the current product. It almost feels as if I am "flying blind" because I cannot see the entire HISTORY or an entire LIST of the backups that have been performed. This "high level overview" can be very helpful if one is evaluating decisions based on a complete list of historical backups that are available. (One may select the backup from the list that can restore the needed file information.) Comparatively, if one were to consider the Restore function (e.g. - under System Protection in Window 7 SP1) one can see an entire list of restore points that are catalogued in time sequentially. This feature is helpful for one to evaluate the selection of the correct restore point/backup to facilitate one's objective.

As well, we like our backup interfaces to be efficiently designed so that relevant information is visible and easily accessible. We do not want to embark "down the rabbit hole" to try to hunt for and locate vital information, especially given an urgent or crucial task at hand. Most end user's would appreciate the ability to access relevant information, even if it involved "drilling down" through the menu bar. Please do not sacrifice functionality for the sake of simplicity. The current interface still appears quite over-simplified and somewhat dysfunctional in the priority of information assigned into its organizational design.

Thank you. In behalf of other users, I graciously ask that you take and include this feedback in your careful considerations regarding further product development, updates, and upgrades. I believe a return to this feature may be long overdue. The overall product is good. However, the optics afforded by the current interface desperately need to be re-visited.

explorerfound, welcome to these user forums.

Thank you for sharing your feedback submitted to Acronis on this subject.

One aspect of the way that ATIH 2017 works that you may not be aware of is that a list of your backups can be seen when you choose one of the Recover options for any of your backup tasks where in the top right corner of the recover panel you will see a drop-down list where you can choose any Backup version from the list of available backup points.

Hi Steve,  thank you, that helps!  I hadn't noticed that entirely yet since I've only got one prior backup version on record (it displays on the drop down list).  That's handy!

Interesting, too, is that during a recent clean install that I did, I performed a number of Windows Image backups (for safety sake and archiving for future clean installs).  I see that they, too, are displayed under the "This Computer" panel .... under the heading "Others" which lists all of them on my hot swappable external backup disc.

All the same, I believe that I, along with a few others, may appreciate access to the backup history list to be displayed at the top level in the interface hierarchy.  However, it is good to know that I can retrieve that information under the Recover options.

Thanks for the tip!

Spencer (~explorerfound)