NTuS Realtime Backup
for Microsoft(R) Windows NT(TM) / Windows 95(TM)

Version 2.1


USERS MANUAL



NT MicroSystems (NTuS) Tomoki NOGUCHI
http://www.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005025/





Overview

How do you backup everyday? Are you satisfying current backup software? And do you have enough time, money or capacity to back-up?
The best solution for the backup is "frequent backup". NTuS Realtime Backup (describe "NuBak" instead of "NTuS Realtime Backup", hereafter) is a very useful backup application based on 32bit Windows operating system. The NuBak requires minimum disk space and it works maximum! The NuBak instantly duplicates your important data files to your designated places when your data file has just changed something.
The NuBak works pretty well with fast storage devices such as HDD, Jaz, MO, etc.
If you have a free space in your HDD, you can configure NuBak to use the free space. And you can optimize the backup configurations to reduce the consumption of the disk space.

The NuBak features as follows:






Installation / Upgrade

You have probably done the NuBak installation because now you are reading this document. You need to set up your backup environment after the installation.
If you need some information about the NuBak installation and upgrade, please refer README.TXT which contains some important information.






Configure Your Backup Environment

Now explain how to use NuBak. As explained before, the NuBak back-ups your important files automatically after configured properly.

1. Run NuBak

After finished installation, you can run a NuBak to select [Start] - [Program] - [NTuS Realtime Backup V2] in Windows menu or desktop icons.
The NuBak screen will appear as follows:



2. General Configuration

First of all, to adapt to your PC's backup environment, select Backup - General Configuration menu (or press Ctrl+G key) to see the following dialog box.



There are some general settings such as backup location, realtime detection interval, warning size of disk free space, and so on.
So you may confuse due to the difficulty, but basically all you have to do is specify the backup storage location which is displayed as "Backup To" in the dialog box.

3. File Configuration

Next, to configure for your backup environment, select Backup - File Configuration menu (or press Ctrl+F key) to see the following dialog box.



There are already a few useful sample settings. Please see and modify or delete these settings.
And you can add your important data folders to back-up them. Drag and drop a source folder from Windows Explorer (or File Manager's right view) on the File Configuration dialog box. Alternatively, you can use [Add] button.

4. Scan All Files

You will see "Backup Ready" message in the NuBak report window if you have accomplished General Configuration and File Configuration. If some event is happened now, the NuBak will begin to back-up immediately.
To back-up all of your designated backup folders, select Backup - Scan All Files menu.
Recommend you to watch the process. If you see anything wrong, you can select Abort! menu to abort the process.
This process may take a long time, but this is inevitable for only first time. Please put up with...

5. Ready to Realtime Back-up!

Congratulations! You have finished basic configuration for backup.
Now the NuBak is watching your designated disk folders/files very calmly. To test the realtime backup, please try to copy, create, rename or delete some file in your designated folder.
Recommend you to adjust some settings to optimize your backup environment later on.






Menus

Backup


Backup - General Configuration

This dialog box has some general settings such as backup location, realtime detection interval, warning size of disk free space, and so on.
So you may confuse due to the difficulty, but basically all you have to do is specify the backup location which is displayed as "Backup To" in the dialog box.



  • File Detection Interval
    Specifies event detection interval in your designated backup source folders.
    The event means any modify,delete or add a file or a folder.
    Normally you don't need to change this value.

  • Backup Delay Time
    Specifies delay time after detect any event in your designated backup source folders. NuBak withholds the backup process as long as detect any event within this time.
    Recommend you to set this value from 3 to 60.

  • Backup To
    Specifies your backup storage folder. (e.g. D:\BACKUP)
    You can press [..] button to choose backup folder visually.
    This designation corresponds to environment-variable. (e.g. %TEMP%\BACKUP)
    And also corresponds to UNC named network path. (e.g. \\PCLAN\BACKUP)
    Recommend you to set this designation to physically different disk drive from your backup source to protect your important data files even though the backup source disk drive has broken physically.

  • Backup Drive Alert Size
    Specifies disk free space alert size of your backup drive.
    NuBak alerts if your disk free space is less than this value.

