Acronis True Image 2011 - Can't Backup AppData On Windows 7
I have Windows 7 installed and I'm not able to see C:\Users\Username\AppData in the True Image explorer. This folder is hidden and I have set the folder options in Windows Control Panel to show hidden and system files, but I still cannot browse to this folder through True Image file browse when browsing for files and folders to backup.

- Log in to post comments

I have TrueImage 2015 and just did an "Entire PC" backup which completed. I was shocked to discover that the entire folder
C:\users\sudhanshu\AppData was not backed up. I think, when Acronis claims "Entire PC" then it should not skip ANY files including hidden files.
Please provide a solutions so that I can make sure that EVERY file is backed up and that I can recover EVERYTHING.
-- Sudhanshu
- Log in to post comments

Make sure that you have "View Hidden and System Files" enabled in Windows.
In Windows 8:
Procedure
Access the Control Panel. ...
Type "folder" into the search bar and select Show hidden files and folders.
Then, click on the View tab at the top of the window.
Under Advanced Settings, locate "Hidden files and folders." ...
Click on OK.
Hidden files will now be shown when performing searches in Windows Explorer.
In Windows 7:
Follow these steps to display hidden files and folders.
Open Folder Options by clicking the Start button , click Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization, and then click Folder Options
Click the View tab.
Under Advanced settings, click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK.
- Log in to post comments

I already have "Show hidden files and folder" set and it still did not backup AppData. I'm very disappointed in Acronis.
I really think that Acronis should make backups failsafe even for novice users. There should be
a hint or button in TrueImage to set this so that a novice user who thinks he has backed up EVERYTHING
won't get stuck when his AppData files get corrupted on his disk.
-- Sudhanshu
- Log in to post comments

Greetings,
Are you backing up in windows or from a Boot CD? Is the account in question a "limited" user account or one with "administrator" permissions. And last, have you changed the permissions on any of these folders manually yourself?
- Log in to post comments

I'm backing up in Windows. My login account has admin privileges.
I have not changed the permissions on any of my folders.
The basic question is that if some hidden files get corrupted by hard disk failures, how can Acronis be
a reliable restore utility if it hasn't backed up all the files.
I would be happy to "Run as Administrator" if that's what it takes but Acronis is leaving novice users unprotected.
-- Sudhanshu
- Log in to post comments

Greetings,
I'm posting from a 8.1 laptop now. I need to make a BU, so I'll test and post back in a little bit. I'm also going to be cloning 2 new Windows 8 laptops tomorrow, and plan to perform 2 full disk image back ups prior to this. I'll let you know what my results are for all.
- Log in to post comments

First back up complete. I used a boot CD 2015_6525. All partitions were backed up. After back up, I validated. I had saved the image to a NAS. I restarted the laptop, booted into the recovery environment and selected file level recovery. I browsed to the image on the NAS and re-authenticated (entered credentials). I then navigated to the image. There I used the Acronis image browser and drilled down to the AppData folder within my user directory. It was present and so were all of the files and directories contained on the source disk. The recovery environments in this build Windows or boot CD are identical. If you are using another build, I suggest testing with the latest as I did. I'd be happy to try with the build you used if you wish.
- Log in to post comments

Thanks for giving it a try.
I'm using Build 6525 of True Image 2015.
-- Sudhanshu
- Log in to post comments

The Windows version of TI 2015 has a long list of default exclusions on the EXCLUSIONS tab under "Disk backup options". Have you checked this to see if ...\AppData is one of the items being excluded by default? If so, remove it from the list.
The boot CD does not have this same list of exclusions.
- Log in to post comments

Yes, I noticed the list of exclusions after my last post.
There were exclusions for directories withing AppData but not for the entire folder.
Most of the exclusions were for temporary data and it still doesn't make sense that
the ENTIRE AppData folder should be missing from the backup.
I have deleted all the AppData exclusions and will rerun to see what happens.
Can anyone explain why the Windows version should have any exclusions while the
CD version does not?
Thanks,
-- Sudhanshu
- Log in to post comments

Yes, I noticed the list of exclusions after my last post.
There were exclusions for directories withing AppData but not for the entire folder.
Most of the exclusions were for temporary data and it still doesn't make sense that
the ENTIRE AppData folder should be missing from the backup.
I have deleted all the AppData exclusions and will rerun to see what happens.
Can anyone explain why the Windows version should have any exclusions while the
CD version does not?
Thanks,
-- Sudhanshu
- Log in to post comments

