Author Topic: Registry Backup Beta (Read 358888 times)

Shane · « **Reply #300 on:** August 17, 2012, 10:33:27 pm »

Very odd. I dont have that problem on my test xp machine.

Shane

Tomas_Sweden · « **Reply #301 on:** August 17, 2012, 10:45:47 pm »

Ok, lets hope it's just on my brothers computer!

Tomas

Shane · « **Reply #302 on:** August 31, 2012, 04:40:56 pm »

See what you guys think of this new version before I put it out Sunday

v1.4.0
The program now detects if it didn't close right, if so ask if they want to use the fallback backup method instead (This is for people who get a blue screen of death when trying to use the volume shadow copy)
You can now have the program always use the fallback backup method instead of the volume shadow copy service. The goal of this is for the people who have a messed up VSS on their system. Instead of making them wait for the VSS to fail it will now run right away.
Per user request you can now have the program only make 1 auto backup per day. (This is for the people who have it set to backup at system startup but reboot their machines multiple times per day)
Change the -silent command to run the backup minimized.
Add some new command line options. -supersilent (Backups but shows no GUI at all) -auto (Runs the program, does a backup and then closes, the user can see it as it works, this was the original way the -silent command use to work)
Now that the program has 3 different command lines it can use, the user can now tell the program which command to use for the scheduled backups.

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #303 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:21:12 pm »

Shane:

The once a day backup seems to be working fine. A second reboot did not produce any backups. I also used the /auto option. However, I noticed that when the backup started it gave a message that VSS failed and then it used the alternate method to backup. I never had this happen when I did my backups manually. What's the story on this?

Shane · « **Reply #304 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:23:51 pm »

Odd, let me test it some more.

I have it set to where when you start the program it sets a setting in the ini file to false.

When you close the program it changes it to true. If the system was to blue screen from the VSS or the program crashes that settings stays false.

If it is false the program will say it didnt shutdown correctly.

During my testing I didnt have it happen to me. When it runs automatically from the schedule can you check to see if it is closing, or is it crashing?

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #305 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:36:46 pm »

Shane

I want to reboot and run my backup again. I used the once a day option. I thought I just had to delete the recent backup folder to kick off another backup but that didn't work. Where do you store the setting that tells RB it already took a once a day backup? I want to clear it so I can run another backup to see if the VSS problem still comes up.

Shane · « **Reply #306 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:37:34 pm »

settings.ini file

You will see LastAutoBackup

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #307 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:46:13 pm »

I changed the LastAutoBackup to yesterday's date (guess I could have just deleted it?) but when I try to save Settings.ini I get a message: 'Please check if this file is opened in another program'. AFAICT no other program has it opened.

Shane · « **Reply #308 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:47:26 pm »

It is because you have the UAC enabled on your system. I hate the UAC and have mine turned off.

It is not giving you permission to save the file.

Save it to the desktop, then copy and paste it back. The UAC will then ask for permission

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #309 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:56:02 pm »

UAC is already off. Anywho...I copied the file to my desktop, made changes, then copied it back. I was asked for permission and it saved the file.

I think this is bug in W8. I've had situations where the UAC slider moves up a notch from off for no apparent reason.

Did you know that under W8 moving the UAC slider to off does not turn it off completely like it does under W7? There is still a little UAC floating around. I was told this is for Metro/Modern (what the hell is it called now?) apps. You can turn it off in the Registry but I was told you are asking for trouble under W8. I think W8 is designed to function with UAC on.

Shane · « **Reply #310 on:** August 31, 2012, 06:57:59 pm »

I think Windows 8 is going to bomb. The core changes (Some) are nice. But the interface is such a huge change. And people HATE change.

Windows 9 will be what 8 should have been. Just like 7 is what Vista should have been.

Let me know how your tests goes. If the program isnt closing properly I need to find out why.

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #311 on:** August 31, 2012, 07:02:27 pm »

I rebooted and got the message 'waiting for volume Copy snapshot.....' Message was on screen for maybe 8 seconds then it was done. It did backup my Registry. Do you want me to send you my logs and settings via email to see how it went?

