Cobian Backup is a multi-threaded program you can use to backup your files and directories from their original location to other directories/drives in the same computer or other computer in your network. Cobian Backup exists in two different versions: application and service.
You can automatically backup your files once, daily, weekly, monthly, or on a
timer basis.
You can also save and open lists with different backup file sets.
The program creates a log file which optionally can be mailed to you
automatically.
Cobian BackUp can be used as an application (Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP) or
as a windows service (Windows NT/2000/XP).
Cobian BackUp has integrated compression capabilities, using the
standard Zip algorithm. All the functions in the program can optionally be
password protected.
A service is a special windows application that runs even if no user is logged on the system. The service can run under a special account (System account) or other account. For Windows NT, 2000 or XP is recommended to run this program as a service. There is one problem: if you want to access a shared drive or folder or some non-local resource, you cannot run the service under the default system account. You must run it under an account which has network access (example: the Administrator account). In the installation program, you can choose to configure the service to run under the system or other account.
Another difference is that you cannot terminate a service the same way you close an application. You stop/start a service using the Control Panel- Services icon.
Important: running under NT/2000/XP, you must have administrative privileges.
To properly install Cobian Backup, simply run the Install.exe program. Choose a directory to install, for example C:\Cobian Backup and select the installation mode:
As a service: If you are running in NT/2000/XP, this option will be enabled and the recommended one. You will be prompted if you want to run the service under the system account or other account. If you are accessing network resources, you cannot run the service under the system account.
As an application, autostart for any user: this option installs the program as an application, and starts it automatically when any user logs on.
As an application, autostart the current user: option installs the program as an application, and starts it automatically when the current user logs on.
As an application, no autostart: The application must be manually started from the icon in the start- menu.
You MUST start the computer after the installation is completed. See the FAQ if you have problems when installig as a service.
To uninstall the program, go to the Control panel- Add/delete program and select Cobian backup.
The Options button brings a dialog with the following settings:
Password: If you want to protect your settings and backup lists, enter any non-empty password twice (using the Retype edit box). This password is also used to protect the zip files.
Autostart: Here you can control the autostart options (For application mode only).
All users: If autostart is checked, this check box can be used to decide if the program will autostart for any user or only the current user.
Log events: A log file is created (recommended)
Log errors only: Successfully done operations are not written into the log file.
Mail log : If checked, the log file will be send to your e-mail address.
Time to mail: If the Mail log option is checked, you can enter the time when you want to receive the log file.
Delete on mail: If the log file is successfully mailed, the log file will be deleted, and a new log file will be created.
If you check Mail log, you must provide your e-mail address and SMTP server to the program.
Protect zip files: if you create compressed files you can password-protect them too. The password used is the same you provide in the options dialog box.
Protect UI: (UI- user interface) If checked, you will be prompted for the password when manually begining a backup, changing the list, closing the program, etc.
Compression level: If you are creating compressed files you can choose a compression level from 0 (no compression) to 9 (Maximal compression, slower). 6 is the recommended value to use.
Absolute zip path: If checked, the zip files will store the full path to your files. For exemple, when zipping the file c:\Windows\Win.ini, the full path will be stored. Otherwise you get only Win.ini if the working directory is Windows.
Auto Live update: The program will automatically conect to the internet once a week or when starting and check if a new version is available.
If you want Cobian backup to use other folder for its temporary operations, select a new temporary folder.
Confirm your settings by clicking OK.
You can add an event to the current list of items to backup by clicking the button ôAdd a file or folderö or by right-clicking the list, and selecting ôNew eventö.
Select the file or directory to backup using the Source buttons and the destination folder.
You can select a backup type:
Once: basically, this copies the file or folder at the given date and time.
Daily: backups the item every day at the given time.
Weekly: backups the item once a week at the given day of the week.
Monthly: backups the item once a month, at the given day and time.
Timer: repeatedly backups the item every X minutes.
Overwrite if exists will copy the file or folder to the destination folder, replacing old backups. If you unselect this check box, it will create a new file or directory every time the item is copied. The date and time will be used in the file name.
Example: Item1 2002-01-11 ; 12;00.zip
Compress: If checked, the source file will be compressed using the zip standard method.