Seems my last post wasn't saved. Sudhanshu, I'm only guessing but I believe the differences have to do with the OS the program is installed under vs. only .tmp files in the boot CD version.
Please don't mistake this for some kind of defect in the product as I have already demonstrated the issue has to do with something in your environment.
We've tried to identify the most common causes for exclusions but you do not appear to fall into of these categories. In addition, anti-virus, security software, shadow copy, file system corruption, etc. As other possible causes.
Please perform the following maintenance.
Run clean manager
Run chkdsk /r
Run sfc /scannow
Restart and retest. I also encourage you to provide the steps you are performing when attempting the back up, just to be thorough. Last, are you using the product with a English version of Windows and can you review or provide log files from a successful back up where the AppData folder is not included.
- Log in to post comments

shadowsports:
I only jumped in here because I saw that apples were being compared to oranges. Your test was done with the 2015 boot CD and Sudhansu's test was done with the 2015 Windows version of the program, which has a different default exclusions list. The results are likely to be different unless both versions were set up to exclude the exact same things. I believe that Sudhansu is trying this experiment now and should post back soon.
- Log in to post comments

Hi Mark,
I understand and agree. Your posts are always welcome ones :0). While his test differs (Windows vs Boot CD), neither version exclude the AppData folder by default based on previous experience. I feel there is something explainable, either user associated or with his environment that is causing the behavior. Just a hunch.
- Log in to post comments

What was the outcome please ?
Interested because I just got the "nice surprise" that my "ENTIRE PC" backup didn't actually backup Appdata folders from either the Windows or Windows PE boot/w Acronis Plugin. Grrr.
Been a faithful Acronis user for many years but this sucks big time.
Disappointing that nobody gave a clear final answer for this.
- Log in to post comments

TimH, starting with 2015 version there is a new layer of exclusions that are applied in addition to standard exclusions that you can see in True Image interface in backup options. They are Windows Volume Shadow Copy exclusions and are visible in Windows registry: open Start menu, type regedit, click on the found item, then navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToSnapshot. On the right half of the screen you will see the list of items that are excluded from the backup. It is not recommended to edit these keys, however, because they affect Windows System Restore feature and other programs that depend on Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) Windows service.
In order to check whether the issue with missing entire AppData folder is caused by VSS, you can temporarily stop and disable VSS, create a new backup job in Acronis and see if resulted backup contains AppData folder:
1) open Start menu, type services.msc, hit Enter
2) scroll down to Volume Shadow Copy service, double-click on it
3) click Stop button if it is clickable, then select Disabled from drop-down menu "Startup type", click OK
4) create a new backup task in Acronis, start it, let it finish and see if AppData is included. If you browse the backup in Windows Explorer by double-clicking on .TIB, make sure that hidden folders are displayed in Windows Control Panel - Folder options. Also you can browse the backup from within Acronis True Image by clicking on Recover files button in the program interface.
5) open services.msc window again, double-click on Volume Shadow Copy service and select "Manual" from "Startup type" menu, click OK
If you will see AppData in the backup, then it is VSS that is excluding it from the backup. Acronis True Image 2014 and all previous versions did not use VSS at all.
Regards
- Log in to post comments

Hi
I appreciate the feedback - some 5 weeks later ;-)
However, one of the reaons I bought and continued to update Acronis TI was the simple click-button nature of the backup.
I have had my moments with BART CD/Acronis plugin in the past, fighting with NIC card and mass storage drivers etc. but I am an old timer now and don't have the time nor inclination to mess around any more...hence last few years booting from Acronis boot media and backup to USB....simples.....
....until these later versions which do not seem to backup AppData folder (on my Win 8.1 anyway).I have previously used Symantec Backup Exec and NetBackup in a past life and they started to use VSS issues to blame/excuse all their problems at one point....I hope that is not going to be a future pattern for Acronis.
I am comfortable with Registry editiing but on a matter of priciple I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO.
Please fix the darn problem so I can one again click a button and be confident my important data is being backed up - most people could not give a stuff about OS (that can be recovered in numerous ways) but their personal document etc. etc.....well we rely on the Acronis backup alone for those.
Please restore my confidence ! :-)
- Log in to post comments