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

[fabs]

I did a Fab's (7.16.0.6797 Pro) transfer yesterday with Thunderbird profiles selected, but they weren't found during processing:

12/5/2024 9:35:34 PM : parso => Don : Mozilla Thunderbird Profile "default" ("D:\Users\parso\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\f0k4obv5.default") : No file to copy

12/5/2024 9:35:34 PM : parso => Don : Mozilla Thunderbird Profile "default-release" ("D:\Users\parso\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\zq9f4yj0.default-release") : No file to copy

I noticed in the on-screen messages that Thunderbird didn't copy so I went back in Fab's to make sure Thunderbird profiles were selected, de-selected everything else, and ran the transfer again. This time the Thunderbird profiles were found during processing:

12/5/2024 9:51:43 PM : Processing : parso (Associated Microsoft ID : oldfellow44@outlook.com) to Don

12/5/2024 9:51:43 PM : parso => Don : Mozilla Thunderbird Profile "default" ("D:\Users\parso\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\f0k4obv5.default") : 4 Files (*.*) - 512.54 KB

12/5/2024 9:51:49 PM : parso => Don : Mozilla Thunderbird Profile "default-release" ("D:\Users\parso\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\zq9f4yj0.default-release") : 541 Files (*.*) - 8.18 GB

And they were transferred OK. Why were the Thunderbird profiles not found on the first run?

Do you still have the old drive ?
Then, I need to reproduce the eact configuration. For that, I need :
- All the ini files that sit under "X:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird" folder
- Folder names that are under "X:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles" folder.
With this, I'll be able to make a test lab thunderbird.


Edit: finally, that will not be necessary at all. Looking at the bottom of your first transfer log, it shows the following:

[ERROR] 12/5/2024 9:35:36 PM : parso => Don : Unable to find source file "D:\Users\parso\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Address Validation Rules"

[ERROR] 12/5/2024 9:35:36 PM : parso => Don : Unable to reach source drive. "D:\". It may be disconnected.

It should have logged it a better way but obviously, your source drive was not available on first try so Fab's could not find anything. You may have something like drive is there but disconnects from time to time.

 

[fincoder]

That disconnection of D: is explainable, I mistakenly ejected the wrong USB drive. Your code handled it and after I reconnected it the retry succeeded.

I no longer have the original drive, and besides it worked the second time anyway.

If there's no obvious cause, we're just going to have to check future transfers in case it happens again.

 

[fabs]

I no longer have the original drive, and besides it worked the second time anyway.

If there's no obvious cause, we're just going to have to check future transfers in case it happens again.

It does not matter anymore if you do not have original drive as cause is now identified :
- Wrong disk was ejected just before Fab's had possibility to list Thunderbird (and some others) files from it.
- Fab's said it had no file to copy which and that makes sense since source drive was missing while trying to list files for copy
- Source drive was plugged back in, then you went back to check if Thunderbird profile was checked.
- Finally, you ran the copy job again and this time, it worked as expected since drive was there all along

 

[tmboss]

I use FABs all the time and then I got this client with 350 GB of data using OneDrive. I was being extra careful (I thought) and ended up with double the amount of data in destination. OneDrive ( Pics, docs, desktop 350 GB) and Pictures, Desktop, Documents another (350 GB). I assumed she had two copies of each on source but only OneDrive. Caused me great grief untill I finally looked at source computer and saw only 350 GB.

Any clue how I ended up with 2 copies on destination?

I've always just stayed with default backup setting and restore setting. Maybe I ventured off.

Cloud Files (local copies) must download the contents of OneDrive cloud?

I think I answered my own question.

 

[fabs]

I use FABs all the time and then I got this client with 350 GB of data using OneDrive. I was being extra careful (I thought) and ended up with double the amount of data in destination. OneDrive ( Pics, docs, desktop 350 GB) and Pictures, Desktop, Documents another (350 GB). I assumed she had two copies of each on source but only OneDrive. Caused me great grief untill I finally looked at source computer and saw only 350 GB.

Any clue how I ended up with 2 copies on destination?

I've always just stayed with default backup setting and restore setting. Maybe I ventured off.

Cloud Files (local copies) must download the contents of OneDrive cloud?

I think I answered my own question.

