Is shadow copy necessary?

[PSCO2007]

I create backups using Acronis Trueimage, so do I need Shadow Copy, which is taking up space? Just concerned with C drive.

 

[Britton30]

Others may know more, but I believe Volume Shadow Copy is what System Restore uses. If you don't use it you can disable.delete it. The Shadow is also used for Windows Image Backup.

 

[GeneO]

Yes you need it. Otherwise the backup will capture an inconsistent system state. VSS is what allows you to take a moment-in-time snapshot of a running system and back it up.

When the backup is done, the extra space that was required by VSS to take a snapshot will be freed.

I think you may be confusing this with how VSS is used for System Restore. Unless you use that Windows feature, you can disable system restore or reduce the amount of space it uses.

 

[ickymay]

I create backups using Acronis Trueimage, so do I need Shadow Copy, which is taking up space? Just concerned with C drive.

Acronis True Image provides technology to automatically utilize Microsoft VSS service to create consistent backups of opened files/folders or databases (in case the database supports VSS technology).

Here is the step-by-step description of how the backup is made with the VSS support option enabled:

1. Acronis True Image initiates VSS snapshot. This snapshot is created by MS VSS service via Acronis VSS provider, which is in fact a 'fake' VSS provider. Acronis True Image must start VSS snapshot creation through Acronis VSS provider to capture the moment when all VSS writers freeze and databases are ready for backup. This is the only purpose of Acronis VSS provider, e.g. VSS snapshot created in this step is not used at all and is in fact a 'fake' one. It was necessary to create this 'fake' VSS provider because MS VSS service does not have API functions to freeze VSS writers directly;
2. Acronis True Image sends a request to MS VSS service to suspend VSS writers;
3. Acronis True Image creates a simple snapshot (not a VSS snapshot). This snapshot is created when all writers freeze and databases are ready to be backed up;
4. Acronis True Image aborts VSS snapshot initiated by MS VSS, as this snapshot is not necessary. This may result in errors in the Windows Event logs, which can be safely skipped. Please take a look at the sample log from Event Viewer with similar errors;
5. Acronis True Image initiates a backup through the simple snapshot created in step 3.

source Using Acronis True Image to Back Up a System with VSS | Knowledge Base

 

[PSCO2007]

Yes you need it. Otherwise the backup will capture an inconsistent system state. VSS is what allows you to take a moment-in-time snapshot of a running system and back it up.

When the backup is done, the extra space that was required by VSS to take a snapshot will be freed.

I think you may be confusing this with how VSS is used for System Restore. Unless you use that Windows feature, you can disable system restore or reduce the amount of space it uses.[/QUOTEI

I reduced it to 1% -1.07gb.
I never use System Restore - if I have a problem, which luckily I haven't had in Windows 7 ( had lots in XP), I use my Acronis recovery.

I just didn't want any extra space taken up on my SSD..

Thanks to all who replied - great forum!!

 

[whs]

The VSS service you need - even for images. But the shadows (restore points) you can live without. I do, however, always allocate enough space for 3 shadows (requires 3GB) because sometimes they are handy - e.g. when you want to restore from a bum update or when you want to recover a file you just lost and it is not on your last image.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/132087-shadowexplorer-recover-lost-files-folders.html