Registry Backup Beta

[Shane]

OK give this a try. I changed how the 1 day auto backup works.

The setting in the ini file is no longer used. So that can be deleted. The auto backup will also see if you did a backup manually and not do another backup if enabled (If set to auto that is).

If you have the setting enabled and you have it set to auto backup the program will loop through the backup folder for the computer. If it sees any backup folders with the current date it will not do the backup.

See what you guys think

Shane

[streetwolf]

Shane:

1.41 is working just fine.  Nice job.

I still would like to see a command line RB similar to ERUNT so I can make shortcuts to store the backups in various folders. Now RB is limited to what is in Settings.ini.  Basically allow what's in Settings.ini on the command line or simpler maybe is to allow multiple Setting.ini's (Settings1.ini for example) and point the shortcut to the one you want to use. Going through the GUI is not always the best way to go in situations. 

[chris635]

I agree. Be careful not to make this to complex for the average user though.


Chris

[streetwolf]

I agree. Be careful not to make this to complex for the average user though.


Chris

The GUI seems to be for the average user.  A command line RB is for the Power User.

[chris635]

  Works for me. I just wanted to make sure we don't lose the "keep it simple" aspect either....lol


Chris

[streetwolf]

Works for me. I just wanted to make sure we don't lose the "keep it simple" aspect either....lol


Chris

KISS would have been fine 

[Shane]

I will see what I can do down the road.

I made the program in mind for using it without to many command lines. Never seen the point of having it backup to different locations myself. In the settings when you have the take off the check of change default location the program will backup to the folder it is in. This is for people running it from a thumb drive or server.

Plus the restore in the program is built to read and pull the backups from the location you have set. If you have backups in different locations it wont pull those.

I also have it storing the backups in a way to where you can backup multiple machines to the same spot without things getting confusing.

Shane

[streetwolf]

Consider it for a rainy day. 

[neroilo]

1) Auto selection of the last created backup in the drop-down list (restore tab).
2) An option to remember last selected tab at the startup.
3) I can't close RB from the taskbar context menu (right click -> close window).

[Shane]

OK give this one a try before Sundays release

v1.4.1
Right click menu from the task bar now works.
Fixed a bug where the program wasn't telling when VSS would fail and thus it would never close or move forward.
Restore list now shows computer name with each backup that can be restored. This is helpful for techs that run the program from a thumb drive or server and have multiple machines they keep in the backup. By seeing the computer name they can tell which backup belongs to which machine without having to load and check each one.
Restore list is now better sorted.
Code tweaks.

Shane

[streetwolf]

Testing it now.

1. "Right click menu from the task bar now works".  Right-clicking where, and what should it produce? 

2. Just a thought.  I modify the task schedule for my once a day backup to delay starting for 30 seconds.  I do this because when I start my computer my disk imaging software which also uses VSS starts up too.  Just think it's better for RB to wait a little bit.  Do you think this would make a good option on the RB GUI instead of having to manually modify the actual task schedule?  Novice users might not know how to do this.

[Shane]

"Right click menu from the task bar now works".  Right-clicking where, and what should it produce? 

When you right click on the taskbar for the program. The close option from it didnt work. I had to do a few tricks but I got it working.

2. Just a thought.  I modify the task schedule for my once a day backup to delay starting for 30 seconds.  I do this because when I start my computer my disk imaging software which also uses VSS starts up too.  Just think it's better for RB to wait a little bit.  Do you think this would make a good option on the RB GUI instead of having to manually modify the actual task schedule?  Novice users might not know how to do this.

Something to look into down the road

Shane

[neroilo]

"Right click menu from the task bar now works".  Right-clicking where, and what should it produce? 

When you right click on the taskbar for the program. The close option from it didnt work. I had to do a few tricks but I got it working.

Now it works. Thanks! 
By the way, can you increase minimize and close icons at the top right of the window? These are even more little than mouse cursor.

v1.4.1
Restore list is now better sorted.

Unfortunately the list isn't sorted for my usage.
I'm using the european date format (dd/mm/yyyy) on my system.

[Tomas_Sweden]

Since I have tried the latest release 1.4.1 my volume shadow copy doesn't start!
But my program show that Volume Shadow Copy is started. (Yes it is started in services)
I don't have checked "Always use Fallback Method instead of Volume Shadow Copy".

If I look in Event Viewer on VSS I have this errors:
"IMultiInterfaceEventControl::GetSubscriptions 0x80010108,  event id 8193" and "Error occurred in the COM + interface publishing Writers: Backup Shutdown [0x80042302, a component of the Volume Shadow Copy Service encountered an unexpected error. event id 12291."

If I go back and use 1.4.0 then everything works with the same configurations! 

Tomas

[neroilo]

In version 1.4.1, I receive "Always use Fallback Method instead of Volume Shadow Copy" but only if I create a manual backup. Previous version isn't affected by this issue.

No errors in Event Viewer here, probably because RB uses Symantec SymSnap VSS Software Provider since I installed Ghost 15. So no errors related to Volume Shadow Copy Service in this machine.

[Shane]

Tomas_Sweden I found that I had the vss timeout to short. I have increased it and I want to work on a few other things before I release this. I will have another build ready tonight or tomorrow

Shane

[streetwolf]

Shane:

My RB auto backup didn't run this morning when I started my machine.  When I started RB manually I got a message that RB didn't close down properly and should I use the fallback method which I chose.

Is this the same problem that Tomas_Sweden reported?  If so, is a new beta going to be released soon?