User had folders redirected to OneDrive. So when you picked up oneDrive item as well as usual ones, you got files twice. That thing is a pain to handle.

 

[fincoder]

- Wrong disk was ejected just before Fab's had possibility to list Thunderbird (and some others) files from it.

During the transfer phase, and it retried and continued the operation.

- Fab's said it had no file to copy

During the earlier processing phase when the drive was available, way before the disk was accidentally ejected.

Anyway, the accidental disk ejection complicates things, so I'll leave it there unless I notice it again.

 

[fincoder]

User had folders redirected to OneDrive.

Which is true on the majority of PCs now. It would be nice if Fab's somehow handled this correctly. Maybe any redirected library folders should be skipped when doing the OneDrive copying.

 

[tmboss]

Which is true on the majority of PCs now. It would be nice if Fab's somehow handled this correctly. Maybe any redirected library folders should be skipped when doing the OneDrive copying.

Is there more discussion on OneDrive / Fabs somewhere? I looked in the pdf and nothing there. The check box item showed up on the bottom and was wondering what it was doing. It’s a great idea but like any tool you need to know how to use it.

Is there a Fabs recommended process for handling OneDrive? Maybe I or Fabs should start another discussion so others can follow and contribute to tips and tricks.

 

[fabs]

Is there more discussion on OneDrive / Fabs somewhere? I looked in the pdf and nothing there. The check box item showed up on the bottom and was wondering what it was doing. It’s a great idea but like any tool you need to know how to use it.

Is there a Fabs recommended process for handling OneDrive? Maybe I or Fabs should start another discussion so others can follow and contribute to tips and tricks.

The OneDrive feature's purpose is only to grab files that are there locally. That feature was asked in order to save time for users so cloud files will not have to be downloaded again after restore.
Now, I have to exclude anything that sits under OneDrive folder if its path matches Desktop, Pictures and Documents items so there will not be duplicates like that again.

 

[fabs]

While listing cloud files (not just OneDrive) next Fab's version will check if current file's path matches with Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos or Downloads paths. If this is the case, they will be excluded from cloud files copy, avoiding double backup/transfer.

 

[frase]

Just wondering has something changed as I no longer get the Installed Programs File upon completion?

Is of an external Hive unsure if this is the problem.

 

[JoelM]

I find that I have to run the restore twice to get the wifi profiles to appear and the product keys to be put on the desktop. After running the restore the second time they are there. There is no error the first time I run the restore.
This has been the case for a while now. I have even download a completly fresh copy with the same results.

 

[fabs]

Just wondering has something changed as I no longer get the Installed Programs File upon completion?

Is of an external Hive unsure if this is the problem.

Just tested right now. No problem with this...
Perhaps you have set a ReportsStorage variable under [CONFIG] section in your autobackup.ini file ?
If so, it explains why this will never go to the desktop.
Other possible thing : has this report ever been generated ? The fact it comes from an external drive is not a problem. A possible cause would be a corrupted remote software hive so the tool could not grab anything from it, leading to nothing restored since there was nothing to get.

 

[fabs]

I find that I have to run the restore twice to get the wifi profiles to appear and the product keys to be put on the desktop. After running the restore the second time they are there. There is no error the first time I run the restore.
This has been the case for a while now. I have even download a completly fresh copy with the same results.

My last test worked fine except for the WirelessKeyView.txt file that never gets copied to the desktop, no matter how many times I run the restore. That said, wifi connections have been reimported just fine at first attempt. At least, there no data loss but I need to fix that missing txt file anyway.


Edit: looking at code, that's not a bug. Explanation : the program will check if WirelessKeyView zip file exists, then it will use it directly to import wifi keys into Windows settings. You get the txt file on the desktop if there is no WirelessKeyView tool so user can set wifi networks manually using the txt file.

 

[JoelM]

My last test worked fine except for the WirelessKeyView.txt file that never gets copied to the desktop, no matter how many times I run the restore. That said, wifi connections have been reimported just fine at first attempt. At least, there no data loss but I need to fix that missing txt file anyway.


Edit: looking at code, that's not a bug. Explanation : the program will check if WirelessKeyView zip file exists, then it will use it directly to import wifi keys into Windows settings. You get the txt file on the desktop if there is no WirelessKeyView tool so user can set wifi networks manually using the txt file.

