Exclude files from a full image backup
Does anyone know if it's possible to do a full image backup, but excluding certain folders (e.g. My Documents). The reason I ask is that I always back up any files I add or change in My Documents by copying them to my external hard drive as soon as I change those files. That way, I've always got the very latest backup of my own data files.
Whenever I do a full image backup, I first delete all the files in My Documents on the C drive before taking the image backup. After the backup, I then restore those files back to the C drive. This minimises the size of the image backup file and also the time taken to do the backup.
If it were possible to exclude selected folders/files from a full image backup, then I wouldn't have to restore my data files after every image backup - I have a lot of data files and it takes a long time to copy them back from the external hard drive.
Hope this makes sense!
No, I believe you cannot do this. A full image backup is just that & copies on a by sector basis. You will either have to do a full backup or just select what you do want to back up.
Hope this helps!
Excluding folders and/or files...
When doing a full backup, it is possible to exclude ANY folder, or ANY type of file.
For example, excluding My Documents:
Acronis Disk Backup window -> 'Exclusions', click 'add' -> in File Exclusion window: tick 'Files matching the following criteria' -> 'Browse' to the location for your documents
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\Documents
(OR) \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts\My Documents
-> 'Add' -> 'OK'
other folders you might want to exclude from backup:
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings
Windows Vista & 7: \Users
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents\My Music
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\Music
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents\My Pictures
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\Pictures
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents\My Videos
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\Videos
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Application Data
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Cookies
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Desktop
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\Desktop
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Local
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\NetHood
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\PrintHood
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Recent
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\SendTo
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Start Menu
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Templates
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\Application Data
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Local
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\History
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users
Windows Vista & 7: \ProgramData
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
Windows Vista & 7: \ProgramData
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\Public\Desktop
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\Public\Documents
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\Public\Favorites
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
Windows Vista & 7: \ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates
Windows Vista & 7: \ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\Default User
Windows Vista & 7: \Users\Default
e-mail:
Windows XP: \Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{GUID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
Windows Vista: \Users\$USER$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail
Location for Windows Live Mail (any OS):
MenuBar > Tools > Options > Advanced > Maintenance > Store Folder
that doesn't seem to work here
anyone has an idea how i can exclude my ipad and iphone backup - thats a lot of gigs for nothing
they are in
c:\Users\Ruben\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\
This is on ti 2012
win7 enterprise 32 bit
tosbsas,
Have you tried listing the full path as the exclusion?
Listing the full path should cause the contents of this folder to be excluded.
c:\Users\Ruben\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\
Edit:
The above relates to a disk/partition backup.
If using a files and folders backup, one method reported working is the creation of a custom category and browsing to the path above and then using the add option. Once the you have the custom category created, you can then list the custom category to be excluded.
yes, it doesn't work (:-((
Tosbsas,
Are you typing in the path to exclude, or are you using the browse feature? Could you post a copy of the backup log that has the exclusion in it?
Attached is a log from a backup made today with a folder exclusion. It worked with no problem on my system.
Note my edit in post #5.
also, a picture of the exclusion screen may also help.
In addition to the questions by James,
Please confirm whether the backup is a disk/partition backup or a files and folder backup?
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/29625
The above link shows how to include special folders in the backup so the excluding should be just to list the custom category as the exclusion.