  • Create Log File
    Specifies log file name. The NuBak can write report message to the file as well as display report.
    The report message is appended to the tail of the log file.
    If you would like to create log, recommend you to designate log file in your desgnated backup folder. (e.g. D:\BACKUP\LOG.TXT)

  • Not Create Drive-Letter Named Folders
    Specifies backup file folder structure.
    If it is not checked, NuBak automatically creates drive-letter named folders in your designated backup directory to avoid be overwritten same name folders of different drives.
    But this designation is useful when you like to duplicate the structure of folders.
    Recommend you to un-check this if you don't care about this.

  • Display Detail Information
    Specifies show or hide detail information display.
    You can see only important information when you checked this.

  • Display Debug Info.
    Specifies show or hide debug information display.
    Recommend you to uncheck this.

  • Sound Alert
    If checked, NuBak alerts by sound when backup is completed or some error is occured.

  • Forced Backup (Ignore File Time-Stamp)
    If checked, NuBak back-ups different dated files even if backup file is newer.

  • Ignore +/- 2sec. Time Difference
    If checked, NuBak ignores different time files within +/- 2 seconds even if the source file is newer than backup file.
    This designation is effective if you're using both NTFS and FAT file system. The FAT file system manages files 2-seconds unit, but NTFS manages 1-second unit. So it is possible to happen a little time difference even if both backup file and source file are absolutely same file.


    Backup - File Configuration



  • [Add] button
    Shows dialog box to choose backup source folder.
    In other hand, probably it's the easiest way to add a source folder, you can add your desired source folder with drag and drop the folder from Windows Explorer (or File Manager's right view) on the File Configuration dialog box.
    Prior to add, recommend you to select a source folder in the list-box to quote the settings.

  • [Del] button
    Deletes selected backup source folder.

  • [UP] and [DOWN] buttons
    Arranges backup source folder list.

  • Source Folder
    Specifies backup source folder name.
    You can press [..] button to choose backup folder visually.
    This designation corresponds to environment-variable. (e.g. %TEMP%\BACKUP)
    And also corresponds to UNC named network path. (e.g. \\PCLAN\BACKUP)

  • Ignore Backup
    If checked, NuBak ignores this backup source folder settings.

  • Contains Sub-Folders
    If checked, NuBak back-ups whole sub-folders and files in designated folder.

  • Including Files
    Specifies backup target files. Use semicolon (;) to separate multiple files.
    You can use wildcard direction based on MS-DOS and Windows style such as "*" or "?" characters.

  • Excluding Files
    Specifies unbackup files. Use semicolon (;) to separate multiple files.
    If blank here, means there is no excluding file.
    You can use wildcard direction based on MS-DOS and Windows style such as "*" or "?" characters.

  • Excluding Folders
    Specifies excluded backup folders. Use semicolon (;) to separate multiple files.
    You have to designate only folder name (e.g. temp) here, not full-path (e.g. c:\temp). Therefore, NuBak cannot distinguish if there are same named folders in different place...
    Sub-folders in this excluding folders are included.
    If blank here, means there is no excluding folder.
    You can use wildcard direction based on MS-DOS and Windows style such as "*" or "?" characters.

  • Old Backup Files
    Specifies how to handle old backup files. The old backup file means the file exists only in the backup folder. Such files are made by deleted some file in backup source folders.
    Choose None,Warning,Delete or Move from the Combo-box.
    These mean: If choose "Move to", you have to designate a transferred place. This designation corresponds to environment-variable. (e.g. %TEMP%\OLDDEL)
    Not only old backup files but also old backup folders are moved to the "Move to" place. If existed same file name or same folder name even if it was in different place, the moved files/folders will be overwritten.

  • Special Backup To
    Specifies special backup place. If you need to specify a unique backup place for current selected source folder, designate the place here as well as "Backup To" designation of General Configuration.

