Complete Backup Operation

G

Guest

I used Windows Complete Backup to restore my computer to an earlier date.
After makiing many changes I decided to do a new complete backup. I noticed
that the projected backup size was much smaller than before, because only
changes would have to be backed up. Thinking it would be better to have a
complete backup in one place, I deleted the prior backup file. Yet the new
backup was still the reduced size.

I'm afraid Vista thinks that earlier backup is still there and now I've got
an incomplete backup. How can I get the Complete Backup Utility to reset and
do a full backup?

(I'm new to this forum and the Edit My Profile button keeps returning an
error message.)
 
J

Jill Zoeller [MSFT]

Out of curiosity, how did you delete the prior backup file? Complete PC
Backup always stores the most recent full backup as a.vhd file. The
subsequent Complete PC backups are just the changes stored as shadow copies.
So, your .vhd file should be a full backup.
 
G

Guest

I backed up to a USB external drive. The file was called "Windows Image.."
or something like that with a date. I simply deleted the file. I had to
confirm my choice a couple times, I think. But the file disappeared and the
free space on my external drive increased dramatically. Then the new Complete
Backup required a lot less space than the one I deleted. So I'm pretty sure
it's gone.

How can I confirm that my .vhd file is a complete backup? Based on the
dramatic decrease in space required, I doubt that everything is included.

Back to my original question, how can I reset to do a backup that I know
will include everything?

By the way, I have four partitions and only C and D are included. Every time
I tried to include either or both of the other partitions, the backup failed.
 
M

Michal Kawecki

Delete WindowsImageBackup folder with all files inside.

P.S. You can run CompleteBackup from more flexible command line tool
wbadmin.exe.
 
G

Guest

I did delete the folder. But my next backup was only half the size of the
first. The wording I saw during the backup operation implied this was
because I had done an earlier backup and only files with differences would be
saved this time.

Is there a description of command line instructions for this process?

Thanks.

Michal Kawecki said:
Delete WindowsImageBackup folder with all files inside.

P.S. You can run CompleteBackup from more flexible command line tool
wbadmin.exe.
--
Michal Kawecki [Windows - Shell/User MVP]
Warsaw, PL

Digitome said:
I backed up to a USB external drive. The file was called "Windows
Image.."
or something like that with a date. I simply deleted the file. I had
to
confirm my choice a couple times, I think. But the file disappeared
and the
free space on my external drive increased dramatically. Then the new
Complete
Backup required a lot less space than the one I deleted. So I'm pretty
sure
it's gone.

How can I confirm that my .vhd file is a complete backup? Based on the
dramatic decrease in space required, I doubt that everything is
included.

Back to my original question, how can I reset to do a backup that I
know
will include everything?

By the way, I have four partitions and only C and D are included.
Every time
I tried to include either or both of the other partitions, the backup
failed.
 
M

Michal Kawecki

I have runned twice a full backup with wbadmin tool. After first backup
I've removed WindowsImageBackup folder. The second backup size was
exactly same as the first.

You can list available commands with wbadmin /? (in cmd.exe command line
window). Or you can study it here:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...d21f-4861-84bb-b2eadbf1e7b81033.mspx?mfr=true
--
Michal Kawecki [Windows - Shell/User MVP]
Warsaw, PL

Digitome said:
I did delete the folder. But my next backup was only half the size of
the
first. The wording I saw during the backup operation implied this was
because I had done an earlier backup and only files with differences
would be
saved this time.

Is there a description of command line instructions for this process?

Thanks.

Michal Kawecki said:
Delete WindowsImageBackup folder with all files inside.

P.S. You can run CompleteBackup from more flexible command line tool
wbadmin.exe.
--
Michal Kawecki [Windows - Shell/User MVP]
Warsaw, PL

Digitome said:
I backed up to a USB external drive. The file was called "Windows
Image.."
or something like that with a date. I simply deleted the file. I
had
to
confirm my choice a couple times, I think. But the file disappeared
and the
free space on my external drive increased dramatically. Then the
new
Complete
Backup required a lot less space than the one I deleted. So I'm
pretty
sure
it's gone.

