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automatic delete of backed-up files no longer on backup list

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:52 pm
by jlittle
Hi Barry.
If I'm running generation-based backups, and I delete a file from my pc or remove it from the "files and folders" list, will that file be removed from the existing backups on the backup medium on the next run?
Thanks

Generation based backups

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:19 pm
by Barry
If you delete a file from the PC it is not automatically deleted from the backup, if you remove the file from the list of files to backup then it is not automatically deleted from the backup either.

If you want to remove the file from the backup you should use the Manage Backup / Backup Maintenance option, select each file and right click / delete.
Once the files have been removed from the 'backup contents database' you should click either or both of the 'Delete' buttons (Bottom Left) then click 'Save'.

Sorry for the delay answering.

Barry

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:53 pm
by jlittle
Well it seemed to work okay and the files seem to no longer be available for restoring, but the amount of free space on the drive hasn't changed in Windows explorer. The files I removed added up to about 5GB (before AISB compression) so I would think the amount of space recovered would be noticeable. This process does remove the actual files, right? Thus freeing up space on the drive?

Don't worry about the length of time for your reply; we can't work all the time. :D

disk space following remove

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:32 am
by Barry
Did you click the 'delete' buttons on the bottom right of the maintenance form? This performs the actual removal of the data from the backup.

Barry

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:15 pm
by jlittle
You mean on the bottom left? I did click them, and the drive's activity light was flashing as if data were moving. Seems there was also a line or something on the window that said it was removing files. Everything seemed right except for no change in the size of free space in Windows explorer. I also did the process on another drive with the same result.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:32 am
by jlittle
I just did this process on a third drive and it did show an increase in free space, so I don't know what's going on with the drives that didn't show it.
Thanks for your help.

Recover disk space

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:02 pm
by Barry
Hi John

You could try the Manage Backup / Validate (Test) Backup option, that will remove any data that is no longer in the files database.

Barry

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:28 pm
by jlittle
Okay, thanks again.