  • Maximum Generations
    Specifies generation backup. This generation means that how many older backup files do you want to keep.
    If an edit-box shown left side is "0", means no generation. In this case, older files are overwritten.
    "1" means only 1 generation. Older files are renamed. The rename method is just add ".$" with generation number to the tail of the file. For instance, if updated TEST.TXT file in your backup source folder, older TEST.TXT in your backup folder is renamed to TEST.TXT.$1
    The generation number is shifted to older number and the most older generation file is automatically deleted when backed up.
    This value is valid from 0 (means no generation) to 99 (means 99 generations).

    An edit-box shown right side (> [180] sec) specifies a least file time different to make generation.
    If there is "180", the generation backup is ignored (just overwritten to backup files) as long as the source file is updated within 180 seconds.
    This value is valid from 0 (means none) to 30000 (means 8 hour 20 min).
  • No Create Same-Date Generations
    If checked here, the generation backup is ignored (just overwritten to backup files) as long as the source file is updated within the same day.
    This check is ignored when Maximum Generations is set 0.

  • Forced Backup, Interval
    If checked here, NuBak processes interval backup automatically even though there is no event in the designated backup source folder.
    The interval time is designated in the edit-box right.
    This value is valid from 1 (means 1 minute) to 1440 (means 24 hours).

  • Disable Realtime File Detection
    If checked here, NuBak doesn't detect any event in the designated backup source folder.
    This check is useful for Forced Backup mentioned above.
    Scan All Files process does backup even if checked this.

  • Done Execution
    Specifies execution program file name and start options.
    When backup has been completed, the program is executed.
    An edit-box left is execution program file name, and an edit-box right is start options for the execution program.
    If the program file name is blank, no program is executed.

    Backup - Edit Configuration File

    Edits current configuration information file by Windows Notepad editor.
    Usually you don't need to use this function but this function may be convenient to anti-GUI users :-)

    Backup - Scan All Files

    Does backup all designated backup source folders.
    You can use /sa start option to make sure the backup.


    Backup - Delete All Generation Files

    Deletes all generation files.
    Currently this function is not complete because NuBak program cuts corners the internal process... It may delete not only generation files but also similar named normal files rarely.
    Therefore, you have to carefully run this function, and you should not run this function simplistic.

    Prior to run this function to confirm what files are deleted, you can try this function. When confirmation dialog box appeared, choose [Yes] button with pressing [Shift] key. You will see a lot of errors, but it is correct display because this is a test and actually these files are not deleted.

    Backup - Backup Abort

    Aborts all backup process.
    This menu is available while doing backup.

    Backup - Backup Pause

    Pauses all backup process.
    This menu is available while doing backup.

    Backup - Backup Hold

    Holds all backup process.

    Backup - Backup Off

    Disables all backup process.

    Backup - Exit

    Exits the NuBak.

    View



    View - Toolbar

    Switches tool-bar states on and off.

    View - Status Bar

    Switches status-bar states on and off.

    View - Display OFF

    Disables display information. And also disables to output log file.

    Display - Font

    Changes display font.
    This designation is available for Report/Error window and General/File Configuration dialog box.

    Help



    Help - USERS MANUAL

    Shows users manual.
    You need some browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer to see this users manual.

    Help - About NuBak...

    Shows the NuBak version information and registration dialog box.





    NuBak Start Options



  • /i<ConfigFileName.NBK>
    (e.g. NuBak.EXE /iMyConfig.NBK)
    You can designate a unique configuration file using this option to run or to switch multiple NuBak configurations.
    NuBak generates the default configuration file. But as for how to generate the unique configuration file for this /i option, is as follows. (Sorry, it must be a little complicated...)
    1. Copy the default configuration file (NuBak.NBK) to another file name such as MyConfig.NBK in the same folder. Most easy way to do that is using Edit Configuration File menu to open the configuration file by notepad editor and you can copy this file to choose File - Save As menu in the notepad editor.
      These must be in a Windows folder such as C:\Windows. In detail, %windir% of an environment variable represents the place. So, you can see the content using "set" command using MS-DOS (or Command) prompt.
    2. You can use the unique configuration file using this /i option.
      Please edit the NuBak shortcut (icon) property using mouse's right-click on the NuBak shortcut.
    NOTE that this option will be available only registered users, in the future.

  • /sa
    Executes Scan All Files once when the NuBak has just started.

