Abort and resume; files to exclude (new user!)

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Howard Ballinger
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 12:52 pm

Abort and resume; files to exclude (new user!)

Post by Howard Ballinger »

Hello and I'm very pleased to have found the AIS backup now that I have got this BusLink CD burner drive. But I started backing up my XP laptop and after the first CD was completed and a new round of files was being zipped, I aborted the script. Later I started it again and it went back to the beginning making another identical CD.

Isn't it supposed to resume where I left off ?? Since backing up 10 gigs of files will take many hours, I think I need to be able to abort and resume the process to get it done.

Also as this is an NTFS drive do I need to specify excluding the registry files or does it know about them already ?? And why would I need to make a second partition, does this always need to be done to back up an NTFS drive?

Thanks -- Howard
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

Restart points in a backup

Post by Barry »

Hi Howard

AISBackup does continue from where it was aborted, the only thing I can think of is AISBackup was running the test phase of the first CD and not backing up the second batch of files. I have run a test here (abort after test phase) and all is working okay. All is not lost, you can import the Backup Contents File from the last completed CD and then resume the backup. I advise that you re-test the first CD after the backup using the Manage Backup / Validate (Test) Backup option.

The best place to abort a backup is when AISBackup asks for the next blank CD.

If the NTFS Registry is selected for backup AISBackup will attempt to back it up, it is up to you to exclude it in this version of AISBackup. I guess we will be required to change this?

It should not take too long to exclude the registry files using the Right Click / Exclude Files and Folders option and Right click / Do not backup this file option (for the parts of the registry that are in Documents and Settings.

Here are the steps to import and validate the first CD:
  • 1/ Load the CD

    2/ Select the script (Job)

    3/ Choose the menu option Manage Backup / Import Backup Contents File

    4/ To 'Do you want to archive...' answer No

    5/ While the backup is re-calculating choose the menu option Manage Backup / Validate (Test) Backup

    6/ click Load Backup Files

    7/ Choose any one of the zip files from the CD (double click a file from the CD)

    8/ When the validation has completed click Next

    9/ If the 'Remove Volumes' form is displayed click Next

    10/ The backup now contains the missing CD less any files that failed to restore from the CD (none we hope :D )
Barry
Howard Ballinger
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 12:52 pm

Another question about question ...

Post by Howard Ballinger »

Barry --

Thanks for the quick reply.

Do I understand this ... that for ordinary purposes of backing up non-OS files (assuming the OS can be restored by other means such as whatever disks came with the computer -- I suppose I should look into them and see if they really do that!) all I need to do is make a full backup on CD-R's and exclude the registry files so they don't get overwritten if I have to do a full restore.

Is that it?

> It should not take too long to exclude the registry files
> using the Right Click / Exclude Files and Folders option
> and Right click / Do not backup this file option (for the
> parts of the registry that are in Documents and Settings.

I found directions somewhere in your doc or your web pages for the specifics of how to do this but tonight I can't find them again. Right click where ?? I'm dense tonight !! And I've forgotten the filenames, one of them is in the root I guess and the other in the \Documents and Settings\La-di-dah\La-di-dah\... oh poop I can't find either of them now using Windows Commander.

Would you kindly set me straight ??

Happy New Year to you! -- H
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

XP & 2000 Registry

Post by Barry »

Hi Howard

Sorry, I should have said that the files that were not backed up are listed in the log file, View / Backup Log.

The following registry and other system files cannot be backed up from NTFS drives:

All Files from C:\Windows\System32\Config\

The following files:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\NTUSER.DAT
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\ntuser.dat.log
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat.LOG

Where I have highlighted the folder Administrator substitute and check the following folders for the above files:
  • <Username>

    Default

    LocalService

    NetworkService
Barry
Howard Ballinger
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 12:52 pm

So far so good ... ??

Post by Howard Ballinger »

OK Barry and thanks. But I didn't mark all those files for exclusion before I backed up, is that bad? It seemed daunting to type all those paths into the exclude files box. Now I realize I could have done it by going back to the files to back up selection instead.

Anyway it successfully backed up, onto 10 CD's.

Since those system files couldn't be backed up anyway, I assumed that they simply wouldn't be -- and if I have to do a full resore I'll have to restore Windows XP then do the restore my files from these backup CD's, but otherwise I could still save my files. True?

Please clarify for me what will happen next time I back up. It sounds from some of the documentation like all the files will be included in the next backup. Does that mean 10 more CD's worth ??

Also there's an annoyance that if I start AIS backup just to look at the menus or the doc or something, without getting my CD-R/W drive out and hooking it up, with no E: drive in place the program makes me reconfigure its script !
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

Backing up the registry (or not)

Post by Barry »

Hi Howard

If you select files that cannot be backed up AISBackup will just not back them up and report this fact. The next release of AISBackup can backup the Registry from NTFS disks, so you may not want to exclude the Registry after all. Would you (or anybody else) like to help test this?

AISBackup only selects new and changed files after the first backup. If you want to force a full backup you must do this via the Manage Backup / Reset Backup option.

We’ll add an option to get around the ‘Program Options’ pop-up when the CD Writer is disconnected.

Barry
Howard Ballinger
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 12:52 pm

Re: Backing up the registry (or not)

Post by Howard Ballinger »

[quote="Barry"]
...The next release of AISBackup can backup the Registry from NTFS disks, so you may not want to exclude the Registry after all. Would you (or anybody else) like to help test this?
[/quote]

Sure will if I can manage the time. Let me know when you have a beta ready!

[quote="Barry"]
AISBackup only selects new and changed files after the first backup ...
We’ll add an option to get around the ‘Program Options’ pop-up ...
[/quote]

Great on both counts.

By the way I'm now a paying customer!

-- H
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