Normal Backups Taking Up Huge Amounts of Space

[dgm0225]

I run Retrospect Professional v6.5.

 

 

 

I have a simple backup routine setup to run once daily to capture commonly changed document files and emails. Files are backed up to another hard drive. This backup is setup as a "NORMAL" backup, which as I understand it, is supposed to only backup changed files.

 

 

 

I don't have that many new documents or emails saved and added to my main hard drive each day from where files are backed up, but its clear that each day, the backup folder on this destination hard drive doubles in size. The normal backup appears to be backing up ALL FILES again and again, instead of just changed files/added files. The math isn't right.

 

 

 

This may be as simple as a setting that I've missed somewhere, but I've run Retrospect for years, and know how to setup a normal backup routine in the program, and they have always worked as they should, backing up only changed files against a backup set. Until now of course.

 

 

 

If anyone can assist or has had similar experience and can offer any insights, I would sincerely appreciate that.

 

 

 

Thanks for reading my post!

[kaikow]

Have you tried editing the script to see what it has as its options.

 

If that doesn't solve the problem, I would suggest creating a new script.

[dgm0225]

Howard, thanks for your reply to my post.

 

I have checked the options for the script in question, and they are set correctly as far as I can tell.

 

I know that by default Retrospect backs up only changed files, or at least is supposed to.

 

I have tried creating several new "normal" backup scripts all with the same hard drive destination, with the same results. Once the initial full backup has been successfully completed, successive backups are not progressive as they ought to be, backing up only changed files. Instead, each backup is fully duplicating itself over and over. It's not working the way I've been used to with Retrospect for 3+ years now, which has been awesome since it automatically backs up only that changed files, and I can't understand why since I'm pretty sure I'm using the correct settings.

 

If there are any additional thoughts, they would be welcomed!

Thanks again.

[natew]

Hi

 

When Retrospect runs a backup it checks the modify date/time, file size, file name etc. of each file. It compares those attributes against files that are already in the backup set. If the files are different in any way they are backed up again.

 

Assuming you are doing normal backups to a backup set something about the source files is changing _or_ something about your environment makes them appear changed to Retrospect.

 

Where are the source files stored? Is is a local disk or a network disk? What is the format of that disk?

 

Thanks

Nate