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mirror not recopying files from source to destination if deleted from destination.

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 6:38 pm
by jtmcculloch
Mirror not working correctly.
mirror not recopying files from source to destination if deleted from destination.
Files can become corrupted or lost, so as a test i did a mirror backup.
then deleted the files & folders , then ran again.
it did not recopy the files & folders.
i then changed a file and ran it again, it did copy the changed file but nothing else.
its like its not checking to make sure the source files are in the destination, its only copying changed files from its own list.
can i fix this or do i need to use some other program,
I want to copy the files from source to destination as original files so they could be used as they are without having to use a program to restore them.

Re: mirror not recopying files from source to destination if deleted from destination.

Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 2:46 pm
by Adrian (Softland)
Hi,

It is supposed users do not manually delete the backup from destination.
In such a case, you need to create a new backup job as FBackup is using the information stored in the backup catalog to determine which files needs to be backed up. It does not look in destination every time to see the files still exists, as that would take a much longer time.

If you want, you can try our commercial edition Backup4all, which has a backup repair feature, used to test the backup in destination and back up again the missing files.

Re: mirror not recopying files from source to destination if deleted from destination.

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 11:28 am
by Procky
I too have the same problem. I set up a mirror backup of a parent folder with dozens of child folders and hundreds of files, with no filters. When I run it the first time it produces the expected results but subsequent runs produce NO result and no error message.

Nothing could be simpler than a batch file that says COPY C:\FOLDER\*.* D:\BACKUP\ /Y. Unless FBackup can do only that correctly, why not just use a batch file? I must be doing something wrong?

Re: mirror not recopying files from source to destination if deleted from destination.

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 1:33 pm
by Procky
After re-reading Softland's response to the first post on this subject, I suspect that there's a misunderstanding as to what a "mirror" backup is supposed to do. Backup4All's posted definition is, I believe, the common understanding: "A mirror backup is a straight copy of the selected folders and files at a given instant in time." Applying this definition, a mirror backup process should completely ignore any previous but renamed backup folders. In fact, when I create a new job to back up C:\Widget and all its contents, it DOES work correctly the first time, but thereafter does not work at all, or else it copies empty folders. I create consecutive backups by appending the current date to each completed backup; e.g. D:\Widget 0331. As far as fbackup is concerned, there is then no existing backup folder and a new one should be created. Instead, the application is looking for some condition that is not relevant to the definition of "mirror" backup. If the same engine is used in Backup4All, one could assume that the same misunderstanding would apply.

Re: mirror not recopying files from source to destination if deleted from destination.

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:42 am
by Adrian (Softland)
Dear Procky,

FBackup is configured to use the "Fast Mirror" option which does only copy new and modified files over the existing backup in destination. As it is supposed the backup in destination is not manually deleted or altered, it does only update the current backup files which is faster.
In Backup4all there is the possibility to uncheck the "Fast mirror" option and you will get a complete mirror backup every time.

Manually deleting or altering the backup in destination is not recommended. What if the source computer fails before you run a new backup? As you deleted the backup in destination, you won't be able to recover the files.