Incremental backups = full hard disk drive (sooner or later)

[douglasl]

It seems to me that Vista's built-in backup supports only 1 model: a full
backup the 1st time, and incremental backups forever thereafter. Since I back
up to an external hard drive, this is eventually going to leave me no option
but to delete all my backups and start over from scratch.

1. Am I missing something in Vista's built-in backup?

2. Acronis True Image Home seems to be the most recommended 3rd-party
option. Any objections? Their Web site implies support only for 32-bit Vista
(by mentioning 64-bit XP explicitly, but NOT 64-bit Vista). Does it support
64-bit?

Thanks for your input! -Doug

 

[Richard in AZ]

It seems to me that Vista's built-in backup supports only 1 model: a full
backup the 1st time, and incremental backups forever thereafter. Since I back
up to an external hard drive, this is eventually going to leave me no option
but to delete all my backups and start over from scratch.

1. Am I missing something in Vista's built-in backup?

2. Acronis True Image Home seems to be the most recommended 3rd-party
option. Any objections? Their Web site implies support only for 32-bit Vista
(by mentioning 64-bit XP explicitly, but NOT 64-bit Vista). Does it support
64-bit?

Thanks for your input! -Doug

What was the backup technique you were expecting?
Almost all backup software are designed for a full, followed by incremental backups.
that way you only backup the second, third, etc. the files that changed.
Except for compressing the files to save space, I don't see your problem.
Maybe you did not explain it correctly.

Remember, you really hope you never need your backup.

 

[Paul Montgomery]

2. Acronis True Image Home seems to be the most recommended 3rd-party
option. Any objections? Their Web site implies support only for 32-bit Vista
(by mentioning 64-bit XP explicitly, but NOT 64-bit Vista). Does it support
64-bit?

"Implies support only for 32-bit Vista"?

The website says "Windows Vista" and no restrictions are listed - in
my view that "implies" ALL editions of Vista.

The user manual (available from the website) clearly states:

1.3.2 Supported operating systems
• Windows® 2000 Professional SP 4
• Windows XP SP 2
• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
• Windows Vista (all editions)

 

[Don]

It seems to me that Vista's built-in backup supports only 1 model: a full
backup the 1st time, and incremental backups forever thereafter. Since I
back
up to an external hard drive, this is eventually going to leave me no
option
but to delete all my backups and start over from scratch.

1. Am I missing something in Vista's built-in backup?

2. Acronis True Image Home seems to be the most recommended 3rd-party
option. Any objections? Their Web site implies support only for 32-bit
Vista
(by mentioning 64-bit XP explicitly, but NOT 64-bit Vista). Does it
support
64-bit?

Thanks for your input! -Doug

It runs just fine, in 64 bit Vista for me.

 

[Peter]

If you want more control over your backup routines i recommend trying Cobian
Backup

http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm

 

[RSudds]

But it doesn't seem truely incremental. Right now Vista is happily backing
my daughters pictures (who went to college a month ago and hasn't touched any
of the files since the last backup). Why does the third "incremental" backup
take 14 DVDs (and about 15 hours, unless you sit and watch) just like the
first backup?

 

[Richard in AZ]

I prefer a 3rd party backup program and cannot discuss the built-in Vista backup software, but if you are not getting a 14 DVD backup, then you are not getting a true incremental backup and most likely are not running the program correctly. Even a "Full Backup" should not take 14 DVDs,

 

[RSudds]

I selected shadow backup for changes since my last backup, it looks a all the
files and then has started backing up files I know haven't changed (unless
Picassa changes pictures by looking at them in the viewer). What is the 3rd
party program you use?

 

[Richard in AZ]

Answer at the bottom

I selected shadow backup for changes since my last backup, it looks a all the
files and then has started backing up files I know haven't changed (unless
Picassa changes pictures by looking at them in the viewer). What is the 3rd
party program you use?

I happened to pick Genie Backup Manager
But any of the following are good.
Genie Backup Manager www.genie-soft.com
Acronis True Image www.acronis.com
Norton Ghost www.Symantec.com
Shadow Back www.warmandfuzzylogic.com
Easy Backup 3 www.ajsystems.com
Nova BACKUP www.novator.com
Win Backup www.liutilities.com