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Desktop 11.5 - Incorrect number of files and file sizes shown during back up


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I'm using Desktop 11.5.2 for Mac (see sig for details).

 

I backed up a certain hard drive to a new "Disk Backup Set A" (for the first time - therefore being all files on the drive minus cache files). The backup log showed:

 

574,835 files - 56.6 GB

 

		
KL Studio G4 on Mac G4 MDD
-  11/12/2014 4:10:43 PM: Copying KL Studio G4 on Mac G4 MDD
11/12/2014 5:50:22 PM: Snapshot stored, 200.2 MB
11/12/2014 5:50:34 PM: Comparing KL Studio G4 on Mac G4 MDD
11/12/2014 7:24:32 PM: Execution completed successfully
Completed: 574835 files, 56.6 GB
 
 

Then, a few days later, I backed up the same hard drive, to a second new "Disk Backup Set B" (also for the first time in this set) - using the exact same criteria. However, the log showed that time:

 

203,635 files - 29.8 GB

 

		
    KL Studio G4 on Mac G4 MDD
    -  11/18/14 6:29:40 PM: Copying KL Studio G4 on Mac G4 MDD
    11/18/14 7:28:04 PM: Snapshot stored, 200.1 MB
    11/18/14 7:28:15 PM: Comparing KL Studio G4 on Mac G4 MDD
    11/18/14 8:18:01 PM: Execution completed successfully
    Completed: 203,635 files, 29.8 GB
Knowing that this is incorrect and cannot be, I have been investigating why the second backup is so much smaller than the first (reportedly).

 

First, I looked at each backup in the Past Backups browser, and strangely, the top level folder on BOTH of them shows 60.7 GB as the size. They look identical.

 

So, I restored both backup sets completely on another hard drive, and both of the restore operations show, in the log:

 

628,726 files - 60.8 GB

 

Backup Set A:

		+	Restore using Restore Assistant - 11/19/14 3:27 PM at 11/19/2014 3:28 PM
		To volume UMax 2TB 4-C...
		-	11/19/2014 3:28:43 PM: Restoring from OWC(3TB)3-111014, Snapshot Mac G4 MDD, 11/12/2014 4:10:43 PM
		11/19/2014 4:37:27 PM: Execution completed successfully
		Completed: 628726 files, 60.8 GB
Backup Set B:

		+	Restore using Restore Assistant - 11/19/14 4:42 PM at 11/19/2014 4:43 PM
		To volume UMax 2TB 4-C...
		-	11/19/2014 4:43:17 PM: Restoring from OWC(3TB)1-111614, Snapshot Mac G4 MDD, 11/18/2014 6:29:40 PM
		11/19/2014 7:02:43 PM: Execution completed successfully
		Completed: 628726 files, 60.8 GB
So indeed, they are virtually identical (as they should be).

 

So why were the number of files stored and the size so incorrectly reported, causing me much consternation? Neither of the reported file counts and file sizes of the two backups actually match the real number and size of files backed up.

 

See the image below. This shows that the logged size was 29.8 GB, yet when I browse it, it shows 60.7 GB - which is actually the correct size, when I restored it.

post-20944-0-63542500-1416449523_thumb.jpg

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Then, a few days later, I backed up the same hard drive, to a second new "Disk Backup Set B" (also for the first time in this set) - using the exact same criteria. However, the log showed that time:

 

203,635 files - 29.8 GB

 

You say "for the first time in this set." Do you mean the first backup for that source to set B or the first backup, period to set B? My guess is that the set includes prior backups from other sources.

 

Retrospect's standard configuration includes deduplication. If any files on the KL Studio G4 source had been previously backed up from another source, they would not be backed up again when KL Studio G4 was first backed up unless the option "Match only same location" were selected. They would, however, be included in the snapshot for that backup, which is what your thumbnail image shows.

 

I'll bet if you tick the box "Show only files copied in this backup," that the size would match what's in the operations log.

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Hmmm... yes, you are correct. I did have other sources backed up in that new media set I was creating. And if I tick "Show only files copied in this backup", it does match the operations log.

I was unaware that this is how it worked. I do have some of the same source files likely duplicated in various places on various systems here. I guess it makes sense (and pretty smart) for Retrospect to do it that way. The fact that I recovered both of these backups as a test and they came out exactly the same proves that it works. Thanks for the info.

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