Copyright: Copyright © 1998 - 2000 AVANTRIX Inc.


System Requirements

The below requirements must be met in order to run Backup Plus on your system properly and effectively:

Computer Requirements:

Minimum:

IBM or Compatible Pentium

16 MB Ram

SVGA Display (256 Colors)

Suggested:

Pentium 166 MHz

32 MB Ram

SVGA Display (True Color)

Installed, Backup Plus requires approx. 8 MB of hard drive space.

Operating System Requirements:

Windows 95/98/2000/NT/ME/XP


Order Form

Use the 'Print' command to print the following order form.  If paying by credit card, ensure the credit card information is entered, otherwise ensure the check or money order is made payable to AVANTRIX Inc.  All prices below are in U.S. Funds.

Send the form along with your payment to:

AVANTRIX Inc.

Suite #211 14065 Victoria Trail

Edmonton, AB

Canada  T5Y 2B6

or Fax to (780) 448-1579

BACKUP PLUS ORDER FORM

Pricing Schedule

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Restore Options

The following options determine how Backup Plus restores and prompts when files are being restored.  You can change these options at any time by accessing Settings under the Options Menu.

Changing these options while the restore window is open will not have any effect on the current restore procedure.  You must exit the restore screen and open it again in order for changed restore options to take effect.

Always overwrite existing files when restoring

If this option is set, Backup Plus will automatically overwrite any existing files with ones from your backup archive when restoring.  Otherwise, if this option is unchecked, existing files will NOT be overwritten.  Default is set.

Only overwrite program & system files with newer version numbers

This powerful option allows you total control when restoring important system and program files.  If checked, Backup Plus will compare the version numbers stored in EXE, DLL, OCX, etc. files and only overwrite the existing file with the backup archive file, if the version number in the backup archive is newer.  Default is set.

This option overrides the previous option.

Prompt for different restore locations

By default, when restoring files or folders, they are automatically restored to the same location as they were backed up from.  In some cases, you may want to restore a particular file or folder to another location to view it's contents, before overwriting any existing files.  If this option is checked, Backup Plus will prompt you for a destination to restore the checked files/folders to instead of the location stored in the backup archive.  Default is set.

When restoring to a different location, Backup Plus will also ask you if you wish to preserve the folder structure of any restored files or folders.

This will restore the path information with restored files and folders into the folder you choose for a new destination.


Restore Settings

You can select this option be choosing it from the Options Menu or clicking the above toolbar button.

The following options determine how Backup Plus restores and prompts when files are being restored.

Always overwrite existing files when restoring

If this option is set, Backup Plus will automatically overwrite any existing files with ones from your backup archive when restoring.  Otherwise, if this option is unchecked, existing files will NOT be overwritten.  Default is set.

Only overwrite program & system files with newer version numbers

This powerful option allows you total control when restoring important system and program files.  If checked, Backup Plus will compare the version numbers stored in EXE, DLL, OCX, etc. files and only overwrite the existing file with the backup archive file, if the version number in the backup archive is newer.  Default is set.

This option overrides the previous option.

Prompt for different restore locations

By default, when restoring files or folders, they are automatically restored to the same location as they were backup up from.  In some cases, you may want to restore a particular file or folder to another location to view it's contents, before overwriting any existing files.  If this option is checked, Backup Plus will prompt you for a destination to restore the checked files/folders to instead of the location stored in the backup archive.  Default is not set.

Backup Plus allows you to choose one destination to restore to when this option is set.  Take care when restoring, as files checked to be restored can be named the same name.  As the files will be restored to one central location that you choose, the second same named file will overwrite the first same named file.  If you have two or more files named the same, you should perform the operation including the same named files separately, to different destinations.


Backup Set Options
Backup Set Settings

You can select this option be choosing it from the Options Menu or clicking the above toolbar button.  Various settings for the current Backup Set can be set here.

You also have the opportunity to set the below options when you are creating a new backup set.

The following settings apply to any open backup set or newly created backup sets.  When a backup set is opened in the Backup Plus main environment, these settings will always change as to reflect the settings for that backup set.

Compression Style

This option allows you to determine the type of compression you want Backup Plus to use when compressing the files for backup.  In most cases, you will find 'Normal' the quickest and best method to use.  The 'Normal' setting is set by default.

Here is a more descriptive outline of the different methods of compression available:

None - No compression.  Files are stored in the backup archive as raw data.

Low - Minimum compression.  This setting takes the least amount of time to compress files.  When compared to the Normal setting, this setting usually gives noticeably faster compression times in exchange for about 1 to 15% larger compressed files.

Normal - Normal compression.  This is the best balance between the time it takes to compress files and the compression ratio achieved.

High - Maximum compression.  This setting achieves the best compression ratios that the compression algorithm is capable of producing.  When compared to the Normal setting, this setting significantly increases compression time in exchange for about 1-3% smaller compressed backup archives.  Use this setting only when you really need to achieve the smallest possible backup archives and when compression time is unimportant.

Only freshen files in existing backups when backup archive exists

When Backup Plus encounters a Backup that has already been performed, this option determines if Backup Plus should simply freshen any files in your backup that are newer.  If this option is not checked, Backup Plus will always create the backup from scratch.  Default is not selected.

Add new found files in existing backups when backup archive exists

When Backup Plus encounters a Backup that has already been performed, this option determines if Backup Plus should add any new files that are encountered within an included folder.  Backup Plus will NOT add new folders that are not listed in the backup set being used in the operation.

This option works in conjunction with the previous option.  If the previous option is NOT checked, then the setting for this option will have no effect and Backup Plus will create the backup from scratch.  Default is not selected.

The previous two settings have no effect when a backup is performed over multiple disks.  Multiple disk backups are always started from scratch as this mode of backup does not allow file updates within the backup archive.

You should also note that when a backup archive is being simply updated with new found files and refreshing any existing files that have changed, the total files to process and total bytes to process, displayed on the backup status screen, may not be concise.

For example:

Your existing backup archive contains 5,000 files.  You are performing a backup of that set with the above options on for the set.  Backup Plus may only reach 2,000 files before the operation is complete, as only 2,000 files needed to be refreshed or added as new found files.  The remaining files in the backup archive did not need to be refreshed or changed in any way.

It may also seem as if Backup Plus is stuck on one individual file or folder when reporting what it is processing.  This is normal during an update process as Backup Plus reads the contents of the existing archive and compares files, dates, etc.

Always include all found folders in current backup set

This option overrides what is listed for subfolders in the current backup set.  Any found subfolders within included main folders in your backup set will always be backed up.  This option allows you to ensure that all subfolders are always added and any newly created subfolders and files within those subfolders are always added when backing up.

For example:

If your backup set included the folder:

C:\Program Files\

then ALL subfolders and files under this folder would be backed up when a backup was performed, even if they were not listed in your backup set.  Default is not selected.

This option (when checked) reduces the functionality of Backup Plus, but allows you to ensure that a backup will always contain any newly found folders and files within those folders, when backing up.  If you wish to be able to remove certain subfolders from a backup set in order that they NOT be backed up, then this option should NOT be checked for that backup set.

The next time you open the backup set in the main Backup Plus environment, any newly included subfolders when setting this option for the set, will automatically be included in your backup set listing for you as well.