For me it's not a matter of the text file being put on the desktop. What happens is that the wifi keys are not imported into the windows settings on the first restore. Once the first restore is finished if I click the back button then forward again to have it do another restore then the wifi keys are imported into the registry.
The same second restore will then also put the product key txt file on the desktop and also the QB key text file on the desktop if they have Quickbooks installed. These are never done on the first restore.
This is the same everytime I use Fabs and even verified with a brand new download of the Fabs software. It's not a make or break problem I just have to remember to run the restore the second time and sometimes I forget. It has been a glitch that has happened for me for a couple of years now.

 

[fabs]

For me it's not a matter of the text file being put on the desktop. What happens is that the wifi keys are not imported into the windows settings on the first restore. Once the first restore is finished if I click the back button then forward again to have it do another restore then the wifi keys are imported into the registry.
The same second restore will then also put the product key txt file on the desktop and also the QB key text file on the desktop if they have Quickbooks installed. These are never done on the first restore.
This is the same everytime I use Fabs and even verified with a brand new download of the Fabs software. It's not a make or break problem I just have to remember to run the restore the second time and sometimes I forget. It has been a glitch that has happened for me for a couple of years now.

Well,
this needs to be sorted out anyway.
Now, I need to reproduce your workflow :
- What kind of path do you use for Fab's executable (local, external drive, network path?)
- What kind of path do you use to store the backup ? Or is that a disk to disk transfer maybe ?
If you think about something else that could be relevant, please let me know.

 

[frase]

Just tested right now. No problem with this...
Perhaps you have set a ReportsStorage variable under [CONFIG] section in your autobackup.ini file ?
If so, it explains why this will never go to the desktop.
Other possible thing : has this report ever been generated ? The fact it comes from an external drive is not a problem. A possible cause would be a corrupted remote software hive so the tool could not grab anything from it, leading to nothing restored since there was nothing to get.

Thanks for the reply, this is the first time it occured [Latest Update] Pro and it generally does; all I got was the log.
A warning came up as well that the drive will not be bootable after backup as well. I have never seen this before either. I did not get a screenshot at the time though.

 

[fincoder]

A warning came up as well that the drive will not be bootable after backup as well.

The warning says the drive MAY not be bootable. That's a disclaimer, happens automatically whenever it's run. It's recently been added by @fabs because of some rare situation (can't remember the details). Whenever I've had to reboot using that drive it worked anyway.

 

[JoelM]

Well,
this needs to be sorted out anyway.
Now, I need to reproduce your workflow :
- What kind of path do you use for Fab's executable (local, external drive, network path?)
- What kind of path do you use to store the backup ? Or is that a disk to disk transfer maybe ?
If you think about something else that could be relevant, please let me know.

I have Fabs in a folder in the root directory of an external USB hard drive.
I store the backup in on the same USB external hard drive. I just create a folder in the root directory for the backup.
I then move the external hard drive to the new computer and run the restore function of Fabs.
All goes good with no errors in the log.
I will look at the known networks in the wifi settings. It will show no known networks unless I added mine during setup of the machine. I then run the restore a second time which runs very fast as there is no new data to transfer. Once this finishes I can look in the wifi settings and see it added the profiles from the backup. I will also then see the product key txt file on the desktop which was not there after the first restore.

 

[fabs]

I have Fabs in a folder in the root directory of an external USB hard drive.
I store the backup in on the same USB external hard drive. I just create a folder in the root directory for the backup.
I then move the external hard drive to the new computer and run the restore function of Fabs.
All goes good with no errors in the log.
I will look at the known networks in the wifi settings. It will show no known networks unless I added mine during setup of the machine. I then run the restore a second time which runs very fast as there is no new data to transfer. Once this finishes I can look in the wifi settings and see it added the profiles from the backup. I will also then see the product key txt file on the desktop which was not there after the first restore.

Thanks for such a detailed response.
I have been able to reproduce the issue: it happens if public items (like documents for example) are involved in restore process (maybe transfer too). When you go back and run the job again, there are no more public files to copy except those coming from extractions like so they are this time processed as expected.
Now I have to find out why and fix it once for all.