In "Properties" - "Policies" - "Write Caching and Removal", the option
selected is "Optomize for quick removal" which apparently disables write
caching on the disk.

I suspect the only way to get to the bottom of this will be to get hold of
another disk and attempt a restore. I'll update the post with the results as
soon as I can get hold of another disk.

Thanks for taking the time to advise.

Tim

"Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
[color=blue]
> I think your problem is centered around the 'write caching' setting for this
> removable drive. (Disk Properties, Policies tab.) I would suspect this is
> set to use write caching to speed the drive, and the drive was removed
> without using the "Safely Remove hardware" icon in the Notifications area.
>
> --
> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
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> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm#RateAPostAsAnswer[/url]
> Mark L. Ferguson
> .
>
> "Tim" <Tim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FF70EC12-9339-4A9D-82F2-F8C5AA1DCFD9@microsoft.com...[color=green]
> > Mark,
> >
> > Thanks for your prompt reply and my apologies for taking so long to get
> > back
> > to you.
> >
> > I open "Backup Status and Configuration", select "Complete PC Backup",
> > select the external USB HDD as backup media, then the system says that a
> > previous backup exists and "only the differences will be saved".
> >
> > The problem is that there is no previous backup (as the exernal USB HDD
> > has
> > been reformatted). I want everything on the C: partition to be backed up
> > not
> > just "the differences".
> >
> > You say that "There are setting available during a backup that let you set
> > the interval between Complete backups", but I don't see any options. It
> > just launches straight into the backup and creates a backup directory of
> > 26Gb
> > (clearly not a complete backup as 52Gb of space is used on the C: drive.
> >
> > I need to make a genuine "complete" backup.
> >
> > I'm using Vista Business.
> >
> > Thanks again,
> > Tim
> >
> > "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >> Not sure you are saying what you have done. You open "Backup Status and
> >> Configuration", highlight "Complete PC Backup" and it doesn't tell you
> >> the
> >> location of the last successful backup, and where it is?
> >> There are setting available during a backup that let you set the interval
> >> between "Complete" backups.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
> >> interface.
> >> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm#RateAPostAsAnswer[/url]
> >> Mark L. Ferguson
> >> .
> >>
> >> "Tim" <Tim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:2480A427-9071-4E2F-BF84-5E4994D2D958@microsoft.com...
> >> > Does anyone know how to reset the Vista backup routine in order to
> >> > force
> >> > it
> >> > to do a fresh complete backup? My problem is detailed below...
> >> >
> >> > I've used Complete PC Backup to backup / restore various new customer
> >> > installs. The way I understand it is that the first time it's run it
> >> > backs
> >> > up ALL the data on the selected partition(s) to the backup media, then
> >> > subsequent backups are incremental and smaller in size.
> >> >
> >> > I've just finished rebuilding a Vista machine and want to make a
> >> > complete
> >> > (i.e. not incremental) backup of it. 52Gb of space has been used for
> >> > data
> >> > on
> >> > the C: drive, but when I attempt to make a complete backup it says
> >> > that
> >> > previous backups have been detected and it will only backup the
> >> > differences.
> >> > The backup file created is only 26Gb.
> >> >
> >> > There are no other backups on the system as the backup device (ext USB2
> >> > HDD)
> >> > has been reformatted. I'm guessing that if I attempted to restore, the
> >> > routine would try to find a previous complete backup that no longer
> >> > exists
> >> > and fail. The only way I can test it would be to attempt a restore
> >> > which
> >> > I
> >> > cannot risk.
> >> >
> >> > There must be a hidden file somewhere that records previous backups.
> >> > If I
> >> > can reset this I could make a full 52Gb backup.
> >> >
> >> > Any advice would be greaty appreciated.
> >> >[/color][/color][/color]