[SOLVED] Backup program modified the "System Volume Information" folder. What could happen?

Banqu0

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Mar 11, 2015
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Using DirSync Pro to backup 1TB to a networked drive. I didn't notice at first the the system folders in queue to be modified until after it was running. Is this going to cause any serious issues? If so, how do I mitigate them?
 
Solution
The System Volume Information 'folder' holds info about the contents of the drive.
Indexing, permissions, etc.
Normally, the SVI is modified by a System user. Transparent to you.

So changing the contents will "modify" that SVI data.


But the other half of any backup routine is testing.
Did it actually work, did it screw anything up, do I know how to recover?

If the modifications of this tool were to screw up the SVI on the target drive, it wouldn't be much good.
So, test.
Is the data in this backup all OK?
Can you recover it?
Using DirSync Pro to backup 1TB to a networked drive. I didn't notice at first the the system folders in queue to be modified until after it was running. Is this going to cause any serious issues? If so, how do I mitigate them?
Modified how?
System Volume Information folder houses System Restore points.
Restore points could be impacted (depending on modifications).
If you don't use System Restore, then this doesn't matter.
 
It does in the context of this scenario. Using DirSync Pro, when you copy a folder and it replaces that same folder on the target volume, the program categorizes that as "modified" rather than a simple deletion.
So it modifies target folder. Doesn't modify the source.

Anyway - copying just folders is not a proper way for backing up windows OS.
You have to create OS partition image or system drive image.

Copying folders is fine for just user files though.
 
Last edited:

Banqu0

Distinguished
Mar 11, 2015
108
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18,695
So it modifies target folder. Doesn't modify the source.

Anyway - copying just folders is not a proper way for backing up windows OS.
You have to create OS partition image or system drive image.

Copying folders is fine for just user files though.

Erm, I'm not backing up the OS. It's a media drive. The system volume information folder is the only system folder on the volume.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
The System Volume Information 'folder' holds info about the contents of the drive.
Indexing, permissions, etc.
Normally, the SVI is modified by a System user. Transparent to you.

So changing the contents will "modify" that SVI data.


But the other half of any backup routine is testing.
Did it actually work, did it screw anything up, do I know how to recover?

If the modifications of this tool were to screw up the SVI on the target drive, it wouldn't be much good.
So, test.
Is the data in this backup all OK?
Can you recover it?
 
Solution

Banqu0

Distinguished
Mar 11, 2015
108
1
18,695
The System Volume Information 'folder' holds info about the contents of the drive.
Indexing, permissions, etc.
Normally, the SVI is modified by a System user. Transparent to you.

So changing the contents will "modify" that SVI data.


But the other half of any backup routine is testing.
Did it actually work, did it screw anything up, do I know how to recover?

If the modifications of this tool were to screw up the SVI on the target drive, it wouldn't be much good.
So, test.
Is the data in this backup all OK?
Can you recover it?

The data itself is sound. I'm just not sure of any effects not readily apparent due to the modification of that folder.