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Blocked by Dell from Deleting Old Backups Created by Windows Backup
Sometime in the last while something has changed.
I used to be able to access " \ \ Backup Set
Because of this block now, I cannot free up space on my D: to do any more backups in the future.
It is especially annoying because Windows Vista Help actually has an entry about "How do I delete a backup that I created using the Back Up Files wizard?", and the instructions walk you through how to go to " \ \ Backup Set
Any help on how to get around this warning would be much appreciated.
***I am wondering if deleting the folder " \ \" would be the solution because it would delete all my old backups, and then Windows Backup would simply recreate that folder again (now empty) in order to start a new backup? Just a thought though?
fireberd
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November 7th, 2011 11:00
Some food for thought. If you are "backing up" your user data to the same physical hard drive as your operating system, just a different logical partition on the hard drive, think of what happens to your backed up data if (when) the hard drive fails. The data is gone and you have no backup. The same way with the Dell recovery partition that will allow you to reinstall if needed, if the hard drive fails that is gone and the only option is to reinstall on a new hard drive with discs.
I use Acronis True Image back up software and back up my entire hard drive (all partitions) to a separate hard drive (it can be internal or external). I do periodic backups, at least every two weeks and sometimes more, so if something were to happen I haven't lost much. Also, backing up all the partitions on the hard drive, if the drive were to fail you can restore all partitions to the new drive including the Dell recovery partition and the Dell diagnostic partitions. Otherwise the Dell recovery and diagnostic partitions are a factory only item, not something a user can recreate.
I do PC support and this is what I recommend to all my clients.
theflash1932
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November 7th, 2011 11:00
The Recovery Partition is not for storing backups. This contains a Recovery image in the event that you ever need to "reinstall" or restore your system to factory condition. It should not have anything else stored to it. If you want to save backups on the same disk (you should be using a separate disk), then you need to shrink a larger partition and create a new one with the Unpartitioned Space.
theflash1932
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November 7th, 2011 12:00
If Protection Settings are turned on for a drive, "shadow" copies will be stored there in the event any of the files need to be "rolled back" to a previous version. As there should be only one file on the Recovery Partition (it is a special - probably hidden - "image" file used to restore the OS, not a collection of files/folders as to match Windows file structure), then there should be no harm in using Disk Cleanup to remove any unnecessary files on it (that includes VSS copies, Backups, etc.). You can also turn off File Protection for the D: drive.
AndyAK
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November 7th, 2011 12:00
Thanks again very very much for your time and insight theflash1932.
AndyAK
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November 7th, 2011 12:00
Thank you theflash1932 and fireberd. The philosophy behind backing up data to simply a partition which is also on the same physical drive as my OS is a good point, and something which I never thought of because this is the way it seemed to have been set up from the start.
firebird, thank you for the Acronis True Image suggestion; I will check that out now.
the flash1932, in light of what you said that the partition should not have anything else stored to it, would you recommend then using Disk Cleanup to Clean up System Restore and Shadow Copies on D:? If so, should I be concerned about what it says about deleting "file shadow copies" and "older Windows Complete PC Backup images"? Additionally, presumably I would want to Clean up System Restore and Shadow Copies on D:, but theoretically what would happen instead if I Cleaned up this on C: (as the option exists when I perform Disk Cleanup on C: too)?
AndyAK
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November 7th, 2011 15:00
I used Disk Cleanup to clean up system restore and shadow copies, but it did not actually remove anything.
Additionally, I am getting a persistent popup in the Taskbar Notification Area which says:
Therefore, in order to clear up space and avoid this Notification, I am wondering if anyone has any ideas on which of the following files can be deleted (i.e. what files were created using Windows Backup, and thus are not part of the original recovery files installed on my D: by Dell)?
theflash1932
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November 7th, 2011 21:00
Hmm ... may need to see if someone has a "clean" Recovery Partition to compare ...