How to delete backup files in Acronis Secure Zone

The only way to delete files in the ASZ is to use ATI:
- either using the explore all versions for a file backup, or explore and recover for a disk and partition backup. This will open what is called the backup explorer window. At the bottom of it, you will see squares representing versions. If you have the latest ATi build, you should be able to delete individual versions by right clicking on a square and choosing delete (note: that delete function did not work great in previous builds)

- or deleting the entire ASZ.

There is an option in the advanced backup settings to delete older backups when the ASZ is ful, but remember that ATI will always create make sure there is a full backup available before deleting an older chain. So adjust you chain settings and retention settings so that ATI has always space to create a full backup on top of what is already there.

Hello,

thank you for your answer: I can see the ASZ content.

regarding the fact that the ASZ was full, I am quite sur that the option to delete older backups was validated, but ATI failed to create a new backup because ASZ was full. I was using the chain version schematic (French translation!?)

Alain,

The automatic deletion is supposed to happen when not enough space is available, but is constrained but some "safety rules" by which ATI will never delete a backup chain without making sure there is a full backup available.
With the default Version Chain scheme, you might be in a situation where you have only one full backup with a bunch of differentials, and then ATI is trying to do a new differential or a new full and cannot complete it. With ATI's safety rules, there is nothing to delete.

You should try to create a new backup task using a custom backup scheme, where you set (a) the number of differential before a new full and (b) X, the number of most recent chains to keep, so that there is always enough space for X plus one full backup + some margin.

Thank you, Pat, I understand clearly.

Your answer is very useful.

Thanks again and have a good night (French hour).

Best regards.

In normal use the secure zone will automatically manage backup images on the FIFO basis. That is to say when free space runs out the oldest full backup image is deleted leaving room for the newly created image.
There is however a constraint that must be kept in mind. The zone must be large enough to contain at least two full drive images together with any increments or differentials.
The logic being that users should always have at least one complete backup image available after the oldest image has been removed and before a new image is written to the zone. This is to ensure that the user still has a viable backup even though the most recent backup might fail.
My own secure zone currently contains eight full HDD images. I have never bothered with increments or differential backups and their subsequent consolidations. these, from my point of view,are needless complications.

Hello xpilot,

thank you for your complementary and useful information.

Pat L wrote:

The only way to delete files in the ASZ is to use ATI:
- either using the explore all versions for a file backup, or explore and recover for a disk and partition backup. This will open what is called the backup explorer window. At the bottom of it, you will see squares representing versions. If you have the latest ATi build, you should be able to delete individual versions by right clicking on a square and choosing delete (note: that delete function did not work great in previous builds)

- or deleting the entire ASZ.

There is an option in the advanced backup settings to delete older backups when the ASZ is ful, but remember that ATI will always create make sure there is a full backup available before deleting an older chain. So adjust you chain settings and retention settings so that ATI has always space to create a full backup on top of what is already there.

I realize I am coming into this thread late. I am running the latest version of TI - where do I find "explore and recover for a disk partition backup" - or it's current equivalent?

Thanks
Dan

PS - why can't I quote only a piece of the prior message? When I delete part of it, the forum puts the full original quote back in, PLUS my small part.

PPS - actually, every time I use Preview, it sticks in another copy of the quote. Screwy,

Adding another comment just to get notified if I get a reply .... don't see any way to turn that on after the fact.

Daniel,

With 2012, you right click and task and select "explore and recover"

Well, that wasn't entirely clear, but I figured it out.

By now, I had deleted and recreated the secure zone, and started and canceled a backup - and apparently you can only access, or even see, "explore and recover" when there is a backup. I did that with the one backup I have run (non-Secure Zone - an external USB drive instead), and I can see the "explore and recover."

I am giving up on Secure Zone on this laptop - only one internal hard drive, and doing a disk to disk backup on the same drive makes the system completely unusable while the backup runs for hours. So I will stick with plugging in an external hard drive and backing up to that periodically.

Thanks.
Dan

Dan,

Makes sense. I am not a fan of the ASZ. Not flexible enough, installation dependencies, etc. A good redundant portable backup to replace the recovery partitions on these laptops, however, for on the go, convenient restore.

I guess I thought I needed to use ASZ if I wanted to use Recovery Manager, but I realize now that isn't true. I tested Recovery Manager, and it was able to access my external drive and backup. On the other hand, I'm not likely to have the external drive with me while traveling! But I am also unlikely to do things to damage my system while traveling ...

Also, I guess ASZ does have some space management features to allow automatic pruning of old backups - but, on another PC where I do that, I learned that it's hard to make sure there is enough space, and get that all to work ...

Anyway, I am about to embark on an upgrade from Vista to Win7, so it's nice to know I have a good backup/recovery tool in place.

Thanks
Dan

Right. You know the ASRM won't be working if your disk dies, so you really need to have a recovery CD/ flash drive for that day, and you need to have tested it...

On moving from Vista to Win7, the installer does a very good job with inplace upgrades, but I ended up doing a clean install anyway to rid the system of leftovers, ...

I burned *TWO* CD copies of the recovery software, and tested them as well. :-)

Dan