Knowledge Base

How to automatically rename full backups, so that they do not overwrite each other

Introduction

If you schedule a task to create a full backup on regular basis, every new backup will overwrite the previous one, as they will have the same file name.

Solution

If you want to have a new full backup created every time a scheduled task is run, so that there will be several full backups instead of one, you can use the following batch file:

• rename_backup.bat

This batch file renames a specified file, so that a new file with the same name will not overwrite it. If you schedule a task that regularly creates a full backup, you may use Acronis True Image pre/post commands or Windows Scheduled Task Wizard to run this batch file before or after the backup process.

More information

You should do the following to prevent Acronis True Image from overwriting a full backup under a scheduled task:

• Download rename_backup.bat
• Edit the file in Notepad or another word processor;
• Follow the instructions provided in the file to modify its contents according to the parameters of the task you scheduled in Acronis True Image;
• Use Acronis True Image pre/post commands or Windows Scheduler Task Manager (in Windows XP: Control Panel -> Scheduled Tasks -> Add Scheduled Task) to run the batch file before the backup process starts or after it is finished (thus, either renaming the previous backup or the newly created one).

Please note that Validate backup archive upon its completion cannot be used with putting batch file in the Pre/post commands -> After backup process, since the created batch file will have a changed name. You can still validate it manually.