Incremental Backups Aren't Really Incremental
I've already had several problems with the ATI 2010 Home (and Plus Pack), but now it seems to be getting ridiculous.
I defined an "incremental" backup of the system partition. Of course the first backup was a full backup of the partition. The next (incremental) backup was roughly 5% of the size of the initial backup. Before the next "incremental" backup, I installed ONE new program. So ATI Home 2010's response in the next "incremental" backup was to produce something that is 1 gb LARGER than the initial full backup. For crying out loud, is this software so truly stupid that it has to create an "incremental" backup that is LARGER than the initial full backup?
Along with the problem that I can't create my own bootable rescue disk, nor understand any of the "documentation" concerning the Plus Pack, I'm terribly disappointed and irritated at this software.
Anybody know what the problem is with this stuff. Jeez...
MudCrab,
Thanks for replying. Here's the answers to your questions:
Backup Sizes:
- Initial Full Backup: 21.5 GB
- Incremental Backup (after 2 days): 1.133 GB
- Next "incremental" Backup (after 2 days): 22.5 GB
- No defrag since first backup
- No restore points created since first backup
- No Windows updates installed since first backup, only one program installed.
OS: XP SP3
Interestingly, Norton Ghost didn't do such stupidity as ATI Home 2010 has.
In Windows 7, I usually reach around 1GB of changes in 3-4 days. That's just normal running, not installing anything.
Are you sure the last Incremental backup is not a Full backup? Can you copy it somewhere else and access it independently from the original Full? The size really looks like it's the previous two (Full+Inc).
"Are you sure the last Incremental backup is not a Full backup? Can you copy it somewhere else and access it independently from the original Full? The size really looks like it's the previous two (Full+Inc)."
Yes, I know it looks like a full + additional software. But what's so exasperating is the backup is defined as incremental, so why would it be producing a full backup is the question (if that's what it is)? I'm very unconfident this software is dependable.
Did you edit the task between the two Incremental backups? There have been cases where editing the task "resets" it to start over. That may be what happened here.
You might have found it. I did edit it to "if missed, run the task when the device is attached..."
But that seems like a flimsy excuse for it to do a complete start over of the task. If that's the case, somebody's done a bad job of writing this software.
I'll not edit this task whatsoever and wait for a couple of "incremental" backups to see if they are indeed "incremental." Don't want to go to the tedium of copying to see if it can be independently accessed right now.
Thanks again.
Feel my pain. Acronis is fked to put it basically. I loved this program back in Version 10, it's gone downhill since.
Why? Well last build was a big bug that would screw up differential backups. You'd do one full backup, diff backups would run fine for a few days then suddenly overwrite the fullback. Was suppose to be fixed in the new build. It's fing not and I'm mega annoyed. Full backup done on Monday and differential backup suppose to be done Tues-Thurs. Tues diff backup as decided to delete the full backup and start again.
FFS!
Now looking elsewhere for a backup solution that actually fing works. What a waste of money this pile of crap is.
I have exactly the same problem. For the last two years or so I always did a manual full backup with Acronis. I now have Acronis Home 2010 and after a recent issue on my windows XP desktop, I decided I should start using the incremental backup option. After all I've paid for it.
However after it took an initial full backup of 54 GB, the first incremental backup just one day later was over 40 GB. I only wrote a couple of documents and received a few e-mails, and browsed the internet.
It is really not worth he effort trying to discover what may be wrong, so I too will be looking for a backup solution that actually works now.
It would be quite nice if someone from Acronis would acknowledge there is a problem and a fix is being looked into.
What is especially irritating is that people buy this software to avoid a problem in the future, e.g. HD or complete machine failures. What they end up receiving, because the software is faulty and impotent, is a problem in the PRESENT along with no solution to the possible problem in the future, and a lot of wasted time and frustration.
Hello all,
MudCrab, thanks for your help.
Lid and Iam Somebody, please note that an incremental or differential backup created after the disk is defragmented will be considerably larger than usual. This is because the defragmentation program changes file locations on the disk, and backups reflect these changes. And in Windows 7 defragmentation is enabled by default. Please have a look at this article to find the information on how to turn the defragmenter off.
If the issue still persists, please gather AcronisInfo and submit a request to support.
We are looking forward to hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.
Thank you.
My ATI 2010 software cannot produce incremental backups correctly when the first base full backup archive is stored on a USB Hard Drive. Any subsequent backups based on this first backup produce a full backup. This happens only when the archives are stored on an external USB drive, NOT on an internal SATA connected Drive.
Please advise.
Aloysius
My ATI 2010 software cannot produce incremental backups correctly when the first base full backup archive is stored on a USB Hard Drive. Any subsequent backups based on this first backup produce a full backup. This happens only when the archives are stored on an external USB drive, NOT on an internal SATA connected Drive.
Please advise.
Aloysius
Hello,
I've not managed to acheive an Incremental Backup of my System 'C' drive. I can perform incremental backups of 'My Documents or my Email but not the all important 'C' drive.
Hello Aloysius and Ian!
Thank you for your comments! I understand your concern, and will be glad to assist you!
There can be many reasons for the problem, all of them are described (alongside with solutions) here. Please follow the instructions and see whether the issue remains.
Aloysius, your issue can also be related to the fault connectivity between the machine and the USB drive. We would also advise you to try inserting the USB drive to another port.
Should you need anything else or have any further questions - feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience, we will be happy to help you!
Thank you!
Hi all,
is it true that if you change settings of an incremental backup job (for example the time to start the job) that the system performs a new full backup ??
Yes, that's what I've found anyway.
Hello,
I have found this happening with my incremental backups as well. The total amount of data that should be backing up is about 75 gb. When I total all of my incremental files - along with the original backup it is over 100 gb. I am using an automated defragmenting program called Diskeeper. This program will defrag the system when needed and also keeps defragging when the system is idle. Will this affect my incremental backups? I am also using Windows 7 Pro. Would it be better for me to just perform full backups everytime and override the existing backup?
Regards,
Rob
Robert,
Yes, for disk and partition backups, defragmentation software will update many blocks on the disks. All the changed blocks will be backed up by ATI. So the incremental backup size will be bigger than just the actual file changes.
One thing that you should try is to schedule your defragmentation with the windows scheduler prior to a new full backup.
Hi,
I'm trying to use ATi to back up a non bootable Raid Sata drive on Xp3 Pro.
I did a two full backups, dividing the drive data in half.
I did not do a defrag and except for editing some jpg files and moving of some folders to a USB drive by LightRoom 3.3 there was little activity in my Raid file system. However, my next two corresponding incrementals were as large as the full backups. I'm storing the backups on an internal pata data drive. I'll run some tests by repeating the incremental immediately after one another and also after a few days. I'll keep careful notes as to system usage. I'm using a file system backup with scheduling turned off. I'm manually selecting the files to be backed up.
I would like to use ATI. I don't want to start over learning a new backup system.
The photos were on only one of the full backups and corresponding incrementals.
There is no point In continually backing up photos I'M continually editing, until iI am finished with each project. Lightroom does that for me by copying its data base. Again Lightrooms activity was on only one of the two backups. The only activity on the other backup was one small Excel data file.
Perhaps, a sector determinate incremental will not work for me.
Howie
Hi Robert,
Looks like we are all alone here in this forum. Check the dates.
Howie