Can I manually move my backups from one drive to another?
I'm learning the ropes with True Image and have another basic question. In the past I've used Norton Ghost to backup, but I only ever took Full backups, I never got into playing with incrementals or differentials. What I would do would backup my C drive to another partition on my hard drive. Then I would manually copy the backups to an external hard drive. In order to conserve hard drive space, I would only keep one version of the backup on the hard drive, but I would keep the files on the external hard drive indefinitely. Because I was not using incrementals, this was a pretty clear cut method.
Will I be able to do the same kind of thing if I set up an incremental scheme with True Image? For instance, if I create a full backup, 6 incrementals, and then start a new backup set, can I manually move the first set off of the hard drive and onto my external, or will this screw up True Image's internal pointers somehow?
1. After the completion of the 6th inc (backup #7) chain is complete, you would need to use something other than Trueimage to copy the entire chain of 7 files onto the external disk into a storage folder as named such as "set1." Each subsequent week would be into its own folder continuing with set2 as the target for the 2nd week.
2. As for the Acronis backup task, my suggestion would be to set up a backup scheme as per this example
GH12. Create Custom Incremental Backup Scheme. 6 Inc, Keep 4 chains. The 6-4 is user choice.
except, change the example of keep 4 to your setting of keep 1 chain. When it comes time for the next full to be performed, the replacement full would be completed and then chain 1 of 7 files would be deleted. Your manual copy for storage must occur sometime after the 6th inc and prior to the creation of the next full.
Using my example, the deletion of the primary weekly backup would be performed by the program without any intervention by you. Your responsibility would be make sure the copy process occurs prior to the creation of each next new full.
I assume you set up the backup task to have validation occur automatically as part of each new backup.
It would be wise to occasionally boot into the TI Recovery CD and perform a validation of one of the extra storage folders to assure that the copy process does not result in a loss of bytes and a non-usable backup. If you needed to restore inc #6 on each chain, you need to have all 7 files available and readable and non-corrupt. If any full gets corrupt, then the other 6 inc are no-usable.
As a new user of TrueImage, you should review my signature link 2-A below to help offset some of the learning curve.
>> you would need to use something other than Trueimage to copy the entire chain of 7 files onto the external disk <<
Yes, I would just do a Cut/Paste using Windows Explorer.
>> Your manual copy for storage must occur sometime after the 6th inc and prior to the creation of the next full. <<
I understand what you're saying. I'm a little concerned that I might not get to this. I'm talking about a home computer without all of the checks and protocols of a business environment. I would rather have total control if I could. What if I chose NOT to "Turn on automatic cleanup?" I'm assuming that all of the backup files (full and incremental) would stay forever. Am I correct on this?
Thanks,
~Ken
Another option would be to not use a scheduled backup but create the task as a "non-scheduled" with all the same settings.
Backups would only occur when you click the "Back up now" option inside the single task.
The automatic cleanup would still be in effect but the creation of backups would be all manual and under your control.
Unfortunately, cut and paste is not good enough. Try using a copy program such as the free "Replicator" which can also be scheduled. This give a quality copy with logs.
Grover, your idea of a non-scheduled task is good. That may be the way that I go.
You raise a couple more questions for me. First, why would Cut and Paste not work? Second, let's say I follow through with my scenario. I create a backup set on a separate partition on my internal hard drive and then use some software to copy the files to an external hard drive. Now, let's say I get a head crash on my internal hard drive and have to install a new drive. How would TI find the files on the external drive? I haven't seen any doc about opening a backup in a location other than where the backup was originally created.
Thanks a lot for your help.
~Ken
Cut and paste works but the quality of the copy is lacking. You need a copy without errors and "cut and paste" would not be my choice if I were depending upon having to restore a copied backup.
All restores should be done from the TI Recovery Cd so it is a simple boot from the TI CD,
and browse to where the backups are stored. I assume you know where they are stored so it would be simply directling Acronis to the storage folder and selecting the backup to be restored.
You might want to review signature link #3 below.
Unfortunately, cut and paste is not good enough. Try using a copy program such as the free "Replicator" which can also be scheduled. This give a quality copy with logs.
Another option is simply to drag and drop in Windows Explorer, or more robustly using Windows-included Robocopy, but perform a checksum on the files before copy and after copy. I use Corz Checksum for that, as it's both free and excellent (though I made a donation to the author, since it's so good): http://corz.org/windows/software/checksum/
A pre-and post- checksum is the only 100% way to assure an exact file copy.
Please read the links Grover recommended. You're asking many random questions due to your inexperience with the program and lack of much reading/learning. True Image can protect your entire system from disaster, so it's worth learning about it.