Thanks.

[Tomas_Sweden]

I have noticed on my brothers computer "win xp sp3" that making autobackup with Registry Backup v1.4.1 have worked!    Without any VSS problem. I think that VSS works faster on Win xp.  I haven't seen any error either with autobackup like I have explain earlier, but its to early to say if the that problem is gone, but so far so good.

Tomas

[Shane]

I have finally had the program not close like what is happening randomly to you guys.

I started my computer and the reg backup was open said it was waiting for the VSS service. But it never moved past it.

I said to myself, what the crap, why isn't it timing out and moving forward? SO I check the log and VSS had froze

ERROR: Selected writer 'System Writer' is in failed state!
   - Status: 9 (VSS_WS_FAILED_AT_FREEZE)
   - Writer Failure code: 0x800423f2 (VSS_E_WRITERERROR_TIMEOUT)
   - Writer ID: {e8132975-6f93-4464-a53e-1050253ae220}
   - Instance ID: {d9768a71-5bcc-4245-9d3a-69ec82a64cb3}


SO my program should have seen the VSS failed and moved on. But it didn't. What had happened was VSS was to a point where the program thought it was running and so didnt check again. And so the program never finishes or closes.

So in the last update I tried some new things to watch the VSS and the timeout was to short. So I have changed that. And I am still working on a few things to improve it. I cant get my VSS to crash again since it is a rare bug in VSS and I cant control it. I wish I could, be perfect to help me test this.

streetwolf, can you see if there is any log file from the program from when it says it didnt close properly. Do you have it running under the system account so you cant see it running? Or do you not have it running from the task manger? How ever you have it running can you have it run so you can see the GUI for now. I want to see if it is not moving forward like it did on mine.

So far this has only happened once on my system and was at the fault of the VSS. But my program should have still moved forward and not stayed there. SO I am working on that right now.

Shane

[streetwolf]

Shane...

Since I got the error this morning RB always says it is using the Fallback method when I run it manually.  My auto backup when I first turn on my machine is the once a day backup thing you added recently.  My UAC is Administrator, which doesn't seem to carry the same weight it did under W7.  I run the auto backup under my account and RB runs hidden.

Here's what's in Log_Backup.txt:

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] System Variables
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Use Fallback Backup Method: 1 (0 = No, 1 = Yes)
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] VSS exe To Use: vss_7_64.exe
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Windows Drive: C:
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Windows Folder: Windows
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Windows Path: C:\Windows
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Registry File Location: C:\Windows\System32\Config
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Current Profile: C:\Users\Gary
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Current Profile SID: S-1-5-21-316209811-3955165756-3875462241-1001
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Current Profile Classes: S-1-5-21-316209811-3955165756-3875462241-1001_Classes
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Profiles Location: C:\Users
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Profiles Location 2: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Local Settings AppData: AppData\Local
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Computer Name: GARY
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] OS: Microsoft Windows 8 Pro (64-bit)
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] OS Architecture: 64-bit
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] OS Version: 6.2.9200
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] OS Service Pack:
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Backup Location: D:\RegBackup\

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Auto Delete Old Backups Enabled, Working...
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Deleted - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.3.2012_2.04.57-PM

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Deleted - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.3.2012_8.01.29-AM

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Starting Backup...

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Files To Backup:
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\System32\Config\default
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\System32\Config\sam
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\System32\Config\security
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\System32\Config\software
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\System32\Config\system
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Users\Gary\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Users\Gary\ntuser.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\ntuser.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\ntuser.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Backing Up Files...:
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Using Fallback Backup Method.

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\System32\Config\default
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\System32\Config\default

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\System32\Config\sam
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\System32\Config\sam

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\System32\Config\security
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\System32\Config\security

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:07 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\System32\Config\software
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\System32\Config\software

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\System32\Config\system
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\System32\Config\system

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Users\Gary\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Users\Gary\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Users\Gary\ntuser.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Users\Gary\ntuser.dat

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\ntuser.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\ntuser.dat

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Backing Up File: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\ntuser.dat
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Result: Successful  - D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\C\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\ntuser.dat

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Creating DOS restore bat file for use in the Windows Recovery Console:
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Already Exists: C:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-GARY-Microsoft-Windows-8-Pro-(64-bit).dat for use in the dos_restore.cmd file
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] Done: D:\RegBackup\GARY\9.10.2012_8.00.07-AM\dos_restore.cmd
[9/10/2012 - 8:00:08 AM] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Shane]

Check the advanced settings. The always use the fallback method is checked

When the program doesnt close properly and it asks you if you want to use the fallback method for now on will set that check mark if you hit yes.

I did it that way because of normal users who have trouble with VSS (VSS would reboot the machine on one user I helped) This way if VSS is causing them trouble and they try my program again they wont have the same trouble.

Shane

[streetwolf]

Missed that.  Unchecked it and now it uses VSS.

Do you think because my imaging program is running at the same time as RB this might be causing the problem with using the fallback method? I've delayed RB for 30 seconds at start up in Task Scheduler.  There is no easy way to delay my image program.  It uses it's own scheduling system and there is no delay option.

[Shane]

If you can dont have reg backup be invisible. This way if it doesnt move forward you will see it and your setup might be perfect for testing the changes I am doing to better handle when VSS fails.

Shane

[streetwolf]

I changed it to Normal.  Is that OK?  Anything else you want me to do?

[Shane]

Thanks

Let me know if it stops and doesnt close on its own. And a screen shot if it does will be great.

Shane