Old file copy is deleted BEFORE the new copy is created

[rtaconsult]

I am using a Maxtor One Touch as my backup solution.

 

I asked about this subject, and here is Dantz' reply and my response:

 

My original question was:

When backup starts, after scanning the source and target drives, it gives a progress message that it is deleting certain files. Presumably this is done to make room for the new backup copy of files that have changed since the previous backup.

 

What if the source drive fails, crashes, etc after the old copy of the files are reported "deleted" from the target drive? Are the deleted files now permanently lost?

 

 

Dantz answered with:

We have always suggested multiple sets of backups (like using 2 Maxtor drives) for cases like you ask about.

 

In a worst case situation, data recovery services could get the deleted file back

 

 

My response was:

Would you agree that data recovery services can be expensive and inconvenient? It would seem to be relatively simple for the folders "to be replaced on backup" to be renamed instead and then deleted after the backup process completes successfully. An aborted backup would then result in the old files still available, albeit in renamed folders which the user cold readily re-rename if needed. This also spares your users the expense of 2 drives for backup purposes.

 

 

So my new question is:

Does anyone else think destroying the old file copy before making the new file copy is a bad idea and is also something easily avoided with an enhancement to Retrospect?

 

Thanks,

[jordannolan]

Can't you just make 2 backup sets go to the same drive? I believe I have done this a few times in the past when I was playing around with backing up to a file.

 

If your Maxtor unit is say 100 gigs and you are backing up 25 you can have a backupsetA and a backupsetB pointing to different files.