Any folders that have been removed from the backup set while it is loaded in the main Backup Plus environment will NOT be automatically included in the backup.  ALL folders will be included only when the set is reloaded, either by opening it in the program, performing a command line/shortcut backup, or a timed backup operation.


File Menu

Below you will find the available options for this menu.

New Backup Set

Allows you to begin creation of a new Backup Set.

Open Backup Set

Allows you to open an existing Backup Set.  Backup Set configuration files are saved as '.BPS' files.

Save

Allows you to save the configuration at any time for the current open Backup Set.

Save As

Allows you to save the configuration for the current open Backup Set under another name or in a different folder location.

Load Timed Backups Manager

Allows you to load the Timed Backups Manager into the system tray at any time.  See Timed Backups for more information.

Exit Backup Plus

Allows you to exit Backup Plus at any time.  If the current backup set you are working on has been changed in any way, you will be prompted to save it or not before exiting.


Actions Menu

Below you will find the available options for this menu.  Underlined options require further explanation and have a topic of their own.  Click the link to view that option's details.

This menu is also available by right clicking in the main Backup plus listing area.

Add to Backup Set

Remove Selected Item

Allows you to remove the currently selected folder/drive/file from your Backup Set.  You can also right click on an item in your Backup Set listing and remove the chosen item that way if you wish.

If a folder is removed, any sub folders within that folder will also be automatically removed from your listing.

Default Location

Backup Set Properties

Backup


Options Menu

Below you will find the available options for this menu.  Click the link to view that option's details.

Settings

Task Manager

Favorites

Backup Wizard

Restore Backup Archive

Registry Backup

Test Backup Archive


Help Menu

Below you will find the available options for this menu.

Help Contents

Display the contents of this file.

Online Tutorial

This option allows you to view the Online Tutorial from the Backup Plus web site.

Check for Product Update

This feature allows you to check for product updates, download the update and install them in order to upgrade Backup Plus to the latest version.

This feature is not available in the demo version of Backup Plus.

About Backup Plus

Copyright and other information screen about Backup Plus.

Other options on the Help menu will allow you to automatically go to the listed Web Site if you have a default Web Browser specified on your system:

AVANTRIX Home Page

Backup Plus Home Page

Order Online Now


Restoring Backups

You can select this option by choosing it from the Options Menu or by clicking the above toolbar button.

Choose the 'Select Backup' button to open a backup file (.BAC).  This is the backup archive created when Backup Plus performs a backup of any set.  The actual backup set (.BPS) file is not needed in order to restore data.  Only the backup archive is required.

You also have the option to rename the BAC file to ZIP and open the backup archive in any compatible ZIP software application, as the backup archive is fully ZIP compatible.

This operation can be lengthy, depending on the size of backup you have created.

Once you have chosen the backup you wish to restore, Backup Plus will list all files and folders contained in the backup for you, including the size of each file and the last Date/Time stamp for the folder/file.  If the backup operation was performed over more than one disk, you will be prompted for the last disk in the set in order to list the contents of the backup archive.

You can then choose what you would like to restore.  Select the appropriate item you want to restore by clicking the square box in front of the item, which will place a checkmark in that items box.

Selected items to restore start from the top level and work their way down.  Selecting or checking the box in front of a folder, will restore everything below that folder, including any sub folders if the Process Sub Folders option is checked, otherwise only that folder and its contents will be restored.

If you wish to simply restore two files for example, from within a folder, then simply place a checkmark next to the chosen two files. When doing this, it is best to NOT check the Process Sub Folders option.

You can quickly uncheck all checked items after a restore operation by right clicking in the listing and selecting the 'Select None' option.

Restore Examples:

Your backup contains your 'Program Files' folder.  One of the items in your 'Program Files' folder is 'MyProgram'.  The restore screen will display both items:

C:\PROGRAM FILES\

C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYPROGRAM\

Selecting 'C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYPROGRAM\' will restore only that folder and it's contents, while selecting the 'C:\PROGRAM FILES\' folder will restore everything below the 'PROGRAM FILES' folder, including the 'MYPROGRAM' folder, if the Process Sub Folders option is checked.

If you have chosen an entire drive to backup and the restore screen lists 'C:\' for example, selecting this will restore everything below it.

Depending on the restore option 'Prompt for different restore locations', you will also be prompted if you wish to restore the selected files/folders to a different location, other than the original location.

Selecting OK allows you to choose a different location. You will also be prompted whether or not you wish to preserve the folder structure when restoring to the different location.  Selecting OK allows you to preserve any folder or subfolder information within the new destination folder.

When closing the restore screen after a backup archive has been listed, if the backup archive is quite large, it may appear as if Backup Plus is not responding.  In order to purge data from memory and free it up for other processes, the larger the listing, the longer the time required to purge the data from memory.  Please be patient when closing the restore screen when a large backup has been listed.


Basic Settings

You can select this option be choosing it from the Options Menu or clicking the above toolbar button.

Include Subfolders when selecting Folders

When selecting folders, subfolders off of the main folder will also be included in the backup.  In most cases, if you are performing a global backup, you will want this selected.  Default is set.

Shut down Backup Plus after command line backup has been performed

When a backup is performed using one of the command line methods, this setting determines if Backup Plus stays open or automatically shuts itself down.  Default is set.

Prompt notification for skipped files

This option determines if Backup Plus is to prompt you when it encounters a file that it is unable to add to the backup archive.  This can happen if the file is locked by another program and cannot be opened for reading.  If this option is not set and a file is skipped, the skipped file will simply be ignored and the backup will continue.  Default is NOT set.

This setting has no effect on Timed Backups.  When a file is skipped in a Timed Backup, Backup Plus automatically logs the skipped files and will never display a prompt, as it assumes no one is available to intercept the prompt.

Prompt for backup archive size preview

This option will determine if Backup Plus is to prompt you before beginning a backup operation.  This prompt allows you to determine what the approximate size of the overall backup archive will be.  This allows you to determine how many disks will be required before the actual backup process begins.  Default is set.

The preview will provide you with a total approximate KB amount.  Depending on the size of disk you are using, this will allow you to determine how many disks will be required.  This operation can be fairly lengthy, depending on the size of the backup.


Adding Files & Folders

This option is available by selecting it from the Actions Menu or by clicking the above toolbar button.

This option allows you to add folders, files or exclusions to your Backup Set at any time.

Depending on what you are adding, a files, folder, wildcard or exclusion, you can be presented with one of the below screens.

Add Folder(s)

This screen allows you to select an entire folder and it's contents you wish to add to your Backup Set.

Once you have chosen the needed folder simply select the Add Folder button to add it to your Backup Set.

If you have the Include Subfolders option checked in Backup Set Settings, any subfolders and contents of the selected folder will also be added to your Backup Set.

You can continue to add as many folders as you wish at the Add Folders screen.  Once you have added all of the folders you wish, click the Close button to exit the Add Folders screen.

ALL files within the selected folder will be included in your backup set, unless excluded by you.  This includes hidden & system files.  If a file cannot be included in your backup set for some reason, you will be informed as per the setting you define under the skipped files setting.

Add Files

This screen allows you to add a number of files to your Backup Set from a folder on your system.

Selecting Files

The standard <SHIFT> and <CTRL> buttons will allow you to select certain files from the file listing or a number of files at the same time.