Shane · « **Reply #312 on:** August 31, 2012, 07:04:48 pm »

Sure, also did you see if it was still running in the background? Send the settings.ini file as well.

shane at tweaking

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #313 on:** August 31, 2012, 07:07:32 pm »

I was using the /auto option so I expect to see something. I thought I would see the same screen when you run it manually. You know with your cool progress indicator thingy. I'll send the files right now.

Shane · « **Reply #314 on:** August 31, 2012, 07:10:54 pm »

Everything looked perfect in the logs. And the program closed properly.

Keep testing and let me know how it goes. If no bugs are found I will be putting it out on Sunday

I hope you like all the changes.

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #315 on:** August 31, 2012, 07:20:33 pm »

Yes I like the changes, especially the one I requested.

Speaking of W8 I agree with you. Does it want to be a phone or a desktop? I guess it's both. I installed 'Classic Start Menu' to get the desktop one back. I have it set so I boot to the desktop and not metro. I pretty much have figured out MS's convoluted thinking and can navigate around W8 nicely. I only go to Metro to run Metro apps like some games and also to get rid of all my shortcuts W8 places on the Metro screen.

What was MS thinking when they designed W8? Did they think it would be the best thing since sliced bread? I can't see the corporate world knocking down doors to use W8. Can't imaging what a Metro Office might look like.

streetwolf · « **Reply #316 on:** September 01, 2012, 06:06:42 am »

Shane:

Some observation on 1.4.

When my backup kicked off this morning the backup screen displayed the message 'waiting for volume Copy snapshot.....' for something like 15 seconds before I saw it was copying folders and completed. When I run RB manually the message is on screen for only around 5 seconds before I see it copying files and it ends.

My disk imaging software (O&O DiskImage 6 Pro) also kicks off when I start up Windows. I'm wondering if there is a conflict between the two that is delaying RB as they both use VSS? RB did it's backup but I'm wondering if it's OK due to a possible conflict with DI6 . DI6 has an option to run a program or command after it has completed. Can I just take RB's Task Scheduler start up parameters and plug them into DI6 so when it completes RB will kick off? I would then disable the RB start up in TS.

I have retention for backups set to 7 days yet I have more than that in my Registry Backup folder. Are scheduled backups the only type that use retention? I only have two backups that were created via a schedule the rest were manually created. And if I am able to use DI6 to kick off RB does this mean that I wouldn't have any retention processing?

When I was using ERUNT I used a shortcut to make make backups whenever especially before I made changes to my system. I had these backups go to a different folder so as not to be mixed in with my scheduled backups. Can I make a shortcut for RB to do this? One problem I immediately notice is that settings.ini has the location of the backup folder. Does RB allow the destination folder to be placed on the command line for a shortcut or perhaps point to an alternate settings.ini? I guess what I'm asking for is a command line driven RB comparable to ERUNT

Finally, how can I tell for sure which method RB used to do it's backup, VSS or the fallback method?

Shane · « **Reply #317 on:** September 01, 2012, 06:01:16 pm »

The schedule just runs the backup program with a command line, nothing more. SO you have total freedom with it. You can run it from the other program fine

The log also shows when and if the VSS fails and if it is using the fall back method.

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #318 on:** September 01, 2012, 06:39:07 pm »

Shane:

You didn't answer all my questions.

1. There is no command line parameter to tell RB where to store the backup AFAICT That only seems to be set in settings.ini unless you have undocumented command line params. How can I make a shortcut to backup my Registry telling RB I want to create it in a different folder than what's in settings.ini? What if I created the shortcut with a 'Start in' parameter that points to a folder with a different settings.ini that points to the new backup folder?

2. What about the fact that RB takes 3 times as long to do it's processing when I start Windows than it does when I run it manually? I mentioned my disk imaging software, which also uses VSS, also runs when Windows starts and is this causing a lockout condition for these 15 seconds?

3. Please re-read my question on retention days. What is the answer?

Shane · « **Reply #319 on:** September 01, 2012, 07:29:17 pm »

Quote

1. There is no command line parameter to tell RB where to store the backup AFAICT That only seems to be set in settings.ini unless you have undocumented command line params. How can I make a shortcut to backup my Registry telling RB I want to create it in a different folder than what's in settings.ini? What if I created the shortcut with a 'Start in' parameter that points to a folder with a different settings.ini that points to the new backup folder?

