Backup help

[ump3]

Can anyone help? I'm using BackUp and I've noticed that the file size of its .backup file is far greater than the size of the files I am backing up. When I examined it from within the software I've noticed there is more than 1 copy of a lot of files. How do I remove certain files from the .backup file?

Thanks

 

[scan300]

This is normal behaviour for a backup set. Any new or modified file is added to the archive, but never replaces a previous version.

This makes it possible to recover an earlier version of a document, if for example the later version gets corrupted.

A common backup strategy is to periodically start a new backup set, and archive your previous one, preferably to an offsite location. If it gets too expensive to provide new media for anew backup set, you start recycling your backup media. eg wipe an old backup set and start a new one.

(eg if you are backing up to an external hard disk, you might want to dump the backup set to a CD/DVD and then start a new set on your hard disk)

Backup sets are written sequentially, and so it doesn't make sense to delete files within a backup set. It won't save space, because it won't be written over.

 

[ump3]

This is normal behaviour for a backup set. ....

thanks for that, much appreciated! I thought I was going mad. Wouldn't it be a good idea if Apple allowed you to delete items from the backup?

Cheers

 

[scan300]

. Wouldn't it be a good idea if Apple allowed you to delete items from the backup?

Backup could use more features, but it's meant to be a simple, no fuss utility.

If you want only 1 copy of every file and only the latest version, then try a synchronisation app. eg:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/1682
(though this is a commercial app not really shareware)