problems with simple backup (mirror source to target)

[Darkewood]

I use vice versa successfully for a simple backup (mirror source to target) using multiple source target pairs. I am on Windows 10 and have separate pairs for documents, pictures, videos, downloads. On my recommendation a friend recently purchased and installed vice versa on his desktop to do exactly the same. However we have run into two separate major problems.
1) Using multiple source (mirror source to target) on just two entities, folder from documents and a folder from pictures, only the first one executes. If I change the order over the same happens but it erases files from the first and copies the files from the second.
2) When execution has taken place there is a message saying files in target have newer date than files in source. This obviously creates a problem when next updating.
I have tried to compare with my system but can see no obvious difference. Help, in simple language, would be appreciated.

[TGRMN Software]

Hi,

could you please post the profile settings? You can copy and paste them here from the ViceVersa "View Profile Settings" window.
Make sure each target folder is different when backing up multiple source folders, e.g.

c:\documents\ -> x:\backup\documents
c:\pictures\ -> x:\backup\pictures

Regarding 2) : which system or disk is the target of the backup?

thanks!
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[Darkewood]

as requested here is a copy of the profile settings.
- Sources: (Locked)
- "C:\Users\Jeff\Documents\1Jennifer\" <to> "I:\Test backup\" (Include Subfolders)
- "C:\Users\Jeff\Pictures\Test level 1\" <to> "I:\Test backup\" (Include Subfolders)
- Create sources/targets that do not exist
Comparison
- Comparison Type: Size and Timestamp
Execution
- Method: Backup (Mirror Source to Target)
- No archive for deleted/replaced source files
- No archive for deleted/replaced target files

The above was set up to test the system using just a few files because doing a full backup was taking many hours. When a full backup was being done the following message was received
"Some files are present in both source and in target but are newer in target.
If you want to overwrite these files with older source files while backing up, use the option ‘replace newer target files with older source files"
we could not locate the identified option.

[Darkewood]

the system is using Windows 10. The source is a desktop and the target is a 1 TB Toshiba external drive.

[Darkewood]

having looked at the settings I then put into the target the two principal folders i.e. 1Jennifer and Test level 1 and redid the execution and all worked perfectly. I have therefore realised that I need to structure the backup before making first execution (whereas I thought it would construct them in Target).
this still leaves me with the problem of different date stamps in the full-scale backup and I am reluctant to have my computer tied up for hours on that to keep testing it out. Your advice on it will be greatly appreciated

[TGRMN Software]

There is a way to let ViceVersa structure the target by using folder variables , e.g. use:

"C:\Users\Jeff\Documents\1Jennifer\" <to> "I:\Test backup\<sourcewithoutdrive>"
"C:\Users\Jeff\Pictures\Test level 1\" <to> "I:\Test backup\<sourcewithoutdrive>"

The variable <sourcewithoutdrive> expands to the corresponding source folder, but without drive.

Re the timestamps: after you make a file copy from source to target are the file timestamps newer for target files, when you re-compare source and target and for all files?

thanks
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[Alice]

Wow, been using VV Pro for ages, did not know about

"<sourcewithoutdrive>"

variable.



Impressive.

[Darkewood]

Following earlier correspondence I set up in the external drive a mirror of the folders that I wanted to backup (documents; pictures; videos) and did a backup. This work successfully but on completion I received the following message
"Some files are present in both source and in target but I knew in target.
If you want to overwrite these files with older source files while packing up, use the option single ‘Replace newer target files with older source files’ "

It identified three folders and within each of those the file "desktop ini". On investigating 2 of the folders proved to be empty and therefore we deleted these in the source. Another backup was completed resulting in the same message as before but this time with only the one folder and file identified.
My friend and I are now happy that we have got a backup but would like to find out how to get rid of this little annoyance and how we can write in the option that is identified.
Thank you so much for your assistance to date and we both hope that you clever people have a very happy Christmas.

[Alice]

So the option :

Replace newer target files with older source files (backup method)

is accessible via :

[ File ] >> [ Change Profile Settings... ] >> 'More...' (if this option has not been expanded previously) >> 'Execution' >> 'Advanced Settings'

Your Profile has to be set to 'Method : Backup (Mirror Source to Target)' for this option to be 'greyed-in'.

[Alice]

I also use the Archiving feature in VV when using 'Backup/Mirror' Profiles.....to allow for restores in the event of accidental overwrites / deletions. It's worth a look :