It is only stored in the settings.ini file. So you set the path in the ini file and the auto run reads all the settings.

Quote

2. What about the fact that RB takes 3 times as long to do it's processing when I start Windows than it does when I run it manually? I mentioned my disk imaging software, which also uses VSS, also runs when Windows starts and is this causing a lockout condition for these 15 seconds?

It does sound like something else is using the VSS and my program is waiting for its turn

The program calls the vss exe in the files folder and waits for it to complete.

Quote

I have retention for backups set to 7 days yet I have more than that in my Registry Backup folder. Are scheduled backups the only type that use retention? I only have two backups that were created via a schedule the rest were manually created. And if I am able to use DI6 to kick off RB does this mean that I wouldn't have any retention processing?

Every time you do a backup either through the command line (Like the schedule, or manually) the program looks at the folder names which are the dates and times and removes any that are past the retention days.

Like I have mine set to 30 days. If I do more than one backup a day they all stay there until the 31st day at which point they get removed.

If you renamed any of the folders from the default it wont remove them. Again it looks at the folder names which is date and time. This is how it knows which ones to get rid of.

Shane

neroilo · « **Reply #320 on:** September 02, 2012, 03:59:57 pm »

Quote from: Shane on August 31, 2012, 04:40:56 pm

v1.4.0
Per user request you can now have the program only make 1 auto backup per day. (This is for the people who have it set to backup at system startup but reboot their machines multiple times per day)
Shane

It doesn't work correctly in all cases. If I make a manual backup and I decide to delete it, this option (if enabled) will prevent me to create another new backup, not considering the fact I deleted my backup already done the same day.
EDIT: I have just noticed that the program records last date in a line called LastAutoBackup in settings.ini. But if I delete all backup folders performed the same day, this value should be cleared automatically.

streetwolf · « **Reply #321 on:** September 02, 2012, 04:11:16 pm »

Quote from: neroilo on September 02, 2012, 03:59:57 pm

Quote from: Shane on August 31, 2012, 04:40:56 pm
v1.4.0
Per user request you can now have the program only make 1 auto backup per day. (This is for the people who have it set to backup at system startup but reboot their machines multiple times per day)
Shane

It doesn't work correctly in all cases. If I make a manual backup and I decide to delete it, this option (if enabled) will prevent me to create another new backup, not considering the fact I deleted my backup already done the same day.

I did the same thing as you and posted it a page back and got an answer. What you have to do is go into Settings.ini in the RB folder and change LastAutoBackup to the day before. Maybe even deleting it might work. RB does not look at the dates of the backups which IMO it should do. This way deleting the current auto backup file would kick off a new backup. Listening Shane?

Cross post. That's a good idea too about resetting LastAutoBackup if the current backup is deleted.

neroilo · « **Reply #322 on:** September 02, 2012, 04:29:59 pm »

Quote from: streetwolf on September 02, 2012, 04:11:16 pm

Cross post. That's a good idea too about resetting LastAutoBackup if the current backup is deleted.

Thanks.
I hope that this will be implemented automatically because I move backup folders regularly.

Shane · « **Reply #323 on:** September 03, 2012, 11:44:29 am »

Quote

RB does not look at the dates of the backups which IMO it should do. This way deleting the current auto backup file would kick off a new backup. Listening Shane?

I didn't even think about doing it that way lol. On a lot of my programs that do daily update checks I always did it this way. So when I was pumping in the changes my mind just went to doing it that way.

I do see how it would be better to loop through the backup folder looking at the folder names for the dates instead. I already have the code to loop through the folders as that is what the cleanup does. So it is just a matter of making a few changes.

Not to mention if your a tech, running it from a thumb drive or local server and you use the command lines for auto backups and you have it set to only do one then it defeats the purpose! You backup one machine via auto then none of the others will since it already thinks it did.

By having it loop through the folders instead a tech can still use the only 1 auto backup per day for every machine while still running it from the one program.

I will make the change and have it ready for next Sundays release.

Either today or tomorrow I will make the changes and post it here for testing before next Sunday

Shane

streetwolf · « **Reply #324 on:** September 03, 2012, 12:02:21 pm »

Shane:

Very often it takes a user to inform the developer that maybe there is a better way of doing some task.