Fab's AutoBackup 7 Pro - a must have tool for techs

[fabs]

@fabs On another topic, could you give a list of what can only be backed up from within a live system (and unavailable from an offline drive)? Not talking about encrypted drives here, just generally.

It's not as simple as that as there are also some stuff that can be grabbed only if Fab's runs as the user account that is backed up.
I think about password related stuff grabbed using Nirsoft tools.
For example, Nirsoft MailPassView only runs for current user. Fab's always runs with administrator privileges. It means if the user you are backing up is not a local administrator, Nirsoft MailPassView will not be able to grab email clients passwords for that user. NetPass and WebBrowserPassView work the same way.
Cloud services local files can also fail because most of the time, the files are not really there but online. If Fab's does not run under the signed in OneDrive Account, it will not be able to download and backup them. Then it will throw an error.

In general, I avoid such things that only work under live systems.

 

[MudRock]

Oh yeah. If you're working on a multi user computer who all use their own log in to OneDrive, the other users will fail even when backing up live.

@fabs maybe in the instances of anything that could fail because it is offline (But not a guaranteed failure), maybe add a note to the error or change to a warning. For example (Shorten obviously)

Warning - OneDrive folders backed up offline or without an active internet connection will not capture all files, only files currently residing on the computer directly. This does not mean a loss of files; Just the end user will have to add their OneDrive credentials to the new system to recall all files.

 

[fabs]

LOL, yeah in your first test build it took 3 hours to back up my test machine and had 500 failed files. In the second, it only had 50 failed files, but it took 17 freaking hours! If it's going to take 17 hours to do a backup I'm gonna have to like quadruple my prices for data backup LOL.

Let me know when you want me to run another test @fabs. It's just set it and forget it really so don't feel bad about "wasting" my time.

It looks like I've found out how to take ownership of long path files and folders without relying on any other third party tool.
In a previous post, I talked about my disappointment about the fact that the takeown.exe command line tool that ships with Windows does not handle long paths. After pulling my hair out for days, I thought : "OK, then why not converting such long paths into that good old 8.3 format and pass it to takeown.exe ?"
I've tried that and it worked! All of this without impact on general speed. I'm now waiting for your feedback on this one. If it's good for you, then I'll release it.

 

[fabs]

Shout out to @sapphirescales for being so patient and helping me sort that issue out.
Next update should follow tomorrow

 

[MudRock]

Good job @sapphirescales and @fabs !

 

[fabs]

Hello,
Fab's AutoBackup 7 Pro and Fab's AutoBackup 7 Home & Office V7.9.1.5416 have just been released.

Here is the change log for both versions:

Added:
- Program's interface can now fit very large displays.
Removed:
- Nirsoft utilities are no longer packed inside installer program. They remain available as a separated download for people who really need them. This will prevent anti-malware triggers for people who do not need them and not using Windows Defender as anti-malware solution.
Fixed:
- Fab's AutoBackup could not set required permissions for files and folders with paths longer than 255 characters, so, it could not copy them, throwing various errors.
- It was possible to select and execute Nirsoft NetPass, MailPassView and WebBrowserPassView even if this was in a scenario when these tools could not work. Because of this, the program was throwing errors.

Grab it from your orders history's details on the shop's website at https://store.fpnet.fr/account.php or using the bundled updater tool (click the "Download Fab's AutoBackup 7.X" link within the program and get the updated files).

 

[frase]

I just ran a backup, there was no installed programs file created? I looked in the "Public" folder nothing there either?

 

[fabs]

I've just ran one and it worked as expected. It looks like I'll need some more details about your configuration like :
- Current or hooked system drive
- Were there warnings about unloadable registry hives ?
- What type of storage do you use for the backup ? Local drive, network share ?

 

[fincoder]

Regarding the installed software & printers reports, why are they sometimes saved in a folder on the desktop? Other times they're saved on the desktop directly? It might depend on whether it's a transfer or restore, but I can't think why except maybe a bug.

Obviously not a serious issue, but it just seems unnecessary to open a folder to get to a single file. The report files should be either placed on the desktop itself, or all placed into a single folder for grouping purposes. Not an individual folder for each file.

 

[frase]

I've just ran one and it worked as expected. It looks like I'll need some more details about your configuration like :
- Current or hooked system drive
- Were there warnings about unloadable registry hives ?
- What type of storage do you use for the backup ? Local drive, network share ?

Ah np my bad I think, as ran the backup with HDD connected into Caddy sorry. No warning regarding Hives - is there something I can do in future?

