Copy backup file from one external drive to another
Since True Image 2014 I have created full backups every day and stored them on an external drive (#1), and every month copied the most recent backup to another external drive (#2) which is stored off site. 3 days ago I upgraded from True Image 2017 to 2020 which is now producing tibx instead of the former tib files. That same day I manually created a full backup then later that night my normally-scheduled late-night full backup was created. Both backups looked fine so I manually deleted the first backup and subsequently created 2 more late-night backups in the 2 days that followed. Today I deleted that first backup since I no longer needed it and it was substantially the same as that created later that same day. I then tried to open the backup I created last night and received a message about the file being corrupt. Researching your site I see that I need to use the Acronis software to delete backups. If that is the case then it appears that simply copying my most recent backup to another external drive (#2) will not provide me with a backup that I can use to restore from that drive.
Since all my backups are full, instead of incremental, I expect them to be stand-alone full computer backups just as in the older versions of True Image. Am I not understanding this correctly or is there a work-around I am not seeing? Thanks for your help.
With the .tibx format, there is linkage between the different .tibx files in a chain and even across chains it seems. This is why deletion should be done through the ATI program.
I think it would be useful to understand how to periodically move backups out of the control of the application while still maintaining their integrity. I don't have the answer to that right now, but I will be looking forward to some experimentation.
See forum topic: Full Backups no independent entity - where the core issue here was discussed previously. There is a zipped powershell script here in that topic which moves full backup files to another location to help keep them completely independent of each other.
Bruno,
The Custom Scheme provided in the product allows the user to set the rules of backup. Therefore the behavior of a task can be controlled by the user to a large extent.
It is possible to use the Custom Scheme to develop a backup task based on any of the other Backup Methods. In the use case of the OP here, they can use Custom Scheme - Full Backup Method and then turn OFF Automatic cleanup which will result in only Full backup files independent of each other that can then be copied/moved by the user, disabling AAP first of course, without affecting the workings of the task.
I have done it this way for years. I rarely use or modify the predefined tasks in the application as I prefer this method due to it yielding consistent results.
Hello Enchantech, BrunoC and Steve Smith,
This morning I found Enchantech's post and began to confirm that I was correctly configuring my backup options. I then tried, once again to test my workflow. That was a time consuming process thus my delay in replying. During that time I documented my process and the results and created the attached pdf. Please refer to it as I will describe the steps below:
Step #1 was to confirm my backup settings were as Enchantech described and which are the same settings that I have always used in prior versions of True Image (TI).
Step #2. My external drive, to which I backup, contains 3 backup files. 1 is a tib from TI 2017 and 2 backups are from TI 2020.
Step#3. Opening the TI 2107 file displays the single backup object.
Step #4. Opening the first TI 2020 file displays 2 objects.
Step #5. Opening the second TI 2020 file displays the same 2 objects as opening the first TI 2020 file.
Step #6. I moved the first TI 2020 file from the external drive and placed it on my hard drive then I opened the second TI 2020 file and received an error message.
Step #7. I moved the second TI 2020 file from my hard drive and replaced it to my external backup drive then opened the second TI 2020 file and it opened successfully and displayed the same 2 objects as it did before I removed the second TI 2020 file.
At this point I will try the other suggestions that were offered and provide follow-up with the results.
Thanks to all for your contributions and knowledge sharing.
Hello Enchantech,
In your reply to "Bruno" you wrote " in the use case of the OP here, they can use Custom Scheme - Full Backup Method and then turn OFF Automatic cleanup which will result in only Full backup files independent of each other that can then be copied/moved by the user, disabling AAP first of course ".
Unless there is something I am not seeing, I believe that those are the exact settings I use, including "automatic cleanup" being set to off. Yet, as per the pdf I earlier posted, the results do not support my removing an earlier backup.
Lee, the fundamental error here is that you are moving a dependent .tibx file for your backup which is not possible with the new architecture being used.
Your LEE8910B.tibx file acts as a metadata store for the files that come after it, so by moving it to another location, you have broken the linkage for the subsequent files, hence the error you see.
This is the exact situation in the earlier forum topic I pointed you to read.
See the following KB documents published by Acronis with regards to .tibx files.
