Cannot Validate a Backup if Moved

It may help if we knew how you are moving/copying the backups. The description suggests that this is being done outside Acronis. If you move the backup from within Acronis and then remove it from the Acronis GUI (select the backup task, select "delete" and then delete task but not deleting the actual backups). This will require you to create a new backup task, which can involve a bit of work unless you can clone the backup settings (my recollection is that that feature was introduced post ATI 2017).

Just occurred to me that the date change could be because you are looking at "last accessed" rather than "last modified".

Another thing just occurred to me - do a repair installation; download the full (not web) installation file from your Acronis Account, then select Run as Administrator, and when ask select repair rather than uninstall.

Please keep us informed on you progress in resolving the issue.

Ian

Anytime you copy/paste in Windows instead of cut/past, the result will have a different time stamp because you are making a new file!

If you want to keep the original time stamp, you need to use cut or xcopy or Robocopy instead of file explorer copy.

Like Ian mentions, if you plan to move files around, you should do this in Acronis. If you do it outside of the app, you need to "validate" the job and "ignore" each "missing" file that is prompted so that Acronis will cleanup and sync with the MANUAL changes you've made outside the app. 

Ty both very much for your weighing in.

I run differential backups. The job is configured to run 1 full + 6 differentials then start anew. It doesn't. Instead, it runs one diff & starts over. (This is on the original files, btw - not the copies.)  That (the differential image job) is a separate rabbit hole, tho'. 

My aim is to, when the 1st full backup has ran, copy it to an external storage for archiving then, ea day, copy over the latest differential. I could run the backup directly to archive storage, yes, but I prefer redundancy (>/= 2 current validated backups). So, whether I backup locally or directly to an external storage device, I'm still going to need to be able to copy (or, I'm gong to need to resort to running redundant backups to separate locatioins).

Copying image files to different locations didn't used to be an issue w/ older versions of ATI (nor did custom naming w/ date stamps, etc). Unfortunately, in an effort to appeal to a larger, less tech-savvy market, like many utilities, ATI's functionality & configuration options have been gradually stripped away over the years.

I agree, the image files' time stamp change, once copied, is a likely culprit or involved in the unable-to-validate-a-relocated-image issue.

If I have to resort to xcopy or robocopy, I will. Or - will switch to a more robust (w/ re: to configuration options & functionality) imaging utility. (Not an easy feat in the consumer software market today.)

My other concern was: If the files have been moved, is ATI going to balk in the event I need to restore a build / data using a moved image/backup.

Thank you very much for the xCopy & Robocopy references. Good idea to use them. Regardless of the path I choose re: imaging utility/routine, etc, it certainly doesn't hurt to dust off the old CL chops.

I do have another imaging utility called Terabyte Unlimited. I may well dig it out of cold storage & start using it again.

Again, thank you both for your input. Please, feel free to weigh in w/ any further ideas, suggestions. Much appreciated.

The job is configured to run 1 full + 6 differentials then start anew. It doesn't. Instead, it runs one diff & starts over. (This is on the original files, btw - not the copies.) 

What actual ATI version & build are you running here?

ATI 2017 (per this forum) has latest builds 8058 (for the standard version) and 6209 for the New Generation version.  The latter included Acronis Active Protection which is intended to protect .tib files from being moved or copied etc.

For the above differential issue, please download the MVP Log Viewer tool and check what messages are recorded as these should tell the story of why you only get 1 differential in the chain instead of 6 files.  Link to the tool below.

Thank you for weighing in.

ver 2017 bld 8058

Don't have time @ the moment but will take a look @ the logs. Thanx for the recommendation re: MVP Log File Viewer. (Acronis Log Files along w/ a no. of others were included w/ the install (Tools & Utilities)). Time I familiarized myself w/ them, methinks)

Also, re: copying backups conundrum, stumbled on "reserve copy" option. Have modified backups to use this feature. Will see what the skinny is w/ validating after tonight's run.

Re: xcopy: (suggested earlier) Found a no. of comments online about it hanging w/ large files. I span my backups w/ 4.7GB splits so, good possibility it won't be suitable in this application.

Re: robocopy, as it's meant to copy directories, if it can handle the file/directory sizes, it might be an option.

Ty again!

So, I think the issue is that you have 2 backups with the exact same name. The original backup is in the console and the original location. 

You're making copies for redundancy and they have the same name. When you want to validate the copies l, because the originals exist, it is trying to validate the original backup, but with the copy file also mixed in.

I would suggest that you only validate these copies with the rescue media as it should validate just what is in that directory and not cross pollinate the name of the original files in that case .

Personally, I think using Robocopy with the /mir  switch will be exactly what you're looking for. It's a very simple command you can put in a .bat and run manually, or on a scheduled task, or as a post command in the actual backup to automate the creation of the copy