Hi,
I've just downloaded the AIS Backup demo, and I've got a couple of questions:
1. If I turn off all compression, are the files written to the CD viewable directly on the CD (ie - I can just copy them back off using Explorer) or do I still need to use AIS Backup to restore them? (The files I'm backing up are already compressed)
2. Is there a way to force a "full backup" each time, instead of incremental backups? I'm not backup up much data (<500 Mb) so ideally I'd like to just run full backups each time, so that I've got several archive copies.
I'm trying to create backups of key data that are as easy to handle as possible - I basically just need something which can collect a bunch of files and folders and copy them to a blank CD.
Cheers,
Tim.
A couple of simple questions...
Compression and Backing up Everything
Hi Tim
If you turn off compression the files are still stored in zip files. AISBackup maintains a list of file types that it does not compress, these include WAV, AVI, CAB amongst others. Please see the menu option Tools / Do Not Compress File List.
You can manually force a full backup by using the Manage Backup / Reset Backup (Backup Everything) option. A better solution is to create a shortcut for the backup by using the Tools / Auto Running AISBackup option:
Barry
If you turn off compression the files are still stored in zip files. AISBackup maintains a list of file types that it does not compress, these include WAV, AVI, CAB amongst others. Please see the menu option Tools / Do Not Compress File List.
You can manually force a full backup by using the Manage Backup / Reset Backup (Backup Everything) option. A better solution is to create a shortcut for the backup by using the Tools / Auto Running AISBackup option:
- Select the backup from Choose a script.
Check Clear Backup Contents File – Backup everything.
Choose an appropriate Destination Database Deletion Options
Click Create Shortcut
Check Create a desktop shortcut
Barry
That's great, and works fine. Many thanks.
Next question - is there a way to set a file mask (include or exclude) for a specific folder, or are those settings per script?
IE - I'd like to be able to back up everything in folder "A", everything except "*.tmp" files in folder "B", and then only files matching "*.cfg" in folder C... is that possible?
(And if these settings can only be set "per script", is there an easy way to run multiple scripts at once to get around the limitation?)
Cheers,
Tim.
Next question - is there a way to set a file mask (include or exclude) for a specific folder, or are those settings per script?
IE - I'd like to be able to back up everything in folder "A", everything except "*.tmp" files in folder "B", and then only files matching "*.cfg" in folder C... is that possible?
(And if these settings can only be set "per script", is there an easy way to run multiple scripts at once to get around the limitation?)
Cheers,
Tim.
Running multiple scripts
Hi
Unfortunately the inclusions / exclusions are per script; we will probably change this in a future release. You can however set up multiple scripts and run them one after each other using a desktop icon for the set. The command line may be generated via the Tools / Auto Running AISBackup menu option or manually as follows:
“c:\program files\aquarius is consultancy\aisbackup\aisbackup.exe” Script1 Script2 Script3 Script4
If the script name includes a space then enclose it in quotes e.g. "Script 1" "Script 2" "Script 3"
Barry
Unfortunately the inclusions / exclusions are per script; we will probably change this in a future release. You can however set up multiple scripts and run them one after each other using a desktop icon for the set. The command line may be generated via the Tools / Auto Running AISBackup menu option or manually as follows:
“c:\program files\aquarius is consultancy\aisbackup\aisbackup.exe” Script1 Script2 Script3 Script4
If the script name includes a space then enclose it in quotes e.g. "Script 1" "Script 2" "Script 3"
Barry
Okay, that's cool. I'll probably just back up those files by writing a batch file which copies them all to an unrelated folder, and then backup that folder completely as part of the usual script.
I've just run my first test backup, which worked fine, but has created a couple of new questions!
1. The CD burnt fine at high speed (16x) but at the end of the "burn" process, the whole machine hung for several minutes before it moved on to the "finalising track" point. Not a major problem, but slightly irritating, especially as this is a "burnproof" drive, so I should be able to do other things without worrying about buffer underruns. I'm on XP (fully patched), P2 2.4, 512 Mb RAM and the burner is a TEAC CD-W540E.
2. Most of the files are backed up as a straight ZIP file, but one of the main files I'm archiving is an encrypted disk volume containing confidential information, and this appears to have been broken across multiple ".AIL" files. Can these be restored without going through AIS Backup? I'm trying to "archival" backups, which can be restored without requiring access to a particular program (or even OS, before anyone suggests including the AIS Backup installer on the CD! I do a lot of work under Solaris / Mac OS X).
Cheers,
Tim.
I've just run my first test backup, which worked fine, but has created a couple of new questions!
1. The CD burnt fine at high speed (16x) but at the end of the "burn" process, the whole machine hung for several minutes before it moved on to the "finalising track" point. Not a major problem, but slightly irritating, especially as this is a "burnproof" drive, so I should be able to do other things without worrying about buffer underruns. I'm on XP (fully patched), P2 2.4, 512 Mb RAM and the burner is a TEAC CD-W540E.
2. Most of the files are backed up as a straight ZIP file, but one of the main files I'm archiving is an encrypted disk volume containing confidential information, and this appears to have been broken across multiple ".AIL" files. Can these be restored without going through AIS Backup? I'm trying to "archival" backups, which can be restored without requiring access to a particular program (or even OS, before anyone suggests including the AIS Backup installer on the CD! I do a lot of work under Solaris / Mac OS X).
Cheers,
Tim.
CD writer and huge files
Hi Tim
Try a lower burn speed, see if that make a difference. I notice different behaviour between different drives. If you like to carry on working while you are burning CD’s the PC will be more responsive if you use a lower burn speed.
In the current version of AISBackup we do not encrypt these huge file segments but just copy compressed or un-compressed. If you use compression then you will need AISBackup to restore them, if you use non-compressed files you can join them back together using the command line ‘copy’ command, i.e. they are just file segments – the details about the file segments are help in the .bdb.lfn file and not in the segments themselves. We really only intended AISBackup to be used to restore backups as only it really knows where the files are located. If there are MAC, Solaris utilities that can join back file segments then you are in business with the huge files.
Barry
Try a lower burn speed, see if that make a difference. I notice different behaviour between different drives. If you like to carry on working while you are burning CD’s the PC will be more responsive if you use a lower burn speed.
In the current version of AISBackup we do not encrypt these huge file segments but just copy compressed or un-compressed. If you use compression then you will need AISBackup to restore them, if you use non-compressed files you can join them back together using the command line ‘copy’ command, i.e. they are just file segments – the details about the file segments are help in the .bdb.lfn file and not in the segments themselves. We really only intended AISBackup to be used to restore backups as only it really knows where the files are located. If there are MAC, Solaris utilities that can join back file segments then you are in business with the huge files.
Barry
