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#111
I knew this would be great thread to follow.
I think I've got the difference between the perils of differentials vs. incrementals via Macrium. (I realize I should just research this myself but there's so much experience available by members of this forum.)
Say you've made a full image via Macrium. You then come by later and make 10 partials (may not be likely one would wait that long before another full, but for discussion only). But consider two cases: one is you're doing incrementals, the other is you're doing differentials). In each case it turns out the 4th and 8th come out corrupt. If you restore via differentials you can get back to the state you were in as of the 10th differential (the last one). But if you restore via incrementals you can only get back to the 3rd, as the corrupted 4th spoils the rest of the chain.
After typing all that out it gave me the chance to think through it and I "think" I know the answer, but I'll post it anyway. If I remember correctly, that's the one difference when using the "incremental" term when referring to images vs. individual file backups.
It depends what you are using to do you incremental File and Folder backup. If you are using Macrium to do it then you are in the same position as it does in incremental changes at the sector level not the file level. Others may be different.
Gotcha, thanks. I forgot that that really holds true for a lot of those "data backup" apps. That's one of the reasons I've not spent too much time considering many of them for standard data file backup; never really realized any true benefits of doing it any other way than standard file based (other than maybe speed), even back in the DOS days. On top of that it's got to store data in an open format, nothing proprietary.
It always pays to research the app you use for standard backup as well as your imaging/cloning app. Double or triple up on them as you go through your "proving" stage.
Thanks for the clarification kado897.
I used the Macrium file and folder backup for a while but have now moved to a more conventional folder backup solution. I use FreeFileSync using the mirroring option with versions which has the advantages of incremental backups but few of the disadvantages. FreeFileSync | Free Security & Utilities software downloads at SourceForge.net. I made a tutorial video about it if anyone is interested. Backup With FreeFileSync - YouTube
I'll definitely check that out. I "must" have incrementals for data as I like to be able to depend on that if I screw something up. The more versions the better. I don't really screw up that often, but I feel much more comfortable knowing I have backups, as I also know how easy it is to screw something up and not realize it until much later (if not paying close attention).