Once you have selected the files you wish to add to your Backup Set, simply select OK to add them.

WildCard Additions

Using this option, you can add WildCard additions to your backup set.  These additions should only be used by advanced users.

You can use the Choose Folder button to select the folder you wish to be the root of your WildCard addition and add the appropriate text after the selected folder or just type in the WildCard addition directly.

Here are a few examples:

C:\My Documents\*.txt - This would include all .TXT found in the My Documents folder on the C drive.

C:\Windows\System\*.dll - This would include all .DLL files in the Windows\System folder on the C drive.

C:\*.ini - This would include all .INI files found in the main C root folder.

Exclusion Additions


Files & Folders Listing

Below is an example of what a typical backup will be listed like.  Users familiar with using 'Windows Explorer' will notice this style.

Any added folders will be listed under the 'Folders' heading, while added files will be listed under the 'Files' heading.

Folders containing sub folders will be shown with a '+' sign.  Clicking this will open the folder and display any sub folders within.

Any entered exclusions will also be listed here under the exclusions heading.  These files or types of files listed, will not be included in the backup set if they are encountered.

See the Actions Menu for details on managing your listing.


Excluding Files & Folders

You can easily exclude files or folder from your backup set with this option.

You can type in the filename and or wildcards directly into the exclusion edit box, or you can select the appropriate button, either Choose File or Choose Folder, to exclude a particular file or folder.

When typing in an exclusion, wildcard characters '*?' are fully supported.  Here are a few examples of wildcard exclusions:

*.bmp - This would exclude all bmp images that were encountered.

t* - This would exclude all files that begin with the letter 't'.

C:\Temp\*.bmp - This would only exclude the bmp images encountered in this folder.

Exclusions are NOT case sensitive.  Also, be careful with exclusions to ensure you are indeed backing up and including the data you want to include.


Using Favorite Backups

This option allows you to quickly view and backup your favorite backups.  These are the most recent backups you have manually run in the Backup Plus environment.  The favorites database keeps track of up to the last twenty backups you have performed.

At this menu, you can also manually add a favorite backup to the listing.  Using the 'Remove' option, you can select any backup set in the listing and manually remove it from your list of favorites as well.

You cannot manually add a new backup set to your listing if your listing already contains the maximum twenty backup sets.  You must first remove a backup set to free up a space in your favorites listing.

By right clicking on any listed backup set, you have access to a quick menu that features:

Open Backup Set

Allows you to quickly open the selected backup set in the main Backup Plus environment.

Perform Backup

This will open the backup set in the main Backup Plus environment and begin the backup operation, allowing you to define the type of backup you want and where to store the backup archive.

Create Desktop Shortcut

Allows you to create a shortcut on your desktop to the selected backup set.  At any time, you can simply double click on the desktop shortcut to perform the backup.  See Command Line & Shortcut Backups for more information.


Tracking Backups

This option allows you to easily track your backups within Backup Plus.  Whenever you perform any backup that is in your task list, the current date and time will be written for that backup.  The option will allow you to quickly and easily see when certain backups were last performed.

Add Task

Use this option to select a backup set configuration file (.BPS) and add it to your list of tasks to track.

Remove Task

Use this option to remove the selected task from your Task Manager listing.


Timed Backups

This option allows you to set and automatically perform backup sets that have been created.  The Timed Backups Manager allows you to perform backups without any user intervention.

You cannot remove, add or modify Timed Backups when the Timed Backups Manager is running in your system tray.  If Backup Plus sees the Timed Backups Manager running, it will automatically shut the Manager down while you are performing any of the above actions.

Once you have completed your actions, Backup Plus will then automatically reload the Timed Backups Manager for you if it was loaded before the actions were started.

Add New

Use this option to add and configure a new Timed Backup to your list.

Remove

Use this option to remove the selected Backup from your Timed Backup listing.

Please ensure you read the 'Notes on Timed Backups' section below before running any Timed Backups.

Setting up a Timed Backup

Backup Set

Allows you to browse for and select a created Backup Set.

Backup Type

Allows you to specify the type of Backup you require for this Backup Set.  The following options are available when determining Backup type:

Every 30 Days

Every 15 Days

Every 7 Days

Every Day

Every 12 Hours

Every 6 Hours

Every Hour

Backup Time

Allows you to specify the time you want the Backup performed.  The times are read in military hours (00:01 - 23:59).

Example:  If you wanted to specify 9:30 PM for your Backup time, the entered times would be:

HH:  21  MM:  30

As noted above, you cannot set a Timed Backup to be performed at '00:00'.  This is when the Timed Backups Manager reads in any new events to be done for the current day.  The earliest a Timed Backup can be scheduled for is one minute after midnight.  Also, the Time set option will not be available when you choose one of the 'Hour' Backup types.  Backup Plus will automatically calculate the next time to perform the 'Hour' Backup from the current system time.

Backup Start Date

You can define the exact date that you want the backup to be first performed on, here.  By clicking the drop down arrow, you will be presented with a calander where you can simply click on the appropriate date you want.

If your start date is the same as the current date and your backup time has been set for a time previous to the current time, Backup Plus will not allow the addition.  Also, the Backup Start Date option is not available if you are setting up an 'Every 12 Hours', 'Every 6 Hours', or 'Every Hour' backup.

Set the Default Backup Location

The default backup location is read in when you select a new backup to add to your timed backups listing.  You can change this if you wish by selecting the command button next to the text field.  This is the location where the actual backup archive will be created when the timed backup is performed.

If this is changed, this will take effect for the backup set entirely.  This means that if you open the backup set in the main Backup Plus environment, the default location will reflect what you select here.

Also, keep in mind that if you select your 'A' drive for example (Floppy Drive usually), Backup Plus cannot span disks when performing a timed backup, as the program assumes no one is available to insert a new disk when a timed backup is being performed.  By default, a Single Archive Backup is always performed.

Removing a Timed Backup

Select the item you wish to remove from your Timed Backups listing and click the remove button.  This will remove the Backup from your listing.

Running the Backup Plus Timed Backups Manager

When Backup Plus is first installed on your system, the Timed Backups Manager will automatically be added to your 'Startup' menu grouping.  Whenever your system is started, the Backup Manager will be loaded in your system tray.

If you do not wish to load the Backup Manager at system startup, simply remove the shortcut from your 'Startup' menu grouping.  You can load the Manager at any time by clicking the Backup Manager icon on the Windows Start Menu, or from within Backup Plus using the Load Timed Backups Manager option under the File Menu.

Right clicking on the Backup Manager icon in your system tray will display the pop up menu, allowing you to view any Timed Backups or exit and remove the program from your system tray.

The Timed Backups Manager will display any backups that are set to go for that day, otherwise it will display 0 scheduled backups if no backups are to be done on the current date.

Timed Backups Error Log

If an error is encountered while the Backup Plus Timed Backup Manager is performing a Backup, the error will be written to the Timed Backups Error Log.  You can view or clear the contents of this log file at any time in the Backup Plus environment.  The option is available under the Options Menu.

For Error Code descriptions, see the Error Codes section.

Notes on Timed Backups

If a Timed Backup has been missed for some reason, Usually because the time or date for the Backup has passed, when loaded, the Timed Backups Manager will automatically reschedule the backup for you.