  • /q
    Exits the NuBak has just done the startup process.
    This option is good to use with /sa option if you like to exit the NuBak after backup all.

  • /p
    Disables to control process priority of the NuBak.
    If you don't use this option, the NuBak occasionally controls the process priority to lowest or normal. The NuBak is being a lowest process priority is good for other applications because the NuBak doesn't interfere to other applications. But one of bad thing is the NuBak runs so slower. You may feel the NuBak is too slow...
    If the NuBak process priority control is disabled using this option, the NuBak can runs so faster. Recommend you to use this option when your PC has enough performance, or you're using a Windows NT operating system which controls multitasking so smoothly.

  • /nbc
    Inhibits to check a folder existence in your designated backup drive.
    Usually NuBak checks your designated backup folder, and alert by dialog box if NuBak couldn't detect the backup folder.
    If you're using this option, the NuBak never alerts.

  • /cp
    Inhibits a quit confirmation dialog box when the NuBak exits.





    Registration

    NTuS Realtime Backup (NuBak) is a shareware.
    [PsL]Please register via online!
    You can click here (http://www.pslweb.com/cgi-win/psl_ord.exe/item30353) to go to PsL (Public Software Library, Inc.) shareware registration service for this shareware.
    If you have any suggestions or questions, let me know please!

    * Price
  Single Copy   US$29 each
  Site License  US$29 each (  2 to   9 users)
  Site License  US$25 each ( 10 to  99 users)
  Site License  US$20 each (100 to 999 users)
  Site License  US$10 each (more than 1000 users)
    (from PsL)
    If you place your credit card order now, as a bonus, you can save 80% on the latest PsL Shareware CD-ROM with thousands of the latest freeware and shareware programs for home and office. The CD-ROM normally sells for $30 plus shipping, but when ordering any of the products listed below, you can get it for just $6 plus shipping with a full money-back satisfaction guarantee.






    Other Information


  • A Dialog Box Will Be Appeared Every 30 Minutes When You Are Not Registered Yet

    While appearing this dialog box, the backup process is holding.
    This dialog box control is unlocked when you are a registered user.

  • The Structure of the Backup Folder

    The following figure is a typical structure of the backup folder.
    As you see, special point is the drive-letter named folder is inserted. You can inhibit this folder generation to check No Create Drive-Letter Named Folders item in General Configuration dialog.

    D:\Backup
    |
    +------ C ...(C: drive)
    | |
    | +------ Windows
    | | |
    | | +------ System
    | | |
    | | :
    | |
    | +------ My Documents
    | |
    | :
    |
    +------ D ...(D: drive)
    | :
    |
    +------ PCLAN ...(UNC named network path)
    | |
    | +------ D
    | | |
    | | +------ Data
    : : :


  • Can Execute Different NuBak

    You can execute multiple different configured NuBak to use /i start option.

  • Test Mode When You Press Shift Key

    NuBak assumes test mode when the NuBak is activated and pressed [Shift] key.
    On the test mode, the NuBak asserts ERROR because the NuBak didn't process backup.
    This function is just for development testing. There is no assurance to behave this safely.

  • Support and Questions

    To check whether you have the most recent version of NuBak, Please check our home page at http://www.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005025/ or send email to cxk00752@nifty.ne.jp.

  • Tested Environment
    1. Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 [JP] (Build 1381, Service Pack 1)
      (IBM-PC Compatible, Intel Pentium II 266MHz, 64MB Memory...)
    2. Microsoft Windows 98 [JP] (Beta3)
    3. Microsoft Windows 95 [JP] (Version 4.00.950B)
    4. Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51 [JP] (Build 1057, Service Pack 3)
    5. Microsoft Windows 95 [US]
    6. Microsoft Windows 98 [US] (Beta3)
    * Not supported on Windows 3.1 + Win32s
    * Not supported on Windows NT 3.1

    1. and 2. as mentioned above is a primary development environment.
    Development language is C++ with MFC, Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0, for now.

    NT MicroSystems, Tomoki NOGUCHI (cxk00752@nifty.ne.jp)
    http://www.vector.co.jp/authors/VA005025/
    Last Updated: Mar.9, 1998