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Old 08-15-2002, 11:29 AM   #1 (permalink)
 
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Well I finally got my new computer working with Helios 9 and so far so good. My question is about doing our nightly backup. I used the utilities in Helios and selected my E: drive. I thought it was done when it stopped and removed the cd. About 30 seconds later something opened on my screen saying files were ready to be written but there was no cd in the drive. Well, I stuck it back in and let them copy. I closed that and then closed the Helios part of the backup. Is this the correct procedure? Thanks, Tammy
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Old 08-15-2002, 11:44 AM   #2 (permalink)
 
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Tammy, remind us again what operating system are you using.

Windows XP support direct access to a CD-RW, with other operating systems you may need additional software to write to the CD.

You can also Explore the CD and see what you have on it. Should be a hzp file of the name you assigned during the Helios Backup operation.

Tammy, if you have a home computer - install Helios on your home computer, restore your the backup from the CD. On the first restore, while Demo Data is still on your home system, the password will be "demo", then once your data is on the system, your passwords will be in effect.

Without the dongle you will be in Demo Mode on your home computer, NO PROBLEM. You can do everything (Reports etc) in Demo Mode, you just cannot add a client or process a POS transaction (Sales, Tan etc).

This way you can feel VERY comfortable that your backup is working OK .....

and of course it allows you to do more work at home, a priority for all of us, RIGHT.
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Old 08-15-2002, 11:58 AM   #3 (permalink)
 
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I have XP professional. I'd like to do it in as few steps as possible. I'm usually not here to do the closing at this time of year and want it to be easy for my staff. Thanks again, Tammy
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Old 08-15-2002, 12:10 PM   #4 (permalink)
 
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Have not upgraded to XP yet - have it but needs a fresh install - such a pain with all the data and programs I have on my system.

Couple of weeks ago, was onsite with a client - XP Pro, Backup wrote to CD almost immediately, or so I remember.

You could also use the MS-Backup Utilities and schedule the backup - it is the 4 Access Databases (mdb files) in the Data Directory inside Program Files/Helios9 that the Helios Utilities backups.

John, oh Supreme Technical GURU, and knower of all things XP - any other words of advice here.
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Old 08-15-2002, 12:28 PM   #5 (permalink)
 
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I can't find anything in the help screens in windows. Do you know where I go to do the backup if not using Helios utilities?

Also, I'm new to using a CD-RW cd drive. Do my backup cds need to be CD-RW so I can copy over them once a week or will CD-R work too?

Tammy
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Old 08-15-2002, 02:12 PM   #6 (permalink)
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CD-R vs CD-RW

For backup purposes I prefer to use CD-R. The reason? It's not the cost, but rather the fact that you don't overwrite an old backup.

This is an important fact for any Access based program, because if you overwrite your backups, you may end up backing up a weeks worth of corrupt databases.

CD-R's are cheap and disposable. If you buy them in bulk, you can get them near $0.10 apiece, so a years worth of backups would cost you $36.50 which is less than the cost of many tapes, and the price of a few CD-RW's.

Add to that, you never overwrite. You get a full history archived for posterity. When you don't need them anymore, you can decorate a room with them, or use them as coasters or frisbees.

BTW, a bit of CD-R and CD-RW info... The really important side to keep safe is the top, not the bottom! Scratches in the bottom are in the plastic only and can often be buffed out. The media that stores the bits is actually attached to the top, so if you scratch that, expecially near the center (which is where the writing starts), the disk is ruined. That's also the best way to destroy a CD-R, scratch the top from the center out.

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Old 08-15-2002, 06:31 PM   #7 (permalink)
 
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I don't know if my original question was ever answered . . . does anyone know what that additional (files are waiting to be written to the cd) thing is that popped up after the Helios backup seemed to be done?

If it's a built in backup that windows uses I can't figure out how to use it on it's own. I also can't figure out how to make it go away so I can simply use the Helios backup. Any ideas?

It's so frustrating being computer illiterate when you're trying to show other people what to do! Thanks, Tammy
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Old 08-15-2002, 07:13 PM   #8 (permalink)
 
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Tammy, you may be best served by asking the supplier from whom you purchased your system.

With XP, the Helios backup is simply writing to the CD the same as it would write to any other device during Backup.

If anyone else has any suggestions or comments - offer away.
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