Incremental backup problem

[Barry Garsson]

I recently purchased the iMac suite mainly for the iMac Backup program. Frankly, I am very disappointed, and I wish I had purchased Retrospect instead (for the same price) as it's not possible to return software. Maybe I am not understanding the set-up of the backup software. The whole point of backup software is to provide the incremental backups without having to recopy the whole disk over and over. So I have a configuration setup to copy my video files onto an external drive. The first backup was, obviously, a full backup. Later, I captured about 136 GB of new video files, and went to make an incremental backup. I see the two backups listed separately on the external drive, but to my "horror" the incremental backup contains the new and the old - in other words, it's another full backup! Taking up a lot of unnecessary (and now wasted) space. In my Windows computer I use Retrospect to back up my files, and each new incremental backup copies ONLY the changes I've made from the source drive - it even deletes what I've deleted in the source drive. What good is a backup system that simply creates new copies of what it's already copied? I could have used copy and paste if I wanted to do that? Am I missing something?
Barry

[bobw]

Maybe This will explain

.mac.com is a waste of money for just the backup feature.

I use Chronosync ($30.00) and it will do any type of backup.

[Barry Garsson]

Wish I had asked about backups before I bought that crappy software for $100. So, I have two questions:
1) I read in the respopnses in the link you provided that one could go back to the old, what is it called, BU2 (apparently I have BU3). That would place my backup on a par (more or less) with Retrospect. I do understand the advantage of having several incremental backups in case I've mistakenly deleted a file(s) but we're talking here about video files with a 1 terrabyte external drive for backing up - the incrementals will be as large as the full backup. Anyway, how does one revert to BU2 if it's an option?
2) Never heard of Chronosynch, does it do what I want it to do. What the hell, for another $30 sounds like my life will be less complicated. One question more if you don't mind: I have another computer that runs on Linux OS (Xandros) - will Chronosynch backup that as well - I bought Acronis Backup and it will not restore incrementally, so it doesn't do me much good actually.
Barry

[bobw]

Chronosync

Read about it there. It can backup to a PC, not sure about Linux.

Haven't used either version of Apple's backup, so can't tell you how the older version would work.
The older version is on your iDisk in the Software folder.

[Barry Garsson]

That is great backup software, bobw! I love it. Perfect. Does exactly what I wanted.
Thanks again and again.
Barry