All cool thanks

 

[fabs]

Regarding the installed software & printers reports, why are they sometimes saved in a folder on the desktop? Other times they're saved on the desktop directly? It might depend on whether it's a transfer or restore, but I can't think why except maybe a bug.

Obviously not a serious issue, but it just seems unnecessary to open a folder to get to a single file. The report files should be either placed on the desktop itself, or all placed into a single folder for grouping purposes. Not an individual folder for each file.

Making such lists is not Fab's main purpose. There isn't such an "export" list feature as they are part of a backup/restore or transfer process. However, it's possible to put them in a specific folder but only while transferring or restoring data. For that, edit autobackup.ini file and add ReportsStorage=Z:\Folder_where_to_store_reports value under [CONFIG] section. This way, resorts and exports (nirsoft exports too) will be stored here.

 

[fabs]

Ah np my bad I think, as ran the backup with HDD connected into Caddy sorry. No warning regarding Hives - is there something I can do in future?

All cool thanks

Thanks for that. New test done in similar conditions (mounted VHD) and software list was exported correctly. So far, I can't see any program bug. Are you sure the box was ticked ?

 

[frase]

Thanks for that. New test done in similar conditions (mounted VHD) and software list was exported correctly. So far, I can't see any program bug. Are you sure the box was ticked ?

Unsure - probably not will take note in future, Thanks.

 

[fincoder]

This way, resorts and exports (nirsoft exports too) will be stored here.

My main question was about why sometimes the 'installed software list' (and other reports etc) are sometimes stored in a folder of the same name, just to hold a single file, but other times just the file itself is placed on the desktop. It might be transfer & restore that behave differently in this regard, but why? I'm just suggesting that the unhelpful subfolder created isn't necessary, and obviously isn't because some operations don't create it.

I assume the ReportsStorage setting just replaces Desktop as the location, but there would still be individual subfolders created with a single file in it.

Every time a report ends up in it's own subfolder on the Desktop, I have to drag it out to the desktop. Because I often open these files more than once, and often leave them on the desktop for the customer.

Just a minor annoyance, something for you to look at later if you want. No need to interrupt other more important work!

 

[fabs]

My main question was about why sometimes the 'installed software list' (and other reports etc) are sometimes stored in a folder of the same name, just to hold a single file, but other times just the file itself is placed on the desktop. It might be transfer & restore that behave differently in this regard, but why? I'm just suggesting that the unhelpful subfolder created isn't necessary, and obviously isn't because some operations don't create it.

Right, transfer mode do not create such folders. There's a simple reason : sometimes, people use Fab's to make backups from the same system regularly in non dated folder names, there can be lots of versions of those lists. Imagine, you use Fab's to backup a system every day and you decide to get installed software list back while restoring. If they're not stored in such a folder, imagine how charged the desktop will be. At least in a sub folder like that, desktop stays as clean as possible. That's the only but understandable reason.

I assume the ReportsStorage setting just replaces Desktop as the location, but there would still be individual subfolders created with a single file in it.

That's right, I may try to do something about that. Like if this variable exists, then it should not create sub folders.

 

[fincoder]

There's a simple reason : sometimes, people use Fab's to make backups from the same system regularly in non dated folder names

OK, fair enough. I didn't think of repeated backups, makes sense now.

I only mentioned it because I thought it was an oversight or bug. Now I know it's by design, no need to change anything. It's only a couple of extra clicks for each report after a restore, I can easily live with it.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[fabs]

OK, fair enough. I didn't think of repeated backups, makes sense now.

I only mentioned it because I thought it was an oversight or bug. Now I know it's by design, no need to change anything. It's only a couple of extra clicks for each report after a restore, I can easily live with it.

Thanks for your reply.

You're welcome

 

[timeshifter]

Is there a "take home" version of Fabs?

A customer has a laptop that died. I'm copying everything from it's hard drive to a new external USB drive for him. He won't be using it right away. I'm thinking I'd like to say "run this when you get it connected down the road and it will restore everything to your new computer for you".

I don't think he'd be wanting to pay for it. And I don't really want to devalue what I (we) bring to the table. But, sill curious if there's a portable free version this guy could use. @fabs your support here is great, but don't run off and write one just yet. . This may never come up again.

 

[fabs]

@fabs your support here is great, but don't run off and write one just yet. . This may never come up again.

He could just use trial (regular version with no license information) for that

 

[timeshifter]

So just download this for him and he could restore all 63GB of data to his new computer using the trial version of Autobackup 7 Pro?

Fab's AutoBackup

www.fpnet.fr