How can I confirm that my .vhd file is a complete backup? Based on
the
dramatic decrease in space required, I doubt that everything is
included.

Back to my original question, how can I reset to do a backup that I
know
will include everything?

By the way, I have four partitions and only C and D are included.
Every time
I tried to include either or both of the other partitions, the
backup
failed.

:

Out of curiosity, how did you delete the prior backup file?
Complete
PC
Backup always stores the most recent full backup as a.vhd file.
The
subsequent Complete PC backups are just the changes stored as
shadow
copies.
So, your .vhd file should be a full backup.

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no
rights.

Want to learn more about Windows file and storage technologies?
Visit
our
team blog at http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/default.aspx.


I used Windows Complete Backup to restore my computer to an
earlier
date.
After makiing many changes I decided to do a new complete
backup. I
noticed
that the projected backup size was much smaller than before,
because only
changes would have to be backed up. Thinking it would be better
to
have a
complete backup in one place, I deleted the prior backup file.
Yet
the new
backup was still the reduced size.

I'm afraid Vista thinks that earlier backup is still there and
now
I've
got
an incomplete backup. How can I get the Complete Backup Utility
to
reset
and
do a full backup?

(I'm new to this forum and the Edit My Profile button keeps
returning an
error message.)
 
G

Guest

Thanks. I will look into that.

Today I also started a free trial of Acronis True Image 10.0. It appears to
work fine with a ton more options than the Windows product.

Michal Kawecki said:
I have runned twice a full backup with wbadmin tool. After first backup
I've removed WindowsImageBackup folder. The second backup size was
exactly same as the first.

You can list available commands with wbadmin /? (in cmd.exe command line
window). Or you can study it here:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...d21f-4861-84bb-b2eadbf1e7b81033.mspx?mfr=true
--
Michal Kawecki [Windows - Shell/User MVP]
Warsaw, PL

Digitome said:
I did delete the folder. But my next backup was only half the size of
the
first. The wording I saw during the backup operation implied this was
because I had done an earlier backup and only files with differences
would be
saved this time.

Is there a description of command line instructions for this process?

Thanks.

Michal Kawecki said:
Delete WindowsImageBackup folder with all files inside.

P.S. You can run CompleteBackup from more flexible command line tool
wbadmin.exe.
--
Michal Kawecki [Windows - Shell/User MVP]
Warsaw, PL

I backed up to a USB external drive. The file was called "Windows
Image.."
or something like that with a date. I simply deleted the file. I
had
to
confirm my choice a couple times, I think. But the file disappeared
and the
free space on my external drive increased dramatically. Then the
new
Complete
Backup required a lot less space than the one I deleted. So I'm
pretty
sure
it's gone.

How can I confirm that my .vhd file is a complete backup? Based on
the
dramatic decrease in space required, I doubt that everything is
included.

Back to my original question, how can I reset to do a backup that I
know
will include everything?

By the way, I have four partitions and only C and D are included.
Every time
I tried to include either or both of the other partitions, the
backup
failed.

:

Out of curiosity, how did you delete the prior backup file?
Complete
PC
Backup always stores the most recent full backup as a.vhd file.
The
subsequent Complete PC backups are just the changes stored as
shadow
copies.
So, your .vhd file should be a full backup.

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no
rights.

Want to learn more about Windows file and storage technologies?
Visit
our
team blog at http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/default.aspx.


I used Windows Complete Backup to restore my computer to an
earlier
date.
After makiing many changes I decided to do a new complete
backup. I
noticed
that the projected backup size was much smaller than before,
because only
changes would have to be backed up. Thinking it would be better
to
have a
complete backup in one place, I deleted the prior backup file.
Yet
the new
backup was still the reduced size.

I'm afraid Vista thinks that earlier backup is still there and
now
I've
got
an incomplete backup. How can I get the Complete Backup Utility
to
reset
and
do a full backup?

(I'm new to this forum and the Edit My Profile button keeps
returning an
error message.)
 

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