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Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: Simon on April 21, 2019, 21:29

Title: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 21, 2019, 21:29

I only really use my laptop for emails, internet and non-essential tasks, so I've never really backed it up fully before.  Having had a disaster a few months ago, which resulted in having to restore Windows 10, and reinstall all my programs, I decided to invest in an additional 500Gb external hard drive on which to perform a full backup including Windows image.

The backup was done via the on board Windows utility, but strangely, the backup size is much larger than the actual amount of data showing on the laptop hard drive.  The laptop hard drive is 500Gb, which includes the Windows partition, and My Computer shows 252Gb of space remaining, however, the external drive with the new backup on it is showing 384Gb of used space, with only 82Gb remaining.  How is this so?   :dunno:

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: daveeb on April 22, 2019, 11:24

Simon I wonder has it backed up a hidden windows "restore" partition also ?

I think i'd have gone a bit bigger than 500 GB, I just bought a 4 TB WD for £70 something  :dunno:

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 22, 2019, 11:52

Yeah, but I only thought it had to backup the capacity of the hard drive, which is only half full.  The hard drive shows total capacity of 463Gb, so that's about 40Gb short of the supposed 500Gb but then they usually fall short anyway.  Not sure if a hidden recovery partition would account for that, but that's still only 40Gb, where has the backup found an extra 130Gb from somewhere.  Unless I'm being particularly thick, it just doesn't make sense.

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: daveeb on April 22, 2019, 12:02

Do you have any compressed folders which may have been expanded in the backup ?
I'm clutching at straws now.  :crazy:

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 22, 2019, 12:25

There are some compressed folders, but I don't know if the backup would have expanded them.  I may try with another backup utility to see if it does the same thing.

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: GillE on April 22, 2019, 16:19

If you right-click on the Windows Start button and choose Disk Management, a utility will run which shows your partitions.  If this isn't any help, could a utility such as WinDirStat help you to identify what is using your disk?

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 22, 2019, 17:45

Good idea, Gill, I'll try that.  It's not so much a problem, as a curiosity, but I'd like to get to the bottom of it.

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 22, 2019, 21:15

I ran the disk management tool (see below), but it doesn't really account for the extra 130Gb which was backed up.  I assume 'PBR Image' is the hidden partition, but that's less than 10Gb.

I'm going to run another backup utility when I get a spare moment, and see what that comes up with.

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: daveeb on April 23, 2019, 10:40

It's not a secret pron folder is it  :dunno:  :D

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 23, 2019, 11:13

 ;D

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Clive on April 23, 2019, 15:18

 :facepalm:

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: sam on April 23, 2019, 20:50

Quote from: daveeb on April 23, 2019, 10:40

It's not a secret pron folder is it  :dunno:  :D

100%.

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 23, 2019, 20:53

What do you people take me for?  I'm not Welsh!   >:( :o:

So... I've now done another full backup with Macrium Reflect (Free) and this one has almost exactly mirrored the hard drive.   ::)

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: GillE on April 23, 2019, 21:25

Micro$oft strikes again  ::) .

Glad you got it sorted out  :) .

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Simon on April 24, 2019, 00:28

Quote from: GillE on April 23, 2019, 21:25

Micro$oft strikes again  ::)

I wouldn't be surprised, Gill.   :facepalm:

Title: Re: Backup Oddity
Post by: Clive on April 24, 2019, 08:42

Even ComputerActive has given advice on accessing porn after July 15th.   :laugh: