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Welcome and Contents

SyncBack Help: Welcome and Contents

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Welcome to SyncBack

Welcome to the help and information guide of the freeware version of SyncBack. SyncBack is used to back-up, restore, and synchronise files and directories, whether they be on a local drive, a network drive, an FTP server, a ZIP archive, or on removable media.

SyncBackSE is also available from 2BrightSparks which provides significant benefits over the freeware version.

This Help Guide is divided into three sections:

Section 1      Introduction, Features, and General Usage; About and Licensing

Section 2      Easy and Expert Mode Configuration; Runtime Help

Section 3      Categorised Frequently Asked Questions

Help Section 1

Introduction, Features, and General Usage

Introduction and Program Features
Known Issues and Program History

Basic Operation

Creating A Profile
Creating a Group Profile
Restoring a Backup
Creating a Schedule
Preferences Main Menu
Command Line Parameters

Licensing and About

License
About SyncBack
Introducing SyncBackSE

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Help Section 2

Easy and Expert Mode Configuration; Runtime Help

Easy Mode Configuration

Simple Settings
Advanced Settings
Copy/Delete Settings
Filter Settings
Sub-Directories Settings

Expert Mode Configuration

Compare Options Settings
Compression Settings
FTP Settings
Network Settings
Email Settings
Background Settings
Auto-close Settings
Programs Settings
Miscellaneous Settings

Runtime Help

The Differences Window
The New File Window
The File Collision Window

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Help Section 3

Categorised FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions Index

FAQs: About SyncBack
FAQs: General Issues 1: For New Users; Troubleshooting and Error Messages
FAQs: General Issues 2: Using SyncBack
FAQs: Working with Profiles
FAQs: Using Compression
FAQs: Using FTP
FAQs: Using the Scheduler

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Using the SyncBack Help Guide

When using the SyncBack Help Guide take advantage of the powerful indexing that's available. Click the Index button and you'll find over 180 keywords and phrases listed that cover the whole range of features and settings available in SyncBack.

The grey 'Back' button at the top of the Help Guide will return you to your previous page location, the 'Contents' link will return you to this page, and the main navigational links will help you step a page forward or backward at anytime.

We hope you take advantage of the many features SyncBack has to offer that helps ensure your valuable digital files remain easily retrievable.

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SyncBack on the Internet: 2BrightSparks.com

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Introduction and Program Features

SyncBack: Introduction and Program Features

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SyncBack is a powerful freeware program that helps you backup and synchronise your files to: the same drive; a different drive or medium (CDRW, CompactFlash, etc); an FTP server; a Network; or a Zip archive.

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Why Use SyncBack?
Award Winning Software
Full Feature List

Why Use SyncBack?

As you work on your computer you'll find there are times when you wish you had a backup. Perhaps you've inadvertently deleted a file you shouldn't have, perhaps you need to roll-back your work to a previous time and date, perhaps you have a laptop and a desktop you need to synchronise via FTP.
SyncBack can help you with all these tasks and more.

SyncBackSE, a commercial program, has a completely new FTP engine, and can copy locked and open files as easily as the usual closed files. This means you can backup, synchronise, and restore any data you wish to.

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Award Winning Software

SyncBack has received numerous accolades as a great backup tool, and SyncBack v3.2 sees significant improvements in functionality and presentation over its predecessors, including the ability to create background backups and email the resulting log after a backup. Compression of the backup files also comes as standard in the latest version of SyncBack Feeware, and the familiar restore and scheduling options that can automate backups that's integrated with the Windows Scheduler has been improved.

Other great features include detailed and easy to read log files in HTML format (that can be automatically emailed), simulated backups, file filters, sub-directory selection, copy verification, auto-close of programs, and more.

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Full Feature List

SyncBack packs a powerful punch with a full feature set that includes:

New graphics and improved interface
Easy and Expert Modes to modify settings
Backup Files
Restore Files
Synchronise Files
Background Backups & synchronisations
Export and Import Profiles
Simulated Run and Restore
Schedule
HTML and Text Logs
Set Differences Window
Show Groups Only
Hibernate or Standby
Start with Windows
Definable Double-Click Actions
Minimise Program Options
View Columns Options
Update Check
File Filtering
Compare Options
Compression with options
Compare files options
FTP Capabilities
Network Capabilities
Eject Source Drive Media post task
Select programs to run before and after task
Select programs to close before task
Right Click Menu
Internet Update Check

Introducing SyncBackSE

SyncBackSE has the following great benefits over its freeware namesake:

Copy locked and/or open files
A completely new FTP engine
'Fast Backup' option that can substantially increase backup speed
New variables to specify source and destination
Compression filter to increase compression performance
Smarter directory creation
Faster directory scanning
Improved FTP performance due to the new engine
New progress bar
SSLv2, SSLv3, and TLSv1 encryption support (implicit and explicit)
Support for one-time-passwords
Support for MODE Z compression
Support for XCRC command (so files can be verified)
Support for new FTP extensions, e.g. MLSD
Better firewall/NAT support (external IP address and port ranges)

Learn more about SyncBackSE.

SyncBackSE at 2BrightSparks (Internet connection required)

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Known Issues and Program History

SyncBack Known Issues and Program History

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Known Bugs & Features in SyncBack

SyncBack has been tested extensively, both by the developers and the SyncBack community forum.

There are however some minor bugs, a list of which is available at: http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/changes.html.

Reporting Bugs

If you are having problems with SyncBack, or have a question, please follow these steps:

Check you have the very latest version of SyncBack installed (click 'Help' then 'About' in the menu to see what your current version is).

Beginners may want to view the Online Tutorials.

Search the Forum to see if the problem has already been fixed, a solution found, or the query answered.

Check the help file, the FAQ section of the help file, and the Online FAQ.

Experiment to see if you have the same problem in different scenarios. For example, if using FTP try it with a different FTP server (also with FTP try using passive and non-passive). If using a network, try it without using the network. If using removable media, try changing the destination to your hard drive.

If we cannot reproduce your problem, then we cannot fix it. You really must provide step-by-step instructions so we can duplicate the error.

If you are still having problems, post a message on the Forums or fill in the online Bug Reporting Form. Please include the following information:

Which operating system you are using (there are known problems with NT4).

What error message is being displayed.

Where the source and destination are (network, FTP, compressed, CDRW, etc).

If you are using FTP please say which type of FTP server you are using.

Describe exactly what steps need to be taken to reproduce the error. If we cannot reproduce your problem, then we cannot fix it.

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Previous Versions of SyncBack

SyncBack has undergone extensive development and user testing since its inception. The following lists the most significant improvements that led to the release of SyncBack Please visit 2BrightSparks for a comprehensive list of features and fixes.

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New or changed in Version V3.2

- French, Italian, Polish, Simplified Chinese, Spanish (Argentinean), and Traditional Chinese translations released
- Semi-colons can now be used in filenames with compression
- Stop button on tree is ghosted instead of disappearing when stop button is pressed
- Compression progress shown when using multi file compression
- A new version of SyncBack cannot be installed while it is running
- New -shutdown command line parameter
- Aborting an FTP transfer is now much quicker
- By default, new profiles will not use the Windows shell for file copying and deleting
- By default, new profiles will have Passive enabled for FTP
- By default, new profiles will not disconnected from network shares after a profile is run
- The blank password restriction (for XP Task Scheduler) can now be removed by SyncBack automatically when a profile is scheduled
- FTP part now identifies symbolically linked files/directories
- Improvements to the method empty folders are created/deleted
- Profile now exports strings with double-quotes
- Background tasks do not start for at least one minute after SyncBack started
- Profiles can now be saved even if disk or drive not connected
- Invalid file dates in single zips now caught
- Changed HTML log file so it doesn't use English character set by default
- Default font changed to improve readability for non-English versions
- Can now detect quota & credit exceeds on Titan and Raiden FTP servers
- Help file significantly updated
- Non-English strings no longer embedded in non-English versions of SyncBack
- When a scheduled task is created the 'Wake computer' option is enabled by default
- Run before/after programs are wrapped in double quotes (if the folder button is used)
- Can double click on profile in group profile screen to quickly add/remove profile to/from group
- Disk serial number shown in correct format in log
- Window sizes saved correctly if maximized
-Directories can now be filtered based on their name
-Empty directories are now handled correctly
-The sub-directories list can now also include directories in the destination
-The sub-directories list is created faster (and faster again on 2K/XP using NTFS)
-%DATE% environment variable can now be used
-Warning given when filename contains a non-standard apostrophe (')
-When not using the shell, the progress of a file copy is shown
-When not using the shell, stopping a profile is now immediate when copying a large file
-Handles selecting scripts for before/after runs better
-Option to automatically check for updates in Preferences menu
-Increased performance when setting date & time on a read-only file on FTP server
-Milli-seconds shown on Differences screen
-First instance of SyncBack now restored from tray when second instance run
-Next Run column now correctly sorted by date & time and not alphabetically
-Updated tree view component, which may remove 'External exception' errors
-New RotateBackup VBScript included
-New RemoveSourceAfter VBScript included
-Installation looks sexier :)
- New FTP option to force the FTP server into Binary mode before every file transfer
- The FTP read-timeout value is set to 15 seconds by default
- Warning given if option to delete/copy empty directories is enabled when using FTP (can reduce performance)
- The font selection is now used everywhere, not just for filenames (but the style, e.g. bold, is not used)
- New menu item (in Preferences) to re-associate SyncBack with .SPS files
- If SyncBack is forcibly closed while profiles are still running, the running profiles last result will be set to 'Aborted' instead of being left as 'Running', for example
- When a 'Run Before' program is set, it will now be run before the network connection to the source and destination are made, and before any FTP connection is made
- Media is ejected before the log file is displayed
- If a file cannot be deleted because it is locked then the user is prompted (if requested for in the profile settings)
- 500 files are now displayed per page in the Differences screen (was 250)
- 'File time is not GMT/UTC' is now visible on the FTP tab
- Emailed log files now contain all the error messages
- File sizes > 2GB now reported correctly (now 64bit)
- Option to not disconnect from network drive (to fix problems with Novell)
- Option to change temp directory when using compression
- Option to not make a local copy of a Zip file on a slow drive
- New menu item to make a bug report online
- Temp file specified for compression is also used to make temp copy when using slow device on destination
- 'File is locked' error message now reports a more accurate error, e.g. 'Access denied'
- A number of minor user interface changes, including fixing title in HTML log file
- Scheduler started automatically in Windows 95/98 when creating/modifying a schedule
- New interface when using Windows XP
- Temp zip file now moved instead of copying (can improve performance when temp directory is on same drive as Zip file)
- Can now resized Schedule window (fixed problem when using large fonts)
- New Read Timeout property for FTP (may fix some lockup problems)
- Warning when using FTP quote character as this breaks many FTP servers
- When cancelling settings, only given warning if any settings are changed
- New option to email log file only if errors occur
- Log file now created and written to before scanning starts
- Network connections are retried to try and reduce the chance of a profile failing because of 'Network errors'
- New option to ignore files that have not been modified/created within a certain time frame, e.g. last 7 days
- The display now clearly shows if a profile is configured as Group, Backup, synchronise, Restore or Custom
- Can now export AutoClose settings. AutoClose settings will now be exported on pre-XP systems.
- Can now use quote characters to wrap file and directory names that contain spaces (for FTP)
- Automatically detect IE proxy server and port number for FTP settings (not if using a script)
- Automatically retries file copy 1223 errors (related to temporary network problems)
- The sub-directory selection option on profile setup has been changed from a checkbox to a drop-down list
- The email subject will be prefixed with [Failed] if the profile run failed
- The profile description (in Profile Setup) will now say if the profile will run slowly due to its settings
- When reading and writing files to an FTP server, SyncBack will automatically change the files permissions as required to do the get/put and then revert them back
- System wide hotkeys can be assigned to profiles (including group profiles) so they run automatically when pressed
- Program caption (and About dialog caption) now say exactly which version of SyncBack it is
- Identifies changes in file attributes
- Checks if the Windows Task Scheduler service is installed and running (NT/2K/XP only)
- Warning given if Zip file contains more than 65,535 files
- Seconds difference is now 2 by default. This is to avoid problems with FAT and UNIX drives (which are not as accurate as NTFS)
- Option to clear archive attribute of source and destination files when copied
- Zip files on removable and network drives are copied first to local drive, processed, and copied back to the original location. This improves performance.
- Can automatically import profiles by double-clicking .sps files
- Option to abort the profile is the before program fails
- Option to run the after program even if the profile fails
- New icons in Differences screen to help show what the differences are
- Can now choose not to show Differences screen again from the screen itself
- More hot-keys

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Version 2

- Profile names must be valid filenames
- Now reports correct total scan time
- Can import and export profiles
- Minor bug fixes and user interface improvements
- Specific sub-directories (and their files) can be backed-up/synchronised or not
- Can ignore file modification time differences, e.g. 2 second differences can be ignored (helpful for when destination drive is not on a Windows system, e.g. using SAMBA)
- Considerably faster directory scan time, therefore backups are much quicker (especially for backups with many files and directories and/or where file masks are used)
- Options to let Windows shell copy and delete files (allows deleted files to be moved to recycle, aborted copies, etc).
- File hashing is now only performed if no other changes detected and both the source and destination file can be read (results in quicker backups)
- Profiles can be ordered in a group profile (no longer forced to be alphabetically ordered)
- Can perform a simulated restore
- A profile can be run mimized (using -m command line option before profile name)
- Profiles run via the Windows Task Scheduler are now created to run minimized by default
- New log file format, more detail, and log file is now automatically split into seperate files (pages)
- If a profile is renamed, and it has a schedule, the user is prompted to change the schedules parameters (future versions may do this automatically)
- Numerous minor changes to handle scheduled tasks that run more than one profile
- The items shown in the Differences form can be filtered, the column widths are set automatically, and the form caption displays profiles name and if it is a simulated run or restore
- Can now abort a scan earlier
- Aborting a group profile aborts all the profiles in the group not just the current profile
- Can now delete multiple profiles in one go instead of just one at a time
- Can now display log file for multiple profiles in one go instead of just one at a time
- When a profile is copied, the last run result and status are not copied and neither is the log file
- A backup, restore, or sync is aborted if a directory cannot be scanned
- The profile setup screen includes a description (in English) of the profile settings to help users understand what the profile will dowere corrupted)
- Directory selection dialogs now always centred in screen
- Uninstall now completely removes registry entries (HKCU), settings files, and log files for all profiles
- By default, files (files in the destination but not in the source) are not deleted for backup profiles
- The profile result now indicates if the last run was a restore
- An extra warning is given if running a profile as a restore and last result was not a success
- Warns if an attempt is made to create a profile to backup an entire drive
- Can run a simulated backup/restore to check a profiles settings
- Integration with Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler to help schedule backups
- Copied files can be verified to guarantee files copied correctly
- Minimize to tray
- HTML now used for log file, and log file more detailed and simpler to read
- Log files can be displayed automatically after backup/restore
- Double-click configuration
- Profiles can be sorted on any column
- Empty directories automatically deleted
- Profiles can be renamed and copied
- Media can be ejected after profile is executed

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Version 1.x (October 2003)

- Original version

Introducing SyncBack

SyncBackSE has the following great benefits over its freeware namesake:

Copy locked and/or open files
A completely new FTP engine
'Fast Backup' option that can substantially increase backup speed
New variables to specify source and destination
Compression filter to increase compression performance
Smarter directory creation
Faster directory scanning
Improved FTP performance due to the new engine
New progress bar
SSLv2, SSLv3, and TLSv1 encryption support (implicit and explicit)
Support for one-time-passwords
Support for MODE Z compression
Support for XCRC command (so files can be verified)
Support for new FTP extensions, e.g. MLSD
Better firewall/NAT support (external IP address and port ranges)

Learn more about SyncBackSE.