For example:  A daily Timed Backup is set and your computer has been turned off for the weekend.  You turn the system on when you come into work on Monday.  When the Timed Backups Manager loads, it will see this and reschedule the Timed Backup just as if it was being scheduled for the first time.  So the next scheduled backup will be for the next day, Tuesday, at the time you had initially specified without you having to intervene at all.

[1]  Timed Backups will automatically check to ensure the files/folders you have saved in your Backup Set still exist when the task is performed.  If they do not, the Backup Manager will rewrite the Backup Set to account for this and of course will not add non existent files or folders to your Backup.

[2]  When the Backup Manager performs a Timed Backup, it will store the Backup archive in the default folder for that Backup.  If you have manually performed the Backup in the Backup Plus environment, the default folder is the one specified by you.  If the Backup has not been performed by you manually, the default folder will always be the same location as the specified Backup Set.  The default location for the Backup archive can be changed while in the Backup Plus environment, using the Default Location option, under the Actions Menu.

[3] Timed Backups will never span multiple disks.  If your Backup is too large for one disk, you should either perform the Backup manually or write the Backup to another hard drive.  This precaution was taken to avoid the Timed Backup Manager from getting stuck on one Backup and not performing any other Backups.  Put simply, there is no one available in a Timed Backup to insert a new disk when it is needed.

[4] When the Backup Manager attempts to perform a Timed Backup, it will first check to ensure that it is not already running a Timed Backup.  There is a possibility of time conflicts when you setup your Timed Backups.  You should ensure that there is enough time left between Backups for the task to be performed.

[5] Backup Plus uses the default 'Short Date' format under the Windows Regional Settings.  This is used by default to better accommodate for all users, including users outside of North America.  If for some reason you change your 'Short Date' format in Windows, you should remove already scheduled Timed Backups and add them again to ensure the proper date format is used.

[6] When attempting to add a Timed Backup, if the time is the exact same time as another scheduled Backup, Backup Plus will not allow the addition, although it will allow you to schedule Backups within one minute of each other.  If the first Backup consumes five minutes of time, then the second Backup will not be performed and an error entry will be written to the 'Error Log' file.  In short, allow plenty of time between Backups and try to combine Backups in one set when possible, to avoid time conflicts.

[7} The Timed Backups Manager requires that the default time separator be a colon ':'.  Some countries do not come predefined with this.  You should check this in Windows under Control Panel/Regional Settings to ensure compatibility.


Choosing a Backup Type

The backup type screen is presented to you just before a backup is about to be performed.  This allows you to set the type of backup you require for the current Backup Set.

Multiple Disk Backup

Choose this option if your backup is being written to floppy disk or a removable device and will require more than 1 disk.  If the backup requires more than 1 disk, Backup Plus will prompt you for a new disk when one is required.

If you are not sure if your backup will need more than one disk, using this option will not harm the backup in anyway.

Keep in mind though, 'Single Archive' backups can be incrementally updated, while 'Multiple Disk' backups must always be recreated from scratch.

This is a limitation within the compression technology.  The technology simply will not allow for spanned archives to be updated.

If you do not require multiple disks for your backup, it is suggested you select the next backup style.

See Using Removable Devices for more information.

Backup Plus will also ask you if you wish to clear any existing contents of the disks you are writing to as well.  Ensure if you answer 'Yes' to this that your disks do not contain any needed data.

Clearing of some types of removable disks may not be supported, this depends on the type of removable disk.  Clearing of floppy disks is always supported, while clearing the contents of other removable media may not be.

Single Archive Backup

Use this option when you want to store your backup on an existing hard drive or other device and you are sure that your backup will not need multiple disks.  If the device you are writing to becomes full, Backup Plus will return an error and exit the backup operation.

It is best to use the Single Archive Backup type if you can, when performing your backup, as fully incremental backups are supported within single archives created by Backup Plus.  This means you can simply backup any files that have changed when performing backups of the same data, as opposed to creating the entire backup archive again, as is the case with Multiple Disk Backups.

After you have selected your type of backup, choose the 'Start Backup' option to begin your backup.  You will then be prompted for the location to write the backup files to.  Select the appropriate drive, device, or folder when prompted.

See Manual Backups for more information.

CDR/CDRW Multiple Disk Backup

This style of backup is specific to CDR and CDRW media that requires more than 1 disk.  Backup operations using this type of device is treated differently than other styles of backup, including the regular Multiple Disk Style backup.

If you are performing a smaller backup and you are writing to CD media, you can use the Single Archive Backup style to do so.

Size Per Disk

This drop down listing allows you to choose the size that Backup Plus should write per disk (maximum size) when using the CDR/CDRW Multiple Disk backup style.  Most common CD disks, once formatted using DirectCD, contain approx. 616 MB of space.  The default size selected here is 600 MB, although it can be changed as you see fit.  This should be set no higher than what is available on each of the disks you are using.  You can check the drive space available on each disk in Windows Explorer.

You should ensure that you read the requirements for this style of backup under the Using CDR/CDRW Media section.


Manual Backups

You can select this option by choosing it from the Actions Menu or by clicking the above toolbar button.

This option will only be available when you have a Backup Set currently open in the Backup Plus environment and your Backup Set contains at least one drive/file/folder to backup.

After choosing to backup the current Backup Set, you will be presented with the type of backup you wish to perform.

Once the type of backup and destination have been selected, Backup Plus will present you with a status screen, keeping you up to date on the progress of the backup.

A destination for the backup does not have to be chosen manually each time if the setting for how performing manual backup operations is set to NOT prompt you and to use the default location if there is one set for the backup set.  See Advanced Settings for more information.

Depending on the settings you have determined where skipped files are concerned, you will be informed with a pop up dialog when files are skipped because they cannot be opened for reading.  This can happen if another Windows program, or Windows itself has a file currently open or the file is currently in use.

Files that are skipped during a Timed Backup will never enable the pop up dialog as Backup Plus assumes there is no one available to select the OK button, to continue the process.  These skipped files will be logged in the error log instead.

Once your backup has been completed and no problems are encountered, you will be notified.  At this point you will have the option to test your backup to ensure the data was written successfully and there are no structural problems with the backup archive itself.  This feature allows you to be confident that your backup is safe.  Simply select 'Yes' when the dialog pops up to test the archive, 'No' if you do not want to test it.

Testing operations on large backups can take a considerable amount of time as each file is checked to ensure it can be recovered successfully.


Registry Backup

This option allows you to quickly and easily backup your important system files.  Existing system files will be searched for before this menu loads and will be listed for you.

The Registry Backup is designed specifically for Windows 95/98 systems only.  If you are using Windows NT or Windows 2000, the Registry Backup will not include all needed files.

Files that are automatically included in your registry backup are:

Attrib.exe

Autoexec.bat

Command.com

Msdos.sys

System.dat

System.ini

User.dat

Win.ini

All of these files when backing up, will be copied to a folder called BPBack on the same drive that your Windows folder resides on.  A DOS batch file will also be created in the folder called Rescue.bat.  This batch file will restore your system registry and settings back to the way they were the last time you performed a registry backup.

Rescue Disk

Backup Plus will create a bootable Rescue Disk after the above files have been copied to the destination folder.  Ensure you follow the on screen instructions when creating your Rescue Disk.

