Win 7 backup isn't clearing old data (old backups)

I thought Windows 7 was supposed to clear out the old data from the backups. So far every few months I have to go in and manually delete old backups from within the Backup and Restore interface.


Am I missing something?

DVDWSN said:

I thought Windows 7 was supposed to clear out the old data from the backups. So far every few months I have to go in and manually delete old backups from within the Backup and Restore interface.


Am I missing something?

Click to expand...

I doesn't clear out old backups, because as with most good backup programs, it works on the assumption that you might not always want to use the most recent one.

For example, let's say I have the following backups:

• November2010
• October2010
• September2010
• August2010

Obviously, November2010 is my most recent, right? But let's for arguments sake says take in between the October and November backups, I installed a program (it doesn't matter which. Lets call it program ABC) In other words, program ABS exists in the November backup, but not in the October backup.

I later discover that program ABC is causing problems, and I want to remove it, but it's not allowing me to do so because normal uninstall doesn't work. I can't use the November backup, because program ABC will still be there.

So I restore from the October backup instead.

The same will also apply with normal data file. If a file that exists in the October backup was deleted BEFORE the November backup was made, the only way to recover it would be to use the October backup.

So, by preserving older backups, Windows Backup is increasing your chances of recovering files.

No problemo.

By default, Windows automatically saves as many system images as it has space for without taking up more than 30 percent of space on the backup disk. Once the disk starts running out of room, Windows deletes older system images. If a system image was created through Windows Backup instead with the Include a System Image of Drives box checked, you can set Windows to retain as many system images as it has space for on the backup disk or to only keep the most recent system image. You should always keep the most recent system image. If you are saving your system image on a network location, you can only keep the most recent system image.

Click to expand...

How to go about it?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/628-backup-user-system-files-delete-backups.html

Thanks Bill2! That's what I thought I remembered.