AceBIT

Hi, thanks for providing such a great tool for free!

1) I'm struggling to figure out one thing that is preventing me from fully implementing this product:
I added a folder to my backup project. This folder contains a subdirectory I do not want backed up. So, I deleted this subdirectory from the project. However, whenever the backup is updated, it finds this subdirectory and adds it to the project. Is there some way to permanently exclude this subdirectory and any files and folders that are currently within it or added to it later on after the project is created?

2) Is there some way to limit the number of versions that are created? If not, do you have any plans to add this ability?

3) When you right mouse click on a folder or file in the project, one of the menu items says "Revert". What does this do?


Thanks in advance!!!

Hi,
it is not possible to exclude subfolders from backuping the first time, but after you have backuped the project you can delete the content of the folder you don't want to get backuped. After you have done this you should rightclick the folder you do not want to get backuped and deactivate the option "Backup Item". When now updating the project the folder won't be backuped.

We are sorry but it is not possible to set the number of versions yet. And we do not work on Updates for AceBackup yet.

When using the button "Revert" the modifications at the projects will be canceled. This does only work when you did not push the "Process"-Button yet.

Kind Regards
Marco

Thanks for the quick response! I tried your suggestion, but unfortunately it didn't work. Here's the exact steps I followed. Please inform me of any corrections I should make:

1) Ran the scheduled backup. It found and backed up the subdirectories I don't want included.
2) Opened the project and deleted the contents of these subdirectories.
3) Ran the "Delete" process to delete the above contents from the backup volume.
4) Opened the Properties for each subdirectory folder I want excluded and unchecked "Backup Item".
5) Saved the project, then ran the scheduled backup again.

During the last step, it once again located and backed up the contents of the subdirectories for which I had unchecked "Backup Item". Upon opening the project again, I discovered that "Backup Item" has reverted to checked (enabled) again for these subdirectories.

I am backing up to a ftp server, if that helps... Please advise.

Tried the above using a local hard drive as the destination backup volume instead of the ftp server, but experienced the same results.

Also, in case you need this, I am running:
AceBackup version 2.2.0
Windows XP Professional, SP3

Hi,
we were able to reproduce this problem and forwarded it to our product developer. Sorry, but we cannot tell you exactely when the problem will be fixed. Please bear with us until we can give you further information.

Kind Regards
Marco

Thanks for being so on top of things! I'm looking forward to a new release that addresses this.

In the meantime (for anyone else who is having trouble with this), I thought of a way by which I should be able to exclude the subdirectories I need to:

(NOTE: this is using Windows XP. Instructions will vary somewhat for different versions of Windows, but the same method should work)
1) Go to Control Panel > User Accounts.
2) Create a new (dummy) user account on the computer (I'm going to give mine Power User / Limited privileges, not Admin).
3) Browse in Windows Explorer to the folder to be excluded from the backup.
4) Open the "Properties" dialog for the folder.
5) Click on the "Security" tab.
6) Click on the name of the account created in step #2 in the "Group or user names:" box.
7) Check the box under "Deny" next to "Full Control" in the bottom dialog.
8) Click "Apply", "OK", then "OK" again.
9) Repeat for the top level folder of each subdirectory to be excluded from the backup.
10) Create backup project using AceBackup.
11) Delete from the project the subdirectories to be excluded.
12) Set a scheduled time for the backup to run.
13) Save and close the project.
14) Open Windows Task Scheduler (Control Panel > Scheduled Tasks).
15) Open the Task created by AceBackup (should be named the same as the project's name).
16) On the "Task" tab, change the username shown in the "Run As:" box to the account name created in step #2.
17) Click "Apply", enter the password for the new account from step #2, click "OK", then "OK".

Kind of messy, but that should do it. I'll report back if for some reason this doesn't work for me.


Note: if you're following this and you don't see the "Security" tab as part of step #5 above, do the following:
1) Click on the "Tools" menu in Windows Explorer.
2) Select "Folder Options...".
3) Select the "View" tab.
4) Scroll to the bottom of the list of options under "Advanced Options".
5) Uncheck the box next to "Use simple file sharing".
6) Click "Apply", then "OK".


I've investigated many of the other free backup utilities currently available out there (three of the most popular being: Syncback, Cobian Backup, and Comodo BackUp), and AceBackup is the only one to satisfy all my needs, those being:
-ability to encrypt files individually
(Not available in Comodo.)

-ftp destination

-file revisions / versioning / incremental
(Not available in free version of Syncback, and Cobian requires a full backup running at intervals in order to limit the number of versions saved - which is bad when you have several gigs backing up to an ftp. Unfortunately AceBackup doesn't let you limit the number of versions saved, but at least it's less difficult to find and delete extra versions when you need to.)

-ability to schedule backups (preferably via Windows Task Scheduler)

-emailed reports (optional, but good to have)


The one free tool I've been using that accomplishes most of what I need in a different way (including limiting the number of versions saved) is Xdrive, but sadly AOL has decided to get rid of this service, so that's why I've been searching for a replacement. I'm guessing there's other online backup services like Xdrive that do everything, as well, but none of them give away more than 2 Gb of space for free, and that just isn't enough for me. So, I'm trying to use AceBackup with another service that allows ftp access and enough space for me for free.

Anyway, sorry for the long post but wanted to summarize what I've been able to learn through much searching and trial & error to save anyone else the same trouble.


Thanks again for your help and for providing this free tool!!!