Recovering your System Registry

If an error occurs and you are unable to boot into Windows or you simply want to replace your system registry with the last backup if your registry has become corrupt, here are the instructions for doing so:

Simply place the Rescue Disk created by Backup Plus in your floppy drive and reboot your system.  The Rescue Disk will allow you to boot into your system in DOS mode and will automatically replace the system registry files with your last registry backup.

If Windows does not automatically start, then use CTRL-ALT-DEL to reboot your system after removing the Rescue Disk from your floppy drive.  Windows should now load and your system registry will be replaced with the last backed up copy.

Windows Startup Disk

The registry backup menu also allows you quick access to create a 'Windows Startup Disk' if you do not have one.  Simply click the 'Windows Startup Disk' button and follow the on screen instructions.

This startup disk is created by Windows and will allow you to get back into Windows on most occasions, if a problem has been encountered loading Windows upon system startup.


Backup Archive Size Preview

This option allows you to preview the approximate backup archive size that will be created.  You will only be shown this dialog if you are performing a multiple disk backup or a  registry backup.

This option can be turned off if you do not wish to be prompted under the Basic Settings options.

This option is useful when backing up to multiple disks, allowing you to determine how many disks will be required for the operation, before the operation begins.

The preview will show you the total approximate KB that the backup will consume and will also calculate the total disks that will be required, based on the size of the destination disk you have selected.  Backup Plus will attempt to read the size of the destination disk before performing this operation, so ensure you have a disk already entered in the destination drive.

This operation can be lengthy for large backups.


Command Line & Shortcut Backups

This option allows you to quickly and easily perform a backup that you have already created a backup set for.

Command Line (DOS) Example:

In the Backup Plus folder, call:

BackPlus.exe C:\Backups\MyBackup.bps

Windows Explorer Example:

Simply double click on any BPS file.

Desktop Shortcut Example:

Create a shortcut on your Desktop to a BPS file.

Any of these methods can be used to quickly perform a backup without having to open Backup Plus, open the backup set and go through the step by step backup process.  When Backup Plus is started with a BPS file on the command line, Backup Plus assumes that you want to automatically backup with the default settings that have been configured for that backup set.

Files or Folders that no longer exist in the opened backup set will simply be skipped during this process and the backup set will be saved again without them.  You will not be notified as you would when a backup set is opened in the main Backup Plus environment.  The intention of this type of backup, is to enable you to backup quickly without having to interact with the program at all.

Keep in mind that Backup Plus will assume that you want to backup to the default location set for the current opened backup set.  If this is another disk drive for example, you should ensure there is a disk loaded initially in order for Backup Plus to begin immediate backup.

If an error is encountered during this type of backup, you will be presented with an error screen informing you that an error has happened.  This screen will automatically disappear after 30 seconds time if there is no one available to close this screen.

Command Line & Shortcut style backups do NOT perform 'Multiple Disk' style backups.  By default, the 'Single Archive' backup style is used.  See Choosing a Backup Type for more information.

Command Line backup operations should not be performed using the shareware version of Backup Plus on unattended systems.  The shareware prompt must be clicked before the operation will proceed.  If you wish to perform these types of backups, consider purchasing a site license to rid the software of the shareware prompt.


Backup Plus FAQ

The Backup Plus FAQ (frequently asked questions) page can be found on the Backup Plus Web site.

This page addresses most common questions.  You can reach this page by clicking the link below:

http://www.backupplus.net/faq.htm

You can also read the Online Tutorial which explains in detail the creation of a backup set.  You can reach this page by clicking the link below:

http://www.backupplus.net/tutorial.htm

Also included in Backup Plus help, you can read up on Common Questions concerning Backup Plus usage.


Backup Plus Error Codes

Below you will find a listing of error codes that can be encountered during Backup Plus operations.

See Using CDR/CDRW Media and Special Notes on CDR Media Disks for common errors and problems encountered using CD media to backup.

Each error contains a brief description and possible remedy for the situation.

Common Error Codes

# 52 - Unable to read destination.

This can happen when you are trying to backup to a device that is not accessible or available.

For Example:  You are trying to backup to a floppy disk that has not been inserted or to a network drive that is not currently accessible or has become disconnected.

# 502 - Premature end-of-file encountered in the backup archive.

This can happen when a backup archive is being read, but an end-of-file condition occurs.  The archive is probably corrupted.

# 503 - An error occurred while attempting to initiate writing of the backup archive.

This can happen if a network drive is unavailable or has become disconnected or if you are writing to a device that is not ready.  It can also happen if you are writing to a CD which has not been pre formatted to accept direct file writes or is not being managed by a packet writing program.

# 504 - An error occurred while attempting to write the temporary file used by Backup Plus when it is updating an existing backup archive.

This can happen when you have a backup set to update and freshen the files in the backup.  By default, the temporary file is created in the Windows\Temp folder.  If there is not enough space available to write the temporary file or Backup Plus does not have the proper permissions to write in this folder, this error can occur.

You can define another temp folder location under Advanced Settings to try and rectify this problem.

# 505 - An error occurred while reading data from the backup archive.

This can happen if the network drive where the backup archive is located on suddenly becomes disconnected, or if the floppy disk the backup archive is on, is removed from the drive while it is being accessed.  It can also happen if there is a bad sector on the drive where the backup archive is located.

# 506 - An error occurred while attempting to write the temporary file used by Backup Plus when it is updating an existing backup archive.

This can happen when you have a backup set to update and freshen the files in the backup.  By default, the temporary file is created in the Windows\Temp folder.  If there is not enough space available to write the temporary file or Backup Plus does not have the proper permissions to write in this folder, this error can occur.

You can define another temp folder location under Advanced Settings to try and rectify this problem.

# 507 - An error occurred while writing to the backup archive.

Make sure that the drive where your backup archive is being written to is not full or has not become full and has not been disconnected or rendered inaccessible.  This error can happen if the network drive the backup archive is located on suddenly becomes disconnected, or if the floppy disk the backup archive is on, is removed from the drive while it is being created or updated.

This is also a common error when trying to write single archive and multiple disk backups to CDR/CDRW media.  See Using CDR/CDRW Media and Special Notes on CDR Media Disks for common errors and problems encountered using CD media to backup.

# 509 - No files ended up being processed.

This can happen when all the files specified in either a backup or restore operation ended up being skipped due to reasons such as being unable to find or open the file, the file was excluded, etc.

#  510 - Backup Plus attempted to update a backup archive that ended up being too big to fit in the current location.  A 'Single Archive' backup cannot be updated into a 'Multiple Disk' backup.

The backup archive must be completely recreated in order to be updated to a 'Multiple Disk' backup.

# 511 - The system ran out of memory.

A memory allocation requested by Backup Plus was refused by the operating system.  The machine was low on available memory.

# 515 - Backup Plus tried to add files to an existing 'Multiple Disk' backup archive.  This type of operation is not supported.

The 'Multiple Disk' backup archive must be recreated from scratch.

# 517 - This is an 'Insert Disk Abort' error code, which means that when prompted for a new disk, the user chose the Cancel button and cancelled the operation.

# 518 - This is a 'User Abort' error code, which means that the operation specified was cancelled by the user.

# 999 - Undetermined error occurred.

Contact AVANTRIX with full details on the operation that produced this error.

You can also view common problems and solutions on the Backup Plus FAQ page.


