Copyright: Copyright © 1995-1996 Jeff Becker


  LifeSaver Help File v1.05

LifeSaver is a configuration file backup and restore utility, which can be used to recover from problems due to corrupt configuration files or changes to configuration files which can not be undone.  Configuration files can be modified by installing new software or hardware, or changing properties in your system configuration.  You should backup your configuration files before altering them, allowing you to restore them if you can not undo the changes.  Restoring any configuration files should only be done as a last resort if you can not manually restore them to a previous state or if they have become corrupt.  LifeSaver has many useful features which are highlighted below.

Key features:

- Backup and Restore up to seven different configuration files

- Can be run from the command line with scheduling programs

- Can restore files from the command prompt (DOS) mode

- Can restore to an alternate directory

- Can save up to 10 backups

- Requires PkZip and PkUnzip from PkWare

- It is FREE!

!! WARNING - WARNING - WARNING !!

Extreme caution should be exercised when using this program to restore configuration files!  Any modifications made to the these files after a backup will be lost.  This software is provided as is.  The author accepts no responsibility for damages occurring as a direct or indirect result of using this software.

Note:	It is recommended that you restore registry files from the command prompt.  If your computer fails to work properly after restoring from within Windows, then try restoring from the command prompt.

If you want to backup your registry files after installing new software or hardware restarting Windows before backing up the files will ensure that they contain all of the new information.  The safest way to back up the registry files is to do so immediately after starting Windows.

Send comments or suggestions to:  Aeroblade@aol.com


Configuration Files

This program will backup up and restore up to seven different configuration files.  These files are grouped as follows:

- Windows registry information (System.dat, User.dat)

- Windows configuration information (Protocol.ini, System.ini, Win.ini)

- DOS configuration information (Autoexec.bat, Config.sys)

Use the Options screen to select which files to backup and restore. By right-clicking on a backup, in the list of previous backups, you can see the contents of that backup and select an individual file to restore or restore all of the files.  When a file is selected by right-clicking on the list, it will override the settings in the Options screen for which file(s) to restore.


Command Line

LifeSaver can be run from the command line, which enables it to be run from scheduling type programs such as Microsoft's System Agent included in the Plus! pack.  This way you can regularly backup your configuration files without manually running the program, and you can be sure that you can recover files no more than a day old (if you backup once a day).

Command Line Options:

/backup [backup description]

This will create a new backup using the settings from the Options screen.  If a backup description is omitted, then the default description will be used (the name of the backup file without the .zip extension i.e. Backup25).

"/b" can be used instead of "/backup".

/restore (backup description)

This will restore the files from a backup using the settings from the Options screen.  The backup description can not omitted and must match a description in the list of previous backups.  This is to help prevent accidentally restoring the wrong files.  While you can restore all the files from within Windows, it is recommended that you restore registry files from the command prompt.

Debug Options:

/v  -	To view the PkZip/PkUnzip shelled process.

/vo -	To view the PkZip/PkUnzip shelled process and remain open until closed by the user.


Command Prompt Mode

Using DOS based programs to compress and uncompress the files allows the user to restore these files from the command prompt without starting windows.  Therefore, configuration files can be restored even if Windows can not be started.  Restoring registry files from the command prompt is safer than restoring them from within Windows, because Windows modifies the registry while it is closing.

To make it easier to restore files from the command prompt, LifeSaver automatically generates a Restore.bat file in the backup directory.  The usage for Restore.bat is:  Restore [backup name]

Example: Restore Backup05

If the backup name is left blank then the program will restore your files using the most recent backup.

To use the Restore.bat from the command prompt mode:

1. Start the computer in the command prompt mode

2. Go to the backup directory

3. Type:  Restore <Enter>

4. Restart your computer


Alternate Directory

All files can be restored into an alternate directory. This allows you to look at previous configuration files without overwriting the current files.


Backups

LifeSaver can save from 1 to 10 backups, set in the Options screen.  Once the maximum number of backups is reached, each additional backup will cause the oldest backup to be deleted automatically.  The old backups are deleted to help conserve disk space.

When selecting a path to store backup files, you may use long directory names, but it is suggested that you use short directory names for your backup directory so that you can easily find it from the command mode in case you can not start windows.


Requires
Requirements

To use this program you must already have a copy of PkZip and PkUnzip from PkWare on your computer! This program has been tested with PkZip and PkUnzip version 2.04g.

This program requires Windows 95, and has not been tested with any other operating system.


Free!

LifeSaver is freeware, and may only be distributed with all of its original files.  It may not be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written consent of the author (Jeffrey Becker).

E-mail address: Aeroblade@aol.com


File name and description for the next Backup.  The file name will have the format Backup##.zip, where ## can go from 00-99 and will wrap after reaching 99.  The description can be any text that the users want to use to describe the backup, and will default to the filename without the .zip extension.


List of previous backup file descriptions to restore from.  This list is sorted by date with the most recent backup on the top, and the oldest backup on the bottom.  By right-clicking on a backup you can see the contents of that backup, and select an individual file to restore or restore all of the files.


Date and time of currently selected backup.


View very important information about this program.


Backup using the file name and description on left.


Restore using the currently selected backup.


Delete the currently selected backup.


Set the and Backup/Restore options.


Stop using this fabulous program.


Open the LifeSaver help file.


Location to store backup files.  You may use long directory names, but it is suggested that you use short directory names for your backup directory so that you can easily find it from the command mode in case you can not start windows.


The maximum number of backups which will be saved.  This number can range from 1-10.  Once the maximum number of backups is reached, each additional backup will cause the oldest backup to be deleted automatically.  The old backups are deleted to help conserve disk space.


The location of the PkZip and PkUnzip files from PkWare.  You must have these files to use this program. Using these DOS based programs to compress and uncompress the files allows the user to restore these files from the command prompt without starting windows, which means the configuration files can be restored even if Windows can not be started.


Select which files you wish to save in the all future backups (until you change them here).  Unchecking a group is a quick way to not include any of the files in that group in your backups.


Select which files you wish to restore in the all future restores (until you change them here).  Unchecking a group is a quick way to not include any of the files in that group when you restore.  Since each backup may contain different files, only files contained in that backup and are selected for restoring will be restored.  These options are overridden when a user directly selects which file(s) to restore by right-clicking on the list of backups to restore from.


Choose an alternate path to restore to.  All files will be restored to this location if "Use Alternate Path" is selected.  This allows you to look at previous configuration files without overwriting the current files.


Double-click or press the <Enter> key to select a path.  Press the <Insert> key to create a new directory under the current path.


List of files which start with Pk in the current path.  This is to help you find where the PkZip and PkUnzip files are located.