ViceVersa deletes files on backup drive before file backup

[shooter71]

I am a casual user of ViceVersa but I must have a setting wrong in my profile that is causing VV to delete files before backing them up.

Here is my scenario: I have an 4TB external hard drive that I use to backup my files from my Windows 7 PC for an on-site storage. Every three months of so, I re-connect my 4TB external hard drive to my PC and load the profile I have setup for this backup. Goal is to backup any new or changed files on my PC to the external hard drive. However, it appears that when VV does the Compare, it first deletes an large number of the files. I have about 3 TB of data on my PC, and when VV does the compare, it shows that it is deleting about a 700 GB of data before it starts to add files back back onto the external hard drive. I am pretty sure (but hard for me to tell) that I did not modify or remove 700 GB of data from my PC since my last backup where VV would think it needs to delete that much data before it starts to complete the transfer of new or revised files from my PC to my external hard drive. Is it possible there is any setting I have incorrect that is causing VV to delete that much data before it completed its backup>?

In my current backup execute, VV deleted 700 GB of data from my external drive and is now showing it is adding 1TB of data back to my external drive. Again, I am pretty sure I have not added or revised 1TB of data since my last backup.

[TGRMN Software]

Hello,

can you post your profile settings? Open the .fsf you are using with Notepad and copy and paste the content here please.

thanks!
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[shooter71]

See attached and let me know if this is what you were looking for:

[Settings]
; ******* Source
Source Folder=J:\
; ******* Target
Target Folder=I:\!Off-Site Backup of J Data Drive\
; ******* values for Lock Source: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Lock Source=0
; ******* values for Lock Target: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Lock Target=0
; ******* values for Continue even if sources/targets do not exist: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Continue even if sources/targets do not exist=0
; ******* values for Create sources/targets that do not exist: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Create sources/targets that do not exist=1
Connect to network with default user credentials=0
Connect to network with credentials=0
; *******
Connect network path=
; *******
Connect user=
; *******
Connect password=010101
Disconnect from network when done=0
Network Error Retry Times=0
Network Error Retry Seconds=0
; *******
Include Subfolders Flags=1
; ******* values for Comparison Type: (0=Size and Timestamp) (1=CRC) (2=Both)
Comparison Type=0
; ******* values for Ignore 2 seconds difference: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Ignore 2 seconds difference=0
; ******* values for Ignore any second difference: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Ignore any second difference=0
; ******* values for Ignore 1 hour difference: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Ignore 1 hour difference=0
CRC Chunk Size in Bytes=0
; ******* values for Ignore File Size: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Ignore File Size=0
; ******* values for Ignore Timestamp: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Ignore Timestamp=0
; ******* Specify file extensions, separated by comma (example *.mdf, *.ind)
Files with these extensions are always newer in source=
; ******* values for Execution Method: (0= ) (1=Synchronization) (2=Backup (Mirror Source to Target)) (3=Replication (Augment Target)) (4=Replication (Refresh Target)) (5=Replication (Update Target)) (6=Consolidation)
Execution Method=2
; ******* values for UnatSync: (0=No) (1=Yes)
UnatSync=1
Copy File Permissions=0
Copy File/Folder Permissions=1
Copy File/Folder Auditing=0
Copy File/Folder Owner=0
Do Not Copy File/Folder Data Streams=0
Use Volume Shadow Copy=0
; ******* values for Use Volume Shadow Copy For: (0=Source) (1=Target) (2=Both)
Use Volume Shadow Copy For=0
; ******* values for Create Volume Shadow Copy before comparing source and target: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Create Volume Shadow Copy before comparing source and target=0
; ******* values for Volume Shadow Copy log level: (0=Standard) (1=Detailed)
Volume Shadow Copy log level=0
; ******* values for No empty source/target check: (0=No) (1=Yes)
No empty source/target check=0
; ******* values for Retain folder timestamps: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Retain folder timestamps=0
; ******* values for Retain Windows EFS encryption: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Retain Windows EFS encryption=0
; ******* values for Retain Windows NTFS compression: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Retain Windows NTFS compression=0
; ******* values for Copy files even if they have timestamp errors: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Copy files even if they have timestamp errors=0
; ******* values for Preserve last accessed timestamp of files being copied: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Preserve last accessed timestamp of files being copied=0
; ******* values for Include offline files: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Include offline files=0
; ******* values for Replace newer target files with older source files (backup only): (0=No) (1=Yes)
Replace newer target files with older source files (backup only)=0
Speed=100
Copy Buffer=32768
Flush Buffer=0
Use Windows Native File Copy=0
Unbuffered File Copy=0
Network Friendly Scanning=0
; ******* Log File
Log File=C:\ProgramData\ViceVersa PRO 2\log1.log
; ******* values for Empty Log: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Empty Log=1
Log File Size=10000
; ******* values for Log Only Summary and Exceptions: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Log Only Summary and Exceptions=1
; ******* values for Monitor Conflicts: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Monitor Conflicts=0
; ******* values for Tracking Database Enabled: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Tracking Database Enabled=0
; ******* Sync Tracking Database
Sync Tracking Database=
Sync Conflicts=0
Sync One-Way Source to Target Only=0
; ******* values for SCT: (0=No) (1=Yes)
SCT=1
; ******* values for NSC: (0=No) (1=Yes)
NSC=0
Source-Target Offset=0
; ******* values for Try Copy In Use Files: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Try Copy In Use Files=0
; ******* values for Skip In Use Files: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Skip In Use Files=0
; ******* values for Always Verify CRC: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Always Verify CRC=0
; ******* values for Priority Class: (0=Default) (1=Idle) (2=Low) (3=Below Normal) (4=Normal) (5=Above Normal) (6=High) (7=Realtime)
Priority Class=1
; ******* values for Limit Bandwidth: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Limit Bandwidth=0
Bandwidth Value=5
; ******* values for Bandwidth Unit: (0=KB/Sec) (1=MB/Sec)
Bandwidth Unit=1
; ******* values for Scripts Before: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts Before=0
; ******* values for Scripts Before Comparison Global: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts Before Comparison Global=0
; ******* values for Scripts Before Comparison Local: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts Before Comparison Local=0
; ******* values for Scripts Before Comparison Specify: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts Before Comparison Specify=0
; ******* Script to run before comparison
Script Before Comparison Path=
; ******* values for Scripts After: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts After=0
; ******* values for Scripts After Execution Global: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts After Execution Global=0
; ******* values for Scripts After Execution Local: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts After Execution Local=0
; ******* values for Scripts After Execution Specify: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Scripts After Execution Specify=0
; ******* Script to run after execution
Script After Execution Path=
; ******* values for Send E-Mail on Error: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Send E-Mail on Error=0
; ******* values for Send E-Mail on Success: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Send E-Mail on Success=0
; *******
Send E-Mail on Error Condition=
; *******
Send E-Mail on Success Condition=
; ******* E-Mail address to send E-Mail TO
Send E-Mail - TO=
; ******* E-Mail address to send E-Mail FROM
Send E-Mail - FROM=
; ******* SMTP Server Name
Send E-Mail - SMTP Server Name=
Send E-Mail - Port=0
; ******* values for Send E-Mail - Authenticate using Name and Password: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Send E-Mail - Authenticate using Name and Password=0
; ******* User Name
Send E-Mail - User Name=
; ******* User Password
Send E-Mail - Password=010101
; ******* values for Send E-Mail - Use Secure Connection: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Send E-Mail - Use Secure Connection=0
; ******* values for POP3 Authenticate using Name and Password: (0=No) (1=Yes)
POP3 Authenticate using Name and Password=0
; ******* POP3 Server Name
POP3 Server Name=
POP3 Port=0
; ******* E-Mail Subject
E-Mail Subject=
; ******* E-Mail Body
E-Mail Body=
; ******* Source Archive
Source Archive Folder=
; ******* Target Archive
Target Archive Folder=
; ******* values for Smart Archive: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Smart Archive=0
; ******* values for Move Files To Archive: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Move Files To Archive=0
; ******* values for Archive Conflicts Only: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Archive Conflicts Only=0
Num. Copies=0
Remove Days=0
Append Path=0
Max Archive Size=0
DES=0
; *******
ComEnc String=
[Filters]
; ******* values for Exclude Hidden Files: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude Hidden Files=0
; ******* values for Exclude System Files: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude System Files=0
; ******* values for Exclude Read-Only Files: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude Read-Only Files=0
; *******
Exclude After Date=
; *******
Exclude Before Date=
Exclude Days Ago=0
Exclude Greater than bytes=0
Exclude Smaller than bytes=0
Num. of Filters=0
[FiltersDirs]
Num. of Filters=0
[ArchiveFilters]
Num. of Filters=0
[Subfolder Filters]
; ******* values for Exclude Empty Subfolders: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude Empty Subfolders=0
; ******* values for Exclude Hidden Subfolders: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude Hidden Subfolders=0
; ******* values for Exclude System Subfolders: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude System Subfolders=0
; ******* values for Exclude Read-Only Subfolders: (0=No) (1=Yes)
Exclude Read-Only Subfolders=0
[No Rescan Options]
; ******* values for No Rescan: (0= ) (1=Source) (2=Target)
No Rescan=0
Force Rescan Hours=0
; ******* Force Rescan Condition
Force Rescan Condition=
[ViceVersa Profile - File Version 5.0.0]
[ViceVersa Profile - File Version 4.0.0]