SyncBackSE at 2BrightSparks (Internet connection required)

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Creating A Profile

SyncBack: Creating A Profile

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SyncBack is designed to be simple to use. All the essential tasks can be carried out from the main window by clicking an icon on the lower toolbar. SyncBack also has a main menu that provides easy access to all it's functions, and a right click pop-up menu that is available when a profile is highlighted.

Profile Types

Choose a Backup profile when you want to backup (copy) your new and modified files to another place, e.g. an external hard drive or an FTP server.

Choose a synchronisation profile when you have two directories in which files are changing and you want them both to contain the same files. For example, you may have a directory on your computer containing documents you are working on. A colleague may also be working on documents on his computer. If you want to copy his new and modified files to your local directory, and copy your new and modified files to his directory, then you need to use a synchronisation profile.

Note that the term synchronisation is also called Mirroring by some programs.

Choose a Group profile when you want to create a profile that contains other Backup or synchronisation profiles. This allows you to run many profiles at once.

So what is the difference between a Backup and a synchronisation? A backup copies files in one direction: from the source to the destination. A synchronisation copies files in both directions: from the source to the destination, and from the destination to the source.

Creating Profiles

When SyncBack is first launched a dialogue window opens asking you whether you would like to create a profile. A profile stores information about the folders or files you would like to backup or synchronise using SyncBack. Once you've created a profile you'll be able to click a single button on the toolbar to carry out a specified task in the future.

You may create a profile at any time by using the 'New' button on the lower menu, or selecting 'New' from the 'Profiles' main menu located at the top of the program window. When you first run SyncBack a window titled 'Confirm' with the following dialogue text will appear:

You do not have any profiles, would you like to create one now?

Agree by clicking the 'Yes' button. A second window opens asking what kind of profile you would like to create:

Enter a name for your new Profile:

You'll then enter the source and destination paths of the folders you'd like to backup or synchronise in the top-most fields of the Profile Setup window. You can select your files quickly by clicking the folder icon and by browsing the tree explorer to the folder or file you want to carry out the task on. To view more advanced options click the 'Expert Mode' button on the lower menu bar.

Notice how more settings tabs become available:

Carefully check the default options meet your needs then click OK.

A window dialogue opens asking whether you would like to carry out a 'Simulated Run':

Would you like to perform a simulated run for this new profile? A simulated run does not copy or delete any files, but does produce a report on what would have been copied or deleted.

This allows you to check the profile functions correctly without actually copying any files. As you click OK the 'Simulated Run' begins.

SyncBack processes files very quickly so if you're only backing up or synchronising a few files you'll not view the progress of the run signified by a flashing Profile icon situated on the top left under the menu item 'Profiles'.

Note the new icons in the screenshot below that temporarily appear to the left of the profile being processed.

Clicking on an icon will either stop or pause a given task. The task is signified by the third icon, in this case a 'run' icon that appears to the left of 'My Images'.

One of the most useful feedback mechanisms in SyncBack is to hover your mouse over a profile when a task is in progress (ensure your mouse pointer is under the 'Profile' column in the main window for this to function). A tooltip will appear with constantly updated information about: the type of operation; the steps to go; and the current files being processed:

As the profile is being processed an icon will also appear on the Windows Taskbar located on the bottom right of your screen:

SyncBackSE also features a new progress bar which appears at the base of the program window:

After the profile has been processed the main window will look slightly different as the temporary icons are no longer viewable. (if you chose not to create a profile this window would have opened next). From here you'll be able to carry out your main tasks of backing up and synchronising files:

You have now successfully created a simple backup profile. To create a Group Profile you'll need to create two profiles or more. You'll then have the opportunity of running these profiles as one. To find out more about this feature go to Creating a Group Profile.

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Creating a Group Profile

SyncBack: Creating a Group Profile

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Once you have created two or more profiles you may group them together. Group profiles are collections of profiles. This allows you to run multiple profiles in one go instead of having to run each profile one after another. This page of SyncBack Help runs through the simple procedure you'll need to follow.

Page Contents

Creating a Group Profile
Modify a Group Profile

Creating a Group Profile

Click the 'New' button from the Toolbar (or 'New' from the main menu or right-click menu). Select the third option 'Group' from the list, then click OK (note the screenshot below shows the default setting in which 'Backup' is selected, you'll need to select 'Group'):

In the group profile below there are three profiles: 'My Word'; 'My Backup'; and 'My Images'. The 'My Word' profile is not in the group. You can add and remove profiles from the group using the <. <<. >, and >> buttons. You can order the profiles in the group by selecting one or more profiles and using the up and down buttons on the right. Profiles in the group are executed in the order displayed (first to last).

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Modify a Group Profile

Select a Group Profile in the main window and use the 'Modify' button on the lower toolbar (you may also select 'Profiles' > 'Modify' from the main menu, or right click and select 'Modify'). The same window as above will appear so you may redefine or change the settings of the Group Profile.

Run profiles in parallel: By default, the profiles in a group are run in the order you provide, from first to last. The next profile is started once the previous one finishes. You can choose to have all the profiles in a group run at the same time by enabling this option. It is not recommended you select this option because it will probably increase the time taken to run the profiles. If, however, you have more than one CPU or multiple drive controllers, then it could reduce the time.

Run profile hot-key: To run the profile when a certain key combination is pressed, click this edit box and press the hot-keys you want to assign. For example, if you want to run the profile whenever you press Ctrl-Shift-G, then press those keys. Now whenever you press Ctrl-Shift-G, no matter what application you are using, and even if SyncBack is minimized, the profile will be run.

Please note that SyncBack must be running for hot-keys to function. To remove a hot-key, click the hot-key edit box and press the Backspace key."

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Restoring a Backup

SyncBack: Restoring a Backup

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Restoring a Backup

Restoring a backup in SyncBack is a simple matter of selecting a profile and clicking the 'Restore' button located in the lower menu (you may also select 'Restore' from the main menu under 'Task', or 'Restore' from the right-click menu).

A new informational window will open with the following message:

A restore operation swaps the source and destination directories: i.e. the source directory becomes the destination directory and visa-versa. A restore may not work the way you expect: e.g. some of the files in the destination directory may be older than their equivalent entries in the source and therefore may not replace the source entries (depending upon what your settings are).

Are you sure you want to run the profile(s) in restore mode?

Use the 'Yes' or 'No' button.

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Creating a Schedule

SyncBack: Creating a Schedule

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SyncBack interfaces with the Windows Task Scheduler to allow you to run profiles automatically at certain times, e.g. run a backup profile every day at 5am. On Windows XP you can access the task scheduler via the Start menu (All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks).

Page Contents

Creating a Schedule
Modify a Schedule

Creating a Schedule

To create a schedule for a profile, select the profile on the main screen and click the Schedule button (you can also click the Schedule button when modifying a profile). If there is no schedule for the profile, a dialog box will appear (if you have a schedule already then a different window will appear - see Modifying a Schedule below).

There is no schedule for the profile 'The Name of Your Profile'. Would you like to create one?

Click Yes. If you are running Windows NT, 2000, or XP the following dialog box will appear (if you are using Windows 95, 98, or ME then this dialog box will not appear).

Please click the 'Set password...' button on the next screen to enter your login password.

If you do not enter your password the scheduled task will fail to run!

Users on Windows NT, 2000, and XP must tell the Windows Task Scheduler their login password to be able to run a program on a schedule, whereas on Windows 95, 98, and ME no password is required. This dialog box is a reminder to tell you to enter your password on the next screen (otherwise SyncBack will not run at its scheduled time). Click OK.

Please note that if you are using Windows XP and do not have a login password (i.e. it is blank/empty) then you must configure the Windows Scheduler to accept blank passwords. See This Question in the FAQ on how to do this.

Note that on Windows 95, 98, and ME this dialog box will look slightly different (there is no Set password button):

Also note that by default (from version 2.2) a profile is run minimized (hidden). This is done via the -m command line parameter. If you don't want to run minimized then remove that command line parameter from the Run string.

If there is a 'Set password' button then click it.

You must now enter your Windows login password twice, and then click OK. You are then returned to the previous dialog box.

It is critically important that your password is entered otherwise SyncBack will not be run at the scheduled time.

Click the Schedule tab.

By default, SyncBack will create a schedule to run the profile every day at 9am. You can change the schedule on this screen. See the Windows help file for more information. Click the Settings tab

See the Windows help file for more information on this screen. See the Important Scheduling Information section below for more information.

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Modify a schedule

If you already have a schedule for a profile, when you click the Schedule button the following window will appear.

This window displays information on the schedule for the profile, e.g. what its schedule is and the current status. You can delete or edit the schedule by clicking Edit Schedule.

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Important Scheduling Information

There are some important points to remember about the Windows scheduler:

On Windows XP, 2000, and NT make sure you set your password for the task.
If you are using power saving features in Windows, e.g. your computer goes to stand-by or hibernate after a certain period of inactivity, then you must enable the 'Wake the computer to run this task' option in the scheduler. This will wake your computer to run the task at the appointed time.
You may need to be logged into Windows for the task to start at the scheduled time.
SyncBack can accept a number of Command Line Parameters.
For Windows XP, scheduled tasks will not run if your login password is blank/empty. Read FAQ.
Windows NT 4 does not have a COM interface to the Windows Task Scheduler. You must use other methods to schedule profile runs, e.g. add it manually or use the 'at' command. See the Windows NT documentation for more information.

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Preferences Main Menu

SyncBack: Preferences Main Menu

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Preferences Main Menu

Skip Differences Window

Whenever you run a profile, it will compare the source and destination, and display the results in the Differences window. However, you can skip this window by ticking this menu item. Note that the Differences window is never displayed if you run SyncBack with command line parameters (e.g. from the Windows Task Scheduler), or if a profile is run in the background, or if there are no differences. In most cases there is no need to display this window, except if you want to check to see what the differences are. The Differences window is always displayed when doing a Simulated Run or Simulated Restore.

Show Groups Only

Only group profiles will be listed in the display if this menu item is ticked, otherwise all profiles are listed.

Disable Hibernate/Standby

If this item is ticked then SyncBack will stop your computer from hibernating or going into standby power saving modes if any profiles are running. If your computer is using batteries this option is disabled and cannot be used. Note that if your computer is running on batteries, and your batteries are low, SyncBack will automatically pause all running profiles and display a warning message. SyncBack can put your computer into hibernate or standby mode after profiles are run. For more information, see the page Command Line Parameters.

Start With Windows

If ticked, SyncBack will start after Windows is rebooted. It will start minimized.

Stop Background Backups From Starting

If ticked, any profiles set to run in the background will not be started. This does not affect tasks in the Windows Task Scheduler.

Font Selection

You can change the default font used by SyncBack. This font is used on all screens. Note that the style, e. g. bold, will be used when displaying filenames, but will not be used for text labels, buttons, etc. The font size is fixed at 8. Changing the font (and it's Script) is useful when using other languages with SyncBack.

Double-click Action

You can select what action SyncBack should take when you double-click on a profile.

Log Settings

By default the log file, produced when a profile is run, is created in HTML format. By selecting this menu item you can change the log file format, or choose not to create a log file at all.

Open .sps files with SyncBack

Exported profiles have the filename extension of SPS. If another program has set itself as the default program for opening SPS files, then this menu item will appear allowing you to change it back to SyncBack.

Minimize To Tray

If this item is ticked then SyncBack will minimize to the system tray (also called the Notification area in Windows XP) instead of to the task bar.

Minimize On Close

If this item is ticked then SyncBack will minimize instead of closing (exiting) when the Close button (the X button in the applications title bar) is clicked. In this case you must click the Exit button to close SyncBack.

Minimize On Run

If this item is ticked SyncBack will minimize automatically when a profile is run.

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Command Line Parameters

SyncBack: Command Line Parameters

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A Definition of the Command Line

A Command Line is a space provided directly on the screen where users type specific commands. A CLI (command line interface) is a user interface to a computer's operating system or an application in which the user responds to a visual prompt by typing in a command on a specified line, receives a response back from the system, and then enters another command. The MS-DOS Prompt application in the Windows operating system is an example of the provision of a command line interface. Today, most users prefer the graphical user interface (GUI) offered by Windows or Macs.

SyncBack Command Line Parameters

SyncBack accepts a number of command line parameters. Some of these are used when SyncBack is called from the Windows Task Scheduler. Note that when SyncBack is run with command line parameters, by default it will run in 'Unattended' mode and be minimized, which means that it will not prompt the user and will not be visible on screen.

-r The profiles following this parameter are run in restore mode. By default profiles are run as backups/synchronisations.

-i The profiles following this parameter are run in interactive mode. By default profiles run from the command line are run unattended, i.e. no prompts are displayed.

-m The profiles following this parameter are run in minimized mode, i.e. nothing is displayed on the screen. This is the default.

-n The profiles following this parameter are run in normal mode, i.e. dialogs and windows are displayed on the screen. By default profiles run from the command line are run in minimized mode.

-p The profiles following this parameter are run in parallel, i.e. they are all run at the same time. Normally the profiles are run in serial (one after the other).

-hibernate Place the computer into hibernate mode (if the computer supports it).

-standby Place the computer into standby mode (if the computer supports it).

-shutdown Logoff, shutdown, and switch off the computer (if the computer supports it) (not supported on Windows 95/98/98SE)

All other parameters are assumed to be profile names. If a profile name has a space in it use double quotes around the profiles name, e.g. "All Profiles". The profile names are not case sensitive. So for example:

SyncBack profile1 -i profile2 profile3 -n -r "profile 4" -hibernate

This command will run profile1 as a backup/sync in unattended and minimized modes, profile2 and profile3 as a backup/sync in interactive and minimized modes, profile 4 as a restore in interactive and normal mode, and once all the profiles have finished the computer will hibernate.

If SyncBack is run with no command line parameters then it will first check to see if any other instances of SyncBack are running which also started with no command line parameters. If so, it will not start. This helps ensure only one instance of SyncBack is running.

However, whenever SyncBack is run with command line parameters, it will run regardless of whether any other instances of SyncBack are running or not. Also, if run with command line parameters, SyncBack will exit once it has finished its tasks, but if you use any part of its user interface while it is running then it will not exit.

Importing Profiles

You can automatically import profiles by passing the filename of the exported profile on the command line. For example, if you exported a profile and saved it as 'MyProfile. SPS' then if you pass this on the command line to SyncBack it will automatically import the profile. The filename extension must be .SPS otherwise it is assumed to be the name of a profile to run.

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License

SyncBack: License

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All Rights Reserved

All rights of SyncBack remain with the authors, 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd © 2003-2005.

Software Use and Support Policy

Although the software has been thoroughly tested, and is used by the authors themselves, you install and use this software at your own risk. The authors accept no responsibility for any damages made to any hardware, software, or data due to the use of this program. This software is designed to delete and replace files, so use with caution.

If you are using SyncBack under the terms of this Agreement, you are not entitled to support although we will respond to support requests if they relate to SyncBack if is not performing it's task correctly (bugs etc).

Over 99% of reported 'bugs' are due to user set-up errors so please read the help file and go to our Forums before making a report.

SyncBack Licensing Terms and Conditions

Although the software has been thoroughly tested, and is used by the authors themselves, you install and use this software at your own risk. The authors accept no responsibility for any damages made to any hardware, software, or data due to the use of this program. This software is designed to delete and replace files, so use with caution. Do not install this software if you do not agree to the following terms:

This Freeware is free for personal, educational, charity, and commercial use.

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd grants you a limited non-exclusive license to use FREEWARE downloadable from www.2BrightSparks.com for personal, educational, charity, and commercial use.

Our Freeware is licensed to you in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. You represent and warrant that you will not violate any of the requirements of this Agreement and further represent and warrant that:

- You will not, and will not permit others to:

(i) reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, derive the source code of, modify, or create derivative works from our Freeware, or

(ii) copy, distribute, publicly display, or publicly perform content contained in this Freeware other than as expressly authorized by this Agreement.

- You will not use our Freeware to engage in or allow others to engage in any illegal activity.

- You will not engage in using our Freeware that will interfere with or damage the operation of the services of any third parties by overburdening/disabling network resources through automated queries, excessive usage or similar conduct.

- You will not sell our Freeware or charge others for use of it (either for profit or merely to recover your media and distribution costs) whether as a stand-alone product, or as part of a compilation or anthology, without explicit prior written permission.

- You will not use our Freeware to engage in any activity that will violate the rights of third parties, including, without limitation, through the use, public display, public performance, reproduction, distribution, or modification of communications or materials that infringe copyrights, trademarks, publicity rights, privacy rights, other proprietary rights, or rights against defamation of third parties.

- You may not claim any sponsorship by, endorsement by, or affiliation with our company.

Limitation of Liability

Use of all software available from 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd (hereinafter 'SOFTWARE') is contingent on your agreement to the following Limitation of Liability:

SOFTWARE is provided as is without warranty of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd its suppliers, its distributors, and its affiliates, or others who may offer SOFTWARE, will not be liable for any damages whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or punitive of any kind (including but not limited to damages for: loss of profits, loss of confidential or other information, business interruption, personal injury, loss of privacy, failure to meet any duty - including of good faith or of reasonable care - Negligence, and any other pecuniary or other loss whatsoever) Arising out of, or in any way related to the use of, or inability to use our SOFTWARE or support services, or the provision of or failure to provide support services, or otherwise under, or in connection with SOFTWARE documentation, or any provision of these terms and conditions, even if 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd or any supplier, distributor, or its affiliates has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

The Limitations on, and Exclusions of liability for damages in this agreement apply regardless of whether liability is based on breach of contract, Tort (including negligence), delict, strict liability, breach of warranties or conditions, or any other legal theory.

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd furthermore disclaims all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and on infringement.

The entire risk arising out of the use or performance of the SOFTWARE and documentation remains with the recipient. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd be liable for any consequential, incidental, direct, indirect, special, punitive, or other damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of this agreement or the use of or inability to use the product, even if 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

The SOFTWARE and the accompanying files are sold "as is" and without warranties as to performance or merchantability or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which SOFTWARE may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.

Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of using the SOFTWARE. Any liability of the seller will be limited exclusively to product replacement or refund of purchase price.

Scope of Grant

You may not reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble this freeware. 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd shall retain title and all ownership rights to this freeware.

Copyright

This freeware is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties.

Maintenance

2BrightSparks is not obligated to provide maintenance or updates for this freeware.

Modification

2BrightSparks Pte Ltd reserves the right, at its discretion, to revise these Terms and Conditions at any time and without prior notice, and such revision shall be effective immediately upon the posting of the revised Terms and Conditions at:

http://www.2brightsparks.com/terms.html

SyncBackSE

SyncBackSE has the following great benefits over its freeware namesake:

Copy locked and/or open files
A completely new FTP engine
'Fast Backup' option that can substantially increase backup speed
New variables to specify source and destination
Compression filter to increase compression performance
Smarter directory creation
Faster directory scanning
Improved FTP performance due to the new engine
New progress bar
SSLv2, SSLv3, and TLSv1 encryption support (implicit and explicit)
Support for one-time-passwords
Support for MODE Z compression
Support for XCRC command (so files can be verified)
Support for new FTP extensions, e.g. MLSD
Better firewall/NAT support (external IP address and port ranges)

Learn more about SyncBackSE.

SyncBackSE at 2BrightSparks (Internet connection required)

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About SyncBack

About SyncBack

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About SyncBack

SyncBack is created by 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd © 2003-2005 All Rights Reserved

The authors are Michael J Leaver (Software Architecture and Programming), and Mike de Sousa (Graphic Design, and Usability Audit).

SyncBack is completely free. It is not adware, mailware, or shareware.

Program Credits

The following resource sites, authors, and componants are also credited as having contributed towards the creation of SyncBack:

Resources: AbleStable, Serving the Creative Community: www.ablestable.com
Virtual Tree component by Mike Lischke: www.delphi-gems.com
Compression by Abbrevia: http://sourceforge.net/projects/tpabbrevia/
FTP and Email by Indy Project: www.indyproject.org
MD5 by Greg Carter of CRYPTOCard Corporation
CRC32 © Copyright 1989, 1995-1996, 1999 Earl F Glyn, Overland Park. KS
Registry Export by Arthur Hoornweg: arthur.hoornweg@email.de
Registry Merge by rllibby
Project JEDI:  http://homepages.borland.com/jedi/jcl/  and
      http://homepages.borland.com/jedi/jvcl/

Thanks also to the many people who helped improve SyncBack by providing invaluable feedback.

Developers Website: 2BrightSparks.com

SyncBackSE

SyncBackSE has the following great benefits over its freeware namesake:

Copy locked and/or open files
A completely new FTP engine
'Fast backup' option that can substantially increase backup speed
New variables to specify source and destination
Compression filter to increase compression performance
Smarter directory creation
Faster directory scanning
Improved FTP performance due to the new engine
New progress bar
SSLv2, SSLv3, and TLSv1 encryption support (implicit and explicit)
Support for one-time-passwords
Support for MODE Z compression
Support for XCRC command (so files can be verified)
Support for new FTP extensions, e.g. MLSD
Better firewall/NAT support (external IP address and port ranges)

Learn more about SyncBackSE.

SyncBackSE at 2BrightSparks (Internet connection required)

Payments at 2BrightSparks

We recognise that security is one of the major concerns for the shopper during an online transaction. Our payment processor uses state of the art security tools and techniques to ensure that you are protected against online fraud. In reality, an online purchase is probably more secure than a card transaction conducted in a shop, over the telephone or by fax - because our payment processor ensures that your online purchase details are encrypted using complex logarithm methods.

2BrightSparks' server never requests, receives, or stores card details. Card details are only requested when our customers are transferred to our payment processor's secure 128bt encryption enabled server. All payment processing is carried out by our payment processor after which our customers are transferred back to our store.

Privacy Policies

You should be assured that the information you provide during an online transaction is treated confidentially, and not disclosed to a third party. You may read our Privacy Statement in full at http://www.2brightsparks.com/privacy.html.

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Easy Mode Configuration

SyncBack: Easy Mode Configuration

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After a profile has been created in SyncBack you may modify the settings for that profile at any time. If you haven't already defined a profile view Creating a Profile which will guide you through this simple process.

Page Contents

Easy Mode Overview
Profile Settings in Easy Mode

Easy Mode Overview

SyncBack has two Modes that will allow you to change the settings for any given profile: Easy Mode and Expert Mode. Note that these modes affect a single profile and not group profiles. To find out how Group Profiles may be modified go to Creating a Group Profile.

This help page details the options available in the Easy Mode. To modify a profile either use the 'Modify' button on the toolbar, or select 'Modify' from the 'Profiles' main menu located at the top of the program window.

The Easy Mode Profile Setup window is shown below with the default 'Simple' settings tabs:

Note how the text in the white informational area alters depending on the options you select. This will help you decide what option best suits your requirements.

Spend time getting to know what options are available under the four additional tabs in the Profile Setup window. The 'Advanced', 'Copy/Delete', 'Filter', and 'Sub-Directories' tabs each contain a range of options that provide a great deal of flexibility in the way you can perform tasks.

Profile Settings in Easy Mode

The following Settings pages detail the options available for each settings tab:

Simple Settings
Advanced Settings
Copy/Delete Settings
Filter Settings
Sub-Directories Settings

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Simple Settings

SyncBack: Simple Settings

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Simple Settings

Make choices about the kind of backup or synchronisation you wish to perform.

This page allows you to quickly configure a profile to either perform a backup or a synchronisation:

If a profile is not a standard backup or synchronisation then the 'Custom' item will be selected. The tab page also provides an overall description of what your profile will actually do when it is run.

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Advanced Settings

SyncBack: Advanced Settings

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Advanced Settings

Define how SyncBack will perform its task under different circumstances. For example, what SyncBack will do if the same file is in the destination but not the source.

The Advanced page lets you tell SyncBack which files to copy or delete. If you have selected a Backup or synchronisation profile on the Simple page, then these settings have already been correctly chosen for you and there is no need to change them.

There are three different situations in which SyncBack must decide which file to copy or delete:

1. When there is a file (with the same name and in the same directory) that is both in the source and the destination but their contents are not the same. For example, you may have changed the file in the source.

2. When there is a file that is in the source, but not in the destination. For example, you may have deleted the file in the destination.

3. When there is a file that is in the destination, but not in the source.

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First Advanced Settings Group

The first group of settings on this page let you decide what SyncBack should do for situation 1, i.e. when a file is in the source and destination, but they are not the same file:

Source overwrites destination always (backup): A file from the source directory will always replace a file in the destination directory. Choose this option when doing backups.

Destination overwrites source always (restore): A file from the destination directory will always replace a file in the source directory.

Newer file overwrites older file (synchronise): The newer file will replace the older file, i.e. the file last modified replaces the older file. Choose this option when synchronising directories.

Older file overwrites newer file: The older file will replace the newer file. This is the exact opposite of the previous option.

Larger file overwrites smaller file (skip if same size): The larger file will replace the smaller file (and no copy is made if they are the same size).

Smaller file overwrites larger file (skip if same size): The smaller file will replace the larger file (and no copy is made if they are the same size). This is the exact opposite of the previous option.

Prompt me (skips file if run from command line): If both files have been changed then you are prompted and will be able to decide what to do. Note that if SyncBack is run from the command line, or from the Windows Task Scheduler, then no prompt will appear and the file will not be copied.

Do nothing, skip the file: In this case no file is copied and nothing is done.

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Second Advanced Settings Group

The second group of settings on this page let you decide what SyncBack should do for situation 2, i.e. when a file is in the source but not the destination:

Copy file to destination: The file is copied from the source to the destination.

Delete file from source: The file is deleted from the source.

Prompt me (skips file if run from command line): You will be prompted on what action to take. Note that if SyncBack is run from the command line, or from the Windows Task Scheduler, then no prompt will appear and the file will be ignore.

Do nothing, skip the file: Nothing will be done and the file will be ignored.

Third Advanced Settings Group

The third group of settings on this page let you decide what SyncBack should do for situation 3, i.e. when a file is in the destination but not the source:

Copy file to source: The file is copied from the destination to the source.

Delete file from destination: The file is deleted from the destination.

Prompt me (skips file if run from command line): You will be prompted on what action to take. Note that if SyncBack is run from the command line, or from the Windows Task Scheduler, then no prompt will appear and the file will be ignore.

Do nothing, skip the file: Nothing will be done and the file will be ignored.

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Copy/Delete Settings

SyncBack: Copy/Delete Settings

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Copy/Delete Settings

Define how SyncBack will handle the copying and deleting of files.

This page provides a number of options on how SyncBack will copy and delete files. SyncBack uses exactly the same routines for copying and deleting files that Windows Explorer itself uses. This ensures that files are copied as expected, e.g. the files attributes are also copied, and provides benefits such as putting deleted files in your Recycle Bin.

Do not use the Windows shell to copy or delete files: If enabled standard Windows routines are used to copy and delete files. By default (not enabled), the Windows Shell (Explorer) is asked to copy and delete files on behalf of SyncBack. Each has it's benefits and drawbacks. Not using the shell may fix network problems, especially when using Novell networks. When using the shell, you have the benefit of moving deleted files to the recycle bin.

Move deleted files to recycle bin: If a file is deleted from a local drive (not a removable drive or network drive) it can be moved to the recycle bin instead of being deleted. This is identical to what would happen if you deleted the file using Windows Explorer.

Confirm file deletions, replacing files, etc.: When a file is to be deleted or replaced by another file then you can be prompted on whether you want SyncBack to delete or replace the file. An important point to remember is that if you are using the recycle bin (see the previous item) then you will not be prompted when a file is deleted (instead it is silently moved to the recycle bin). Also, if you are running the profile in unattended mode, e.g. from the Windows Scheduler, then you will not be prompted and the file will be deleted or replaced.

Confirm directory creation: If a new directory must be created then you can be prompted on whether you want the directory to be created or not. If you are running the profile in unattended mode, e. g. from the Windows Scheduler, then you will not be prompted and the directory will be created. This option is only available if "Do not display a progress dialog box" is unchecked and "Display error messages and prompts" is enabled.

Display error messages: If an error occurs when a file is copied or deleted then you can choose to be prompted with an error message. Note that these error messages will be recorded in the profiles log file. If you are running the profile in unattended mode, e.g. from the Windows Scheduler, then you will not be prompted with any error messages.

Do not display a progress dialog box: When copying large files, using a slow network connection, or slow storage devices, it can sometimes take a long time to copy a file. If this option is enabled then the standard Windows file copy progress dialog box will be displayed (it is only displayed if a file copy will take more than a few seconds). The benefit of this dialog box is that you can cancel the file copy, for example it may be taking too long, and you can see how long it will take to copy the file. If you are running the profile in unattended mode, e.g. from the Windows Scheduler, then the progress dialog box will not be displayed. Please note that on some systems disabling this option may drastically reduce performance.

Verify that files are copied correctly: After a file is copied, SyncBack can check to guarantee that the newly created file is identical to the file it was copied from. Note that this option is not available when using FTP and can significantly increase the time taken for a profile to run.

Prompt to retry if a file is locked or being used by another process: SyncBack, like most backup programs, cannot copy or delete a file that is locked by another program. For example, you cannot copy Microsoft Outlooks PST file while Outlook is running. If this option is enabled then SyncBack will prompt you if it cannot copy or delete a file because it is locked. The prompt gives you the opportunity to close the program that has the file locked so the file can be copied or deleted by SyncBack. If you are running the profile in unattended mode, e.g. from the Windows Scheduler, then no prompt is made and the file will be skipped (an error message will be recorded in the log file). There is another option in SyncBack to close certain programs before a profile is run (see the Auto-close tab).

Force the file modification date & time to be correct: Sometimes the file system that files are copied to cannot correctly record the files last modification date & time. For example, when using SAMBA shares there can be occasions when the file will have the current date & time as it's last modification date & time. To resolve this SyncBack can forcibly change the new files last modification date & time to be correct. Note that this option is not available when using FTP or compression. There is another option (see the Compare Options tab) to ask SyncBack to ignore small date & time differences. This can also be useful in avoiding problems where the file system cannot accurately record date & times.

Reset the archive file attribute on files once they have been copied: When enabled the archive attribute on a file, both on the source and destination, will be cleared once the file has been copied. Note that you do not need to enable this option unless you have enabled the option to watch for file attribute changes. Enabled this option will slightly decrease performance.

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Filter Settings

SyncBack: Filter Settings

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Filter Settings

Define what file types and directories are copied and which are not.

In most situations you would want to copy all the files in a directory, but with SyncBack you have the option of copying only certain files or file types. For example, you may not want to copy any files with the extension of '.tmp', or not copy any files called 'test. txt'. You can also choose which sub-directories to copy. For example, you can specify that no directories with the word 'temp' in it are copied. Note that directory filtering is available only if you have selected "Include all sub-directories and their files (and use the directory filter)" in the Sub-dirs drop-down list at the top of the settings window. Also note that you cannot filter out the root directory. The filter only applies to sub-directories. If a directory is filtered out, all of it's sub-directories are also filtered out.

The filter settings allow for a number of special characters (note that comparisons are not case sensitive):

* An asterisk matches any number of characters. Note that *.* will match any filename, even though technically it should exclude filenames that do not have a period ('.') character in them. This is kept for legacy reasons.

? A question mark matches a single arbitrary character. For example, ?est.txt would match the filename test.txt, best.txt, zest.txt, etc.

[ Each set begins with an opening bracket ([) and ends with a closing bracket (]). Between the brackets are the elements of the set. Each element is a literal character or a range. Ranges are specified by an initial value, a dash (-), and a final value. Do not use spaces or commas to separate the elements of the set. A set must match a single character in the string. The character matches the set if it is the same as one of the literal characters in the set, or if it is in one of the ranges in the set. A character is in a range if it matches the initial value, the final value, or falls between the two values. For example, [a-z]* will match any filename that begins with a letter.

] See the help on [ above.

- See the help on [ above.

! If the first character after the opening bracket of a set is an exclamation point (!), then the set matches any character that is not in the set. For example, [!a-z]* will match any filename that does not begin with a letter.

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Sub-Directories Settings

SyncBack: Sub-Directories Settings

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Sub-Directories Settings

Define how SyncBack processes directories. For example what sub-directories to copy and what to do with empty directories.

As with copying files, you would generally want to copy all the sub-directories. SyncBack gives you the opportunity to choose which sub-directories to copy. Unlike some other backup tools, you are not required to also backup parent directories. For example, you can backup the directory without having to backup it's parent directory, or it's parent's parent directory. You can even choose not to backup the files in the root directory.

To choose which directories to include in the profile, you must click the 'Include sub-directories and their files' until the tick is grey (at the top of the settings window).

Do not automatically check/uncheck parent and sub-directories: This option tells SyncBack what to do when you select or unselect a directory in the directory tree. If this option is not enabled (the default), then when you select/unselect a directory then all it's sub-directories will also be selected/unselected. This can be useful for selecting or unselecting a whole branch of the directory tree. If this option is selected, then when you select or unselect a directory then no other directory selections are affected.

Ignore new directories: If this option is not enabled (the default), then any new directories will automatically be included when the profile is run. For example, your source directory may have new directories created and deleted frequently. In this case it would not be practical to continually modify the profile to select those directories to backup. With this option disabled, when the profile is run, it will only ignore the directories you have specifically not selected in this directory tree. If this option is enabled, then when the profile is run, it will ignore any directories that are not specifically selected in this directory tree.

Copy empty directories: When this option is enabled, empty directories in the source will be copied to the destination. You can only enable this option if you are not deleting empty directories.

Include the destination in the list: By default the sub-directories listed are only the directories that are in the Source. However, if you wish to include the directories in the Destination then tick this checkbox.

Note that you also have the option of choosing what sub-directories to copy, and not copy, based on their name. See the Filter Settings for more information.

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Expert Mode Configuration

SyncBack: Expert Mode Configuration

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After a profile has been created in SyncBack you may modify the settings for that profile at any time. If you haven't already defined a profile view Creating a Profile which will guide you through this simple process.

Page Contents

Expert  Mode Overview
Profile Settings in Easy Mode

Expert Mode Overview

SyncBack has two Modes that will allow you to change the settings for any given profile: Easy Mode and Expert Mode. This page details the options available in Expert Mode.

Note that these modes affect a single profile and not group profiles.

To find out how Group Profiles may be modified go to Creating a Group Profile.

To access the Expert mode you'll need to select the 'Expert Mode' button located on the lower menu in the 'Profile Setup' window. To modify a profile either use the 'Modify' button on the toolbar, or select 'Modify' from the 'Profiles' main menu located at the top of the program window.

Spend time getting to know what options are available under the fourteen tabs in the Profile Setup window:

These tabs each contain a range of options that provide a great deal of flexibility in the way you can perform tasks, and advanced settings and controls for tasks, many of which are not available in the default Easy Mode.

Profile Settings in Expert Mode

The following Settings pages detail the options available for each settings tab (the first of the following five headings are also available in Easy Mode):

Simple Settings
Advanced Settings
Copy/Delete Settings
Filter Settings
Sub-Directories Settings

Compare Options Settings
Compression Settings
FTP Settings
Network Settings
Email Settings
Background Settings
Auto-close Settings
Programs Settings
Miscellaneous Settings

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Compare Options Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Compare Options Settings in Expert Mode

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Compare Options Settings

Fine tune the way SyncBack handles file change detection.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

When a profile is run, SyncBack only copies files that have been changed. It uses four different methods to check if a file is different in the source and destination:

 1. Last file modification date & time: All files record the date & time of when they were last changed.

 2. File size: All files record the number of bytes they contain.

 3. Hash value: A unique value can be computed based on the contents of a file. These values can be used to check if a files contents is the same as another's.

4. File attributes: Files have special attributes, e.g. read-only, hidden, etc., and SyncBack can optionally check for changes in these attributes

You have the option to not use some of these methods, and also change how they are used.

Ignore date & time changes of x seconds or less: In some situations, the file system itself may not accurately record the correct date & time when a file was last modified. This can occur when using SAMBA shares. With this option, you can tell SyncBack to ignore small differences in the date & times, e.g. ignore differences of 2 seconds or less. Note that the difference is rounded down to the nearest second, so a difference of 2.99 seconds is treated as 2 seconds. To avoid inaccuracies in file systems, and differences between file systems, SyncBack will ignore differences of 2 seconds by default. You can of course change this if you require finer accuracy.

Use slower but more reliable method of file change detection: By default, SyncBack will not compute the hash value of a file. The reason is that it can dramatically increase the time taken for a profile to run. However, if you want to be absolutely certain that SyncBack detects if a file has changed, so that it is copied, then you can enable this option. The only reason to enable this option is if you do not trust the last file modification date & time of the files, and the file size may not change.

Ignore file size changes: You can tell SyncBack to completely ignore any differences in file sizes.  Ignoring the file size has no impact on performance.

Ignore file modification date & time changes: You can tell SyncBack to completely ignore the last modification date & time of a file. Ignoring the date & time has no impact on performance.

Ignore files that have not been modified/created within the last x days: You have the option of ignoring files that have not been modified recently, for example in the last 7 days.

Attributes to watch: SyncBack can be configured to watch for file attribute changes. Note that some attributes are not supported on some file systems. Only the NTFS filesystem supports all the attributes. FAT32/FAT16 file systems support only the Archive, Hidden, Read Only, and System attributes.

Note that SAMBA and non-Windows file systems may not support some of the attributes, or may require further configuration to support them.

When a files attributes are changed, SyncBack will copy the file. If hashing is used, then the file is not copied if the files contents are identical, and instead only the files attributes are changed.

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Compression Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Compression Settings in Expert Mode

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Compression Settings

This settings tab allows you to compress the files in the destination and choose the level of compression. Note that Zip files cannot contain more than 65,535 files and are limited to 4GB in size.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode. Compression is also not available when the destination is an FTP server.

SyncBack has the ability to compress files in the destination directory, using the standard ZIP format. Compression reduces the size of the file and has the potential to save a lot of disk space, especially when files such as text and office documents are being copied. Two methods of compression are supported: all the files can be placed into one single compressed file, or each file can be placed into it's own individual compressed file. The first option uses the least amount of disk space, but has the disadvantage that "all the eggs are placed in one basket", so to speak.

Compress the files in the destination: Enable this option to compress files copied to the destination directory.

Put all files in the destination folder into a single compressed file: If this option is enabled, then the files will be put into a single compressed archive file in the destination. If this option is not enabled (the default), then each file will be placed into it's own compressed archive file.

Password: If you want to password protect the files in the compressed archive, then enter a password here. It's important to note that if you change the password then the existing files in the destination will still use the old password. Each file in a compressed archive has it's own password.

Filename extension: This option is only available when compressing each file. Enter the filename extension to use for the destination compressed files. By default '.zip' is used.

Level of compression: There are four possible levels of compression: Maximum, Medium, Low, and Normal. The more a file is compressed, the slower it takes to compress the file. This option allows you to make a trade-off between speed and file size.

Temporary directory: By default, temporary files produced during compression are stored in your standard Windows temporary directory. You can however change this using this option. For example, you may be using a small RAM disk as your temporary directory and so when using compression you would like the temporary files stored on your hard drive.

Do not make a local copy...: When using single file compression (i.e. all files are compressed into a single file) then SyncBack will first copy the destination compressed file to the local drive if the destination is a slow device, e.g. removable media, network drive, etc. Work is then done on the copy, and after the profile has finished, this copy replaces the compressed file on the destination. This greatly increases performance, but you may want SyncBack not to do this.

It is important to remember that the ZIP compression format has two limitations:

1. Zip files cannot contain more than 65,535 files.

2. Zip files are limited to 4GB in size.

Neither of these limitations will be a problem if you choose to compress each file to it's own archive instead of compressing all files to a single archive.

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FTP Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: FTP Settings in Expert Mode

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FTP Settings

Define the destination directory as one situated on an FTP server.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode. The FTP options are not available when the destination is using compression.

The destination is on an FTP server: If ticked, then the destination directory is on an FTP server, and the other options on this page can be changed.

FTP Server Connection Details

Hostname: This is the hostname of the FTP server that has the destination directory on it, e. g. ftp. myserver. com

Username: Your FTP login username.

Password: Your FTP login password.

Port: The port number of the FTP server. Most FTP servers use port 21.

Reconnect Attempts: Whenever the connection to the FTP server is lost, for whatever reason, SyncBack will reconnect and resume from where it left off. This is done in the background and does not require any user intervention. This setting specifies the number of attempts SyncBack should make to reconnect to the FTP server before it gives up. Note that this number refers to sequential attempts, not the total number of attempts that may be made over the entire profile run.

Seconds Between Attempts: The number of seconds SyncBack should pause before making another attempt to connect.

Passive: If the FTP server is behind a firewall then you may need to enable this option. If SyncBack can login to the FTP server, but cannot transfer files, then try enabling this option to see if it fixes the problem.

Server requires Allocate command: Some FTP servers require that the FTP client reserve disk space before transferring files to the server. In general, the majority of FTP servers do not require this.

Quote Character: If your FTP server supports wrapping quotes around filenames, e.g. if they have spaces, then enter the quotation character here. If your FTP server does not require or support quoting (most do not) then leave this empty.

Read timeout (seconds): In some situations, e. g. when the connection is dropped, an FTP server may not respond to requests from SyncBack. This setting tells SyncBack how long to wait (in seconds) for an answer from the server whenever one is required. By default SyncBack will wait for 15 seconds before disconnecting and reconnecting to try again.

File time is not GMT/UTC: Most FTP servers report the file modification date & time in the GMT/UTC timezone. If your FTP server does not, tick this checkbox.

Force binary transfers: To increase performance SyncBack will not tell the FTP server it wants to transfer files in binary mode before every file is transfered. If this option is not enabled (default) then it will tell the FTP server to use binary mode immediately after the connection is made, and it will not tell it again. If this option is enabled then SyncBack will force the FTP server into binary mode before every file transfer. This will increase profile run times but may be required for some FTP servers.

I use a proxy server: If you must use a proxy server to connect to external FTP servers then you must enable this option.

Proxy Server Details

Hostname: This is the hostname of the proxy server, e. g. proxyserver. com

Username: Your proxy login username.

Password: Your proxy login password.

Port: The port number of the proxy server. This value varies depending upon the type of proxy server software used. Although 1 is the default, it will almost certainly not be this number.

Proxy Type: This settings defines what type of proxy server you are using. It is important the correct setting is used otherwise SyncBack will not be able to login to your proxy server.

Test FTP settings: Click this button to test the settings and see if SyncBack can connect and login to your FTP server (it will also use the proxy settings if supplied).

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Network Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Network Settings in Expert Mode

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Network Settings

Define the Username and Password to use for your Network source and/or destination directory.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

If you use the Network settings in SyncBack take account of the following issues:

1 To use a network for the source destination, you must specify \\Machine Name\ShareName.

2 Your current username and password must be in use before entering your Network details.

3 For Windows 95/98/Me you cannot supply a username or password. Your login details are used by default.

4 For Windows XP Home you may need to supply the Guest password and not enter any username.

5 The username may need to be in the form Domain\Username or MachineName\Username for it to work correctly.

6 Windows networking has many quirks and problems. Please experiment with various settings before seeking help.

If your source and/or destination directory are on a network, and you are using a URL, e. g. \\machine\share\drive\directory, then this page allows you to set the username and password required to connect to the network shares. You can only edit the values if you are using a URL.

Connection details for source directory:

Username: Your network username for the source.

Password: Your network password for the source.

Use this username and password before trying my current username and password: If enabled then SyncBack will try the supplied username and password before using your current username and password. By default SyncBack will use your current username and password before trying the ones supplied.

Do not disconnect from the network after the profile has run: By default SyncBack will disconnect the network connection once the profile run has finished. However, in some situations, e. g. when using Novell, you may not want SyncBack to disconnect.

Test Connection: Click this button to test if SyncBack can connect to the source URL using the supplied username and password.

Connection details for destination directory:

Username: Your network username for the destination.

Password: Your network password for the destination.

Use this username and password before trying my current username and password: If enabled then SyncBack will try the supplied username and password before using your current username and password. By default SyncBack will use your current username and password before trying the ones supplied.

Do not disconnect from the network after the profile has run: By default SyncBack will disconnect the network connection once the profile run has finished. However, in some situations, e. g. when using Novell, you may not want SyncBack to disconnect.

Test Connection: Click this button to test if SyncBack can connect to the destination URL using the supplied username and password.

If you require additional information about using the network facility in SyncBack check out the forum at www.2brightsparks.com.

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Email Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Email Settings in Expert Mode

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Email Settings

Enables you to email the log file after the profile has run.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

After a profile has been run, SyncBack can email the log file. This is especially useful when SyncBack is located on a remote machine. The log file will be sent as an email attachment.

Email the log file after the profile has run: To email the log file, enable this option.

Only email the log file if an error occurs: If you only want the log file to be emailed if the profile run failed, then tick this checkbox, otherwise the log file will be emailed after every run. The email subject will be prefixed with [Failed] if the profile run failed.

SMTP Server Connection Details

Hostname: This is the hostname of your SMTP email server, e. g. smtp. mailserver. com. Note that it is the SMTP server (which is used for sending email), not the POP3 server (which is used for receiving email).

Port: The port number which your email server uses. Most SMTP email servers use port 25.

To: The email address to send the log file to. You can enter multiple email addresses by separating them with semi-colons, e. g. michael@email.com; jane@yahoo.com

From: The email address from which the log file has been sent. Typically you would put your own email address here. Note that some SMTP servers may reject the email if it is not from a valid email address.

Reply To: The email address any replies should be sent to. You can leave this blank.

CC: Carbon-copies of the email can be sent to other email addresses. You can enter multiple email addresses by separating them with semi-colons, e.g. michael@email.com; jane@yahoo.com

BCC: Blind-carbon-copies of the email can be sent to other email addresses. You can enter multiple email addresses by separating them with semi-colons, e.g. michael@email.com; jane@yahoo.com

Subject: The subject to use for the email, e. g. SyncBack Log File

Receipt: If you require a delivery receipt to be sent then enter the email address of the person to receive that receipt.

Must login to SMTP server: If you must login to your SMTP server then enable this option. Due to Spam, most email servers now require you to login.

Username: The username to use to login to your SMTP server.

Password: The password to use to login to your SMTP server.

Test Email Settings: Click this button to send a test email using the settings you have provided.

In today's world of junk email, many email servers are configured to reject any email that appears to be spam. If your email server is rejecting your log email please make sure you have filled out the settings correctly, e.g. valid To and From addresses are used.

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Background Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Background Settings in Expert Mode

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Background Settings

Define the priority of Background Backups and how you will be notified when they are running.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

SyncBack is a multi-threaded application, which means it can run more than one profile at the same time. This also allows it to run profiles in the background, i. e. the profiles can be run while you continue using SyncBack or any other program.

Running profiles in the background is similar to running profiles via the Windows Task Scheduler, except SyncBack must be running for background profiles to run. Also background profiles usually run much more frequently than scheduled tasks, e. g. every 30 minutes.

For example, you could create and configure a profile to run in the background every 30 minutes that makes a backup of the documents you are working on. This helps ensure that you lose the least amount of work possible if, for example, there was a power cut.

Note that there is an option in the Preferences menu in the main menu called 'Stop Background Backups From Starting'. If this is ticked then no profiles will be run in the background. Also, background backups are not run when SyncBack is run with command line parameters, e. g. from the Windows Task Scheduler.

Priority: This is the priority used when running this profile, whether it is run in the background or not. A profile with a higher priority will run faster than a profile with a lower priority, if both the profiles are run at the same time. There are seven levels of priority from Idle (the slowest) to TimeCritical (the fastest). It is not recommended that you use TimeCritical as it may cause your entire computer to slow down or lock up. If you want a profile to use the least amount of CPU time, then select Idle.

Run this profile every...: This is the interval at which the profile will be run, e. g. every 30 minutes.

Run interactively...: By default, when a background backup is run you will not be prompted about file deletes, if to replace a file, etc. This is the same as when a profile is run from the Windows Task Scheduler. However, if this option is enabled then those prompts will be displayed. Note that the Differences window will not be shown regardless.

Warn me when exiting SyncBack...: If this option is enabled, and you exit SyncBack while a background profile is waiting to run, then you will be prompted as a reminder.

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Auto-close Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Auto-close Settings in Expert Mode

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Auto-close Settings

Define what programs will close before running a profile by entering the contents of their title bar.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

Like many backup programs, SyncBack cannot copy files that are being used by other programs. For example, you cannot copy a Word document while it is being edited in Microsoft Word. One option available is to automatically close those programs so SyncBack can copy the files being used. These settings allow you to choose which programs to automatically close before the profile is run.

To add a program to the list, click the 'Add' button. You are then prompted to enter the words that appear in the application title bar of the program you want closed. For example, if you want to close Microsoft Word then type 'Microsoft Word' (without the quotes and case sensitive). You only need to enter a fragment, i. e. you do not need to type in the exact title but just a portion of it.

To remove entries from the list, click on them and click the 'Remove' button.

Before a profile is run, SyncBack will try and close all the programs with those words in their title bar. If you are using Microsoft Word at the time then Word will prompt you to save the document before it closes. However, some programs may not prompt you and refuse to close, or you may want them closed even if they prompt. In this case you must tick the 'Forcibly close programs that will not close gracefully' option. If this option is enabled then SyncBack will forcibly close those programs if they don't close gracefully. Note that this will very probably result in you losing data, so this option should not be used without careful consideration.

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Programs Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Programs Settings in Expert Mode

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Programs Settings

Define what programs will run before and/or after the profile runs.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

You have the option of running an external program before the profile starts and/or after the profile has finished. This useful option allows you to prepare the files being copied before the profile has run, for example. You could also use this to rename files after they have been copied. There are many possible uses for the Program Settings in SyncBack, so read through the following and consider how they may be applied to your own computer setup.

Run before profile: To have a program run before the profile is run, type the name into 'Run before profile' edit-box or click the folder icon next to it. For example, you could type 'notepad. exe' (without the quotes) so whenever the profile starts Notepad will be run.

Wait until the program has finished before running profile: If this option is enabled, then when the program is run, SyncBack will pause the profile until the program has finished. The program must exit/close before the profile will continue. If you do not enable this option then the program will be run and the profile will carry on running without waiting for it to finish.

Wait for a maximum of...: If this option is enabled, then you can choose how long SyncBack should wait for the program to finish before it continues. If the program does not finish within the specified time then SyncBack will continue with the profile. Note that it is advisable to set a maximum waiting time otherwise SyncBack may get "stuck" waiting for a program that is not going to exit.

Run after profile: To have a program run after the profile has finished, type the name into 'Run after profile' edit-box or click the folder icon next to it.

Wait until the program has finished before running next profile or exiting: If this option is enabled, then when the program is run, SyncBack will pause and not finish the profile until the program has finished. The program must exit/close before the profile will complete running. If you do not enable this option then the program will be run and the profile finish as per normal without waiting.

Wait for a maximum of...: If this option is enabled, then you can choose how long SyncBack should wait for the program to finish before the profile run ends. If the program does not finish within the specified time then SyncBack will end the profile run. Note that it is advisable to set a maximum waiting time otherwise SyncBack may get "stuck" waiting for a program that is not going to exit.

Abort the profile if the program fails: If enabled, and the Before program fails to start (because the program doesn't exist or cannot be run), then the profile will not run. By default the profile will continue to run with a failure.

Run the program even if the profile fails: Select this option to run the 'after' program even if the profile fails. By default the program is not run if the profile fails, e. g. a file could not be copied.

As with the Source and Destination directories, you can use Windows environment variables. For example, if you typed 'Notepad %HOMEPATH%\test. txt' then this would run notepad and open a file in your home directory called 'test. txt'. You can see a list of what typical Windows environment variables are available on this web page: http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/ArticleID/23873/23873.html

Unlike the Source and Destination directories, you can also use special SyncBack variables. These are used in the same way as environment variables, except they have a leading underscore character, e. g. %_Source%. The value returned is for the profile being run. Below is a list of the most common variables that you can use:

_Compression = Returns 1 if the destination is compressed

_Destination = The destination directory/filename

_DestIsFTP = Returns Y if the destination is on an FTP server

_Priority = The run priority of the profile

_SingleFile = Returns 1 if compressing to a single file (ignore if _Compression returns 0)

_Source = The source directory

For a full list see the registry (profiles are stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\MJLSoftware\SyncBack and each profile is stored in it's own key, where the key name is the same as the profiles name)

SyncBack comes with two example scripts that can be used when compressing all files to a single Zip file. The first one (timestamp. vbs) copies the destination Zip file and prefixes the copies filename with a timestamp. This allows you to keep versions of backups based on the time the backup was made. The second script (RotateBackup. vbs) does a similar things but only keeps the last 4 backups (by default, you can edit the script to keep more). It prefixes the Zip file with a number. For more information see this FAQ entry.

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Miscellaneous Settings in Expert Mode

SyncBack: Miscellaneous Settings

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Miscellaneous Settings in Expert Mode

This page is for miscellaneous settings that don't fit into other categories. Choose when to display log files; whether to eject the source or destination drive media after profile is run; or define a schedule for the profile or group.

This tab is only displayed in Expert mode.

Log File

Display log after running a profile: Once a profile has finished, if this option is enabled then the log file will be displayed.

Only when errors occur: If this option is enabled, then the log file will only be displayed if any errors occurred during the profile run, e. g. a file could not be copied.

Media Eject

Eject source drive media after profile is run: If enabled, the source media will be eject once the profile has completed. For example, if your source directory is on a CD, then the CD will be ejected.

Eject destination drive media after profile is run: If enabled, the source media will be eject once the profile has completed. For example, if your source directory is on a CD-RW, then the CD will be ejected.

Run profile hot-key: To run the profile when a certain key combination is pressed, click this edit box and press the hot-keys you want to assign. For example, if you want to run the profile whenever you press Ctrl-Shift-P, then press those keys. Now whenever you press Ctrl-Shift-P, no matter what application you are using, and even if SyncBack is minimized, the profile will be run. Please note that SyncBack must be running for hot-keys to function. To remove a hot-key, click the hot-key edit box and press the Backspace key.

You can click the Test Eject buttons to test if the media can be ejected or not. It will work with most removable media, e. g. CD's, DVD's, CompactFlash cards, etc.

Schedule

To schedule a profile to run at certain times, using the Windows Task Scheduler, click the 'Schedule' button. This option is also available on the main screen.

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The Differences Window

SyncBack: The Differences Window

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The Differences Window

When you run a profile, if there are any differences detected then a differences window will appear (note that for scheduled tasks this window does not appear).

When a profile is run, SyncBack will compare the source and destination directories to find the differences. There may be files in the source that are not in the destination, for example. After it has made the comparison it will display a Differences window that lists all the differences between the source and destination directories. It is important to remember that this screen shows the differences between the source and destination directories. It does not display what will actually happen to the file, e. g. it does not say if a file will be copied to the destination.

Note that this window is not displayed if you run SyncBack with command line parameters (e. g. from the Windows Task Scheduler), or if a profile is run in the background, or if the 'Skip Differences Window' menu item is ticked (see the main menu), or if there are no differences. In most cases there is no need to display this window, except if you want to check to see what the differences are.

When the window is shown, it will list the files that are missing from the source, missing from the destination, or different in the source and destination. Next to the filename is an icon clearly showing what the differences are (you can also read a description of the differences in the 'Differences Summary' column):

  The file is not in the source (it is only in the destination).

  The file is not in the destination (it is only in the source).

  The file is in both the source and destination, but the files are different.

  The file will be deleted.

The other columns show you the differences between the files, the size of the file, their modification dates & times, and their hash values (if you've chosen to use hashing in the file comparison options). You can also double-click a row to display the information on that file in a dialog box.

The table can be sorted by clicking on the columns. Click on the same column again to reverse the sort order.

If you click the right mouse button on a file in the list, a number of options are presented to you:

Exclude file from future comparisons: If clicked, the file will be excluded from the profile. This means it will be ignored whenever you run the profile, i. e. it will not be copied or deleted. It is different from the filter option in the profile setup, because in this case you can exclude a specific file from the profile.

Include file in future comparisons: If clicked, the file will be removed from the file exclusion list and will be re-included in the profile. Note that you can see which excluded files have changed by changing the tabs (see below).

Skip file (do not copy): If clicked, the file will be ignored on this run of the profile. It will not be copied or deleted. The file is immediately removed from the list.

Select all: All files on the page are selected. This allows you to apply a function to all the files. Note that you can select multiple files by using the Shift and Ctrl keys when clicking on files in the list.

Show files not in the source: This option lets you filter the list. If ticked, files that are not in the source are listed. If not ticked, files that are not in the source are not listed.

Show files not in the destination: This option lets you filter the list. If ticked, files that are not in the destination are listed. If not ticked, files that are not in the destination are not listed.

Show changed files: This option lets you filter the list. If ticked, files that are in the source & destination but are different are listed. If not ticked, files that are in the source & destination but are different are not listed.

Delete file (toggle): If clicked, the file(s) you have selected will be deleted once the profile continues running after this window is closed. It is not deleted immediately. If a file has already been marked for deletion, then the mark will be cleared and the file will not be deleted.

There are three tabs at the top of the screen: Modified, Modified (inc. excluded), and Modified (only excluded). Changing tabs filters what is listed on the screen:

Modified: All files with differences, except excluded files, are listed.

Modified (inc. excluded): All files with differences, excluded or not, are listed.

Modified (only excluded): Only excluded files that have differences are listed.

At the bottom-left of the window as the page counter. This shows the number of pages, and what page you are currently viewing. You can type in the page number you want to view, or click the up-down buttons to change page.

After you have reviewed the differences, and are ready to continue with the profile run, you can click either the 'Continue' button or the 'Abort' button. Aborting will stop the profile run immediately and no files will be copied or deleted.

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The New File Window

SyncBack: The New File Window

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The New File Window

When you run a profile, if there are any new files detected, and your profile is configured to prompt you, then a New File window will appear (note that for scheduled tasks this window never appears).

In the Advanced settings tab, in Profile Setup, you have the option of asking SyncBack to prompt you if a file is in the source or destination, but not both. For example, if you created a backup profile, then run the profile, then deleted a file from the source, you would then have a file in the destination that is not in the source. On the next run of the profile, if you have configured your profile to be prompted, then a window will appear asking you what action to take for this file.

The window has the filename at the top. If the filename is too long to fit in the edit box, you can resize the window. You are also told where the file is missing from, e. g. 'Destination file missing' means the file is in the source but not the destination. Information is also shown on the size of the file, it's last modification date & time, and it's hash value (if you have configured the profile to use hashing for file comparisons).

There are a number of options available to you. Note that some of these options may be unavailable. For example, if the file is not in the destination then you obviously cannot delete it from the destination.

Copy To Source (restore/sync): This will copy the file from the destination to the source.

Copy To Source Always: This will copy the file from the destination to the source, and if there are any other files not in the source, then they will automatically be copied to the source without you being prompted again for the rest of this profiles run.

Copy To Destination (backup): This will copy the file from the source to the destination.

Copy To Destination Always: This will copy the file from the source to the destination, and if there are any other files not in the destination, then they will automatically be copied to the destination without you being prompted again for the rest of this profiles run.

Copy File (synchronise): If the file is not in the source, then the destination file will be copied to the source. If the file is not in the destination, then the source file will be copied to the destination.

Copy File Always: If the file is not in the source, then the destination file will be copied to the source. If the file is not in the destination, then the source file will be copied to the destination. You will not be prompted again for the rest of this profiles run.

Skip File: No action will be taken with this file. Nothing will be copied or deleted, and the file will be ignored.

Skip File Always: Nothing will be copied or deleted, and the file will be ignored. You will not be prompted again for the rest of this profiles run.

Delete Destination: The file will be deleted from the destination.

Delete Destination Always: If a file is in the destination and not the source, then it will be deleted automatically without prompting for the rest of this profiles run.

Delete Source: The file will be deleted from the source.

Delete Source Always: If a file is in the source and not the destination, then it will be deleted automatically without prompting for the rest of this profiles run.

