Windows backup ?

[Emrys Davies]

I have Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit and WLM (2009).

I have been using Windows Backup (Let Windows Choose) to a DVD-R (1-16X
Speed Recordable) and for the first few weeks I was asked for the initial
DVD disk and an incremental backup was performed on it. Now I am being
asked for a new DVD disk and a full backup is being carried out on it.
Would someone explain the reasons for this procedure?

 

[Char Jackson]

I have Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit and WLM (2009).

I have been using Windows Backup (Let Windows Choose) to a DVD-R (1-16X
Speed Recordable) and for the first few weeks I was asked for the initial
DVD disk and an incremental backup was performed on it. Now I am being
asked for a new DVD disk and a full backup is being carried out on it.
Would someone explain the reasons for this procedure?

I don't use Windows Backup, but if it's anything like Acronis True
Image, it has a limit to how long the incremental chain of backups is
allowed to grow. When that limit is reached, it's time to do another
full backup and start a new chain. In other words, what you're
describing sounds both normal and desirable.

 

[Emrys Davies]

I don't use Windows Backup, but if it's anything like Acronis True
Image, it has a limit to how long the incremental chain of backups is
allowed to grow. When that limit is reached, it's time to do another
full backup and start a new chain. In other words, what you're
describing sounds both normal and desirable.

Would it start a new chain even if there was ample room on the disk and
there was hardly any change from the previous backup.

 

[Ken Blake]

I don't use Windows Backup, but if it's anything like Acronis True
Image, it has a limit to how long the incremental chain of backups is
allowed to grow. When that limit is reached, it's time to do another
full backup and start a new chain. In other words, what you're
describing sounds both normal and desirable.

Personally, I don't like using incremental backup and recommend
against it. That's for two reasons:

1. Incremental backups backs up new files and changed files. But what
it doesn't do is be aware of deleted files. That may not always be
significant, but there are situations in which it can be important
(for example, getting rid of malware).

2. If one of the links in the chain is lost or damaged, later links
are NG.

 

[Char Jackson]

Would it start a new chain even if there was ample room on the disk and
there was hardly any change from the previous backup.

The criteria for starting a new chain is likely the number of
incremental backups made since the start of the current chain, or
possibly the amount of elapsed time since the start of the current
chain. It likely has nothing to do with available disk space.

BTW, see Ken's post in this thread. I agree with him regarding the
potential shortcomings of incremental backups. Personally, I have
enough disk space available to allow me to always make full backups
every time. Each full backup is completely standalone and doesn't
require the presence and integrity of other files. It's peace of mind
at the cost of additional disk space, but like I said, I have the disk
space so it's all good.

 

[Emrys Davies]

Personally, I don't like using incremental backup and recommend
against it. That's for two reasons:

1. Incremental backups backs up new files and changed files. But what
it doesn't do is be aware of deleted files. That may not always be
significant, but there are situations in which it can be important
(for example, getting rid of malware).

2. If one of the links in the chain is lost or damaged, later links
are NG.

I find both of your replies most helpful as I am quite new to all of this.
Thanks a lot. One more question, if I may, and that is this: I think that
it is possible to format (I know how), maybe reformat, a DVD-R. If that is
so, is it practical for me to reuse such a disk for backup or other
purposes.

 

[Ken Blake]

I find both of your replies most helpful as I am quite new to all of this.
Thanks a lot.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

One more question, if I may, and that is this: I think that
it is possible to format (I know how), maybe reformat, a DVD-R. If that is
so, is it practical for me to reuse such a disk for backup or other
purposes.

I'm not sure, but as far as I know, you can not reformat DVD-Rs. And I
wouldn't use rewritable CDs for backup. Yes, they work, but they
aren't as reliable as plain CDS/DVDs.

I recommend using an external hard drive for backup.

 

[Flint]

I don't use Windows Backup, but if it's anything like Acronis True
Image, it has a limit to how long the incremental chain of backups is
allowed to grow. When that limit is reached, it's time to do another
full backup and start a new chain. In other words, what you're
describing sounds both normal and desirable.

I have used Acronis products for a few years now myself, including
Acronis True Image. I switched to it from Norton Ghost. There is,
however, a free backup program that is nearly as functional as Acronis
TI, aand in fact looks and feels a lot like Acronis TI in the way its
laid out and operates.

Check out EaseUS ToDo Backup 2.0 @ http://www.easeus.com

 

[Flint]

I don't use Windows Backup, but if it's anything like Acronis True
Image, it has a limit to how long the incremental chain of backups is
allowed to grow. When that limit is reached, it's time to do another
full backup and start a new chain. In other words, what you're
describing sounds both normal and desirable.

Windows Backup, like Windows 'volume shrink', is a half brain dead
implementation. This can also be compounded by Windows' "dynamic disk
hell", or I should say dynamic disk hell can compound headaches using
any other backup software if your system's disk(s) are of the dynamic
disk type as opposed to being a basic disk. For example: Acronis True
Image 2011 requires an additional software module
in order to convert dynamic disks to basic disks.

I recently discovered a program that does this real well (and looks
virtually identical to Acronis Disk Director) called Partition Wizard
(Professional version - $29.95). Its a pay program, but I found it
very useful for disk management as well as easily converting dynamic
disks to basic disks. http://www.minitool.ca/index.html

Between Partition Wizard Professional and the free EaseUS ToDo Backup
software, its just as good (but less expensive than) Acronis True
Image plus Acronis Disk Director (Disk Director is $49.95 by itself,
not including True Image).