How do you tell ATI 2015 to DELETE A SPECIFIC BACKUP FILE?????
I have ATI 2015 (and am currently playing with 2016), and I cannot figure out how to delete specific backup FILES (not CHAINS). My situation:
I want to run differential backups, keeping only the last 2 or 3 DIFF files, along with the initial FULL file. If Automatic Cleanup cannot do this, how can I manually delete unwanted DIFF files without choking the life out of ATI??
I have been trying to get this to work since ATI 2012. If I cannot figure it out this time, it is good bye forever to ATI and Acronis. I am frustrated beyond words with this, as well as Acronis support, such as it is.
Thanks, Grover. Besides not having the flexibility I want, the UI stinks, IMHO. I just gave up on ATI. I uninstalled it and am giving EaseUs a trial.
I could never get the UI to show the items I was looking for from the documentation. Like setting the compression level, for one example. Don't bother quoting the manual on this. The option it describes does not exist on my system.
I've just had it. I'm spending way too much time on backing up my system.
see my edited question below
GroverH,
You said... 'The program provides no instructions on the deletion of less than all backups of a chain. This is the delete option within the task. '
I have deleted the task that was used to create the backup files before I found your post bit above.
I would now like to delete my backup files.
The Acronis help says to delete the backup files using Acronis 2015 - do not use Windows explorer to delete the backup files.
Oops. Does this mean I should have deleted my backup files first before deleting the task that created them?
Furthermore, does this mean I now have no way to delete the backup files from Acronis - and I now need to delete them using windows explorer?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Smittyboy,
Among the options offered within a task is the delete opition.
That option presents you with the option to
Delete the entire backups including the task, the tib backup files plus the task setttings;
or keep the tib backup files and just delete the settings.
Either option removes the task from the listing.
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If you have already removed the task from the listings, then your one and only choice is to delete the tib files via the Windows Explorer.
Whether you should delete those files depends upon their tiype and what you want to delete.
1. If the tib files to be deleted are all FULL BACKUPS, then each is indepent and any can be deleted.
2. If the tib files are Full plus some incremental backups, then either NONE or ALL incremental files need to be deleted as each inc file has data which does not exist in any other inc file. The FULL only can be optionally kept. If Full kept, I would validate after deletion of all inc files.
3. If the tib files are Full plus some differential backups, then FULL only can be kept, or FULL plus all or selected diff files can be kept. Older single DIF files can be deleted. Validate after deletion.
4. During the manual validation by the user following Explorer deletion, user is prompted multiple times to 'IGNORE" the deleted files. Respond "ignore" each time you are prompted for each file deleted.
If you delete any files, do take the time to perform the manual validation afterwards.
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If the reason you are needing to delete some files is the recovery of disk space, you should consider creating new task with custtom backup schems which include automatic cleanup so the older files will be deleted automaticallly by the program as part of the ongoing maintenance.
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 Partiton, 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.
GH25. Understanding differences between Inc and Dif for Safety
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.
If the reason you are needing to delete some files is the recovery of disk space, you should consider creating new task with custtom backup schems which include automatic cleanup so the older files will be deleted automaticallly by the program as part of the ongoing maintenance.
Depending upon the type of ... so the program will do the deletion after it reaches your set goal of how many chains to retain.
That is exactly my problem. I only want ONE CHAIN. I just want to delete the older DIFF backups, and never delete the full. No combination of auto-cleanup options does this.
And I have never, EVER, seen any option to set the compression level. The documentation on this describes features that do not exist, at least, not on my system.
Ah, well. It's moot now anyway. ATI is no longer in my bag of tricks.
GroverH,
You are amazing.
Thanks so much for the detailed info. That's just what I needed.
I'm starting a new fresh backup from scratch and I wanted to wipe out all the old backups so I could start with a clean slate and not have old back ups taking up drive space.