AISBackup F.A.Q.
If you cannot find what you want here please also
see the
How To section. The how to section
contains a few examples of backup related functions that you may want to
perform. Another good source for answers to problems with AISBackup is the
product forum.
- How do I make a backup to one or more external drives? This tutorial covers local and networked connected external drives.
- Windows Vista: Why does AISBackup say (Limited
Account Restrictions Apply) when running under Windows Vista? or
How to run AISBackup as an Administrator.
-
I do not understand Backup Sessions, are
they the same as incremental and / or differential backups? Tutorial
here.
-
I do a full backup to a new Disc each day
using the auto-run Clear Backup Contents File option. I keep
the old discs for a time, and now I wish to restore from one of the
older backups. AISBackup only remembers the last backup,
how do I restore from an old backup
-
AISBackup did not backup some files
because they were open and in-use by another application,
how do I backup these files?
-
Is there an Emergency
System Backup for Windows XP?
-
How do I get
AISBackup to run a Full backup.
-
"The CD and DVD
writers options are confusing. I chose CD (or DVD) and AISBackup
insists on backing up to the Hard drive, why?"
-
What CD and DVD media are supported, and
which write mechanism should I use?
-
AISBackup reports that a CD has not been created correctly, however,
if I restart AISBackup the CD can be read, why?
-
How do I change the ASPI drivers used by the
integrated CD & DVD writer?
Use the above to correct problems with the integrated CD / DVD writer.
-
How do I get AISBackup to backup to CD?
-
How do I
create a "ready to go" backup of Windows to a USB or FireWire
connected disk.
This option may also be used to transfer data from existing Disks to
new IDE connected disks.
-
I have purchased
AISBackup but have lost the key file.
-
Disaster Recovery Windows 2000 & XP.
-
How do I get AISBackup to close down the PC after
a scheduled backup finishes at night.
-
Why does the backup keep failing at odd times
when directed to CD or DVD?
-
AISBackup is asking for a Registration
key before the end of the 30 day trial.
-
I want to
extend the trial period.
-
How do I backup
Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP?
-
I want to
restore from a CD or DVD created on another PC or a CD that was created on
this PC but I can no longer find the backup job.
-
I am having
excessive errors during the Test (Validation) phase of a backup when
the backup is directed to CD.
-
How do
I schedule a job to run the first time the PC is loaded each
Monday?
-
How do I
schedule a backup to run automatically using Microsoft Task Scheduler?
-
How do I get AISBackup to work with ZipMagic?
How do I get AISBackup to backup to CD?
AISBackup Integrated CD
Writer
The Disc writer must be enabled via the Tools /
Program Settings and Options / AISBackup CD Writer Enabled to get AISBackup to
automatically scan for the CD / DVD writers click Troubleshoot CD/DVD
Writer Faults. For more information about troubleshooting CD
writer faults click here.
The integrated AISBackup Disc Writer uses blank
Disc's,
i.e. they must not be pre-formatted.
The integrated Disc writer requires that the backup is
first written to a Disc staging area, this must be of at least the capacity
of the blank media.
Using a third party packet
writing system
AISBackup uses a third party packet writing
system to backup to your CD writer.
The Packet Writing interface allows you to write files directly to a CD-Recordable (CD-R) or CD-ReWritable (CD-RW) disc in much the same way that you copy files to a floppy diskette or removable drive.
For AISBackup to be able to backup to CD you must format your CD-R or CD-RW to
use this packet writing system.
If you have already installed a Packet Writing
interface but your system is still failing to successfully backup to CD
see here.
Please refer to your CD Packet Writing software
documentation for details of how to format a CD. A few popular interfaces
are described below:
Roxio DirectCD™
(Formerly Adaptec DirectCD™)
-
Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW.
-
If Adaptec Create CD is running in the task bar,
a menu will pop up asking how you want to create the CD. Choose Data, and
then choose DirectCD. This will launch the Adaptec DirectCD Wizard.
-
If the menu does not pop up, start the Adaptec
DirectCD Wizard by double clicking the CD icon
on the Windows
taskbar. If this icon is not on your task bar refer to your DirectCD
instructions.
