Vista Complete Backup - First Complete Backup

[Tim]

Does anyone know how to reset the Vista backup routine in order to force it
to do a fresh complete backup? My problem is detailed below...

I've used Complete PC Backup to backup / restore various new customer
installs. The way I understand it is that the first time it's run it backs
up ALL the data on the selected partition(s) to the backup media, then
subsequent backups are incremental and smaller in size.

I've just finished rebuilding a Vista machine and want to make a complete
(i.e. not incremental) backup of it. 52Gb of space has been used for data on
the C: drive, but when I attempt to make a complete backup it says that
previous backups have been detected and it will only backup the differences.
The backup file created is only 26Gb.

There are no other backups on the system as the backup device (ext USB2 HDD)
has been reformatted. I'm guessing that if I attempted to restore, the
routine would try to find a previous complete backup that no longer exists
and fail. The only way I can test it would be to attempt a restore which I
cannot risk.

There must be a hidden file somewhere that records previous backups. If I
can reset this I could make a full 52Gb backup.

Any advice would be greaty appreciated.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Not sure you are saying what you have done. You open "Backup Status and
Configuration", highlight "Complete PC Backup" and it doesn't tell you the
location of the last successful backup, and where it is?
There are setting available during a backup that let you set the interval
between "Complete" backups.

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Mark L. Ferguson
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[Tim]

Mark,

Thanks for your prompt reply and my apologies for taking so long to get back
to you.

I open "Backup Status and Configuration", select "Complete PC Backup",
select the external USB HDD as backup media, then the system says that a
previous backup exists and "only the differences will be saved".

The problem is that there is no previous backup (as the exernal USB HDD has
been reformatted). I want everything on the C: partition to be backed up not
just "the differences".

You say that "There are setting available during a backup that let you set
the interval between Complete backups", but I don't see any options. It
just launches straight into the backup and creates a backup directory of 26Gb
(clearly not a complete backup as 52Gb of space is used on the C: drive.

I need to make a genuine "complete" backup.

I'm using Vista Business.

Thanks again,
Tim

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

I think your problem is centered around the 'write caching' setting for this
removable drive. (Disk Properties, Policies tab.) I would suspect this is
set to use write caching to speed the drive, and the drive was removed
without using the "Safely Remove hardware" icon in the Notifications area.

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[Tim]

In "Properties" - "Policies" - "Write Caching and Removal", the option
selected is "Optomize for quick removal" which apparently disables write
caching on the disk.

I suspect the only way to get to the bottom of this will be to get hold of
another disk and attempt a restore. I'll update the post with the results as
soon as I can get hold of another disk.

Thanks for taking the time to advise.

Tim

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

I'm out of suggestions. My only thought at this point is a wild hack,
changing the date after disabling the online time setting. Move the date to
the day more than 30 days from the last new backup, make a backup, Of
course, if you restored, you would have to move the BIOS time up while
restoring, but I think that might workaround this blank drive problem. I
really don't know how a restored system would work with a date conflict like
that. ( but a total system backup DOES let you pick partial data out of it.)

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[bp]

Mark,

Thanks for your prompt reply and my apologies for taking so long to get back
to you.

I open "Backup Status and Configuration", select "Complete PC Backup",
select the external USB HDD as backup media, then the system says that a
previous backup exists and "only the differences will be saved".

The problem is that there is no previous backup (as the exernal USB HDD has
been reformatted). I want everything on the C: partition to be backed up not
just "the differences".

The problem is a poorly written app. If you are telling it to do a new save
then DAMN it it should do a new full save. I could understand it telling you
it found a previous backup but it should then ask you if your sure you want
to do a new backup . If you say yes then at that point it should delete old
backup and make new...duh

Who wrote that POS?
It doesn't compress file either unless you are using DVD media. WTF?

Do yourself a favor and pick up Acronis or Ghost 14 both work great and do
what you tell them to do.