Delete File: If the file is only in the source, then it will be deleted. If the file is only in the destination, then it will be deleted.

Delete File Always: If the file is only in the source, then it will be deleted. If the file is only in the destination, then it will be deleted. You will not be prompted again for the rest of this profiles run.

Select your option and click the OK button, or click the Abort button to do nothing and stop the profile from continuing.

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The File Collision Window

SyncBack: The File Collision Window

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The File Collision Window

When you run a profile, if there are any files that might contradict one another, then the File Collision window will appear (note that for scheduled tasks this window does not appear).

In the Advanced settings tab, in Profile Setup, you have the option of asking SyncBack to prompt you if a file is in both the source or destination, but the files are not the same. For example, if you created a backup profile, then run the profile, and edit a file in the source, you would then have a file in the destination that is not the same as the one in the source. On the next run of the profile, if you have configured your profile to be prompted, then a window will appear asking you what action to take for this file.

The window has the filename at the top. If the filename is too long to fit in the edit box, you can resize the window. Information is also shown on the size of the file, it's last modification date & time, and it's hash value (if you have configured the profile to use hashing for file comparisons). There are two sets of information: for the file in the source, and for the file in the destination. Below this you are clearly told what the differences between the files are, e. g. 'The destination file is larger'.

There are a number of options available to you.

Use Source: The source file will replace the destination file.

Use Source Always: The source file will replace the destination file, and if there are any more files which are different, then source file will replace the destination file. You will not be prompted again for the rest of the profiles run.

Use Destination: The destination file will replace the source file.

Use Destination Always: The destination file will replace the source file, and if there are any more files which are different, then destination file will replace the source file. You will not be prompted again for the rest of the profiles run.

Skip: No action will be taken with this file. The file will not be copied or deleted, and it will be ignored.

Skip Always: If there are any more files that are different, then no action will be taken, and you will not be prompted again for the rest of the profiles run.

Click the appropriate button to close the window and continue.

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FAQ Index

SyncBack: Frequently Asked Questions Index

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SyncBack: Finding Answers

On this page you'll find answers to the most commonly asked questions about SyncBack.

We've categorised this extensive SyncBack FAQ section to make the process of finding the solution to your query as straightforward and fast as possible. Don't forget you can also use the Index of this help file to track down what you're after.

FAQ Categories

Select an FAQ from the following six categories:

About SyncBack | General Questions |  Working with Profiles

Using Compression | Using FTP | Using the Scheduler

Frequently Asked Questions: About SyncBack

Who develops SyncBack?
Is SyncBack really free?
Can you explain AbleStable's involvement with SyncBack?
What are the Distribution and Licensing arrangements of SyncBack?
Will a freeware version of SyncBack continue to be available?
Are you going to continue supporting the freeware version of SyncBack?
What is SyncBackSE?

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General Questions

For New Users

What is the difference between a Backup and a synchronisation?
Does SyncBack provide me with warning dialogues?
When I run a profile in SyncBack, does it copy every file?
Why does the first run of a profile take longer than subsequent runs?
Does SyncBack support my storage device?
How do I backup to a CD-R, DVD+R, or DVD-R disk?
How do I backup to a CD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RW disk?

Troubleshooting and Error Messages

Does SyncBack have any known issues or bugs?
Why is SyncBack having problems copying files to and from my Novell network server?
Why am I getting 1223, 121, 64, or 55 errors when copying files?
Why are multiple SyncBack programs running at the same time?
I have deleted files from my source directory, but they are still in my destination directory. Why?
Why don't the files in my destination directory have the correct last modification date & time?
Why is the Desktop.ini file never copied correctly?
The Desktop.ini file appears in the Differences even though I've copied it. Why?
NTFS compressed files are copied, but the destination copy is not compressed. Why?

Using SyncBack

How can I create versions of my backups?
I have deleted files from my source directory, but they are still in my destination directory. Why?
I do not want the Differences screen to appear! How to I stop it showing?
I'm copying large files and it is taking a long time.
How can I see how long it's going to take to copy each file?
I'm copying files over a slow network connection and it is taking a long time.
How can I see how long it's going to take to copy each file?
How do I stop the profile running when very large files are taking a long time to copy?
How do I change my log settings?
Can I change the layout of the tree in the main screen?
The copied file always has it's archive attribute set. Why?
How do I check for an update of SyncBack?
Where can I find further support as a SyncBack user?
Why can't I uninstall SyncBack?

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Working with Profiles

How can I view a profile log in SyncBack?
How do I rename a profile?
How can I create a shortcut to run SyncBack with a specific profile?
When I delete a profile, it deletes it from all the groups. Why?

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Using Compression

How can I create versions of my backups when I'm not using ZIP compression?
I want the source to be my compressed ZIP file, not the destination. How do I do that?
What happens if I change my compression password?
Does SyncBack provide a way of compressing files when carrying out the backup process?

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Using FTP

How do you know if a file has been modified on an FTP server?
My FTP server doesn't support MDTM. How do I use the files modification date & time?
My FTP server returns the wrong file size. How will this affect SyncBack?
Can SyncBack be used with my FTP server?
Why does a backup/sync using FTP take longer than when I use my FTP client?
How can I backup/synchronise between a ZIP file and an FTP server?
How can I backup/synchronise between two FTP servers?
I want the source to be my FTP server, not the destination. How do I do that?
Why am I not receiving the log email about the task SyncBack has performed?
Where are my Network, FTP, and Email passwords stored? Are they encrypted?
How can I use the files modification date & time without MDTM support?
When I backup or synchronise with my FTP server, the last modification date & time for my local source files change. Why?

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Using the Scheduler

What is the 'Windows Scheduler'?
How do I start or stop the Windows Scheduler from running?
How can I get to see the list of scheduled jobs?
Can I schedule other jobs (eg, Defragmenting a disk) using SyncBack?
I'm using Windows NT 4 and I cannot use the Windows Task Scheduler. What do I do?
I'm using a blank/empty login password and Windows XP. How do I run scheduled tasks?
I cannot get SyncBack to work with the Windows Task Scheduler. What's wrong?
Why can't I get SyncBack to run under another user's account, e.g. Administrator, when using the Scheduler?

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Further Support for SyncBack Users

SyncBack also has a lively Internet forum where you can discuss issues about SyncBack. Visit the forum at: 2BrightSparks.com.

RSS Forum Feed

To receive all forum posts via RSS simply point your RSS reader to:

http://2brightsparks.com/bb/rss.php

You can download a free RSS feed reader at: http://www.feedreader.com/. Feedreader is a lightweight open-source aggregator that supports all major RSS formats. It works under Windows 95 and later versions, and requires Internet Explorer 4 and above.

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FAQs: About SyncBack

SyncBack: FAQs: About SyncBack

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   Frequently Asked Questions Hub

Frequently Asked Questions: About SyncBack

Who develops SyncBack?
Is SyncBack really free?
Can you explain AbleStable's involvement with SyncBack?
What are the Distribution and Licensing arrangements of SyncBack?
Will a freeware version of SyncBack continue to be available?
Are you going to continue supporting the freeware version of SyncBack?
What is SyncBackSE?

Q: Who develops SyncBack?

A: In 2004 Michael J. Leaver, from MJLSoftware, and Mike de Sousa, from AbleStable, created the software company 2BrightSparks which took over the development and support of the freeware programs SyncBack, InstallSpy, FireLogXP, and FingerPrint.

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Q: Is SyncBack really free?

A: Yes. Our freeware is free for personal, educational, charity, and commercial use.

We also have an enhanced version available called SyncBackSE. In Spring 2005 we'll release SyncBackPro .

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Q: Can you explain AbleStable's involvement with SyncBack?

A: When SyncBack was first released it was reviewed and featured at AbleStable, a website whose primary purpose is to support and encourage creativity by providing numerous high quality resources including freeware. Mike de Sousa, the Director of AbleStable, began working with Michael Leaver, the original developer of SyncBack, on improving the interface and general usability of the software. The company 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd was formed in 2004 following the runaway success of SyncBack.

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Can you explain the Distribution and Licensing arrangements of SyncBack?

A: Although the software has been thoroughly tested, and is used by the authors themselves, you install and use this software at your own risk. The authors accept no responsibility for any damages made to any hardware, software, or data due to the use of this program. This software is designed to delete and replace files, so use with caution. Do not install this software if you do not agree to these terms.

Will a freeware version of SyncBack continue to be available?

A: 2BrightSparks will continue to provide free versions of SyncBack, InstallSpy, FireLogXP, and FingerPrint. We will also be looking at new opportunities to creating new software for you to enjoy.

SyncBackSE and SyncBackPro are commercial programs and are not free.

Are you going to continue supporting the freeware version of SyncBack?

A: The Forums, Tutorials, Extensive Help files, and Online FAQs will continue to remain available.

What is SyncBackSE?

A: SyncBackSE inherits the superb usability and functionality of the award-winning freeware version, and provides the most requested new feature at an unbelievably low price. Find out more here.

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FAQs: General Issues

SyncBack: FAQs: General Questions

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   Frequently Asked Questions Hub

Frequently Asked Questions: General Questions

For New Users

What is the difference between a Backup and a synchronisation?
Does SyncBack provide me with warning dialogues?
When I run a profile in SyncBack, does it copy every file?
Why does the first run of a profile take longer than subsequent runs?
Does SyncBack support my storage device?
How do I backup to a CD-R, DVD+R, or DVD-R disk?
How do I backup to a CD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RW disk?

Troubleshooting and Error Messages

Does SyncBack have any known issues or bugs?
Why is SyncBack having problems copying files to and from my Novell network server?
Why am I getting 1223, 121, 64, or 55 errors when copying files?
Why are multiple SyncBack programs running at the same time?
I have deleted files from my source directory, but they are still in my destination directory. Why?
Why don't the files in my destination directory have the correct last modification date & time?
Why is the Desktop.ini file never copied correctly?
The Desktop.ini file appears in the Differences even though I've copied it. Why?
NTFS compressed files are copied, but the destination copy is not compressed. Why?

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For New Users

Q: What's the difference between a Backup and a synchronisation?

A: A backup copies files in one direction: from the source to the destination. A synchronisation copies files in both directions: from the source to the destination, and from the destination to the source. If you want to keep the same set of files on two computers, e.g. your notebook and your desktop computer, then you'll probably want to synchronise. If you want to keep copies of your important files for safe keeping, e.g. on another drive, then you'll need to backup.

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Q: Does SyncBack provide me with warning dialogues?

A: SyncBack won't prevent all mistakes but it does provide a great deal of feedback to users before many of the tasks commence. For example, in the 'Auto Close' settings window ('Modify' > 'Expert Mode') the user is shown a window with the following dialogue before the task is completed. This encourages the user to think carefully about the actions they take:

Warning: This will forcibly close the programs which could result in lost data. For example, if you are forcibly closing Microsoft Word, you will loose whatever changes you've made to any documents you were editing.

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Q: When I run a profile in SyncBack, does it copy every file?

Q: Why does the first run of a profile take longer than subsequent runs?

A: SyncBack only copies files that have changed. When you run a profile for the first time, it will probably need to copy all the relevant files from your source to the destination, however, on subsequent runs it will only copy files that have changed and so will be considerably faster.

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Q: Does SyncBack support my storage device?

A: SyncBack supports any system that can be accessed like a normal drive, including CD-RW/DVD+-RW formatted using UDF, CompactFlash, external drives, floppy disks, etc.

SyncBack uses the SHFileOperation API call, the same as used by Windows Explorer, or the CopyFile Win32 API call, depending on your profile settings. Experiment by creating a test profile to see if SyncBack works with your storage device. You need to test for creating new files, overwriting files, and deleting files. Ensure you've installed the latest drivers for your device.

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Q: How do I backup to a CD-R, DVD+R, or DVD-R disk?

A: Some packet writing software, e. g. DirectCD and InstantWrite, support UDF with CD-R's. However, some software does not, e. g. InCD. Carefully check your documentation to see if it is supported. With a rewriteable disk you can afford to make mistakes. With a write-once disk, you cannot. See the next question

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Q: How do I backup to a CD-RW, DVD+RW, or DVD-RW disk?

A: First, test your profile with a hard drive to make sure your profiles settings are correct.

Second, format your CD/DVD using the UDF file system before using it with SyncBack. This is very important. SyncBack cannot put files onto a CD/DVD unless it has been formatted in UDF format. You may need to do a full format (instead of a quick format). Free programs listed below can achieve this.

Third, eject and re-insert your CD after formatting it otherwise you may get errors saying there is no CD in the drive.

Free

For free software that can format the CD/DVD in UDF:

Download HP DLA 4.60 (this page also provides additional information about why a previous version of the HP DLA can cause bluescreens on Windows 2000, XP and XPSP2):

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00242757

An additional download is also required for the HP/Sonic DLA 4.95.1c:

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/hpcpqnk/us/download/22226.html

After downloading both files, follow these steps:

1. Remove all other packet writing software
2. Run install of DLA 4.60
3. Restart your computer
4. Run install of DLA 4.95.1c
5. Acknowledge message to remove v4.60
6. Restart your computer
7. DLA 4.95.1c install continues automatically, proceed with install
8. Restart your computer

As an alternative method you can download free packet writing software (that let's you use SyncBack with a CD formatted with UDF) at:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-41602%20

This is a newer version (V4.80) of the Veritas DLA software suggested in the SyncBack V2 forums (V3.59).

- Format your CD before using it with SyncBack. Eject and re-insert your CD after formatting it otherwise you may get errors saying there is no CD in the drive.

- You may need to do a full format (instead of a quick format).

- The installation notes say This package will only unpack on systems that have IBM CD-RW or DVD Recordable drives installed. However it does install on PC's without IBM drives but if it fails to install, then download and install the following (which is an older version with no restrictions):

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/personal_computing/software/DLA359.exe

Then install the new version over it.

Commercial
Roxio's Easy CD & DVD Creator: http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/index.jhtml
Pinnacle Systems Instant CD/DVD: http://www.pinnaclesys.com

Nero InCD: In some situations SyncBack will not recognise UDF formatted CD's created using Nero InCD. The cause of this problem is unknown and there is no known solution.

Note: copying a large number of files to a DVD can take an extremely long time.

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Troubleshooting and Error Messages

Q: Does SyncBack have any known issues or bugs?

A: SyncBack has been tested, not only by the developers, but also by SyncBack's community forum at www.2brightsparks.com/bb/. There are however some minor known Features and Bugs.

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Q: Why is SyncBack having problems copying files to and from my Novell network server?

Q: Why am I getting 1223, 121, 64, or 55 errors when copying files?

A: This is probably a hardware problem. Check your network cable is connected properly on both your computer and hub or router. Try switching off your hub/router for a while and switching it back on. The following Microsoft Knowledge Base Article may provide you with other solutions:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325487&sd=ee

Some users have also found that not using the Windows shell for copying & deleting files fixes some network problems. See the Copy/Delete Settings section for details on how to not use the Windows shell.

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Q: How is it that I can have multiple SyncBack programs running at the same time?

A: If you run SyncBack with no command line parameters, it will check to see if there is another SyncBack program already running that was started with no command line parameters. If so, it will not start. When you run SyncBack with command line parameters, e. g. from the Windows Task Scheduler, then it will run, do its job, and then exit (it will not automatically exit if you use the user interface).

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Q: How do I remove files in my destination that are no longer in my source?

