Anchoring / Snapshot Questions

This is a problem I encountered, I assume that your external drive is likely connected to a desktop, and you are trying to access that drive from your wife's laptop which is connected into your network?
Raxco were unable to provide me with a solution for this. For my situation it wasn't so much of a hassle as my external drive is not always online, that is to say, I only connect it to my desktop to backup (it is usb connected, haven't advanced to eSATA yet ) So I simply connect it direct to my laptop when I want to update it's archives.

 

No, I have never done this, though I do not see it as a bad idea.

1) I personally only image when something significant changes, my system stays relatively unchanged as it is largely a work system and the applications I use for work do not change that much. So if I averaged one image a quarter that would be about the height of it. I work off the principle that I have a good (tested) image can restore that in a bad situation and update the snapshot from an archive. I only image the system partition, may data is backed up separetly.
2) Seems really the same question as 1 to me.
3) I only ever do total images, I like to keep it simple.

I don't think anyone can, or should tell you how to run this aspect. Hearing what others do is good because you can look at it and see if it suits you better than what you currently do, but in the end you need to do what best suits your needs. I have seen people talking about doing incremental backups every so many minutes or hours, which would be ridiculous, for me. But I am sure they have good reason, and thus that is exactly what they should do.

 

Re: Snapshots via Network

While I can use the option of a USB cable from Laptop to External Drive, it's a hassle to either go and unplug my wife's external keyboard, monitor, power cord and mouse from the laptop to bring the laptop into my office to do the snapshot. Alternatively, I could unplug the external drive and set it up in her space, also a hassle. And my concern about hassle is that it is a disincentive to taking action when I'm busy.

Options:
1. I simply get over the hassle issue and deal with "What Is" (doable)
2. Submit a ticket to Horizon and ask if it's possible through the network, and how to do it.

I'll try #2 first, then #1 and report back...and hopefully Horizon will respond in a timely manner!

 

There is a 3. I think, and that is to export a snapshot to the external drive, I think it will allow you to do that without passwords, that was Raxco's solution to me, but I never tried it, since it is just as easy for me to hook my laptop into the external. Only thing I think you lose with this solution is that archives are compressed so it will take a little more space, but not a lot.

Actually, thinking about it, there is an option to create a compressed snapshot, that mightwork if you exported that, never mad one so can't say how reliable they are, but it's a thought.

 

Chamlin,
I have only one computer, no network. So I can't help due to total lack of knowledge and experience.

 

Here is the result so far of my support request to HDS regarding the problem with FDISR archiving to a networked external hard drive:

They essentially said it was a networking issue that I needed to resolve on my own and closed the ticket. That hurt. No attempt to really help.

If you read through the situation as detailed below and have any suggestions I'd be most grateful.

FIRST TICKET TEXT:
1. FDISR is on my laptop.
2. The laptop is connected to a 2-computer home network.
3. An external hard drive is connected to the Desktop computer via an Esata cable.
4. The laptop can write to the external hard drive.

I'm trying to do an archive snapshot from my laptop to the external hard drive.

A screen pops up:
Network User and Password.

The User account name is automatically filled in as SIMONE\simone.

The Password and Confirm Password sections are blank.

Do I keep that username? There is no network access password. How do I get this to work?

REOPENED TICKET TEXT:
It is FDISR that is popping up the window, not my network nor my system. You have a feature/function in FDISR that allows one to archive over a home network and to export as well. That's why I bought the program. I would like support on this.

I just performed exactly what I want to do with FDISR, and successfully did a total image in Acronis True Image 11 and had NO problem saving it to an external drive. Therefore it is NOT my network that is the problem, NOT administrative rights issues, but something within FDISR that is mandating the screen to pop up.

I'm asking that you not just turn your back on this even if it's not an easy challenge to deal with. I need your help on this.

I have tried both the archive to an external drive and an export option as well, but both result in that window popping up.

And, I'm willing to get guidance on the networking aspect, but I MUST understand what the popup is really asking for. Is it asking for the username of the laptop? And if so, why did it automatically put a name in there? (see a screenshot below)
http://screencast.com/t/hWuJxuhg

I just tested it again, and placed the laptop name Simone in the username box, but as there is NO password set on the network, I can't put a password in. But without putting a password in, the "OK" box in FDISR isn't clickable.

With respect,
Bruce

 

Chamlin, while I undertand you wanting to get a solution from HDS to fix the issue, but in the meantime, have you tried as I suggested above just exporting a snapshot to the external drive. This may end up being the best answer you will get, as Raxco had no other solution when I encounterd this problem, though they were helpful and courteous.

 

Chamlin,

"SIMONE\simone" is the actual contents.
Did you try "SIMONE\" or "SIMONE" or even blank without password ?

Did you try tradetime's suggestion using Export ?

Did you try to logon in Windows with a password and use that password in FDISR also ?

You have to test things out and do it SYSTEMATICALLY.

I can't give you good info, because I only have one computer and no laptop.
Once you start buying extra computers, it means automatically, that you have to do some changes to get things done.
Two computers in network, doesn't that mean you need the server version of FDISR and Workstation version for the other computer ? I don't know.

 

Boy, all that HDS neglect just cuts it with me. What a way to conduct customer service. They remind me of a cut-and-run type entity, all fluff with no substance. Take the money and run, what a bunch.

