Registry Backup Beta

[Shane]

The program will use the fallback if the vss fails or times out.

What does the vss log file in the backup folder show?

Shane

[Tomas_Sweden]

Here is my log_vss

Tomas

[Shane]

That log shows everything is working fine.

When you start the program is the yellow text there saying it will use fallback method? If it isnt and you manually do a backup does it fail and then use fallback?

Right now I have the program wait 60 sec for vss, if it isnt ready by then it goes to fall back. I also noticed from the log that you have 70 shadow copies! I wonder if that might have something to do with it.

Shane

[neroilo]

I also noticed from the log that you have 70 shadow copies! I wonder if that might have something to do with it.

This brings me to a consideration.
In my vss log I can't see the number of shadow copies handled by Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider, because I'm using Symantec SymSnap VSS Provider (installed by Norton Ghost).
Maybe it could be useful to report this information also in cases like this.

I suppose that for now I should create a specific cmd file to run as shortcut, because the program itself lacks an option to run a batch script before and after a registry backup.

[Tomas_Sweden]

When you start the program is the yellow text there saying it will use fallback method?

Yes there is usually a yellow text there saying it is using fallback method!

I also see in the Log_Backup this text:
[2012-09-20 - 16:14:47] Volume Shadow Copy Failed! vss_7_64.exe isn't running. Check the Log_VSS.txt file to view any errors.
[2012-09-20 - 16:14:47] Is vss_start.exe Running: True
[2012-09-20 - 16:14:47] Is vss_7_64.exe Running: True
[2012-09-20 - 16:14:47] Is vss_pause.exe Running: False

If it isnt and you manually do a backup does it fail and then use fallback?

And yes sometimes then I do a manual backup it uses the fallback method, but not all the times, sometimes it works at it should.

Right now I have the program wait 60 sec for vss, if it isnt ready by then it goes to fall back.

As I said earlier 1.4.0 worked for me, have you changed when the program goes to fall back method or something in 1.4.1 and 1.4.2?

I also noticed from the log that you have 70 shadow copies! I wonder if that might have something to do with it.

I have no idea. I let Task Scheduler make a "Instant Restore Point" every morning, but I don't think that have interfered with RB because I had it set to wait 30 minutes.

Tomas

[Shane]

In my vss log I can't see the number of shadow copies handled by Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider, because I'm using Symantec SymSnap VSS Provider (installed by Norton Ghost).
Maybe it could be useful to report this information also in cases like this.

It reports it on its own, they will have a number after the shadow copy, like this in his "Current definition: B: = \??\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy70"
You see the 70 at the end.

My program auto deletes the shadow copy that it makes. When your numbers grow like that you have something else on the system making shadow copies but not cleaning them up.

Tomas_Sweden,

for your system the program is the shadow copy is taking longer than 60 sec to make the shadow copy. This was a change I made from the old versions.

Try running the commands in Windows to delete all those shadow copies and see how the reg backup does for you then
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166102-shadow-copies-delete.html

Shane

[Tomas_Sweden]

I dont know if I want to delete the shadow copies I might need them!
If it works then I have to delete shadow copies now and then, does not feel so smooth!

Maybe there is somebody like me, having lots of shadows copies?

Or do you mean that I should only delete old shadow copies?

What is the disadvantage of having it as before, then the shadow copy didn't close at 60 sec?

Tomas

[Shane]

You do not need or want old shadow copies. They would be out dated files anyways.

Most programs when done with a shadow copy is suppose to get rid of it after. You have something on your system that isnt doing that.

A shadow copy simply takes a copy of the current data of files. This way a program can read and backup a file that is normally in use.

Obviously after a while these shadow copys become out data as the data has changed, so there is no reason to have them.

Shane

[Tomas_Sweden]

Most programs when done with a shadow copy is suppose to get rid of it after. You have something on your system that isnt doing that.

Thanks for the info!

Ok I have deleted all the shadows copies and system image copies and there is none now, but then I do a backup in RB I see this in log_Vss:
Current definition: B: = \??\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy25.
I interpret it as there are 25 shadow copies?
But I have none then I look in system restore, how does that work?

But so far, so good, with making backup now! 

Tomas

[Shane]

Odd it still shows 25 on there, but as you can see the VSS is no longer taking longer than 60 sec and so the program isnt using the fall back method.

Shane

[Tomas_Sweden]

I have seen that RB using"fallback backup method" 3 times now and I have only 2 system restore points.

for your system the program is the shadow copy is taking longer than 60 sec to make the shadow copy. This was a change I made from the old versions.

Why did you do that change? what are the advantages?

Tomas

[Shane]

Before, the old way checked if VSS was running after 20 sec and never checked again. The problem was if VSS crashed after that 20 sec my program just sat there waiting.

So I had to change it to always keep looking and moved it from 20 sec to 60.

The reason it worked better before for you was that after that 20 sec the program waited as long as the VSS needed. Now the new update VSS isnt finished in time before the 60 sec.

Maybe I can tweak it a little better. There are 2 files it is looking for. The vss itself from the program and the vss_pause. The vss on yours is running but the vss_pause (Which runs when the vss is ready) isn't starting before the 60 sec.

I will see if I can tweak that a little and have it keep waiting if the vss is running. After all if the vss crashes the vss wont be running. So perhaps when vss is running it will wait till it isnt or keep waiting until it sees the vss_pause.

Shane

[Shane]

OK try this one out for a few days.

Now it will wait forever for the vss_pause as long as the vss exe is running. SO now the timeout shouldnt affect you. If the VSS exe closes or crashes it will see that and then use the fallback method. And since it has this new way of doing it I now have it check for the vss exe every 30 sec instead of every 60 as it is no longer needed to wait that long.

I did some tests and this still works like I want when and if the vss crashes on a system. So try it for a few days and if everything works like we both want then I will put out the update

Shane

[Shane]

Any results?

Shane

[Tomas_Sweden]

I have tried RB 1.4.3 since wedensday and so far so good 

I see that you have changed "Default Backup Name" to "Manual Backup" like that lol!

I had a anti-malware scan and a anti-virus scan to scan the computer at the same time I tried to do a backup, it took 12 minutes to do a backup but it did work! 

Very Well done Shane! 

A swedish PC-magazine have written about Registry Backup(1.4.2) again, but they could have waited a week or so, until version 1.4.3  . But they seem to like it as they wrote about it again!
http://www.pchemma.se/artiklar/programtips/20121002/registry-backup-1

Tomas

[Shane]

Cool beans

I am glad v1.4.3 took care of it. The program will still use the fall back and not get stuck if VSS crashes like it did before, while at the same time waiting as long as needed for VSS to finish making the snap shot

New version will be put out tomorrow.

Shane

[Tomas_Sweden]

I have been thinking about one thing in RB, when I'm using "Task Scheduler(Auto Backup)" to do a backup and I use "Normal" option, I see that RB is doing a backup, but I can't see if the backup used "VSS" or "Fallback method".

I would like RB to wait 10 seconds or so before it closes down the program, when I have time to see the which backup method RB were using. Instead of open the RB and look there, takes time to open RB  and because I'm curious to see right away if the backup is ok. Since 1.4.3 the VSS backup have worked everytime but anyway.

Tomas

[Shane]

Something to look at down the road

Shane