KB 63518: Acronis True Image 2020: do not delete first tibx file ****
KB 63227: Acronis True Image: Do not delete .TIB or .TIBX files outside of Acronis True Image
KB 63498: Acronis True Image 2020: new tibx backup format FAQ
KB 63425: Acronis True Image 2020: Limitations of tibx backups
KB 63445: Acronis True Image 2020: how to view and manage backup versions in new backup format
KB 63444: Acronis True Image 2020: tibx backups in local destinations
KB 63613: Acronis True Image: local backups are not available for recovery if "metadata" file appears in the backup destination - if you see metadata file(s).
@Lee,
Your experience is what I would expect. Keep in mind that having your settings this way has the following effect:
- Each Full backup contains all of the data at the moment of backup creation.
- A Full Method backup forms the base for further Incremental and Differential backups.
- Subsequent runs of a task with these settings can be Full backups but remember that any additional backups created by the task are making a Full backup version.
- A Full backup version containing only Full backups are indeed independent however, because of metadata tracking, they will produce errors if they are not found in the same location with each other.
In the above let's say you create 4 Full backups using the task configuration outlined. As long as all 4 backups are in the same location any of the four can be recovered. If you recover backup 2 of the 4 created the data recovered will be exactly as it was at the moment of backup creation. So you can consider these backups as Point in Time backups.
If you wish to have Full backups that do not have this location requirement then a Standalone Full backup may be right for you in which case selecting a Single Version Scheme - Full Method would produce standalone files.
I see in my OP to this thread I left out the reference to Single Version that I meant to include, if that is what would fill your need I apologise for my oversight. I have corrected that post as well.
Hello Enchantech,
Again, thank-you for your continuing help.
The Single Version looks like it would work and I will try it tonight. The reservation I have, and maybe I don't understand correctly or possibly there is another setting I am missing, but the Single version overwrites itself every time. For example, if I made changes to an individual file today, then realized that I preferred that file as it existed 2 days ago before today's changes, it would not be possible to recover that file in its prior 2 day-old state because the daily backups, made using Single Version containing that file, would have been overwritten by a more recent backup.
Am I correct?
Thanks,
Lee
Lee,
From the User Guide:
4.5.2.1Single version scheme
This backup scheme is the same for both disk backup and file backup types (except scheduler settings).
The program creates a full backup version and overwrites it every time according to the specified schedule or when you run the backup manually. In this process, the old version is deleted only after a new version is created.
For backups created in Acronis True Image 2020 or later, the very first file will remain for auxiliary purposes, without your data in it. Please do not delete it!
Backup scheduler setting for disk backup: monthly.
Backup scheduler setting for file backup: daily.
Result: you have a single up-to-date full backup version. Required storage space: minimal.
Note that for Disk backups the schedule is set to monthly You can change that option as you desire I believe.
You are right about the deletion occurring if the task is set to run daily. In that case using the PS script Steve wrote as a post command in the backup will move the file to another location preventing the deletion.
Hi Enchantech,
Thanks for your quick reply and confirming my understanding. I appreciate your sharing knowledge.
Your welcome.
Apologies, but this is OLD!
As at the start of this thread I make Full backups to ext drive #1. I am setup to keep only the 3 most recent .TIBX files. This means I always have 4 files, 3 numbered ones and the tiny one with no number.
I now want my latest numbered .TIBX file to be copied over to ext drive #2 and remove the earliest numbered .TIBX file from that location.
- ATI must be running.
- Pause PROTECTION for 4 hours.
- In ext drive #2 manually delete the earliest numbered .TIBX file and the tiny one with no number.
- From ext drive #1 copy over the latest numbered .TIBX file and the non numbered .TIBX file.
- Once the copying is completed switch the PROTECTION back On.
Job done!
Stephen, your process may looks to be 'Job done!' but may lead you to disaster if you attempt to recover your system using the copied files!
See the following KB documents published by Acronis with regards to .tibx files.
KB 63518: Acronis True Image 2020: do not delete first tibx file
KB 63227: Acronis True Image: Do not delete .TIB or .TIBX files outside of Acronis True Image
KB 63498: Acronis True Image 2020: new tibx backup format FAQ
KB 63425: Acronis True Image 2020: Limitations of tibx backups
KB 63445: Acronis True Image 2020: how to view and manage backup versions in new backup format
KB 63444: Acronis True Image 2020: tibx backups in local destinations