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

[Your PCMD]

Thank you @fabs

 

[fincoder]

Thanks fabs.

VSS snapshots are now used only if they're needed

So VSS was used for every file? Would that explain why folders with huge numbers of small files take so long to copy?

 

[fabs]

Thanks fabs.


So VSS was used for every file? Would that explain why folders with huge numbers of small files take so long to copy?

Yes, a snapshot of the entire drive was taken before copy began. That said, folders with huge amount of small files are always slow to copy, VSS or not

 

[MudRock]

Yes, a snapshot of the entire drive was taken before copy began. That said, folders with huge amount of small files are always slow to copy, VSS or not

Yep. Massive amounts of disk thrashing. I'm SURE fabs can't do anything about it, because he is restrained within the confines of Windows for the most part.

 

[timeshifter]

Here's something I just ran into. Customer has a new PC and an old dead PC. I pull the drive from the dead PC and connect via USB adapter and run Fabs. Which profile from the dead drive do I pick?

I'd rather not browse the drive from Explorer as it'll make me take ownership. When doing a "Transfer" Fabs won't show me the copy size. (Guess that's only for Backup) . I know I could boot a Windows PC from a Windows PE disk of some sort and browse the c:\users\username folders, but hoping there's a simpler approach for next time?

 

[fincoder]

In situations like this I often run Treesize Portable (as administrator) which shows how much data there is in each profile, and allows browsing the folders within the profiles without the delay of taking ownership.

 

[fabs]

Yep. Massive amounts of disk thrashing. I'm SURE fabs can't do anything about it, because he is restrained within the confines of Windows for the most part.

Sure, there is nothing to do to speed up small file process. Basically, each file on a drive comes with an index that says where is this file on the disk, so, it's always slower to copy 1000 small files (1 file and 1 index remember) than 1 single same size file (same size but only 1 index). SSDs are better for this but there's still a struggle anyway. Things can really get awful with spinners with the head always moving from index area to data area. This is how drives work, I can't change that.

 

[fabs]

Here's something I just ran into. Customer has a new PC and an old dead PC. I pull the drive from the dead PC and connect via USB adapter and run Fabs. Which profile from the dead drive do I pick?

I'd rather not browse the drive from Explorer as it'll make me take ownership. When doing a "Transfer" Fabs won't show me the copy size. (Guess that's only for Backup) . I know I could boot a Windows PC from a Windows PE disk of some sort and browse the c:\users\username folders, but hoping there's a simpler approach for next time?

Yes, showing size to copy is only for backup. In a first place, it's here to help knowing if there enough free space on backup drive before copy process can begin. However, some techs charge by transferred GB and this helps them to know how much that will cost to the customer.
In case of a direct transfer, I would say that the hardest part of the job is done (sometimes, pulling a drive can be a pain right ?) and how much data to charge for is not the main concern anymore.

About which profile to pick, a good clue is its modification date in the explorer. You should be able to know that without taking ownership of any folder just by looking in Hooked_Drive_Letter:\Users folder. usually, the closest modification date is the one you are looking for.

 

[Metanis]

Fabs 7.1.1.1105
Windows 10 Pro - Version 1909
Routine backup of regular user.
VSS option is checked.

Immediately after creating the VSS snapshot the system has spent the last hour "Taking ownership of C:\VSS_C_ShadowCopy\" (then every user folder selected is flashing by very slowly...).

This is on a system with a Samsung 860 SSD and I don't recall this ever happening before.

 

[fabs]

Fabs 7.1.1.1105
Windows 10 Pro - Version 1909
Routine backup of regular user.
VSS option is checked.

Immediately after creating the VSS snapshot the system has spent the last hour "Taking ownership of C:\VSS_C_ShadowCopy\" (then every user folder selected is flashing by very slowly...).

This is on a system with a Samsung 860 SSD and I don't recall this ever happening before.

Have you checked the entire C drive within additional folders ?
Can you please run that how with debug mode enabled ?
To enable debug mode, right click title bar and select "debug mode". Just launch the job then cancel it. Fill the debug feedback form when closing the program and I will get diagnostic files straight to my mailbox

 

[Metanis]

Have you checked the entire C drive within additional folders ?
Can you please run that how with debug mode enabled ?
To enable debug mode, right click title bar and select "debug mode". Just launch the job then cancel it. Fill the debug feedback form when closing the program and I will get diagnostic files straight to my mailbox

"No" to the first question. Debug report sent! I disabled the real-time AV scanning the 2nd time around but it didn't make a difference to the "Taking ownership" messages.

 

[fabs]

"No" to the first question. Debug report sent! I disabled the real-time AV scanning the 2nd time around but it didn't make a difference to the "Taking ownership" messages.

I got debug feedback. I'll investigate this ASAP. So far, you obviously found a bug. Now, I need to find out where it is and release a fix

 

[glennd]

I got the same issue. Sending bug report now.

 

[Metanis]

I got debug feedback. I'll investigate this ASAP. So far, you obviously found a bug. Now, I need to find out where it is and release a fix

I just wanted to reiterate that this is under the newest version of Windows 10, 1909 which was just released this week.

 

[fabs]

It looks like this happens at least with Mozilla family software profiles. I have been able to reproduce the issue with opened Firefox while backing up.
It can also happen if some user folders have been selected in the additional folders tree. IE C:\Users\UserName\3DObjects or C:\Users\UserName\Downloads

Note to @Metanis : most of the additional folders you have selected are also natively supported by Fab's and do not require to be copied one more time using this additional folders feature. Here is a list of what you've added manually that was not necessary :
AdditionalFolder0=C:\Users\UserName\3D Objects\
AdditionalFolder1=C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\
AdditionalFolder2=C:\Users\UserName\Documents\
AdditionalFolder3=C:\Users\UserName\Downloads\
AdditionalFolder4=C:\Users\UserName\Music\
AdditionalFolder5=C:\Users\UserName\Pictures\
AdditionalFolder6=C:\Users\UserName\Videos\

Now, I'm working on a fix to prevent software from taking ownership of folders within a VSS snapshot. Doing that is useless since VSS snapshots permissions cannot be changed.

Until a fixed version is released, do not use VSS if you are dealing with Firefox/Thunderbird/SeaMonkey and want to save time

 

[HCHTech]

Windows 10 Pro - Version 1909

Wow - quick out of the gate, huh? I don't even have 1909 on a test box yet. Thanks for taking point!

 

[fabs]

Good news, I've sorted out both issues which was in facts a single one.
Fixed version will follow quickly.

 

[fabs]

Fixed version is now in the wild : Fab's AutoBackup 7 Home & Office and Fab's AutoBackup 7 Pro 7.1.1.1136 released.

Change log:
Added:
- Malwarebytes AntiMalware (3.x - 4.x) license key can now be exported.
Fixed:
- The program used to waste time trying to take ownership of folders in VSS snapshots when dealing with Mozilla family products and additional folders.


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

 

[Porthos]

Added:
- Malwarebytes AntiMalware (3.x - 4.x) license key can now be exported.

Remember, Having the key is good (thanks Fabs), Just remember to deactivate the license in the program (MB) if the computer boots and can go online before doing the backup and before nuking or transferring to another computer or you will have reactivation issues.

 

[fabs]

Remember, Having the key is good (thanks Fabs), Just remember to deactivate the license in the program (MB) if the computer boots and can go online before doing the backup and before nuking or transferring to another computer or you will have reactivation issues.

Absolutely