A: Modify your profile and select 'Delete from destination' on the 'Advanced' tab.

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Q: Why don't the files in my destination directory have the correct last modification date & time?

A: Windows has two main filesystems: FAT (including FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32 - FAT = File Allocation Table) and NTFS (New Technology File System, or NT File System). When you format a disk, or partition, you choose which filesystem to format it in. For Windows 95/98/98SE/ME, you can only format using FAT. For Windows NT/2K/XP/2003 you can choose either FAT or NTFS.

There are important details that must be taken into account when copying files between FAT and NTFS filesystems. The most important of these is that the last modification date & time for files in FAT filesystems is accurate only to within 2 seconds. You never get odd-seconds on a FAT partition. For example, the last modification date & time of a file can be 13:00:20 but will never be 13:00:21. On NTFS filesystems it is accurate to within 10 milliseconds. Therefore, when a file is copied from an NTFS filesystem to a FAT filesystem it is extremely likely that the copy on the FAT filesystem will have a different last modification date & time than the original. It will be rounded up to the next even number of seconds. There is nothing any program can do to change this. It is a limitation of the FAT filesystem itself.

When copying files from one NTFS filesystem to another, then the last modification date & times should be identical. However, sometimes, usually when copying over a network, the date & time may be slightly different. You can request that the date & time on the copy be identical, but if Windows itself does not change the time to the one requested, then there is nothing that can be done.

For this reason it is highly recommended that you set your profiles to ignore date & time differences of two seconds or less (this is done by default when creating a new profile).

Another issue is that FAT records times on disk in local time. However, NTFS records times on disk in UTC (GMT). This can cause problems when the local time is changed for daylight savings, i. e. the difference in date & time between files will be one hour or more.

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Q: Why is the Desktop.ini file never copied correctly?

Q: The Desktop.ini file appears in the Differences even though I've copied it. Why?

A: The Desktop.ini file stores configuration settings for a folder, e.g. what special icon to use. If you copy this hidden system file from one directory to another using Windows Explorer, then Windows will change the files contents in the destination directory. Therefore these files will never be the same. There are two ways to avoid this: add Desktop.ini to the list of Files NOT to copy (see Filter Settings), or tell SyncBack not to use the Windows shell to copy files (see Copy/Delete Settings).

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Q: NTFS compressed files are copied, but the destination copy is not compressed. Why?

A: Windows itself will not copy over the file as compressed. It will however copy over correctly NTFS encrypted files. Note that when the destination is a Zip file, only FAT attributes are copied (read-only, hidden, system, and archive). FTP destinations do not copy over any file attributes.

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FAQs: General Issues 2

SyncBack: FAQs: General Questions 2

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   Frequently Asked Questions Hub

Frequently Asked Questions: General Questions 2

Using SyncBack

How can I create versions of my backups?
I have deleted files from my source directory, but they are still in my destination directory. Why?
I do not want the Differences screen to appear! How to I stop it showing?
I'm copying large files and it is taking a long time.
How can I see how long it's going to take to copy each file?
I'm copying files over a slow network connection and it is taking a long time.
How can I see how long it's going to take to copy each file?
How do I stop the profile running when very large files are taking a long time to copy?
How do I change my log settings?
Can I change the layout of the tree in the main screen?
The copied file always has it's archive attribute set. Why?
How do I check for an update of SyncBack?
Where can I find further support as a SyncBack user?
Why can't I uninstall SyncBack?

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Using SyncBack

Q: How can I create versions of my backups? For example, keep copies of the changes over the previous 5 days.

A: SyncBack comes with two small example scripts (timestamp.vbs and RotateBackup.vbs) that can be run before or after a profile is run. They can only be used when compressing to a single file. To use them, modify your profile, and go to the 'Programs' tab.

Timestamp.vbs copies the destination Zip file and prefixes the copies filename with a timestamp. This allows you to keep versions of backups based on the time the backup was made. To use timestamp.vbs, enter the following in the 'Run after profile' edit box: cscript "C:\Program Files\2BrightSparks\SyncBack\timestamp.vbs" "%_DESTINATION%"

You may need to change this if you have installed SyncBack to another directory, or have moved 'timestamp.vbs' to a different directory. Also enable the 'Run the program even if the profile fails' option. You will have to manually delete ZIP files from your destination as they accumulate (this is not required when using the RotateBackup.vbs script).

The second script (RotateBackup.vbs) does a similar things but only keeps the last 4 backups (by default, you can edit the script to keep more). It prefixes the Zip file with a number. To use it, enter the following in the 'Run before profile' edit box: cscript "C:\Program Files\2BrightSparks\SyncBack\RotateBackup.vbs" "%_DESTINATION%"

You may need to change this if you have installed SyncBack to another directory, or have moved RotateBackup.vbs' to a different directory. Also enable the 'Wait until the program has finished before running the profile' option.

For SyncBackSE you can also use the new variables to keep versions. See this page for more information.

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Q: I have deleted files from my source directory, but they are still in my destination directory. Why?

A: Modify your profile, and select 'Delete from destination' on the 'Advanced' tab.

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Q: I do not want the Differences screen to appear! How to I stop it showing?

A: Select 'Skip Differences Window' from the 'Preferences' main menu. You can also select 'Do not display this window again' from the pop-up menu on the 'Differences' screen itself.

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Q: I'm copying large files and it is taking a long time. How can I see how long it's going to take to copy each file?

Q: I'm copying files over a slow network connection and it is taking a long time. How can I see how long it's going to take to copy each file?

Q: How do I stop the profile running when very large files are taking a long time to copy?

A: Modify your profile, go to the 'Copy/Delete' tab, and unselect 'Do not display a progress dialog box'. Note that the progress dialog is only displayed when running profiles manually, and not when run from the Windows Task Scheduler.

You can also modify your profile to not use the Windows shell for file copying. This can be done on the Copy/Delete tab. When the shell is not used SyncBack can show exactly how many bytes are being transferred for large files. This also lets you abort a profile very quickly even when large files are being copied.

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Q: How do I change my log settings?

A: Click 'Preferences' in the main menu and select 'Log Settings'. From here you'll be able to choose whether the log is presented in plain text or HTML format, and whether you'd like to append the log to an existing file.

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Q: Can I change the layout of the tree in the main screen?

A: The tree in SyncBack Version 3.2 is much more configurable than in previous versions. To hide or show columns, select them from the 'Columns' main menu. To move a column to a new position, click and hold the left mouse button, then drag it either left or right. To sort the tree, simply click on any column. Click the same column again to change the sort order. You can also change the widths of most columns by clicking on the column dividers and moving them left or right. To automatically set the width, double-click on the column divider. All these settings will be saved when you exit SyncBack.

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Q: The copied file always has it's archive attribute set. Why?

A: Windows always sets the archive attribute of a copied file. This is even true when the destination is a Zip archive, but is not relevant when the destination is an FTP server. You can ask SyncBack to clear the archive attribute (on the source and destination file). See the Copy/Delete Settings section for more information.

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Q: How do I check for an update of SyncBack?

A: You will need to be connected to the Internet for this feature to function. Click 'Help' on the main menu and select 'Update Check'. SyncBack will automatically check for an update. Click the SyncBack window and a dialogue window will appear informing you as to whether you have the current version.

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Q: Where can I find further support as a SyncBack user?

A: You'll find the SyncBack forum on the website at: 2BrightSparks.com.

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Q: Why can't I uninstall SyncBack?

A: Ensure that SyncBack is not running. You may have scheduled a task for SyncBack to perform which is preventing you from uninstalling it.

To uninstall SyncBack select 'Uninstall' from the program's Help menu (you can also do this with the 'No Install' version). This will ensure everything is deleted.

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FAQs: Working with Profiles

SyncBack: FAQs: Working with Profiles

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   Frequently Asked Questions Hub

Frequently Asked Questions: Working with Profiles

How can I view a profile log in SyncBack?
How do I rename a profile?
How can I create a shortcut to run SyncBack with a specific profile?
When I delete a profile, it deletes it from all the groups. Why?

Q: How can I view a profile log in SyncBack?

A: Select a profile, click 'Task' on the main menu, and then select 'View Log'.

You can also configure SyncBack to present the log when double clicking a profile. Click 'Preferences' and select 'Double-click Action'. A window will open with several options. Choose the 'View the log' and click OK. In the main window you can now double-click a profile and the log will appear in a new window.

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Q: How do I rename a profile?

A: Right click a profile and select 'Rename' from the list. A dialogue window will appear to make your new entry.

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Q: How can I create a shortcut to run SyncBack with a specific profile?

A: Simply click on the profile in the tree, hold the left mouse down, and drag the profile to the desktop.

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Q: When I delete a profile, it deletes it from all the groups. Why?

A: If you want to remove a profile from a group, modify the group profile.

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FAQs: Using Compression

SyncBack: FAQs: Using Compression

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Frequently Asked Questions: Using Compression

How can I create versions of my backups when I'm not using ZIP compression?
I want the source to be my compressed ZIP file, not the destination. How do I do that?
What happens if I change my compression password?
Does SyncBack provide a way of compressing files when carrying out the backup process?

Q: How can I create versions of my backups when I'm not using ZIP compression?

A: You could create a profile for each day. First, create your profile and copy it to make two new profiles. Rename these three profiles, e.g. Monday Backup, Wednesday Backup, and Friday Backup. Edit each profile so they point to a different destination, e.g. the Monday one could point to a Monday sub-directory. Then just schedule the Monday Backup to run on a Monday, etc.

For SyncBack you can use the new variables to keep versions. See this page for more information.

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Q: I want the source to be my compressed ZIP file, not the destination. How do I do that?

A: The source & destination labels are purely for the benefit of the user. In reality they are just two locations that have equal status. How they are used depends upon the settings. To treat your FTP server or ZIP archive as the source, just change the profiles settings on the Advanced tab. For example, if you want to do a backup from a ZIP file or FTP server, modify your profile, go to the Advanced tab and select: 'Destination overwrites source always', 'Do nothing, skip the file', and 'Copy file to source'.

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Q: What happens if I change my compression password?

A: Most people believe that the password for a ZIP archive file applies to all the files in the archive. This is not correct. Each file in the archive can have it's own password. Therefore, if you change your compression password then any new or updated files will use the new password, but unchanged files will keep the old password. This can cause confusion when you try to retrieve the files from the ZIP file. For this reason it is not recommended that you change your compression password, and if you do, it would be wise to change the destination directory or delete the files in the destination directory before proceeding.

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Q: Does SyncBack provide a way of compressing files when carrying out the backup process?

A: Yes. Select a profile in the main window. Click 'Modify' on the lower Toolbar, select the 'Expert' Mode, select the 'Compression' tab. Make your choices from the options available.

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FAQs: Using FTP

SyncBack: FAQs: Using FTP

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General FTP Questions

How do you know if a file has been modified on an FTP server?
My FTP server doesn't support MDTM. How do I use the files modification date & time?
My FTP server returns the wrong file size. How will this affect SyncBack?
Can SyncBack be used with my FTP server?
Why does a backup/sync using FTP take longer than when I use my FTP client?

Specific FTP Questions

How can I backup/synchronise between a ZIP file and an FTP server?
How can I backup/synchronise between two FTP servers?
I want the source to be my FTP server, not the destination. How do I do that?
Why am I not receiving the log email about the task SyncBack has performed?
Where are my Network, FTP, and Email passwords stored? Are they encrypted?
How can I use the files modification date & time without MDTM support?
When I backup or synchronise with my FTP server, the last modification date & time for my local source files change. Why?

General FTP Questions

Q: How do you know if a file has been modified on an FTP server?

Q: My FTP server does not support the MDTM command. How can you use the files modification date & time?

Q: My FTP server returns the wrong file size. How will this affect SyncBack?

Q: Can SyncBack be used with my FTP server?

A: SyncBack uses three methods to check if a file has been modified: the files last modification date & time, it's size, and it's hash value (MD5 or CRC32). There is no standard universal date & time zone, or format, used by all FTP servers. For example, one server may return the date & time for it's local timezone, where as another may return the GMT date & time.

Some FTP servers can accurately return the files last modification date & time (using the MDTM command), and some (very few) allow the caller to set the date & time (again using the MDTM command). Worse still, some FTP servers do not return the correct file size (it can be rounded up or down to the nearest block size, with the block size unknown to the user). For this reason, SyncBack may not work correctly with your FTP server. The best FTP server to use is one that supports both uses of the MDTM command (getting & setting the files modification date & time), and accurately returns file sizes. SyncBack will try it's best to work with your FTP server, but it is impossible to support all FTP servers.

Note that SyncBackSE has a completely new FTP engine and so can work with many more servers than the freeware version of SyncBack. It is also faster, supports SSL, and MODE Z compression. Learn more about SyncBackSE.

SyncBackSE at 2BrightSparks (Internet connection required)

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Q: Why does a backup/sync using FTP take longer than when I use my FTP client?

A: When using FTP with SyncBack, the number of calls made to the FTP server are considerably more than when simply copying via a regular FTP client because SyncBack retrieves information on each and every file (last modification date & time, and the file size, for example). This will make the first run much slower as compared to using your FTP client. Once the first run is complete however, the process in future will be much faster because SyncBack will not need to transfer files that haven't changed.

Note that SyncBackSE is considerably faster when using FTP than the freeware version of SyncBack.

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Specific FTP Questions

Q: How can I backup/synchronise between a ZIP file and an FTP server?

A: You need to use your local filesystem as an intermediary storage device. Create two profiles: one to backup/sync with the ZIP file, and one to backup/sync with the FTP. Make sure both use the same local directory for the source. Next, create a group profile and put both of these profiles into it. Now, run the group profile. You may need to experiment to get the settings correct. Always test first using files you can afford to lose!

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Q: How can I backup/synchronise between two FTP servers?

A: You need to use your local filesystem as an intermediary storage device. Create two profiles: one to backup/sync with FTP server 1, and one to backup/sync with FTP server 2. Make sure both use the same local directory for the source. Next, create a group profile and put both of these profiles into it. Now, run the group profile. Note that this will only work if both servers support the MDTM method of setting the date & time of files on the FTP server. You may need to experiment to get the settings correct. Always test first using files you can afford to lose!

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Q: I want the source to be my FTP server, not the destination. How do I do that?

A: The source & destination labels are purely for the benefit of the user. In reality they are just two locations that have equal status. How they are used depends upon the settings. To treat your FTP server or ZIP archive as the source, just change the profiles settings on the Advanced tab. For example, if you want to do a backup from a ZIP file or FTP server, modify your profile, go to the Advanced tab and select: 'Destination overwrites source always', 'Do nothing, skip the file', and 'Copy file to source'.

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Q: Why am I not receiving the log email about the task SyncBack has performed?

A: In today's world of junk email, many email servers are configured to reject any email that appears to be spam. If your email server is rejecting your log email please make sure you have filled out the settings correctly, e.g. valid To and From addresses are used.

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Q: Where are my Network, FTP, and Email passwords stored? Are they encrypted?

A: All passwords are stored in the users registry (local to that that user, and not the entire machine) and are encrypted. The encryption is not strong however, and a determined user could potentially decipher the encrypted password. Remember that if a person can read your private registry entries, then they have access to your entire machine anyway.

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Q: My FTP server does not support the MDTM command. How can you use the files modification date & time?

