R&R backup question

[CyberDude]

My HDD on my X60s is running low on space so no longer has enough space for the backups. When I looked at the backup preferences I noticed a Primary backup location and a Secondary backup location.

I set the secondary location to network thinking that if the primary location doesn't have sufficient space that it would use the secondary location. But it doesn't seem to work like that as it still throws a warning saying insufficient space.

Can anyone explain how the primary and secondary backup locations work and their intended use. I can't seem to find a good explanantion in the help.

[andyP]

The primary location is priority 1, so if the local hdd is set to primary it will always back-up to it. The secondary is there in case it can't find primary. In this scenario, how can it not find primary?
You may be better setting network as primary, then if it can't find the network target it will go to secondary, local hdd.

[ryengineer]

andyP is right partially.

For example, assume you have the local hard drive checked. You have created backups on the local drive. When you check another option, for example Network, new backups will be created on the local hard drive and the network hard drive. Conversely by unchecking the location boxes, you will delete the backups in those locations.

Check the following thread as well:

Rescue and Recovery 4.

[CyberDude]

Thanks for explaining.

However, I've just tried to set the Primary to Network but as soon as I do that it removes the drop down for the secondary location, so essentially only allowing you to set a primary location.

[EDIT]There are no check boxes as mentioned in the Redbook quote above, but drop downs instead.[/EDIT]

I'm using version 4.00.0114.00.

[ryengineer]

snip.....[EDIT]There are no check boxes as mentioned in the Redbook quote above, but drop downs instead.[/EDIT]....snip

That is because when Redbooks were written IBM still was in charge and older versions of ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery had check boxes, lenovo has never written its own Redbooks since then, although many lenovo engineers helped when they were written. The deployment guides lenovo provides today can be roughly termed as Redbooks of lenovo offerings.

I have never set Network as primary location for backups, I always prefer HDD as my primary and network as secondary. I don't know why making it primary leaves you with no option for secondary but make sure you are connected to the Network while choosing that option.

You have a poor backup strategy (criticizing your idea and NOT you), if the HDD is running low then why not you free up some space by transferring the old backups to another media or even deleting them if they would no longer be used again.

[CyberDude]

Yep, I figured that the books must be old. I agree with you about my backup strategy and it's something I am working of fixing.

I like to keep one week's worth of backups on the HDD which takes up a lot of space. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and get a larger HDD I guess.