Using the Task Manager

This option is available by selecting it from the Options Menu or by clicking the above toolbar button.

The Backup Plus Task Manager allows you to pick from the two below options:

Schedule Timed Backups

Track Important Backups


Purchase Information

Purchasing the evaluation version of Backup Plus enables you to use the program past the 21 day evaluation period.

Licensed users can also purchase additional copies for more than one computer at the below price.

A single user site license (U.S. Funds) is priced at only:

$39.95

See the Multiple Site Licensing section for site licensing details.

Ordering Options:

Order by Phone using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover/Novus or JCB card:

Toll Free U.S. & Canada	1-877-448-1491

International	1-780-448-1491

Order online at the AVANTRIX Web Site using a secure server:

Visit us on the InterNet at: http://www.avantrix.com

You can also print the order form and send it along with a check, money order or credit card information.

Contact AVANTRIX Inc.

You can contact AVANTRIX at the above phone number or by E-Mail at:

Sales:	sales@avantrix.com

Support:	support@avantrix.com

Are you interested in becoming a reseller of Backup Plus?  Visit us online at:  http://www.avantrix.com/reseller.htm for more information.


Contacting AVANTRIX

Internet Contacts

Home Page:  http://www.avantrix.com

Backup Plus Home Page:  http://www.backupplus.net

E-mail:  support@avantrix.com  sales@avantrix.com

Phone Contacts

Orders Only

Sales:  1-877-448-1491 (Toll Free - US & Canada)

International Sales:  780-448-1491

Fax:  780-448-1579

Support

Main Phone:  780-448-1491

Mail Contact

AVANTRIX Inc.

Suite #211 14065 Victoria Trail

Edmonton, AB

Canada  T5Y 2B6


Using Removable Devices

Backup Plus has the ability to write to just about any device, in a single backup archive format and will span multiple disks on removable drives when more than one disk is required.

Devices supported for spanning operations are:

Floppy Drives

CDR/CDRW Drives

SuperDisk Drives

Zip Drives

Jaz Drives

Syquest Drives

MO Drives

and more...

Your disk must be in a mode that will accept direct files writes.  Most CDR drives for example, require that you pre format disks in order for them to allow you to copy or drag and drop files to the disk, so the disk must be in the same mode to allow Backup Plus to write to it.

See Using CDR/CDRW Media for more information on writing to CDR/CDRW disks.  Backup Plus DOES NOT write to tape devices of any type.

Spanning operations will not proceed if Backup Plus sees the selected destination as a 'fixed' hard disk.


About the Shareware Version

The shareware version of Backup Plus allows you to evaluate the program for 21 days before your evaluation period expires. You then have the option to uninstall the software or purchase a site license to continue using it.

The shareware version is fully functional and allows you to evaluate the software in it's true fashion.  If you wish to continue to use Backup Plus on a full time basis, see details on purchasing a license in order to do so.

The only one difference between the shareware version of Backup Plus and a fully licensed version are the Command Line backup operations.  They can still be utilized, but the shareware prompt will need to be clicked before the operation will proceed.  You should NOT perform a command line backup from another program on an unattended system with the shareware version of Backup Plus.


Special Notes on Creating Backup Sets

It is highly suggested that you create individual backup sets for files or folders that you may need to access often in order to restore items.

If you have to access the backup every other day for a file or two, you will not want to have to wait through the Restore Option loading the entire backup archive each time.

If you save all your documents in your 'My Documents' folder, and may need to access backed up copies quite often, it is suggested that you create a backup set for just this folder.  Reading in the contents of this folder will be a quick and painless operation if you do it on a regular basis.  Reading in an entire systems' backup can be a very lengthy procedure and should only be done in the event of system problems.

Creating very large backup sets that contain many files and folders can have the following hindering effects:

[1] Long backup times.

[2] If the backup is very large and spans multiple ZIP disks for example, you will not be able to update files within the archive.  Each time the backup is performed, it will be created from scratch, as multiple disk backups cannot simply be freshened to include new files or changed files.

[3] Longer restore operations when reading in the contents of the backup archive.


About Backup Archive Sizes

Backup Plus uses Zip technology compression to compress backup archives created.  There is a restriction on the amount of data that can be included in any one backup archive.

The largest amount of data that can be backed up at any one time in one backup set is:

4.0 GB

Also keep in mind that Backup Plus was created to backup important files and folders.  The product can be used to backup entire hard drives, although if you're hard drive is quite large, you may consider some type of Tape Backup solution.

See the Backup Size Limitations sections for more details.


Password

You can select this option be choosing it from the Options Menu or clicking the above toolbar button.

The following option determines if Backup Plus is to password protect your backup archives.

Password Protect Backup Archives

Click this option to check it on.  You can click it again to remove password protection from being enabled.  When you enable password protection, the password fields below will be enabled to allow you to enter passwords.

If this option is turned on when you select OK to leave the options screen, both fields below must be populated in order to activate password protection on new backup archives.

Password Field

Enter your password here.  You can enter up to 30 characters for your password.

Password Confirmation Field

Re-enter your password here to confirm it is correct.

Passwords used in Backup Plus are case sensitive.  Also, it is suggested if you concerned about security, that your password be as long as possible.

You should also note that passwords used in Backup Plus are not recoverable if you forget the password you used to encrypt your backup archive.  No one will be able to obtain a lost encrypted password.


Using CDR/CDRW Media

Backup Plus has the ability to span multiple CDR or CDRW disks when performing a backup operation.  The following conditions must be met in order for these operations to perform successfully:

You must be using packet writing software that is in control of your CD device and CD's must be pre formatted to accept direct files writes from other programs.

One of the best and proven packet writing software available is DirectCD from Adaptec/Roxio®.  This software allows you to pre format disks to accept direct files writes and controls the CD media properly in order for backup operations to be successful.

When recording to CD media using Backup Plus, you should always ensure the media is finished writing before removing or inserting new disks.  You should also ensure each disk after being inserted, is ready for writing, before continuing with operations within Backup Plus.

Also see Special Notes on CDR Media Disks for more information.

Backup Plus has been tested and has proven to operate correctly with just about any CD media when DirectCD (v2.5d or later) is being used to control the CD media.

Many CD media manufacturers have arranged for DirectCD to be shipped directly with their products, although DirectCD is available for purchase from Adaptec/Roxio® as well.  You can also obtain updates for DirectCD by visiting Adaptec/Roxio® online.

DirectCD is a trademark of Adaptec/Roxio®.  Neither Adaptec/Roxio® or DirectCD is affiliated in any way with AVANTRIX Inc. or Backup Plus.


Default Location

The default location for each backup set, is where the backup archive is created when the actual backup is performed.

Using the default location option allows you to quickly & easily change the default backup location for the current open backup set.

When you set a backup to be performed through the Timed Backups Manager or use the Command Line/Shortcut backup style, using this option allows you to ensure that the default location of where the backup archive is created, has been set appropriately.

Use Current Date to Name the Backup Archive

This option, when checked, will change the default name of your backup archive to the macro term $DATE$.  When set this way, Backup Plus assumes that you want to name the backup archive, when created, by the current system date.

For example:

A backup set has a current default location as such:

C:\Temp\MyBackup.bac

When the above option is checked for that backup set, the default location becomes:

C:\Temp\$DATE$.bac

When the backup is performed, the backup archive will automatically have the current system date appended to the front of the backup name as such:

07-31-01 - MyBackup.bac

or

07-31-2001 - MyBackup.bac

The date and naming will vary depending on your default system settings.