[TGRMN Software]

Thanks, profile looks good. Next time you do a backup, could you first just do a comparison of the source and the target and in the ViceVersa comparison window then check which files are selected to be deleted. Are these older files or files that are no longer in source. thanks
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[Alice]

Are you sure this isn't a case of you renaming a folder in the Source (perhaps with many files/folders stored below the renamed folder) where this 'Source' folder already exists (prior to the rename) in the Destination ?

This rename action at the Source would then cause the structure on the Destination with the 'original' name to be deleted by VV when you run your 'Backup Mirror' job (as it's 'gone' in VV terms) and then the entire 'renamed' structure (inc all subfolders and files) would be copied back to the Destination as if it were a totally new set of files rather than just a rename of a 'Parent' folder at Source with possibly exactly the same files/folders stored below it.

I have learned that where I rename or I notice a rename of say a 'Level 1 or 2' folder (ie it is high up the directory order and therefore likely to have many child objects) at Source, also to manually rename it in the Destination before running VV 'Backup Mirror' Jobs, otherwise I'll cause a full VV delete / re-copy operation to occur for that 'Level 1 or 2' folder and all its subfolders/files which in a large Corporate environment such as mine, could be many thousands of files.

By way of example, imagine this simple scenario :

Source
--------
'Folder A' (has 10,000 files within it)

Destination
-------------
'Folder A' (has the same 10,000 files within it as the Source)

if I now immediately rename 'Folder A' in the Source to say 'Folder B', when I next run a VV 'Backup Mirror' job all 10,000 files in the Destination stored under 'Folder A' (and 'Folder A' itself) will be deleted as the first VV action titled :

'Execute : Delete from Target (step 1 of 2)'

then VV will

'Execute : Copying to Target (step 2 of 2)'

which will create a new folder called 'Folder B' in the Destination and re-copy the 10,000 files from the Source that reside in its 'Folder B', even though they are exactly the same as the files previously held in the now deleted 'Folder A' in the Destination.

[shooter71]

Thank you for both of your replies. Since all the 700 GB of files have already been deleted, running the comparison now again does not re-identify the same 700 GB again this soon since I first ran the profile.

The next time I do a significant backup which will be in a couple of months, I will consider both of your inputs and analyze more before I complete the execute and follow-up with my findings.