Windows 7: Windows Backup Questions

I am using the Windows Backup that comes with Home Premium. The initial backup ran with no problems but leaves me with questions.

1. As I understand it after the inital full backup the next backup run is an incremental backup. My question is how many incremental backups are saved and for how long?

2. The next question has to do with deleted files. Let's say my backup runs on Monday. If FileA on my C drive gets backed up on Monday and then deleted on Wednesday when the backup runs again will the backup copy of FileA be deleted? If not then wihen will it be deleted if ever?

Are you talking about
1). backing up files
2). running the system image utility

Both are called from the same Windows Backup system...but work differently.

Hello Jim, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Q1) Correct, the next backup made to that same location will be a incremental backup. It is only limited to how much free space you have on the drive for how many incremental backups it will hold. It will store them there forever until you manually delete the entire backup. If you run out of free space, then it will not allow anymore backups to be made there until you free up space.

Q2) In your example, the previous incremental backups of say FileA will not be deleted. FileA will just not be included in the newer incremental backups. That's all. It would only be deleted from the previous incremental backups if you deleted the entire backup and start over.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Brink. My next questions are:
1. Is there an automatic way of deleting a backup and its incementals?
2. If the backup deletion must be done manually is there any other residule files that must also be deleted?

Q1) Sorry, but no automatic way to delete them.

Q2) No, after you delete the main backup folder at the saved to location, it will be gone. When you create a new backup, it will update the location in "Backup and Restore" in the Control Panel for the new location.

Thanks to all who replied.

You're welcome Jim.