Actual backups do not appear to match schedule set-up.

John,
The quick answer is that your backup scheme calls for full plus 7 incremental. The S8 is your eighth backup (in this chain) so backup #9 "should" be a Full B6.
Your current backup scheme setting (according to the backup script file) additionally shows a "store no more than 5 recent version chains. These settings tell the program that you want to keep 5 chains of 8 files each (Full plus 7 diff). 'So after Full B6 (backup #41) is created, automatic cleanup will kick in and all 8 files of chain B1 should be automatically deleted by the program. Future deletions of oldest chain are due to occur after each new FULL BACKUP is created.

I put the emphasis on "should" as your backup B4 had 5 extra INCREMENTALS S12 before Full B5 was created.

Your information shows that the task was changed several times but I don't know whether the changes were just schedule changes or other settings were also changed. I discourage any changes as the changes rarely work as expected.

Another item of interest was that your backups did not ALL occur at their scheduled time.
Also of interest that more than one backups per day occurred within the past 10 days which was not according to schedule.
Also of interest was that your task "backup my pc" while completed, did have error messages as part of the completed backup.

Based on the above, if it were me, I would start over with new backup tasks and the desired backup scheme settings and cease to use the existing tasks any longer.

------------------------------------------------

Depending upon the type of backup scheme you wish to create, here is an example of each type. These can be set up for Disk image, or Partition, or Files-folders backups. These example show how to set up automatic cleanup so the program will do the deletion after it reaches your set goal of how many chains to retain.

Editing an existing task is not recommended. Rarely does an edited task perform to user expectations. It is usually better to start with a new task using a new non-identical task name and point to a new storage sub-folder so each task has it own storage folder/sub-folder. Old task can be stopped or deleted from the task listings.

GH11. Create Custom Full Backup Scheme w/auto cleanup....Store/Keep 4 versions (chains). Use whatever number best fits the individual needs..

GH12. Create Custom Incremental Backup Scheme w/auto cleanup. ...Keep Full plus 6 Inc per chain. Store/Keep 4 chains. Use whatever number best fits your needs.

GH13. Create Custom Differential Backup Scheme w/auto cleanup. ...Keep Full plus 2 Diff per chain. Store/Keep 2 chains. Use whatever number best fits your needs.

GH25. Understanding differences between Incremental and Differential backups for data recovery.

GH64. 71342: 2015 How to save a non-scheduled task.

GH63. 64640: Hints to help prevent issues with your TIB backup files creation.

GH63. 75086: A discussion on how to configure backup schemes.

Official Log File.
https://kb.acronis.com/content/49484

GH63. 48404: Acronis True Image 2015: Creating an Entire PC Backup

-----------------------------------------

Hi GroverH,
Thanks very much for your advice. It was very comprehensive and straightforward to follow.

I set-up a new back-up as you suggested and also included a validation request for each back-up following the event to ensure that what was saved would be usable if required. Unfortunately my first full b/u failed due to the validation not finding incremental b/u #6 in place prior to saving. I cannot find any means of getting the software to ignore this rule for the initial full b/u. I will appreciate your advice on what to do next.

Thanks,
John Hill

Show me a screen capture of your new backup scheme and a picture of the storage folder for the new scheme where the new backups are stored.

Hi,
I attach a .pdf of screen shots of the relevant (utilised) back-up setup along with shots of the ITb external HDD (and it's properties) that I can see will not be adequate for my 4 sets of 6 incremental versions and 4 full back-ups before versions start to be deleted in the automatic clean up. I could buy a 2Tb HDD for the purpose if necessary. Thanks again for your help.

John Hill

John,

Thank you for the pdf. It had helpful information.

You indicated you started a new task with new settings but the first backup is Full B5 but should have been a Full B1.
If the task name "Local C" had been used on prior tasks, that might account for the program confusion.

Stop using the Local C task. Lets start over a new task but, but with these changes.
1. The task name has to be something other than Local C. The task name should be unique to each task created and the task name should differ for each task created. You have already used Local C so your next new task name could be LocalC-Sep13.

2. I always recommend that each new task have its own storage sub-folder so there is no intermixing of tib backup files
Create a new sub-folder under your Acronis Backups folder and you could use a sub-folder name same as task name or LocalC-Sep13

3. You can set up a custom backup scheme of weekly with full plus 6 incremental. The required "store #" discussed below.
You need a larger storage disk. The 3tb is only slightly more expensive than the 2TB and if formatted as GPT, you could use its full storage space.

If you wish to continue using the 1TB for storage. Start a new task with the full +5 inc, except use "store no more than 1 recent version chains.
Before the new Full B2 is due, be sure and delete the old Full B5 shown in your attachment.
The 1 TB (930 usable is too small in order to use more than "store no more than 1 recent version chains."

If you wish to use a 2 TB disk, you have space for "store no more than 3 recent version chains". Remember, TI always creates the replacement before performing any scheduled deletions so you always need to provide storage space for the extra full , which in your case is about 300GB. Your remainder of space on the 2TB could be used for increments as their size is unknown right now.

The correct target disk must be attached anytime a new backup task is attached, or if a backup is being run either manual or schedule.