Delete Backup Capsule?

[David49]

Hi everyone. I have been experimenting with Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 Suite. Trying to get a handle on the features of this program. In particular, the two different views available. One is "General View" and the other is "Legacy Features". Not understanding the difference between the two. In 'General View' I can back my system up to a "Virtual Drive". In 'Legacy Features' it's called 'Smart Backup'.

Since I have 2 backup programs, I backup my machine using each program to the same USB HDD. I have Acronis True Image 2016 which I have been using for some time now. And I used to have a free version of Paragon backup for some time now backing up to the same USB HDD as well.

Well, my Paragon HDM 15 installed to the General View by default. So I went ahead and made an initial backup using the General View. Which seems to have altered the partitions on my USB HDD. So, now my Acronis program can no longer "see" the backups it put on that drive. It can not even validate it's own backup archives anymore.

My question is, how do I go about fixing my USB HDD so my Acronis backup program can use it again? I never meant for the entire 2TB on my USB drive to be devoted solely to my Paragon backup archives.

Thanks,
Dave

[David49]

BTW, I just noticed that the archives for Acronis that I created before getting Paragon HDM 15, shows the folders are empty. But if I right click on the folders in File Explorer, and select Properties, they indicate the proper size archive.

[English Paragon Support Team]

Hi David49,

we're talking about two different issues:

1. "Virtual Disk" is an archive format = file format. Please refer to our knowledgebase entry "Archive formats". These two file formats must be handled each with it's particular wizards and functions. While using the Paragon program you have always to be aware of the file format a certain archive has been stored.

2. "Backup Capsule" or "Backup Container" (BC): A Backup Capsule is a partition especially dedicated to backup purposes. It's a regular NTFS partition but has a deviant filesystem ID. NTFS is ID 07, the backup container's ID is BC. This ID is used by several backup companies - amongst others Acronis and Paragon. In a first attempt the BC is just a filesystem. At least for our software it is. We write files (backup archives) to this system. Full stop.

Don't know if Acronis applies more sophisticated modifications to that partitions that may be irritated by our software.

If a BC exists - no matter who created it initially - the HDM will offer it as first priority destination for your backups.

I assume that your Acronis and Paragon archives are coexisting peacefully in that BC. It may be possible that the HDM disturbed the access of Acronis to that BC in some way.

But it must be possible to extract both kinds of archives out of the BC on a file based level. This could be achieved with the File Transfer Wizard in HDM - for example. So your Acronis backups will not be lost.

The reason for giving this backup destination is obvíous: filesystem browsers like the Windows Explorer do not see partitions without a drive letter and so it is not possible to damage the backups by accident. It is not necessary, just an additional security feature. Backup archives can be written to open filesystems with drive letters as well. Probably this would make more sense for you if you plan to use both programs alternatively.

But: This was a completely hypothetical discussion. I don't know nothing precise about the way Acronis handles backup containers. What I CAN say is that I had no case like your's in 7 years of Paragon support.

[David49]

It used to be possible for me to mount the Acronis archives simply by double-clicking on the archive itself on my backup HDD. This was a very simple and convenient way to retrieve files located in the Acronis archives. But since the folders now show empty, that is no longer possible. I would like to get that back if at all feasible.

I have considered moving all my folders and files from my USB backup HDD to another drive, and re-formatting the backup drive. Then I could move all my folders and files back again, and continue using the original backup drive again normally. And only use 'Smart Backup' for my Paragon archives so this doesn't happen again. But I don't really know if that would work or not. And I also don't know if it would be desirable to give up the BC. Maybe it would be better to just leave this situation alone, and deal with the Acronis abnormality in File Explorer and give up the Acronis direct archive access. I have a feeling Paragon HDM 15 is a better way to go, if not as convenient as far as Acronis is concerned. What is your judgement on this 'issue'?

What I CAN say is that I had no case like your's in 7 years of Paragon support.

Just think. You can never say that again.

Thanks,
Dave

[David49]

Well, anyway, I reformatted my USB backup HDD. Then after a reboot, backed up my system to it with HDM and Acronis TI. I can now see my Paragon and Acronis backup archives in File Explorer. So everything seems back to normal. I will only use Paragon HDM 15 in Legacy Features and Smart Backup in the future.

Paragon HDM 15 Suite should come with a warning label with regard to backing up to a VD, if the end user has more than one backup programs backing up to the same drive. On the other hand, since you seemed to indicate, if I'm the only one to ever have this issue, never mind. LOL!

I really appreciate the input. You got me to begin understanding this thing a little better. And I thank you.

Dave

[English Paragon Support Team]

Thanks for your feedback, you're welcome.