-
On the Welcome screen click Next >
-
On the Drive Information screen click Next
>
-
On the Format Disc screen click Next >
-
On the Name your Disc screen enter a name that
can easily identify the CD as part of a set, for example 'Backup001',
'Backup002'. Then Click Finish.
A CD-R will take about 15 seconds to format, a CD-RW will take in excess of
25 minutes.
-
Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW
-
If CD auto-notification has not been set you may have to re-mount the CD.
From Windows explorer, right click the CD-R Drive, Select Re-Mount.
-
PacketCd should detect that a blank CD has been inserted and automatically
start the format program. If not select the PacketCD Formatter program from
the task bar (Start / Programs / CeQuadrat / PacketCD Formatter).
-
Select Format as Packet CD for CD-RW or CD-R as
appropriate.
-
Enter a name that
can easily identify the CD as part of a set, for example 'Backup001',
'Backup002'.
-
Click Next >
-
Do not select 'Compressed Volume' unless you
are using AISBackup with no compression.
-
Click Format
-
Click Finish
A CD-R will take about 15 seconds to format, a CD-RW will take in excess of
25 minutes.
Why
does the backup keep failing
at odd times when directed
to CD or DVD?
Note:
PC
Hardware and software has
improved since this article
was written. The content
here, except for checking
firmware and driver updates,
may only apply to hardware
manufactured prior to 2001.
This can happen for a
number of reasons such as
faulty CD media, but one
reason that seems to occur
quite often is the DMA
setting on the CD Writer.
For PC's manufactured
prior to about 2001: Removing the DMA setting
from the CD
may
improve the ability of
AISBackup to write to CD,
the non DMA mode on Windows
2000 and XP is called PIO
mode. This problem only
seems to affect PC's using a
VIA chipset.
It is
advisable to try and get the
drive running with DMA set
because the performance of
modern drives will be
severely affected, here are
a few tips:
-
Install
the most up-to-date patches
to the Windows Operating
system.
-
Install
the latest Motherboard
drivers, The VIA 4 in 1
drivers, these may be
obtained from
here.
-
Check
with the manufacturer of
your CD writer for the
latest firmware for your
drive.
-
Check the
CD writer's ability to write
a full CD using the software
that came with the CD
writer.
For
details of how to set or remove the DMA setting on Windows
2000 or XP
click
here.
The following applies to Windows 95, 98 & ME when
using 'closed' packet written (UDF) CD's using older versions of Adaptec / Roxio
DirectCD.
It has also been reported that setting the optimise access pattern for: to
'No read-ahead' can improve writing to CD-R, indeed some CD writers do not read
'closed' CD-R's very well (less than 1X speed).
For Windows 95, 98 & ME the read
ahead setting can be found in:
- Right click My Computer and choose Properties.
- Click the Performance tab then the File System button.
- Click the CD-ROM tab.
Other things that may improve writing to CD:
-
Check that you have the latest
version of your chosen Packet Writing software.
-
Check that you have the latest
version of the CD writer firmware. Most CD writer manufacturers make available
new firmware on their internet web-site. Please read the firmware installation
instruction carefully as applying an incorrect firmware or installing the
firmware incorrectly may render the CD writer unusable.
-
Check that you have the latest
drivers installed for your motherboard chipset, for example, users of the
VIA
chipset may need to install the latest 4 in 1 drivers.
-
If your CD writer is still in
it's guarantee period contact your CD Writer support desk for the latest
information relating to your CD writer.
Thank you
to Guy Verhaegen and Elvis
Barnhart for confirming that
removing the DMA setting
works.
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AIS Backup is asking for a
Registration key before the end of the 30 day trial.
If you have uninstalled
and re-installed AISBackup
you will need to apply for a
new key to resume the trial
period.
To replace AISBackup with
an updated version, simply
re-install the program, the
changed files will be
replaced.
To move the program from
one drive to another,
either:
-
Drag the program to it's new location using
Windows Explorer, then manually update the shortcuts.
-
Install the program to the new location, do not
launch the program after installation, then manually copy AISBackup.lic from
the old program folder to the new. Then manually delete the old program
folder.
-
De-Install, Re-Install, wait for the program to
ask for a new 'registration key' and follow the procedure here.
Moving AISBackup this way may take a couple of days and is not recommended.
I
want to extend the trial
period.
