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Overview

(For Archiving old data see: Archiving Old Time Records, etc.)

If you're reading this then you've worked with computers long enough to know that "Stuff Happens!"

Prevention is the best cure when it comes to never losing your data because of a computer problem.

This page should help you out with backing up your data.

First, unless you back up to some place other than your current hard drive, you're not really backing up your data.  You need some external storage device such as a Flash drive, CD burning hardware, DVD burning hardware, external hard drive, or network drive.  One that is always connected to your computer is often much easier to use.

Second, we suggest that you use a system to automatically backup your data for your whole computer.  If you rely on your own memory to remember to back up your files, it'll be the one time that you forgot that your hard drive crashes!  Please visit our Helpful Tips page on our website for FREE recommendations on inexpensive and effective backup strategies, software and hardware.

Third, know what you need to back up.  The info for Time Logger is below in What to Backup.

Fourth, implement AND test your backup system.  You never really know it works until you test it.  Our consultants have seen many times when customers have gone to restore files from a backup only to discover that the backup failed to actually copy the file(s).

 

IMPORTANT: The ability to easily restore a time records database file from the backup only works if you have Time Logger configured to back up your time record database.  By default Time Logger will do this for you.  We strongly suggest that you allow Time Logger to perform this operation, unless, of course, you have your own backup system that is more effective than Time Logger's that you wish to use instead.

 

What to backup

•With Time Logger version 4x, you should backup the Timelog folder and all of it's subdirectories where Time Logger is installed.  The default location for the Timelog folder is listed below:
 
C:\Program Files\Timelog
 
See Diagnostics Window and refer to the Main Directory: to verify where this folder is located.
•You should additionally backup your time records database file, if it is not located in the Timelog folder.  See Diagnostics Window and refer to the Current Database: to verify where that file is located.

NOTE: If you have to back up just a few files from the Timelog folder, the most important ones are the files inside the ...\Timelog\support folder: clients.mdb, invoices.mdb, descript.mdb and UserList.mdb.  Additionally you should back up your time records database file.

 

How to Configure Time Logger for Automatic Backups

NOTE: Time Logger's automatic backups ONLY back up your time records database file.

Set the Backup Folder

First, set the Backup Folder to an external storage device that is always connected to your computer.  See: User Options Window/Other Tab and look for Backup Folder in the middle-right of the window.  Type a drive and folder name into that field that specifies where you want your automatic backups of your time records database file to be stored.

Set the Number of Auto Backups

Second, set the number of automatic backups (this is only for your time records) to the desired number.  Each time you start Time Logger, it makes a backup copy of your current time records database file.  If this is set to 31 and you start Time Logger once every day, you'll have backup copies for about one month.  On the 32nd day, the oldest of these backup files is overwritten with the newest.  Thus, you'll always have backups extending 31 back the last 31 times you started Time Logger. To change this setting follow these directions:

1.Identify the Main Directory where Time Logger is installed.  See Diagnostics Window to learn where Main Directory is.
2.Stop Time Logger
3.Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the Main Directory Make and make a copy of timelog.ini and give it the name, timelog_before_change.ini.
4.Use Notepad (or a similar plain text editor) to edit the file "timelog.ini".
5.Change the value: NumAutoBackups=31 to whatever number seems appropriate for your system.
6.Save timelog.ini.
7.Stop and Start Time Logger a few times.
8.You should now see files with the name "...AutoBackup??.bak" in the Backup Folder you designated.

 

Use Instant Backup Frequently as You Work

Press Ctrl-B or choose File/Instant Backup and your current time records database will be backed up for you.  The file is copied to the Backup Folder and given a name and extension of "???AutoBackup##.bak" where ??? is the name of your time records database file and ## is the number of that backup.  You may change the Backup Folder by selecting Tools/User Options/Other and typing in a new folder name into the Backup Folder field.

 

More:

Restore from Backup