Complete and I have never done incrementals.
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Complete and I have never done incrementals.
Perhaps I have too many installed programs and that is helping to cause my big and time consuming backups . Could that be a problem? I have about 57 programs installed and very few are frequenty used. I most likely would do myself a big favor by deleting most of those seldom used programs. If your answers are yes, then what I do with those programs?
At this point, I am leaning toward trying the windows backcup. Any special tips?
It's not the installed applications. As I mentioned before, it's because you have your system files and data all on one partition. You're going to have the same problem with Windows Backup.
How much data do you have?
You'd have to move your data files to another drive first (like an external USB hard drive). Repartition your internal hard drive and then copy the data back to your new "data" partition. You could make a backup image right after you move the data off, in case something happens during repartitioning.
You make it sound so simple!! I like that and I do have an extra drive to move my data files to while making the new partition. I once made a partition (for what, I don't recall) with someone holding my hand and now I don't recall how I, we, we did it. My installed hard drive is a Sata 500GB and about 325GBs are used--all on one partition with Win 7.
I very strongly suspect I have a large number of duplicate files. I discoverd this some time ago, thought I had corrected that and just now I notice the readout of the above when I looked at my HDD properties.
OK, will read up on how to make a partition and then get back to this. I appreciate sticking with me on this problem. Out of curiosity, what is left on the remaining partition--the OS and ....?
You would have the operating system and installed programs. The only thing you'd move to a new drive/partition would be stored data and media like photos, movies, documents, PDF's, etc that you've saved, downloaded, created.
Even if you have a lot of programs installed, including ones that take up a lot of space, like MS Office, Works, AutoCAD, Photoshop, some large a/v/security suites (esp Symantec, McAfee) your used space wouldn't typically be more than maybe 25-30 Gigs or so tops. I have lots of programs installed including Office and Symantec PCAnywhere, Partitioning programs, Backup suites, media players/editors with Win 7 Ultimate and my main drive has never swelled beyond 20-22 Gigs and that does include a Gig or two of some temp stored media that always eventually gets moved to a storage drive and the pagefile which can be very large (same size as am't of RAM installed typically) and doesn't usually get backed up with most backup programs since it's a constantly changing, large temp file that Windows recreates automatically and doesn't need backing up (same with the hibernate file if you have that enabled).
So for example if I right click my main C: drive right now and look at used space it now says 22 Gigs but that includes 4 Gigs for my pagefile (I have disabled hibernate so I don't have a 4 Gig hibernate file). So when I make an uncompressed backup with Windows built in imaging program it's around 18 Gigs and if I use TrueImage it's around 13 Gigs (compressed automatically by TI). I also clean my temp folders daily, empty my recycle bin often and set low limits (50 megs) on temp internet files in IEX and Firefox and clear those out before I do a backup as well.
As far as duplicate files go, be very careful if you try using a dupe file finder. They are not very discriminating in the info they give you regarding dupes and all systems do have a lot of dupe files that are necessary. I'd only use something like that on folders that contain stored media files and documents.. never on any program or operating system/Windows folders.
That is an educating email fink--lotsa thanks. I have some work to do because my backups with Acronis had been in 100GB range. Now for some reason, the last backup was over 200GB and that is what has prompted my thread. Computers; I love 'em but one of these days I may feel like finding another hobby.
buf--
"My usual backup is less than 100GBs"
Start|Computer How big are the partitions you are backing up?
fink did a good job. In post #11, I had stated that one partition would be for OS/Apps and the other would be for Data.Quote:
I have separate partitions for the OS/Apps and Data. My current Win7Pro image is only 13GB.
Easeus is a good freebie partitioning tool.Quote:
OK, will read up on how to make a partition and then get back to this.
http://www.partition-tool.com/download.htm
@Welshjim. He only has one partition on the drive for OS and Data. That's why the backups are so huge. :p
I was going to respond to Jim but you covered it already. I will look at the Easeus partitiong tool. I believe I have that as one of my programs.
The version of Easeus is 9.1.1 but I would update it before doing anything. But after reading about it for roughly and hour we mind began to wonder if I can do it. I know I do not want to loose any of my documents, pics, etc. Most of you have probably forgotten more about doing this than I'll ever learn. Ain't nothing to do it if you know how!!!
Like I said, move your data to another drive before you repartition.Quote:
You'd have to move your data files to another drive first (like an external USB hard drive). Repartition your internal hard drive and then copy the data back to your new "data" partition. You could make a backup image right after you move the data off, in case something happens during repartitioning.
You won't be able to shrink your OS partition if the drive is that full.Quote:
My installed hard drive is a Sata 500GB and about 325GBs are used--all on one partition with Win 7.
Midknyte, that appears to be a part of my problem; well one of them. I do not know what has filled the hdd. I strongly feel there some dups that somehow got on the hdd and I don't know how to check or look for them.
Not much we can do for you there. You need to look through your data files to see what you need to keep. If anything, temporarily move off a few big folders off so you can repartition the drive.
You can try using a dupe file finder as Fink mentioned, but go through it carefully before you delete.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...e-detector.htm
I was convinced about the use of dupe file finder several months ago--no thanks again. Looking through those holders for content I want to keep seems to be my answer. Thanks for hearing me out. I'll try to get busy with that job.