This option is especially useful when you have a backup set to perform on a daily basis using the Timed Backups Manager and you wish to have a different backup archive for each day, with easy reference to which backup is which.

You can change any backup sets' default location back to it's original naming by simply unchecking the above option at any time.


Multiple Site Licensing Pricing

Backup Plus is also available with the following Site Licensing discounts:

5 User Pack	$159.00
10 User Pack	$259.00
20 User Pack	$499.00
30 User Pack	$599.00
40 User Pack	$699.00
50 User Pack	$799.00

More than 50 copies, please call 1-877-448-1491 or E-Mail sales@avantrix.com.


Operation Status Screen

The operation status screen will inform you as to the current status of the backup operation.

On the status screen you will find several useful bits of information, regarding the status of the current operation.

Files Processed

This will inform you as to how many files are being processed and where the current operation is at file wise.  Note that if there are exclusions in your backup, that the overall files to be processed include these exclusions, even though they are not to be backed up.

Bytes Processed

This will inform you as to the amount of overall bytes to process and where the current operation is currently at. Note that if your backup includes any exclusions, the bytes for these files are included in the overall total, even though they will not be processed.

Ratio Achieved

This will inform you as to the overall compression ratio that has been achieved while compressing files during the current backup operation.

Current File Progress

This progress bar will inform you as to the progress of each individual file as it is being backed up.  This bar may move very fast for small files.

Overall Progress

This progress bar will inform you as to the progress of the overall backup operation.  Once this bar reaches 100%, then the current operation will be complete.


Advanced

You can select this option be choosing it from the Options Menu or clicking the above toolbar button.

These options should only be used by experienced users and can be left to default if you are unsure as to these settings.

Keep log file of all operations in Backup Plus

This option when checked, will keep a log file of all operations performed in Backup Plus.

If Default Location exists, then do not ask for backup location when performing a backup

This option when checked, will allow you to easily perform a backup based on the location settings in the backup set itself and will not ask you for a backup location.  This option will allow Backup Plus to assume you want the backup to be written to the location in the backup set and will not ask you for a destination.  Default is ON.

Verify that files/folders exist when opening a backup set

When opening a backup set in Backup Plus, the program will ensure that included files and folders in the backup set still exist if this option is checked.  The default for this option if OFF.

If you are backing up files in a networked environment, this option is best left off.  If the included files and or folders in the backup set you are opening are not available due to the network computer not being accessible or turned off, then all of the folders and files will be removed leaving an empty backup set.

Temp folder location

This option allows you to define another location, other than the system default, which is usually C:\Windows\Temp, as the temp folder to use for update operations.

When you click the browse button next to the Temp Folder field, you can choose to either select a new folder to use from the popup menu or clear anything listed in the field to set the Temp Folder location back to it's default location.

If the defined temp folder no longer exists when a backup operation is performed, Backup Plus will use the system default temp folder instead.


Restoring from Command Line

Restoring a Backup Plus backup (BAC file) can be done from Windows Explorer for example.  You can simply double click the BAC file in Windows Explorer.

Backup Plus will then startup in Restore mode and will proceed to list all of the contents of the backup archive in the Restore window.

You can then restore folders/files as you see fit.


Testing

You can select this option be choosing it from the Options Menu or clicking the above toolbar button.

There are three possible settings when it comes to testing a backup archive after the backup operation is complete.

Never Test Backup Archive

When this option is set, Backup Plus will not test the backup after it is complete.

Always Test Backup Archive

When this option is set, Backup Plus will always automatically test the backup after it is compete.

Prompt for Test Action

When this option is set, Backup Plus will prompt you for testing once the backup operation is complete.

The Prompt option does not apply to Command Line or Timed Backup operations, as Backup Plus assumes during these actions that there is no user to answer the prompt.


Backup Archive Upkeep

As backup archives are consistently written day after day and possibly updated, depending on the settings you have chosen, there is the possibility that archives can become corrupt over time.

It is highly suggested that you perform Test operations as often as possible on backup archives.

This can be done when a backup is performed, depending on the Test Setting you have chosen or can be done manually at any time by selecting the Test Backup Archive option under the Options Menu.

Testing a backup archive is a simple as choosing this option and selecting the backup archive (BAC file) to test.  This will inform you as to the integrity of the backup archive and if any problems exist.


Backup Size Limitations

If the data to be processed in Backup Plus when a backup is being preprocessed, exceeds 4.0GB, the backup operation will stop.

It is important to note that backups should only contain important files and data, such as E-Mail data, important document files, etc.

Backups that contain large amounts of data can cause problems on some systems when performing a Restore operation, as large amounts of memory may be required to list the data contained in the backup.

To get statistics on the currently open backup set, you can use the Backup Set Properties option on the Actions Menu.


Backup Set Properties

This screen allows you to calculate size statistics for the currently open backup set.

Exclusions are NOT taken into account when calculating these statistics.

By clicking the Calculate Statistics for Current Backup Set button, Backup Plus will then calculate various information for your backup set.

Number of Files

The number of files to be included in the current backup set.

Number of Folders

The number of folders to be included in the current backup set.

Uncompressed Size

The overall size of the raw data to be backed up - excluding any exclusions.

Approx. Compressed Size using Normal Compression

The approx. size that the backup archive will be once the backup is complete, using Normal Compression.

This value is calculated using the Normal Compression setting and is based on average files.  This value may be higher or lower, depending on the file types included in the backup.  For example, files that are already compressed will not compress as much as uncompressed data.

Data Status

This status indicator will be Green if the backup size is OK, Yello if the backup size is nearing the maximum amount of data allowed in a backup (4GB) or Red if the backup will exceed 4GB of raw data.  See Backup Size Limitations for more information.

If this Data Status indicator is Red, you will have to remove some of the data from your backup set in order to perform a backup operation.


View Menu

Below you will find the available options for this menu.

View Backup Log

This option allows you to view the overall backup log if one exists.  Depending on the backup log setting, operations are logged as they happen in Backup Plus.  It is a good idea to check and delete this log often if you have Backup Plus set to write the log, as it can get rather large over a short period of time.

View Error Log

This option allows you to view the Backup Plus error log if one exists.  Errors during timed backup operations or command line/shortcut backups are written to the error log if the occur.


Getting Started

You can create a new backup set by clicking the New toolbar button or choosing the New option on the File Menu, as well, users who require more help can create a new backup set by using the Backup Plus Wizard.

Once you have chosen the New option, you will then be presented with the New Backup Set screen.  Here you can name your backup set and set some basic properties for the set.

Name

This can be any name you would like to use for reference to the new backup set.

For Example:  My Important Documents

Default Backup Location

The default location for each backup set, is where the backup archive is created when the actual backup is performed.

For Example:  If you named your backup My Important Documents, and wanted to backup to your A:\ drive, you would click the browse button beside the efault Location field and choose the A:\ drive.  The Default Location would then be:

A:\My Important Documents.bac

Use Current Date to Name the Backup Archive

This option, when checked, will change the default name of your backup archive to the macro term $DATE$.  When set this way, Backup Plus assumes that you want to name the backup archive, when created, by the current system date.