To extend the trial
period of AISBackup:
-
Select the menu option 'Registration'
-
Click Re-Trial.
-
Enter your e-mail address, then if using MAPI
e-mail system click Send or click Copy To Clipboard then
manually paste the e-mail details to your e-mail system.
-
Send this e-mail to AISBackup@aiscl.co.uk
-
Wait for the re-registration key and
instructions for applying it. The number of day's allocated for the re-trial
is up to the discretion of Aquarius I. S. Consultancy Limited.
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I
want to backup Windows NT,
Windows 2000 or Windows XP Operating System.
From version 1.7 AISBackup can
backup the Windows NT, 2000 and XP Operating systems. Some files cannot be
backed up from NTFS disks, these are usually log files or files held open by
running applications.
If a running application is
holding the files open close the files prior to running the backup, or if
possible get AISBackup to close down and re-start the application for you.
Log files, such as modem log
files, can be safely left off the backup. Other files that may not backup which
will be re-created by Widows include:
-
Folder System Volume
Information.
-
File QMGR1.DAT and QMGR2.DAT.
-
Some data files used by the
Indexing Service, if indexing is active.
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Restore from a CD or DVD created
on another PC.
The problem with restoring files from another PC or
restoring files from a backup that has been deleted from the current PC is the
re-introduction of the Backup Job and
Backup Contents File.
Scenario.
You have made a CD backup of folders 'd:\mypictures'
and 'c:\my documents', the backup job is called MyThings, Since then you have
re-loaded Windows on the PC (perhaps with AISBackup Emergency
backup and Restore) and now the
job MyThings no longer exists on the PC. Not only do you want to restore the missing files
but you want to carry on using MyThings to continue backing up these
folders.
Action.
If the last backup was run on AISBackup version
1.0.3 or higher select the menu option Tools / Open Job From Backup Media. then open the
Backup Contents File <Job Name>.bdb file from the last CD
or DVD used (or the
backup destination folder of a Hard Drive or Network Drive backup).
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I
am having excessive errors
during the Test (Validation)
phase of a backup when the
backup is directed to CD.
The following notes are not really
applicable to modern CD writers and CD Packet Writing software.
Some CD
packet writing software, such as Roxio Direct CD, incorrectly detect the
speed of the inserted media e.g. an 8 speed CD-R may be loaded as a 12
speed CD-R, if you subsequently write the CD at 12 speed you may receive
excessive read failures during the on-the-fly test phase of the backup.
Some
media that is compatible with a 12 speed drive may not perform too well with
your own CD-writer, try dropping the speed here as well.
You can
set the write speed of the CD-R by using the packet CD options
function. When backing up to CD we recommend that you always enable
on-the-fly testing - this is now the default for backing up to CD. The wrong
speed detection may also cause failures in other applications that write to CD.
Is
there an Emergency System
Backup for Windows XP?
There is no Emergency
System Backup for Windows XP
as Windows XP cannot be
restored from DOS. Windows
XP must be restored using a
compatible Windows XP
system. There is a free
third party solution, called
BartPE, which creates a
bootable Windows XP (or
Server 2003) CD which may be
used to restore an
AISBackup, see
here for
details.
Windows Vista
Vista: Increased Security
To get AISBackup running all your backup jobs, right click and choose 'Run
as administrator'.
Why?
Note: Version 2.4 of AISBackup will automatically ask to run as an administrator when required.
The default mode for the Windows Vista operating system uses a feature called User Account Control (UAC), this feature does not allow any program to run at the highest privilege level without user confirmation. AISBackup must be run at the highest privilege if operating system components, files belonging to another user and files that are currently in-use are to be backed up, the highest privilege mode is called Administrator. AISBackup may be started in Administrator mode by right clicking the shortcut and choosing Run as administrator. Alternatively, if AISBackup is already running at the normal privilege level it may be elevated to administrator mode by selecting the normally hidden Run as administrator button if a backup or restore operation is to be run on a backup job which requires Administrator mode. When creating backup jobs with New Job or Quick Job Administrator mode may be selected by clicking Yes when requested.
If you prefer to always run AISBackup as an administrator the AISBackup shortcut may be edited as follows: Right click the AISBackup shortcut and choose Properties / Click the Compatibility tab / check Run this program as an administrator / click OK.
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