Incremental: This option is only available if Compression is turned OFF and if Overwrite if exists is turned ON. In this case if the source file already exists on the destination path, the program will check if the source has been changed and is different from the destination. If there is no need to copy the file, it will be skipped, saving ackup time.
Disabled: If checked, this item will be ignored when backing up.
To modify an event, simply right-click on it and select properties.
To delete an (or several) events, select the event(s), right-click and select Delete.
You can easily save a backup list by clicking on Save a list as.... If you want to use other list, select Open list, and it will become the active one.
⌐ 2001-2002 by Luis Cobian
All rights reserved
cobian@educ.umu.se
New versions and updates can always be found at
http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian
CobBackup 3.0 is freeware and can be free copied and distributed.
Please, read the README.TXT and LICENCE.TXT files for other important details.
Q: Why doesn't Cobian Backup shows the
files that the program is currently backing up?
A: Cobian Backup uses three different executables to work: CobBU.exe (the backup
engine), cbs.exe (The service backup engine) and cbui.exe (the interface). The
interface that you see in the tray is a dummy program. Whith the interface you
can easily edit your backup lists, but the real work is done by the other two
programs. In fact, you can run the program and it will backup without the
interface. I use some techniques to communicate between these 3 processes (via
memory mapped files, if the service is active or via messages if running as an
application). Because the backup engine is fully multithreaded several items may
be compressing/copying at the same time. It's very difficult to show what is
going on when several things are happening at the same time in different threads.
That's why I only show an animated icon when a backup is started. Additional
info about the threads can be found on the status bar. But you can always check
the log file to see all the operations. I use multithreading to optimize the
program when working on a machine with several processors. The question is:
optimization and speed OR more information. I choose the first option.
Q: Are you going to make international
versions of your program?
A: A spanish, swedish and russian version MAY see the light in the future.
Q: Which command line arguments can I use
with Cobian backup?
A: The arguments are: (Works only with the application (CobBU.exe), not the
service part).
/backupnow -backups the active list
/nogui - don't show the user interface
filename (no "/" is allowed. If the file name contains spaces, use quotes)-loads
the list filename
Exemple:
CobBU.exe "c:\cobian backup\mainlist.lst" /backupnow /nogui
Q: Installing the program as a service, I
get an eror in the log file. The program cannot access a network drive. Why?
A: In order to access a network resource, the service cannot be running as the
local system account.
One way to fix this problem:
* Uninstall the program.
* Install it again, but select the option "Use the following account".
* Then you can enter a valid user ID and a password. This account must have
permission to access the network drive.
The other way:
* See the following question.
Q: OK, I installed the program as an
application. I selected the option "Use the following account:" and entered a
VALID user ID and password, but the service doesn't start. Why?
A: Well, this is a problem with the installer in some systems. The service gets
installed without problem,s but it doesn't start and you see a disabled icon on
the tray. How to fix it:
First, be sure that you have entered the right ID and password. remember that a
password is case-sensitive on NT based systems. If you are using a domain
account, enter the ID using the format DOMAIN\YourID.
If you are sure that the account name and the password are OK, then:
* Open the control panel
* If you are on NT, click Services. On 2000/XP click Administration tools/Sevices
* Locate the service named "Cobian Backup".
* Double click on it or press the button "Properties"
* Select the tab "Log in as" (can have other caption depending on the OS
version)
* Re-enter the userID and password (sometimes you must click on Use system
account and click back to Log in as).
* Klick OK. You will get a message that says that User X has now the rights to
login as a service.
* Start the service or restart the computer.
Q: Why the program fails to backup some files?
A:Windows and some other programs may open some files with exclusive share access. In this case the backup program (and any other program) will fail while trying to copy this file. Solution: close the program that is using the file you are trying to backup.
Q: Is there some Recovery function?
A: Cobian backup is NOT designed to have a Recovery function. The program is used to automatically make copies of files and directories to another drive or folder. To recover the files, you must manually copy the files back into the right place.
Q: Why the program fails to zip? I have enough free space on the destination drive.
A: Zip operations uses the temporary directory to compress. If you doesn't have enought free space on your default temporary folder when compressing a BIG file or huge amount of data, the zip file may become corrupted. Change your temporary directory for zip files on the options dialog.
Q: Are you planning to made new versions of this program?
A: This program is taking very much of my free time and I would like to develope other ideas I have. Maybe in a distance future I will write another version from scratch.