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Ensuring that
all your important data is backed up - Part II
What
would be ideal is to have a backup software that is configured
to automatically locate all the links to all the folders and
files that you have created together with the files, folders
and settings created by Windows itself.
This
backup solution would have to allow you to browse around your
files in a Windows Explorer fashion and tick sets of data as
you go along. However, such a solution should allow you to
backup all the necessary files automatically without performing
searches (i.e., at the click of a button) and to restore these
files with ease and with 100% accuracy.
The WinBackup system of shortcuts does exactly
that! WinBackup 2.0 features a shortcut system which allows
you to backup the most popular applications at the click of
a button. By selecting the relevant shortcuts you may easily
and quickly backup emails, address books, bookmarks, digital
images, financial documents and other records. Not only: you
will be able to backup and restore individual application and
Windows settings, templates and also preferences.
The Shortcuts feature of WinBackup is a hierarchical
repository of links to data of various types which may be
one or more registry entries, files or even remote data objects.
In most cases, the items referenced in links are not in a static
location but may vary depending on a number of factors such
as the Operating System (OS) Platform Version, Software Version
and even your own adjustments.
Perhaps a more simplified explanation for now
would be to say that a Shortcut essentially represents a group
of files and settings. Shortcuts contain preset links to the
various files and folders associated with the system or the
most common applications. WinBackup uses the principle of shortcuts
and has created a set of shortcuts that link directly to the
system files, data and settings of any computer. For example:
using the shortcuts you can easily select and backup the files
and folders belonging to Outlook. Selecting to backup through
a shortcut means that you will automatically backup all these
files and settings automatically. This allows you to automatically
access data without having to search for it. These Shortcuts
are automatic and require no setting up on your part.
Let's take as an example the My Documents folder.
The My Documents folder is located by default in the following
path specification:
[drive]:\Documents and Settings\[current
user]\My Documents
Such a statement shows that the drive as well
as the current user are not static elements - the drive depends
on where the OS Package was installed and the current user depends
on who is currently logged on and active. Adding to that, in
the more recent versions of Windows (2000, XP...) you can actually
drag and move the folder to a different location, say…
[drive]:\My Documents
… and Windows will know.
The problem that arises now is that if you have
to create Backup Jobs with definitions of what data to Backup
(or Restore) you would have to maintain those path settings
every time you make amendments to your environment.
This is where the Shortcut feature kicks
in. It does not only contain links to static elements but
also links to elements whose location can be determined dynamically
by using formulas.
In a few words, the Shortcut Feature proves
to be extremely useful in situations where you would like to
backup items that are frequently updated and possible even change
their location due to new installations.
WinBackup has Shortcuts to all the more popular
applications such as Internet Explorer, Outlook, Outlook Express,
Word and Excel. In addition, there are also Shortcuts to Windows
registry files and all application settings for all the users
of any individual computer. The library of Shortcuts will be
expanded over time to include over 100 of the most popular software
applications.
By simply ticking a check-box next to the relevant
shortcut, you are able to backup Word and Excel templates and
all of the settings whether customized or standard that you
may have. In the same manner, you are also able to backup all
your Internet Explorer Bookmarks (Internet Favorites). Through
WinBackup Shortcuts, you do not have to manually select individual
files. This avoids the risk of not backing the right files.
Using the appropriate Shortcut, you can immediately ensure that
all your Outlook and Outlook Express files are backed up. WinBackup
has included predefined Shortcuts to *.PST and *.OST files together
with contact lists, address books, any customized settings and
Outlook stationary and templates, signatures, and, most importantly,
all emails. One of the unique features of WinBackup is that
it also allows backing up all email accounts. In this way, when
disaster strikes, administrators in charge of restoring stricken
computers are able to minimize the time they spend in getting
things back to normal and the time employees spend waiting for
the work to continue.
What do WinBackup Shortcuts backup?
The following is a detailed explanation of what files and folders
the various WinBackup Shortcuts will backup and restore. In
this article we will cover Outlook, Outlook Express, Internet
Explorer and Windows.
Outlook
The WinBackup Outlook Shortcut backs up and restores three important
Outlook Configuration items as may be seen from the screen shot:
Outlook Options: This refers to all your
Outlook options including Mail Format, Mail Setup, Preferences
(Calendar, Contacts, Email, Notes and Tasks), Security, Spelling
and Others. All these files and folders contain configurations
and settings that you have carried out on your Outlook over
time. Simply ticking the Shortcut checkbox will automatically
select and backup (or restore) these files. These files are
settings and may be spread over a number of folders (some of
which may be hidden) within your hard drive - it may be very
difficult to keep track and to backup all these files manually.
Outlook Data Files: This folder contains
DAT files used by Microsoft Exchange, XML and OTM files that
are required for the smooth functioning of your Outlook. Losing
these files may corrupt the information stored in your mailbox
database file.
Outlook Personal Email Folders: This folder contains
your mailbox database file or the PST (or OST in the case of
Exchange) file that contains all your emails, contacts, calendar,
tasks, and notes. This folder also contains the Outlook Address
Book (OAB) files and DAT files (files for Microsoft Exchange
Server).
Outlook Express
By expanding the Outlook Express folder within WinBackup you
will see that this shortcut backs up and restores your mailbox
database folder, all your configurations and settings, your
account settings, your address book and all other preferences.
Internet Explorer
These shortcuts will backup and restore all settings, preferences,
cached data, cookies and Favorites automatically similarly to
the Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express Shortcuts.
Microsoft Windows
This shortcuts contains the necessary links to all your other
configurations, settings, preferences, templates and data ranging
from your desktop shortcuts to your "StickyKeys" settings,
from all your documents to all your music, pictures, shared
documents and menu settings.
As the list of Shortcuts expands within WinBackup,
users will be also able to backup and restore single registry
settings of other applications.
It is in this way that WinBackup ensures that
all your important data (including OS settings) are backed up
and restored.
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