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Acronis TIH file backup backs up links, not files

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I cannot successfully create file backups using Acronis TIH. No matter what directories/files I select I get “backup successful” message after a few seconds, but backup is typically only 1.5KB, even for large (14-23GB) folders. Disk/partition backup seems to work properly.

Currently using Version 2011, latest build 6597, Win 7 Pro 64. Tried going back to earlier version (build 5519) as well as latest build of TIH 2010 (build 7154), but same problem occurs for all versions. Also tried uninstalling TIH 2011 using True Image Home Cleanup program and then reinstalled but still same problem.

I believe I know why this is happening, but I don't know what to do about it. When I look at my file structure using Windows Explorer, some folders are links and some are not - which is normal. When I look at the file structure, and try to select folders/files to back up under “what to back up” using Acronis, Acronis gets it pretty much exactly backwards: everything that Windows Explorer says is a link, Acronis thinks is not, and vice versa. So, Acronis backs up whatever links are selected, indicates “backup successful”, but no directories or files are actually backed up.

Has anyone else had a problem like this? Can anyone help me fix this problem?

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Did you redirect some folders your are backing up to some other location? For example, if the My Music folder now located on another disk? If yes, try to select the folder where it is located versus catching it under c:\Users\MyUsers\My Music.

Thanks for your response, Pat.

No files or directories have been redirected to another location. Also, as far as I can tell, there is no other choice in the Acronis "what to back up" window for any folders that I want to back up. I am only able to get choices of links to back up, no actual files or folders. Furthermore, I have tried using several backup locations in addition to the default location where Acronis wants to back up, but same result for each backup location. However, as I said, Acronis does seem to work properly for doing a disk/partition backup, just not for backing up specific directories or files that I want to back up.

I might add that I am a long time user of Acronis TIH, including on another Win 7 computer, but have never had a problem like this before.

Any chance you have restrictive permissions on these folders? The following accounts should have full control: System, Administrators, [name of the user].

Are any of the files encrypted somehow (EFS, Bitlocker, other)?

Can you post a screen shot of the what to backup window that you have?

I am scratching my head. I have not seen this one before...

Pat, there are no restrictive permissions and no encrypted files. Also, just to see what happens I downloaded and installed another backup program (Comodo) and the directories/files in "what to back up" for that program seemed to be listed correctly (not as links). So somehow this problem seems to be unique to Acronis.

I am attaching a file with screen shots of the Acronis "what to back up" list and the same directories/files as seen by Windows Explorer. As you can see, it seems that the things that are links and the things that are not, are mixed up, but not 100%. Maybe there is some setting in Acronis that is causing this. Hope you can come up with some ideas for solving this one.

Attachment Size
56778-93952.pdf 137.97 KB

I'm no expert on this but I think what you are seeing are actually "Junction Points" which are pointers to the actual folders you are trying to backup. See this link http://blog.korteksolutions.com/junction-points-in-windows-vista7/. Some computer manufacturers set up Windows this way.

Alan,

You are selecting the My Documents within the Favorites folder. This is the reason.
Try to use the navigation on the left to do the following:
- unfold C:\
- unfold Users
- unfold your user
- then you should see a list like "contacts, my documents, my music, my pictures, downloads, saved searches, etc..."
- select "my documents". You can unfold it to verify you see your files.
If you don't have this hierarchy, then there is a problem with your user profile set up.

Pat, I think I have now solved the problem, based on your comment that there could be a problem with my user profile set up. You indicated that you thought I was looking at the Favorites in Acronis, but actually I was looking at the same place in both Acronis and in Windows Explorer, which was C:\Users\User_Name\Local Settings\My Documents (per the second screenshot I provided).

I was looking there because there was no My Documents folder under \User_Name. Instead, it seems that the My Documents folder somehow had gotten located under the Local Settings folder, instead of where it should be. The Properties on the My Documents folder confirmed that this was indeed its true location. So I was able to move it to its proper location as per your post, and now Acronis seems to recognize it appropriately.

I still don’t understand why Explorer and Comodo backup were able to work with it where it was while it created a major problem for Acronis, but I guess as long as this is solved and Acronis now works I’m happy. Thanks again for all your help

Weird. The local settings folder is not a standard win 7 folder. Maybe you have upgraded from an older version of Windows? Not a big deal. Glad it worked out.