Backup scheduling question

If this is a new job, you probably already know that the first time it runs it will do a full.

So, let's say you were creating the job today (Weds). Just set the schedule to backup on the days that you want and set the start time. Change 'Start a new recovery point set (base)' to weekly.

As you dont want it to run until Sunday, disable the job. Then re-enable the job on Sunday (or anytime after the scheduled time has passed on the Saturday). This will ensure that the first (and subsequent) full backups will always run on Sunday.

This is not a new job -- do I follow the same instructions above??

I configured start new recovery point at custom weekly -- Sunday -- schedule for new set is Sunday

In the main backup window I have all the days checked in the main backup schedule window

Is this the right way to do it??

I asked Symantec support but they have not understood that I want email-only support, not phone support...

Thank you, Tom

Using the custom option is fine but you need to understand that this basically creates another job in addition to the standard schedule you have set. This might explain why you have 2 fulls being created on Sunday.

If that is the case, I'm not sure why you are using the custom option as it sounds as though the full is being created on a Sunday anyway. Unless I'm missing something?

So I should not use the custom option then just leave the backups alone??

If I do everything the way I said above without the custom option and leave the backup alone, I will start getting 1 full and 6 incrementals starting next Sunday??

Why is the custom option there for if not to confuse me?? :) :)

Thank you, Tom

so I changed it to Yearly...so now hopefully I will start having only 1 full and 6 incrementals starting next Sunday, any backups created this week will be incrementals from the previous full...

Thank you, Tom

If I do everything the way I said above without the custom option and leave the backup alone, I will start getting 1 full and 6 incrementals starting next Sunday??

That depends. When did the FIRST backup run? If it was on a Sunday, all subsequent fulls will also be on a Sunday (assuming you have create base set to weekly of course).

One of them is now doing an overdue full backup...so the Sunday setting on the job now makes no difference?? -- the next full will be on a Thursday?? regardless of my Sunday setting??

The other one has not run for a while...I could temporarily disable it and run a different backup for a while.

Symantec should make this aspect of backups do something like examine the day of the week not when the last full backup was run as it now seems to do from your comments above.

Thank you, Tom

One of them is now doing an overdue full backup...so the Sunday setting on the job now makes no difference?? -- the next full will be on a Thursday?? regardless of my Sunday setting??

Not sure what you mean by this? Please provide more details:

1. How is scheduled configured
2. When did first backup run
3. When did last full run
4. Has the backup run on all days of the schedule recently (check backup destination folder)

4. Many issues have happened recently with the backup destination -- it ran some days, not others

2. Very first backup ran a couple years ago, superseded by other full backups since then which have rotated out, been deleted, etc.

1. Current schedule is daily at 10 pm, with custom weekly, start a new full every Sunday

Start a new recovery point set (base):
    At 10:00 PM every Sunday, starting 6/2/2011

Scheduled backup time:
    At 10:00 PM every day, starting 6/2/2011

Event triggers:
    No triggers

3. Last full ran today due to me accidentally configuring to 1000 AM instead of 1000 PM

Symantec support eventually responded.

I needed to UN-check Sunday from the top row of weekdays and have Sundays configured in Custom Weekly.

I'll know next week if things work properly etc.

Thank you, Tom