Win Backup does incremental backups after the initial full backup and will do a full backup from time to time "as needed" according to windows help. I have two questions:
1) How and when does win backup decide to do a full backup instead of an incremental backup?
2) How does one force a full backup instead of an incremental backup?
I can answer #2.
You can do one manually whenever you want.
Click Start> Device Manager> BackUp and Restore.
On the right side under Backup click Back Up Now.
It makes a new one.
Mike
I don't think so Mike. It will do an incremental if the next scheduled one would be incremental. I asked the question about how it decides what to do in another thread and no one knew. In my case it seems to do a new full backup when the backup set is around 20GB but even that is a bit variable. The highest I have seen is 26GB and the lowest 19GB.
I make a new full every two week. I make no incrementals. Date and time stamped on each.
Mike
Interesting. It doesn't always for me, but then I have a scheduled backup each day and only do a manual one if for some reason I miss the scheduled one.
Since I don't have any set to Auto make or back up I guess it makes a full.
Learned something new.
Thanks Kado.
Mike
Of course we don't really know what makes it do a full backup. It may have something to do with the time between backups amongst other things, although I suspect it is more related to the number of changed files and possibly the backup disk size.
Kado 897 is correct.
"Backup now" does not necessarily initiate a new backup set (the set of zips) unless your default media is DVD - then it does.
The only sure way of forcing a full new backup that I have found is to use "change settings" to a different default backup location. It will force a new backup at the new location or the change will be cancelled. When you return to your "normal" backup location, unfortunately, it forces another full backup.
From time to time Windows will initiate a new backup in your default location. I don't what the algorithm is for making this decision.
Not an ideal situation.
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