A: If your FTP server does not support setting the files last modification date & time, using the MDTM command, then SyncBack will change the local source files last modification date & time to match that of the file on the FTP server. See the FAQ question How do you know if a file has been modified on an FTP server? for more information.

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Q: When I backup or synchronise with my FTP server, the last modification date & time for my local source files change. Why?

A: If your FTP server does not support setting the files last modification date & time, using the MDTM command, then SyncBack will change the local source files last modification date & time to match that of the file on the FTP server. See the FAQ question How do you know if a file has been modified on an FTP server? for more information.

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FAQs: Using the Scheduler

SyncBack: FAQs: Using the Scheduler

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Frequently Asked Questions: Using the Scheduler

What is the 'Windows Scheduler'?
How do I start or stop the Windows Scheduler from running?
How can I get to see the list of scheduled jobs?
Can I schedule other jobs (eg, Defragmenting a disk) using SyncBack?
I'm using Windows NT 4 and I cannot use the Windows Task Scheduler. What do I do?
I'm using a blank/empty login password and Windows XP. How do I run scheduled tasks?
I cannot get SyncBack to work with the Windows Task Scheduler. What's wrong?
Why can't I get SyncBack to run under another user's account, e.g. Administrator, when using the Scheduler?

Q: What is the 'Windows Scheduler'?

A: Using Scheduled Tasks in a Windows environment, you can schedule any script, program, or document to run at a time that is most convenient for you. Scheduled Tasks can be set up to start each time you start Windows, and they can run in the background. You can schedule a task to run daily, weekly, or monthly, change the schedule for a task, and customize how a task runs at a scheduled time. SyncBack features an integrated scheduler that provides a simple way of using the features of the Windows Scheduler to backup your files.

For a walkthrough of how to create a schedule in SyncBack go to Creating a Schedule.

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Q: How do I start or stop the Windows Scheduler from running?

A: (Windows XP Home) Access the task scheduler via the Start menu (All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks). Alternatively Click 'Start', click 'Control Panel', switch to 'Classic View' by clicking the link on the top left of the window, double-click 'Administrative Tools' in the main window, double-click 'Services'. In the window that appears scroll down until the Task Scheduler row appears and select this.  On the Action menu, click Start, Stop, Pause, Resume, or Restart.

(Windows 2000) Click 'Start', point to 'Settings', click 'Control Panel,' point to 'Administrative Tools', and then double-click 'Services'. In the window that appears scroll down until the Task Scheduler row appears. On the Action menu, click Start, Stop, Pause, Resume, or Restart.

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Q: How can I get to see the list of scheduled jobs?

A: (Windows XP Home) Access the task scheduler via the Start menu (All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks). To remove a Scheduled Task from the list select a task and delete.

(Windows 2000) Click 'Start', point to 'Settings', click 'Control Panel', and then double-click 'Scheduled Tasks'. You can use the 'Start', 'Stop' and 'Pause' buttons to change its current state, and use the Startup Type list to choose how whether or not it should be started from the next time you boot.

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Q: Can I schedule other jobs (eg, Defragmenting a disk) using SyncBack?

A: Not using SyncBack, but you can by using the Scheduler directly.

(Windows XP Home) Access the task scheduler via the Start menu (All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks). Double-click 'Add Scheduled Task' and a wizard will guide you through the process of creating a Scheduled Task.

In Windows 2000, use the Scheduled Task wizard (available by double-clicking Scheduled Tasks in Control Panel, and then double-clicking Add Scheduled Tasks.

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Q: I'm using Windows NT 4 and I cannot use the Windows Task Scheduler. What do I do?

A: Windows NT 4 does not come with a COM library as an interface to the Windows Task Scheduler. You must use other methods to schedule profile runs, e.g. add it manually or use the 'at' command. See the Windows NT documentation for more information.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;%5BLN%5D;310715

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Q: I'm using a blank/empty login password and Windows XP. How do I run scheduled tasks?

A: In Windows XP you cannot have a blank password if you want to use the Scheduler. However, SyncBack can automatically remove the restriction whenever you schedule a profile.

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Q: I cannot get SyncBack to work with the Windows Task Scheduler. What's wrong?

A: There are a number of possible reasons:

On Windows XP and 2000 make sure you set your password for the task. You must use your Windows login password.
You are using the wrong username and/or password. You must use your Windows login password. This does not apply to Windows 95/98/98SE/ME.
The scheduled task may not be set-up correctly to wake the computer if it is hibernating or in standby mode.
The scheduler may be stopped or not installed. See your Windows documentation for details on how to start or install it.

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Q: Why can't I get SyncBack to run under another user's account, e.g. Administrator, when using the Scheduler?

A: SyncBack's settings are local to each user therefore SyncBack must be installed for each user that is going to run it. The settings are not machine wide. You could export the profiles from one user, and import them with the other user.

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 Contents

 Learn About SyncBackSE

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Introducing SyncBackSE

What's New in SyncBackSE

Help File Contents

SyncBackSE - Power with Ease

It just gets better! SyncBackSE inherits the superb usability and functionality of the award-winning freeware version, and provides the most requested new feature at an unbelievably low price. There's simply no other software that can synchronise, copy locked and/or open files, and boasts an on-board FTP engine that wipes the spots off the opposition.

It's no wonder that over half a million users trust SyncBack to protect themselves from data loss every day.

SyncBackSE at 2BrightSparks (Internet connection required)

Benefits of SyncBackSE at a Glance

Copy locked and/or open files
A completely new FTP engine
'Fast Backup' option that can substantially increase backup speed
New variables to specify source and destination
Compression filter to increase compression performance
Smarter directory creation
Faster directory scanning
Improved FTP performance due to the new engine
New progress bar
SSLv2, SSLv3, and TLSv1 encryption support (implicit and explicit)
Support for one-time-passwords
Support for MODE Z compression
Support for XCRC command (so files can be verified)
Support for new FTP extensions, e.g. MLSD
Better firewall/NAT support (external IP address and port ranges)

Locked and/or File Copying

With the exception of expensive solutions, most backup software cannot copy locked files. For example, if you use Microsoft Outlook then you cannot copy the data file (e.g. outlook.pst) while Outlook is running. The same restriction applies to many other applications and their files.

The reason for this is because of the way Microsoft Windows manages file locking. When a program opens a file it must specify if other applications are allowed to read the file while it is being used. If the program specifies other applications cannot read the file then Windows will strictly enforce this. There is no way to force Windows to let the other applications read the file.

However, Microsoft introduced new features in Windows XP and Windows 2003 that allow programs to read these files. SyncBackSE makes use of these new features to copy these locked files. There are restrictions on their use:

You must be running Windows XP (Pro or Home) or Windows 2003. It is not possible to copy locked files using Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME, NT, or 2000.

The file being copied (which is locked) must be on a volume formatted with the NTFS file system.

The file being copied must be on a local drive and not a networked drive.

Fast Backup

SyncBack (freeware) needs to scan the source and the destination before it can backup your files. If the destination is a slow device, e.g. a networked drives, FTP server, etc., then this can add a lot to the overall backup time.

To considerably reduce backup time, SyncBackSE has a new Fast Backup feature. This lets SyncBackSE backup your files without scanning the destination drive. The more files you have, and the slower your backup device is, the more time you'll save. Please note, you will have to be running Windows under the NTFS file system as Fast Backups will not work using the FAT system.

The new Fast Backup tab in SyncBackSE is shown in the screenshot below:

FTP

SyncBackSE uses a completely new and updated FTP engine that takes advantage of newer FTP standards and extensions. This increases performance and compatibility with FTP servers. New features include:

The exact time zone of the FTP server can now be specified. However, in most cases you don't need to tell SyncBackSE as it will ask the FTP server itself automatically.

Files can now be verified against the copy on the FTP server (this requires that the FTP server supports the XCRC command). This ensures that what you upload or download to and from FTP servers is correct.

SSLv2, SSLv3, and TLS encryption is now supported. This means you can send and receive files to and from an FTP server and they'll be transmitted in encrypted form. SyncBackSE supports both implicit and explicit FTP connections. The FTP server must support encryption.

To greatly reduce transmission time, files can be sent and received to and from FTP servers in compressed form (this requires that the FTP server support MODE Z compression). This means large documents, spreadsheets, text files, etc. can be sent and received much faster.

New settings to support firewalls and routers have been added, e.g. specifying the external IP address and the range of ports to use.

SyncBackSE can retrieve the details on the files on an FTP server much faster than previous versions. A single FTP call can retrieve the details on all files in a directory. The freeware version of SyncBack makes up to two calls per file. This means backing up to and sync'ing with an FTP server is much faster.

Variables

SyncBackSE includes a whole range of new environment variables that can be used in the Source and Destination settings for a profile. Here's a taster of the many variables available:

%DATE%   Current date, e.g. 24-6-2005
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%TIME%   Current time in 24 hour clock format, e.g. 19-30
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%YEAR%   Current year, e.g. 2005
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%MONTH%   Current month, e.g. 2
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%DAY%   Current day of the month, e.g. 10
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%DAYOFWEEK%   Current day of the week, (1 = Monday, 7 = Sunday)
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%DAYOFYEAR%   Current day of the year (January 1st = 1)
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%HOUR%   Current hour (24 hour clock format), e.g. 19
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%MINUTE%   Current minute
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%SECOND%   Current second
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%MILLISECOND%   Current millisecond (0 to 999)
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%THISDRIVE%   The drive that SyncBackSE is running on, e.g. C:
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%THISPATH%   The path that SyncBackSE is running from, e.g. C:\Program Files\2BrightSparks\SyncBack
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%LABEL=?%   The entry is replaced by the drive with that label (see below)
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%SERIAL=?%   The entry is replaced by the drive with that serial number (see below)
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%WEEKOF%   Week of the year (1 to 53). WeekOf uses the ISO 8601 standard to define the week of the year. That is, a week is defined as running from Monday through Sunday, and the first week of the year is defined as the one the first calendar week of the year is the one that includes the first Thursday of the year (the first week that includes four or more days in the year). This means that if the first calendar day of the year is a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, then for the first three, two, or one days of the calendar year, WeekOf returns the last week of the previous year. Similarly, if the last calendar day of the year is a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, then for the last one, two, or three days of the calendar year, WeekOf returns 1 (the first week of the next calendar year).
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%WEEKOFTHEMONTH%   Week of the month (1 to 6). WeekOfTheMonth uses the ISO 8601 standard definition of a week. That is, a week is considered to start on a Monday and end on a Sunday.
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
%WEEKSINYEAR%   The number of weeks in the year (52 or 53). WeeksInYear defines the first week of the year according to the ISO 8601 standard. That is, the first week of the year is the one that includes the first Thursday of the year (the first week that has 4 or more days in the year). This means that WeeksInYear always returns either 52 or 53.

These new variables allow you, for example, to keep 7 days worth of backups, e.g. you could set your destination to D:\Backup%DAYOFWEEK%\ so that you'll always have backups of the last seven days worth of files.

There are two special environment variables than can be used to identify drives based on their label or serial number. These are very useful when using external USB drives, for example, which may have a different drive letter each time they are plugged-in:

%LABEL=?% - The entry is replaced by the drive with that label. For example, if your C drive is labelled My Disk then %LABEL=My Disk%\Documents\ would be translated into C:\. Note that you can only use one label per string but can use it multiple times.

%SERIAL=?% - The entry is replaced by the drive with that serial number. For example, if your D drive has a serial number of BC46-F69E then %SERIAL=BC46-F69E%\Program Files\ will be translated at runtime into D:\Program Files\. Note that you can only use one serial per string but can use it multiple times.

Compression Filtering

To increase compression performance, SyncBackSE can be configured not to try and compress already compressed files, e.g. MP3's, JPG images, etc. Instead of compressing files of these types it will instead store them (without compression) in the Zip file.

Progress Bar

An often requested feature that people want included in SyncBack is a simple progress bar. SyncBackSE now includes a pop-up progress bar that automatically appears when a profile is run. This lets the user clearly see the progress of the backup/sync and what stage the profile run is at.

Price

At US$15 per license, SyncBackSE represents unbeatable value for money. There is no other backup software that can copy locked files that is anywhere close to this price.

SyncBack Freeware Donators

If you’ve previously made a donation to 2BrightSparks or MJLSoftware then you can receive a copy free of charge. Simply go to http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/sbse-donators.html  and complete the form.

SyncBackSE Upgrades

Upgrades are free for SyncBackSE. This means, for example, when SyncBackSE V4 is released, you can upgrade free-of-charge from SyncBackSE V3.

Upgrades from SyncBackSE (any version) to SyncBackPro will be US$10 per license (individual and commercial volume licensing). Educational Institutions and Non Profit Organizations will receive the appropriate discount on their upgrade to SyncBackPro dependant on their Licensing Level (ENP1, ENP2, etc.).

The cost to upgrade to SyncBackPro from any purchased version of SyncBackSE will not exceed US$10, regardless of the published list price for SyncBackPro.

Educational and Non Profit Licensing

Volume discounts for Educational Intitutions and Non Profit Organizations are also available from 2BrightSparks.

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 Help File Contents

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Linking Problems

Linking Problems: Informational Popup Page

The link you have attempted to use is not functioning correctly because either:

1. You are not connected to the Internet
2. The web page or email address has not been recognised
3. The browser or email client you are using does not support a link from a help file

Note: Although Microsoft Outlook Express and other email clients successfully process the standard code used to impliment this help file, Microsoft Outlook does not.

Please enter the URL or email address manually by copying and pasting the appropriate address below into your browser or email client:

Website: http://www.2brightsparks.com/

Email: feedback@2brightsparks.com


Troubleshooting Destination Directory Modification Date & Time

Contents

   Frequently Asked Questions Hub

Q: Why don't the files in my destination directory have the correct last modification date & time?

A: Windows has two main filesystems: FAT (including FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32 - FAT = File Allocation Table) and NTFS (New Technology File System, or NT File System). When you format a disk, or partition, you choose which filesystem to format it in. For Windows 95/98/98SE/ME, you can only format using FAT. For Windows NT/2K/XP/2003 you can choose either FAT or NTFS.

There are important details that must be taken into account when copying files between FAT and NTFS filesystems. The most important of these is that the last modification date & time for files in FAT filesystems is accurate only to within 2 seconds. You never get odd-seconds on a FAT partition. For example, the last modification date & time of a file can be 13:00:20 but will never be 13:00:21. On NTFS filesystems it is accurate to within 10 milliseconds. Therefore, when a file is copied from an NTFS filesystem to a FAT filesystem it is extremely likely that the copy on the FAT filesystem will have a different last modification date & time than the original. It will be rounded up to the next even number of seconds. There is nothing any program can do to change this. It is a limitation of the FAT filesystem itself.

When copying files from one NTFS filesystem to another, then the last modification date & times should be identical. However, sometimes, usually when copying over a network, the date & time may be slightly different. You can request that the date & time on the copy be identical, but if Windows itself does not change the time to the one requested, then there is nothing that can be done.

For this reason it is highly recommended that you set your profiles to ignore date & time differences of two seconds or less (this is done by default when creating a new profile).

Another issue is that FAT records times on disk in local time. However, NTFS records times on disk in UTC (GMT). This can cause problems when the local time is changed for daylight savings, i. e. the difference in date & time between files will be more one hour or more.

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All Contents: 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd © 2003-2005