Time to backup

Compare the byte size of each file. Perhaps the first was a full backup and this morning's backup was an incremental or differential backup.

Another possibility to check would be to look at the task and re-examine the validation settiing.
You may have it checked to have validation done each time (which is the norm), plus you may also have a monthly or weekly set which can be confusing. I have the monlthly or weekly turned off and the just let the validation occcur at backup time.

The reason for this weekly or monthly settiing might be to allow the validation to be bypassed at backup time and then have validation occur at a later time such as weekly or monthly--but I am guessing.

The byte size for both is approx. 23GB.Both are image backups. Both from the same definition. No incrementals. Monthly validation turned off for both. They each are validated when run. Did I say that they are run by the same definition?

Are the images a similar size? I've never been able to backup over 20GB in less than an hour.

According to my previous posts the images are almost the exact size. They are approx. 23-24 GB. I suppose the difference between your backup time and mine might be the speed of the processor and how many other apps might be running.

Ah, so I see!

If I run from ASRM or boot disk (so not even Windows is running) with normal compression and no encryption there is little difference in the time it takes in Windows. Processor speed won't make much difference, data transer rates will but not that much for 24GB or so.

Try the same backup using ASRM or boot cd and time that.

What is ASRM?

A google search gives me "American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery".

Lol, Acronis Startup Recovery Manager - when activated, allows you to boot into Acronis at system startup by pressing F11, rather than using the boot cd.

Took only 27 minutes this morning.

Are the backups being saved to a local drive or to a network share? I've seen networks do what you describe -- drop speed and then be normal the next time.

On a newer computer with fast "normal" drives, 3-4GB/min. is possible. 2.5 hours seems really long for 24GB, even on an older computer.

The backups are created on an extra internal HD. Always the same place. The drive is a WDC WD3200AAKS-22B3A0 ATA Device. SATA 3 Gb/s

It appears I need to update my speed estimations - the fastest I get using a new seagate external HDD is 1.4GB/m doing a straight uncompressed system backup. Normal compression halves that speed and approx half as much again for high comp.

My motherboard and processor are eight years old but everything else is fairly new.

So I agree, 2.5 hours was abnormal but I can't think why!

I think the long time may have something to do with the computer being asleep when the backup starts or going to sleep during the operation. Will do a few experiments to determine.
Bill

Ok, here's the experiment results.
I set the TI schedule to start in 5 minutes and then put the computer to sleep.
15 minutes later I woke the computer up. Taskbar icon showed backup at 15%.
Log showed that backup started as scheduled. It did not start until I woke the computer.
Also the log showed a bunch of entries culminating in "lock the partition". Time was same as first log entry.
Left the backup running until computer went back to sleep. About 10 minutes.
Woke the computer again. Backup started again. Ran until finished. Actual backup time while computer was awake was about
25 minutes. Counting the time it was in sleep mode about 1.5 hours.
Clearly the computer going in and out of sleep mode effects the backup prosecution.
The check mark in schedule....advanced.... "wake up the computer from sleep/hibernate mode" is also ineffective.

At this point I think I might use the Windows 7 scheduler because I know it will wake the computer.
However,. I will need a batch file to run the Acronis TI 2011 backup.
I will also need to know how to keep the computer awake during the backup.

I'm really disappointed in the Acronis Scheduler.

Bill

This morning I woke the computer at 8AM. The task that was scheduled for 7Am started. I was at the computer for a while, so it stayed awake, and the task finished in 23 Minutes.
I created a batch file as follows:
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\TrueImageHomeNotify.exe" /script:"B51F15D1-4534-4FD2-85FF-F4202EA16825" /uuid:"B51F15D1-4534-4FD2-85FF-F4202EA16825"

Started the batch file and the task started. Went to breakfast and the computer went to sleep during that time. Woke the computer after breakfast and the task started again. Total time was 65 minutes. Task time was 25 minutes.

I then created a schedule using the W7 scheduler and placed the task batch file in it, scheduled for 2 AM daily.
We'll see if the computer wakes up and stays awake during the task.

Conclusions:
Using the Acronis Scheduler, the computer will NOT awaken in spite of the "wake up" box being checked.
The running task will NOT keep the computer awake if it is due to sleep according to the W7 power plan.

The TI Help under Schedule....Advanced Settings... Wake the Computer is incorrect. Does Acronis know this and what are they doing about it?

Bill