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recopying data

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perkinslawrence

17 Aug, 2012 12:44 AM

I have backed up my MacPro HD to an external hard drive. Boots from the external HD & it works great.

However, when I do another backup & no files have been changed, CCC copies many GB of data from my Documents in Parallels.

Is there any way to get CCC not to recopy data that hasn't been modified?

Thanks very much!

Additional info: I'm using Mountain Lion. I was not using Parallels or any other application when CCC was backing up my HD.

1. 2 Posted by perkinslawrence on 17 Aug, 2012 01:47 AM

   

   Additional info:
   - I'm using Mountain Lion - I was not using Parallels or any other application when CCC was backing up my HD

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2. Support Staff 3 Posted by Mike Bombich on 17 Aug, 2012 03:45 AM

   

   If you don't do anything more than open Parallels, resume your VM, then suspend the VM and quit Parallels, the monolithic VM container file will still have been modified, and that will cause CCC to recopy it. Compare the following two tasks:

   1. Quit Parallels
   2. Run a CCC backup
   3. Run the same CCC backup task again -- expected result: not a lot of data will be copied, probably less than a few hundred MB
   4. Launch Parallels and start your VM
   5. Close the VM and quit Parallels
   6. Run the same CCC backup task -- expected result: The entire VM container will be copied because it was modified.

   Unfortunately there isn't a lot that you can do to avoid this, the Parallels VM container file is monolithic and it changes every time you use the VM, even if you don't think you're making changes in there.

   Some people create separate backup tasks for their Parallels VM, e.g. exclude it from the general backup task, then use the "Choose a folder" options in the Source and Destination menus to back up just the Parallels folder on a separate schedule.

   Mike

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3. 4 Posted by perkinslawrence on 17 Aug, 2012 06:10 PM

   

   Mike,

   Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I do have one more question though.
    When CCC recopies data in Parallels, does it 'write over' or does it 'add to'
   the Parallels data already backed up previously? If the latter, then I'd have
   two copies of basically the same data.

   Lawrence

   PS If CCC restores data as easily as it clones it, you have one tremendous
   product!

   ________________________________
   From: Mike Bombich
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   To: [email blocked]
   Sent: Thu, August 16, 2012 10:45:54 PM
   Subject: CCC Support: recopying data

   **** PLEASE REPLY ABOVE THIS LINE ****
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4. Support Staff 5 Posted by Mike Bombich on 18 Aug, 2012 02:17 AM

   

   Hi Lawrence:

   hen CCC recopies data in Parallels, does it 'write over' or does it 'add to' the Parallels data already backed up previously?

   It depends on your settings. If you choose the "Temporarily archive modified and deleted items" preset, CCC will move the older version of the Parallels VM file aside to an archives folder, then copy the newer version. If you use the preset to "Delete anything that doesn't exist on the source", then the older version of the VM file is simply overwritten.

   Mike

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5. 6 Posted by perkinslawrence on 18 Aug, 2012 04:47 AM

   

   Excellent! Just what I need to know. Thanks very much Mike.

   ________________________________
   From: Mike Bombich
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   To: [email blocked]
   Sent: Fri, August 17, 2012 9:17:49 PM
   Subject: CCC Support: recopying data

   **** PLEASE REPLY ABOVE THIS LINE ****
   **** Any part of your response that is below this line will be discarded ****

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6. Mike Bombich closed this discussion on 20 Sep, 2012 04:59 AM.

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