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Windows Server TechCenter > Windows Server Forums > File Services and Storage > VSS Full Backup VS VSS copy backup.

Answered VSS Full Backup VS VSS copy backup.

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      Wednesday, March 05, 2008 3:21 PM
       
       
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      Hi

       

      My question really is where can I find a clearer explanation regarding the difference between Full Backup and Copy Backup. Since I'm not that familiar with backup, the explanation that one retains the application log files and the other clears the application log files makes me to miss the whole meaning of this.

       

      I understand Copy Backup is to be used if you have another backup product. Since it retains the log files, that means that the other backup utility basically doesn't even know another backup took place? or am I understanding this all wrong.

       

      thank you.

       

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    • Thursday, March 06, 2008 12:58 PM
       
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      Hello,

       

      When you use some backup product to back up your data (for example, a folder), the archive attribute will be cleared (meaning that this file has been backed up). If you make some changes to the data after you back up this data, the archive attribute will be selected automatically to indicate that the data has been changed since the last save. So, next time the backup utility runs, it will check all the files' archive attributes to see which data has been changed since the last backup.

       

      You can see this attribute by clicking "Advanced" button on the General tab of the folder' property. It is the "Folder is ready for archiving".

       

      So, if you have more than one backup product to regularly backup your files and after the initial backup some files have been changed. These changed files' archive attribute will be selected. One backup utility runs and finds that the files have been changed, it will back up these files and then clears the archive attribute. After that, anther backup utility runs, however, it will find that the archive attribute is not selected, so it will see this file as unchanged since the last backup. Conclusively, after a long time, you will find the backup files are not the same within the different backup products.

       

      The total difference between these two options is, copy backup copies all the files that you select, but does not mark each file as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared).

       

      So, as the prompt says, choose the VSS copy backup if you are using another backup product to back up applications that are on Volumes included in the current backup.

       

      Best regards,

      Chang Yin

      Microsoft Online Community Support

      • Unmarked As Answer by Tim QuanModerator Wednesday, February 02, 2011 6:04 AM
      • Proposed As Answer by seleleth Tuesday, January 10, 2012 4:41 PM
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    • Thursday, March 06, 2008 2:18 PM
       
       
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      Thank you. I already knew the part about the archived bit on a file, just that from reading the description in Windows Server Backup, I couldn't really make sense of it.
       
    • Sunday, March 01, 2009 6:01 AM
       
       Proposed Answer
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      I agree, it would be much more clear if the text was changed from "application log files" to "archive bits".
      Dave
       
    • Friday, May 21, 2010 10:29 PM
       
       
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      I agree, it is ambiguously worded ...
       
    • Wednesday, February 02, 2011 6:05 AM
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      It should not be related to archive attributes. It is related to application logs.

      Please refer to the following article:

      http://blogs.technet.com/b/filecab/archive/2008/05/21/what-is-the-difference-between-vss-full-backup-and-vss-copy-backup-in-windows-server-2008.aspx