For example:

A backup set has a current default location as such:

A:\My Important Documents.bac

When the above option is checked for that backup set, the default location becomes:

A:\$DATE$.bac

When the backup is performed, the backup archive will automatically take on the name as such:

07-31-01 - My Important Documents.bac

or

07-31-2001 - My Important Documents.bac

The date and naming will vary depending on your default system settings.

This option is especially useful when you have a backup set to perform on a daily basis using the Timed Backups Manager and you wish to have a different backup archive for each day, with easy reference to which backup is which.

The default location and naming convention can be changed at any time by using the Default Location option on the Actions Menu.

Backup Set Settings

Once you have created a new backup set, see the Adding Files & Folders section for selecting the files and or folders you wish to backup.


Using the Backup Plus Wizard

There are three steps in creating a backup set using the Backup Plus Wizard.

Step #1 - Name Set & Choose Default Location

Name

Choose a name here that you can use for reference to the backup set.  This can be something as simple as My Documents Backup.  The name can be anything you wish.

Default Location

Click the browse button next to the Default Backup Location field to select a default location to backup to.  This can be any folder, network destinations or removable device, such as your floppy drive, etc.

Step #2 - Adding Files/Folders to Backup

Click the Add Folders to your Set button to add any number of folders.  Click the Add Files to your Set to add any number of files.  You can continue to add as many folders or files as you wish.

Step #3 - Define Settings for the Set

These settings define certain properties for your backup set.  These properties are automatically set to the last settings you have chosen.  For more information on what each setting means, see the Backup Set Settings section.

Once you have completed each portion of the Wizard, the Next button will read Finish.  Clicking the Finish button will save your backup set an place you back into the main Backup Plus environment.  Here you can click the Backup button to perform the backup operation.


Special Notes on CDR Media Disks

When using CDR disks, keep in mind that even when data is deleted from a CDR disk, the reference to the data is removed (meaning the files that have been deleted will not show up in Windows Explorer any longer for example), but the data cannot be removed from the CDR disk itself.  Once a file is written, it is there permanently.

If you experience error #507 or even error #503 when trying to write to CDR media should always ensure that any CDR disks that are used for backup purposes should be brand new and only used once.

For example:

A brand new CDR formatted using DirectCD will show 616MB of free space.  If you were to write a 6MB file to it and then delete that file, Windows Explorer will show 610MB of space available because Explorer is being given the proper information from DirectCD.  When Backup Plus begins an operation, it first checks for the amount of drive space on the CD to see how much data it can write.  Backup Plus uses a call to Windows to find out how much space is available.

As Windows itself is not fed this information from DirectCD, Windows does not see any data on the CD, so it assumes that the entire space is available (616MB).  When Backup Plus writes up to 610MB of data, it then errors out as there is no actual space left, although it was told there was 616MB.  This is why these errors occur with CDR media.

Workarounds:

(1)  Always use brand new CDR disks that have never been written to before.

(2)  Write permanent backups to CDR media and not backups that will be written over and over again.

(3)  If you plan to write the backup over and over again, use CDRW disks, as these disks include the ability to actually delete and remove data from them to recover the disk space.

DirectCD is a trademark of Adaptec/Roxio®.  Neither Adaptec/Roxio® or DirectCD is affiliated in any way with AVANTRIX Inc. or Backup Plus.


Common Questions

Below you will find some common questions that are asked concerning the use of Backup Plus.

  If my backup sets are saved in the Backup Sets sub folder under the main Backup Plus folder, then what happens if the drive that Backup Plus is on crashes?  Can I still restore my data?

Yes.  Keep in mind that backup sets created in Backup Plus (BPS files) are created by you to backup certain data.  These files are just ASCII text files that tells Backup Plus what to backup and what settings it should use for that backup operation.  These files are NOT required to restore data from an actual backup archive (BAC file).  BPS files are NOT catalogue files.

  Can I use any other software to get to my data in a backup archive (BAC file)?

Yes.  Backup archives created using Backup Plus are fully ZIP compatible.  This means that the BAC files can simply be renamed to ZIP and opened in any ZIP software application.

  Will the Registry Backup work for Windows NT or 2000?

No.  The Registry Backup is specifically designed for Windows 95 and or Windows 98.

  Is the Registry Backup a disaster recovery tool?

No.  The Registry Backup is used exclusively if a user cannot load Windows due to a corrupt registry or common registry problems.  Using the recovery disk, users can overwrite a corrupt registry with the last backed up copy of the system registry in order to get back into Windows.

  Can I use Backup Plus to backup my entire hard drive and then recover it in case of a hard drive crash?

No.  Backup Plus is not meant to be a disaster recovery tool.  Its true intention is to backup important data that you would not be able to recover any other way.  If a hard drive crash occurs, you would need to reinstall Windows itself and then reinstall Backup Plus in order to restore your data.  While most files can be recovered during a restore operation, we highly suggest that you reinstall important applications from their original disks.

  When I add a WildCard to my backup set, is this WildCard global?

No.  WildCards are specific to the folder that preceeds it in the definition.  This means that a WildCard of C:\*.exe will not backup all exe files on the C drive.  Only those in the main C:\ root folder.  Adding C:\Program Files\*.doc, would include all doc files in the Program Files folder and its sub folders for example.

  When I add an Exclusion to my backup set, is this Exclusion global?

Yes.  Exclusions are always global, unless they are preceded by a path name.  Adding *.exe would exclude all exe files from being backed up.  Adding C:\Program Files\*.exe would only exclude exe files in the Program Files folder and its sub folders for example.

  I have a timed backup that is set to go every day at 10 AM.  My computer is off on Saturday and Sunday, but when I come in on Monday morning and the Timed Backups Manager starts, the backup is not performed on Monday.  Why is this?

The Timed Backups Manager schedules missed backups as they would be scheduled if being added as a new timed backup.  Even if your computer is turned on before the normally scheduled time, Backup Plus will schedule the backup to be performed on Tuesday at 10 AM because it is a Every Day backup that was missed.  It is by design that the Timed Backups Manager does not take the current time into account.

  Every time I open a backup set and a folder or number of folders no longer exist, Backup Plus continues to prompt me because of the missing folders.  Can I turn this prompt off?

Yes.  Under Advanced Settings, you can turn these prompts on or off.

  Every time I perform a backup in Backup Plus, the program asks me where I want to backup to, even though I have set a Default Location.  Can I get Backup Plus to just use this Default Location and not prompt me for a backup location?

Yes.  Under Advanced Settings, you can turn this prompt on or off for all backup sets that have a Default Location set.

  Why when I am performing a Multiple Disk style backup and getting Backup Plus to perform a Preview Operation, does it take so long?

Preview operations for Multiple Disk Style backups take almost as long as actually performing the backup, as Backup Plus compresses the files/folders in the backup set in memory to get the most accurate statistics for the backup and how many disks will be required.  We suggest that a preview operation only be performed when the amount of disks required is very important and the backup is not very large.


Settings - Overall

Clicking the above toolbar button will allow you to access the Settings screen.  Within this screen you will see icons on the left hand side of the screen.

Each icon represents a different portion of Settings.  Click each icon to change to that portion of Settings.

  Backup Set Settings

  Basic Settings

  Restore Settings

  Password Settings

  Advanced Settings

  Testing Settings