How do you get ATIH 2013 to *forget* old backups

Greetings,
Back ups are maintained in a metadata file. If you attempt to remove them any other way than what is described below, you will likely encounter problems. Hope this helps.

3.12 Deleting backups and backup versions
You may want to delete backups and backup versions you no longer need. True Image 2013 stores information on the backups in a metadata information database.
Therefore, deleting unneeded backup files in Windows Explorer will not delete information about these backups from the database, and True Image 2013 will consider that they still exist.
This will result in errors when the program tries to perform operations on the backups that no longer exist. So you must only remove obsolete backups and backup versions by using the tools provided by True Image 2013.
To delete an entire backup:
Find the corresponding backup box on the Backup and recovery tab of True Image 2013. Click the gear icon to open the Operations menu and then click Delete.
When you delete an entire backup, all its versions will be deleted as well.
To delete a specific backup version:
1. On the Backup and recovery tab, find the corresponding backup box and click the Recover button or click the gear icon and then click Recover files (in case of a disk backup).
2. In Backup explorer, right-click on the time line the version you want to delete, and then click Delete version.
When you delete a backup version, please remember that this version may have dependent versions. In this case the dependent versions will be deleted as well, because data recovery from such versions becomes impossible.
 If you delete a full backup version - the program will also delete all subsequent incremental and differential versions till the next full version.
 If you delete an incremental backup version or a differential backup version - the program will also delete all subsequent incremental versions till the next full or differential version.

Also including adding for reference:

3.11 Adding an existing backup to the list
If you have backups that are not shown in the backups list on the Backup and recovery tab (for example, backups created by a previous Acronis True Image Home version), you can add them to the list. Click Browse for backup on the Backup and recovery tab. This opens a window where you can browse for backups on your computer.
To add an existing backup to the backup list, select the backup and click the Add to backup list button.

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that and I've clearly screwed things up. I *deleted* the backup that I had explorer-deleted the files for [which caused all the trouble]. I did the "delete setting but save the files" kind of delete. I can't get that one back. But my new one seems to still "remember" the old ones.

One thing you didn't mention is how to recover after you've screwed up. Once the files are explorer-deleted you can't added them back.

OK but what I tried [and I'll see if that helps the the backup tonight] --- I found a bunch of the 2013 backups. I "added" them and ATIH actually recreated my old [broken] backup. I said "delete" and told it to delete everything, but none of the data files went away. [but the backup did]. I disocvered that the 'delete' from the *gear* [as opposed to from the 'delete versions' gets you to the timeline. Seems not to be quite deleting all the files but I'm deleting what I can find and I'll see if my current backup is clean now... THANKS!

This may be of interest as the access to the Timeslice /Acronis Backup Explorer can be done from several directions.

The below is the Acronis Backup Explorer view. It has many options, one of which is the DELETE opton for tib backups.
The user can select the most recent backup for deletion; or if some earlier backups are selected for deletion, then all the newer backups will be deleted as well. One good feature about this DELETE option, is that the program will tell you how many files willl be deleted and the user must confirm the DELETE as wanting to be done.

Note: this deletion of backup relates only to those created by this specific task. If you have other tib backup tasks with tib backup files to be deleted, you will need to open each task individually and delete that group using the same procedure as detailed in the prior paragraph. There is no one single DELETE OPTION that will delete all backup files as any deletion by the program is done at TASK LEVEL.

This link may also be of similar interest.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/48295

Thanks -- it is a bit non-intuitive that you select "recover files" to delete backups. But now that I know I think I can get my ATIH cleaned up [running a backup as I type with most of the problematic backup files 'cleanly' deleted.

The thing I was amazed by is that when I "added" some of the old/broken backup files ATIH *recreated* the backup job for them that I had deleted. I'll know in another half-hour or so if I have it sorted out. Thaniks for all the help and info!!

It basically all worked! Thanks and YAY. One little thing still sticking. I got this [nonfatal] error:

Failed to exclusively access backup \\192.168.100.4\bernie-nas\Backups\DellBackup_2013-12-13_DellBackup_inc_b2_s4_v1-2.tib during consolidation. Make sure the backup file is not opened in other applications.

The reason for that [of course] is that the file doesn't exist. *NONE of the 2013 backup files exist any more. Siince it doesn't exist, I can't "find backup" it, add it, and then delete it properly. So what can I do about this file? THANKS!

/B\

One user has reported that they got rid of this type message by

From within the specific task involved, (where the file appears), to simulate the first stages of a recovery by clicking the RECOVERY BUTTON and click thru the error messages and then finally cancel the process before any recovery is begun.