 

Yup.
A. Both archiving and exporting work when going from the Desktop to the external drive connected via an ESata cable.
B. Both archiving and exporting don't work from the laptop over the network...because of what was explained above with the network password popup.

Yeah, but without a password the "OK" button to proceed isn't activated. If I put a fake password in, the OK button works...but I've not pressed it because I don't know much about networks and since there isn't a password I'm sure that would screw something up.

No. But I'm going to contact the guy who set up my network the other day and ask him for guidance on network passwords tomorrow.

I quite agree at this point...on all of your statements.

NEXT STEPS:
1. Talk to my network guy. If adding the password is easy and will NOT add any complexity to my beloved wife's life (that would include having to input a password each time she access our shared files each day), then I'll try it. But if it makes life one bit harder for Simone then I'm on to step 2.

2. Surrender to "What Is" and just accept that when I need to archive I simply have to bring the laptop into my office. Not a big deal at all, just not my optimal setup.

Finally, I just want to say that though I'm thoroughly disappointed at the abandonment of FDISR Workstation by HDS, especially that I just discovered and purchased it, I understand that if Leapfrog, Raxco and HDS all failed at effectively marketing, positioning and selling this unbelievable software, that it makes no business sense for them to put anything into it.

That being said, I hope Pete is right about his gut feeling that Leapfrog has some new generation product that might manifest in the future. My question about that is...if they couldn't sell it the first time around what's their incentive to walk down the same failed path? (failed financially, not from an engineering excellence perspective)

Will keep you posted. Thanks again,
Chamlin...Bruce...both of me

 

Sadly, in my experience talk is cheap. Life is full of those who "talk the talk" those who "walk the walk" are a much rarer breed.

 

Acadia

 

Is this an option for my dilemma?

From the laptop, which already has a primary and a secondary on its own hard drive, can I create an archive on its own drive instead of trying to write it directly to the external drive, and then just move that to the external drive?

From my network functionality I don't see any reason I can't do that as I am able to:
1. Sit at my desktop
2. Access the laptop and external drive from my desktop
3. Copy or move files from the laptop to the external drive

But would that mess up any of FDISR's archive functionality?

And, as the laptop snapshot would be around 8GB, would that be a big problem in terms of laptop disk fragmentation? (I can just run Perfect Disk more often).

 

Actually you've given me another idea, but to answer you question first. If the laptop has a data partition so that you can save archives to somewhere other than fdisr's default location then I would say yes you probably can. However if there is no second partition (fdisr will not let you change archve location to somewhere on the same partition) then I'd say no because I think fdisr shields the archives in the default location and you will not be able to find them.
But you could export either an existing snapshot, or a new compressed snapshot to any folder on the laptop even if you only have one partition, and that snapshot will be accessible, and thus you should be able to get it from the desktop.
Long winded I know. I will have a look if I get time this weekend and see if I can find an easier solution, but no guarantees, I think you have exhausted all the options.

PS you will of course need to set up a network share to do this. My advice would be to create a folder on the laptop in say the My Documents, oreven on the desktop then enable folder sharing on that folder, you should then be able to navigate to it from the desktop and copy it from there to anywhere else since fdisr is not involved in this process.

 

I'm on a network with 4 comp.,each has their own dedicated ext. local disk.No server because in case of failure i lose everything. I know there are several raid config. to compensate for that but as i said this works for me.

 

Victory is mine!!! Just got off the phone with my network guy who walked me through adding a password to my wife's laptop's user account. And then to make it simple, we set the system to not require the password.

I opened up FDISR, went to options, archive, set it to archive to the external drive, and this time was able to enter the username, password and was granted access to be able to remotely archive from the laptop to the external drive.

Even more fun:
1. I sat at my desktop
2. Went online and logged in to my wife's laptop via "LogMeIn" a free program which allows remote access (see https://secure.logmein.com/products/free/)
3. Took control of the laptop, opened FDISR, and launched copy/update to a new archive (already set to my external drive...which is sitting right here on my desk in my office.)

So essentially, I went around the world to make the archive instead of just walking into her room and clicking a few keys.

Important notes:
A. You guys are fantastic!
B. I love FDISR!!

Peace,
Chamlin

 

Great stuff, glad it's sorted. May also implement that at some point in the future

 

Of course, you love FDISR. It's the king of all ISR-softwares, you won't find a better one, not with all these possibilities.

 

You simply can't help but draw such a huge breath of relief when FD-ISR is in operation on your machine. This app is the end-all of immediate recovery programs. Not even a file-infector virus can disrupt my system for any real period of time. I know, i released a doosey a few weeks back. Key to it all is FD-ISR archives which are easily saved to any NTFS file system volume OFF-DISK to alternative HD for easy recovery even if FD-ISR and all it's snapshots are disabled like mine were.

Heck, it's as efficient as an imaging program IMHO. I could easily have restored an image but didn't have one prepared quite yet, BUT, as FD-ISR offers, did exercise another of it's features of changing ARCHIVE LOCATION to another disk and those archives COMPLETELY restored everything 100% intact in short order. All i done was wipe the affected drive, one partition at a time, and reformat NTFS and reinstall FD-ISR.

It did all the rest Amazing work of art. It deserves a medal.