R&R incremental backups

[adam777]

Hello all.
I'm currently using R&R 2 but will probably switch to R&R 3 soon - so this question is relevant to both.
Let's say i did a base backup (let's name it Base backup ).
Then i did another backup, by default it's an incremental backup (let's name it as backup 1).
After a while i did another backup (surprisingly - backup 2).
Now - my question is - is backup 2, as an incremental backup is built on top of backup 1 or on top of the base backup?
Another question - can i choose whether to create incremental backups or use full backups every time?
Yet another one - in case backup 2 is built on top of the base backup, can i delete backup 1 and remain with a fully functional backup 2 (using base of course).
And last one (I think) - let's say the base backup included a directory that didn't exist by the time backup 1 was made - does the program successfully store the information in backup 1? (i mean - this is kind of a "negative" information you need to store).
Thanks alot, Adam.

[egibbs]

Incrementals are the difference from the last backup in the backup set. In your example 2 is the differences from 1.

You can always create a new base backup, but it will invalidate any incrementals and they will be deleted.

The software only lets you delete backups in the reverse order they were created. If you choose to delete 1 then 2 will be automatically selected for deletion as well.

Bacup 1 will include the fact that the directory was deleted, but you would still be able to recover the directory by only restoring the base. Or you could restore from backup 1 (without the directory) then use R&R to get the directory out of the Base backup and copy it onto your drive - it will let you find files and directories in a backup and copy them out.

Ed Gibbs

[GomJabbar]

I have Rescue & Recovery 3 installed. I have not used the program to understand it fully. I do understand that the first backup made will be a 'Base' backup, and subsequent backups are 'Incremental' backups. I do not see a choice in Rescue & Recovery 3 on whether you want to make a base backup or incremental backup. I only see a choice to name the backup. I suspect if you remove the base backup off of the ThinkPad's hard drive, you will probably make a base backup the next time, but I really don't know for sure. The User's Guide and Help don't really cover information for making more than the initial base backup. Glean what you can from the following.

From Rescue & Recovery 2 User's Guide

Incremental backup images. The incremental backup files archive the files that have changed since the last incremental backup was taken. New backups should be initiated whenever your system software is updated or a database or application is added. Only new files and those that changed since the last backup are saved in an incremental backup file. Incremental backup operations can be performed on a pre-set schedule, or can be initiated manually.

From Rescue & Recovery 3 User's Guide

By default, the base (or initial) backup is saved along with five incremental (or subsequent) backups. Only the most recent backups are saved. In order to retain older backups, you must archive backup files to an external device.

From Rescue & Recovery 3 Help

Incremental backup images. The incremental backup files archive the files that have changed since the previous backup was taken. New backups should be initiated whenever your system software is updated or a database or application is added. Only new files and those that do not match those in the base backup image are saved in an incremental backup file. Incremental backup operations can be performed on a pre-set schedule, or can be initiated manually.

I did read what egibbs wrote above. I hope he replys again stating this is from personal experience with Rescue & Recovery version 3 regarding: "You can always create a new base backup".

[egibbs]

I have R&R 2, not 3. Can't speak for 3, but what you say is correct for 2 - the way to do a new Base is to delete the old Base - which also deletes the incrementals. That is what I meant to say.

Of course, you can always archive the old base and incrementals to another drive or to DVD first.

Ed Gibbs

[beq]

I admit I'd been a bit thrown off by how R&R works. I'm used to a clear delineation between file-based backup programs vs. whole-disk/partition imaging programs (Ghost, Drive Image, True Image, etc).

I guess "imaging" still conjures up for me the concept of direct hard drive sector bit copying or whatnot, independent of OS or filesystem. It represents the most complete and reliable whole-system backup you can achieve for purposes such as swapping hard drives, etc (where you would not trust or use a file-based backup program to do that).

Yet how can R&R purport to support backing up the whole system in as complete a way as traditional imaging, but also support incremental backups and selective file inclusion/exclusion (like a regular file-based backup program)?

[egibbs]

I'm also a bit leery of the R&R software, since I had some serious problems with it's predecessor RapidRestore. And like you I feel that the gold standard is still a bootable floppy or CD with Linux or DOS, that can make or restore a bit by bit copy of a drive without Windows loaded.

However, R&R seems stable so far, and it is really nice to be able to do incremental backups instead of full images. I wouldn't trust it on it's own, but coupled with the occasional MS Backup, and copying all my important stuff to a separate Linux install every so often, I feel comfortable.

R&R is not really doing disk imaging of course - it's doing file based backup. They get away with calling it imaging because they are able to copy all files, even open or locked ones, using volume shadowing.

Ed Gibbs