[Archived] Hasleo Backup Suite V5.6.1.0 BETA Released!

[n8chavez]

Thanks for letting me know of those limitations. One thing I noticed is that when using the merge feature, which is something I've never used before, all the images I was merging together were deleted. Why is that? Is there an option to not have old images deleted after a merge? I mean, the entire point of of am imaging application is backups. Why not keep backups of images, even after they are merged into one?

[admin]

Thanks for letting me know of those limitations.  One thing I noticed is that when using the merge feature, which is something I've never used before, all the images I was merging together were deleted.  Why is that?  Is there an option to not have old images deleted after a merge?  I mean, the entire point of of am imaging application is backups.  Why not keep backups of images, even after they are merged into one?

The purpose of the merge image feature is to combine multiple image files into a single image file to save storage space. Therefore, it does not retain old backup image files.

[bebeago]

First of all, thank you for the great work you are doing. I have purchased several Hasleo products and have been very satisfied with them.

Regarding the Merge Image feature, I think it should at least be optional whether the original image files are deleted or kept after a merge.
At the moment, merging automatically deletes the source images, which feels risky and somewhat contradictory for a backup application.

I understand the storage-saving rationale, but an option such as merge and keep source images vs. merge and delete source images would greatly improve safety and flexibility, without reducing the usefulness of the feature.

[xeroid]

Thanks for letting me know of those limitations.  One thing I noticed is that when using the merge feature, which is something I've never used before, all the images I was merging together were deleted.  Why is that?  Is there an option to not have old images deleted after a merge?  I mean, the entire point of of am imaging application is backups.  Why not keep backups of images, even after they are merged into one?

The purpose of the merge image feature is to combine multiple image files into a single image file to save storage space. Therefore, it does not retain old backup image files.

I don't think I am understanding this feature fully. What does the merge image feature look at specifically when doing the merge? I keep three (3) full images performed at different dates for a couple of reasons. The first reason being that I reduce the possibility of corruption by having 2 more to choose from in the event that one is corrupted. The second reason being that each image was taken at different times, so the data would be different in each image. Why would I want to merge my 3 images together? I'm probably not understanding it fully. I do understand the saving of space, but I don't think that a merged image would be satisfying my 2 reasons for having 3 images to begin with, no?

Thanks

[Froggie]

The MERGE feature is primarily for users who use DIFFERENTIAL and INCREMENTAL images.  It allows the user to move past INCs forward in time to a later time in the image chain... kinda like making a new DIFF outta old INCs.  This allows users to have all the changes in the image chain up until the new merged image, also removing all those merged forward INC images.  This allows for space saving within the image chain, primarily.

It's of no use for users of FULL images only...

[admin]

First of all, thank you for the great work you are doing. I have purchased several Hasleo products and have been very satisfied with them.

Regarding the Merge Image feature, I think it should at least be optional whether the original image files are deleted or kept after a merge.
At the moment, merging automatically deletes the source images, which feels risky and somewhat contradictory for a backup application.

I understand the storage-saving rationale, but an option such as merge and keep source images vs. merge and delete source images would greatly improve safety and flexibility, without reducing the usefulness of the feature.

As we all know, dependencies exist among backup images. Incremental backups rely on the previous backup, while differential backups depend on the last full backup. Therefore, when merging images, HBS needs to modify subsequent images to maintain correct dependency relationships. Since the dependencies of the subsequent images have been modified, the images selected for merging become detached from the entire backup chain, and retaining them serves no purpose.

The deletion of image files is performed only after the merge operation is completed, making it a safe process. Since this operation is irreversible, we must ensure that image merging is carried out only when necessary.

[admin]

As mentioned by @Froggie, the primary purpose of this feature is to conserve storage space. If you wish to retain all restore points, you should refrain from using this feature.

[n8chavez]

Everyone seems to be missing my point, so I'll illustrate it as best I can.

Say I have multiple images; six differentials, four full, and five incremental images, and I want to find a file that's somewhere in those images. I can either A) open each image individually and look for the data I want or B) Merge all the images together then mount that single image and then get my data. Which is easier and less time consuming? For me, it would be B. The way merging is now assumes that I'm either concerned about space or that I may want the images deleted after they all merge. What if neither is true? What if I want to grab my data in the above scenario and yet still restore one of those images? I can't. They way merging works now, I'm screwed because those images get deleted.

All I'm saying is, add the option to delete so users have a choice.

[al3x]

Merging doesn’t merge together all the files that were once in a single backup. If you merge backups, the content will be shrunken to that of the newest version.

Example:
- Full backup 1: One huge file A gets created
- Diff backup 2: A small file B gets created and file A is deleted
- You merge both backups: File A will be gone, only file B exists

So the merged backup will only contain the files of the latest version that was included. This is to save space: In this example you now only keep one full backup without the huge file A but it will still have file B as that was added in the newest backup you did.

If merging would keep all the files of all backups, you wouldn’t save space and this would create a Frankenstein built of all the individual backups because both files would be restored, a state that never existed. Windows might not even run in that restored version, you can’t know for sure.

Another thing to think about: What if one file was changed between the backups? How would you handle that merge then? You can’t keep both versions so you would also only keep the latest version of that file.

Hope that helps 

[aldist]

Upon completion of backup consolidation, the original backups involved in the consolidation will be deleted. This has always been the case and will continue to be so. The action is completely logical, it does not create any physical or moral problems.