backups taking up more disk space than i have
When I installed and configured Trume Image Home, I did a fair amount of reading, but it appears I misunderstood, because my backups now take up more space than the partition I am backing up.
The entire C drive, which is what I want backed up, is 163 GB, but the folder containing my backups is 397 GB. I suspect I choose the wrong type of backup.
I need True Image Home to make sure I always have a complete image of my most recent C drive image, so that if the disk ever crashes I'll be able to reimage it and boot up my machine the way it always did. (If there was a way to save the image from one week earlier, without taking too much space, that would be great, too.)
I suspect I've got the program configured to save snapshots of the image at many different times, and that's why my backups are taking up so much space.
Would someone please tell me what settings I need to have to fix this?
What version and build of TI do you have? See http://kb.acronis.com/content/13425 for some hints for TI 2011. Other versions are similar but not exactly the same.
Sorry, I should have said up front that I'm using True Image Home 2011 and am doing a disk partition backup because I want to make sure that I always have a reimage my C drive that I can boot off of in case my current drive goes bad.
I set all of this up a few months ago and didn't do a good job of documenting what I was doing. I just always want to know that I have an image that I can boot off of. I don't need multiple snapshots. Two would probably suffice.
I'm including three screenshots, including one that shows the place on my M: drive that's consuming the 397 GB of backup files.
Any thoughts?
OK. Easy to fix.
You have a backup running with the default setting (version chain will run every week on Monday and Sunday). We can change this to a custom scheme.
- first, validate the partition_backup_C(3)6 file. To do this, right click on the file, choose Archive -> validate. If the validation works, continue:
- copy (not move) your last valid backup chained files (eg Partition_backup_C(3) and following) to another directory for safe keeping.
- from within ATI, delete (not remove) all your backups
Now, we are going to set up a new backup
- Click on disk and partition backup to start setting up a new backup,
- In the upper right corner, click on Disk mode,
- Select the disk that contains C:\,
- Click on destination if you want to change it and/or if you want to change the name of the task. Scroll down to choose "Browse". Open the folder you want to store you backup into. Type the task name. Do not use the time stamps, do not use brackets or numbers a the end of the task name. Close that window.
- Click on Version Chain. In the drop down box, choose Custom Scheme.
- Choose Incremental,
- Choose do a full backup after 4 incrementals,
- Click on Auto-cleaning,
- Select keep only 1 recent version chain,
- Go to the advanced tab,
- Click on validation. Click on the blue schedule link. In the advanced settings of the schedule window, uncheck all boxes. Click on "do not schedule" to close this window. Check "validate after backup"
- Go back to the backup scheme tab,
- Click OK. You a now back to the main backup settings window.
- Click on Turn on the schedule. Choose weekly, select one day of the week and one time of the day. IN the advanced settings, uncheck all options.
- Click OK to close the schedule window. You are now back to the main backup settings window.
- Click on backup now.
Many thanks for the detailed reply and sorry it has taken me so long to respond.
When I followed your instructions for validating partition_backup_C(3)6.tib, it took about 15 minutes, but I got a message saying the operation was successful. I'm assuming that means the validation was successful.
Assuming it was, I understand you to be saying I should copy the following files and move them to a separate folder:
partition_backup_C(3).tib
partition_backup_C(3)2.tib
partition_backup_C(3)3.tib
partition_backup_C(3)4.tib
partition_backup_C(3)5.tib
partition_backup_C(3)6.tib
I also understand you to be saying I should then Open ATI and delete *all* backups.
Am I right so far?
Yes.
As a safety measure, re-validate the copy of the TIB files you have copied (the last file).
Then, Open ATI and delete all backups: you have redundant backups.
Now, we are going to set up a new backup
- Click on disk and partition backup to start setting up a new backup,
- In the upper right corner, click on Disk mode,
- Select the disk that contains C:\,
What Pat has proposed is an important improvement to your current partition backup procedure. His suggested backup is more inclusive to your needs to be able to duplicate to a new disk should you have a need/desire. His suggested disk option backup will enable TI to include the "disk signature" and this can be very important for some depending upon the software installed on your computer. Restoring the "disk signature" can help to avoid "activation" issues under most situations.
According to your attachments, you appear to be using XP which has fewer partitions and maybe only one in most situations so choosing the disk as what is be included in the backup will add very little to the size of the backup. For my own use, (my XP-Pro has 3 partitions) all my backups are of the "disk" type because I want to be certain that my backups include everything (3 partitions) I need (in one file) should I want to create a new disk.
My comments should not imply that my comments are the only way but having a disk option backup just makes recovery to a new disk so much easier and usually with fewer problems. So, I wanted to re-affirm Pat's comments about the importance of checkmarking the disk so your entire disk contents are included in the backup file.
Note: The "Recover Disk Signature" restore option is located on the same screen where the "target" disk is selected.
Ok, I followed Pat's instructions to a T, with the only modification being the task name. Rather than use the long series of letters denoting the hard drive (e.g. WDC W5000AACS-XXXX) I changed it to C Partition, so I'd remember in the future what it is.
The name of the backup file now reads C_Partition C Partition.tib. Does this look OK?
Also, can anyone check the pics I'm attaching to make sure everything looks alright?
Thanks for all your help.
Is that OK?
You are in good shape.
For some reason the name of your file is weird. This is just a cosmetic issue.
If you want to change it, you can:
- under operations, choose edit backup settings,
- click on the destination, choose browse,
- using the left panel, navigate to your desired destination until you have opened your target directory,
- then type file name C_Partition
- click OK, then save
Your next step is to create a bootable CD or USB flash drive. When done, boot your computer on it, get familiar with ATI as it kicks in, make sure you can navigate to your backup by kicking off a restore. You will see the drive letters are different than in Windows. DOn't let that throw you off. Everything will be normal in windows when you reboot. Don't look at the drive letter. Look at the labels of your disks.
When you see your backup, right click on it and validate it.
Once the validation is done, continue the restore process. At the very last step, just don't proceed!
You are now protected.
Thanks for all your help. I'm still not exactly sure what I should do to fix the weird file name.
Is there any chance the weird file name is related to my use of the Add task name when I configured this task?
That's it. Don't add anything.