FAQ

FAQ
The Knowledge Base provides an easy and quick guide to help with most common questions, with the following How to topics

 

Click on a question:

 

Registration questions:

  • Why should I register?

    • There is a number of good reasons:

    • You will get free version updates of this program.
    • You will get full support for this program.
    • You will receive information about new products.
    • You will have priority on e-mail replies.
    • You will sleep well at night for having done the right thing !
    • Storage Manager is not freeware.  It's shareware, and protected by international laws.  You may use it during the evaluation period (30 days); after that, you either have to register, or stop using it.
    • If you don't register, I don't make money. If I don't make money, I cannot support this program.

  • How do I register?

    • Simple.  Just visit our online secure Signup Page to inquire about our services. 

  • I don't have a credit card or would not like to use it in the Internet. How do I register?

    • No problem.  Please continue to order online as if you had a credit card but on the form you enter your name and address click on one of the buttons at the foot of the page:

    • By fax - Start to order online as described above then print out the screen that follows and add your card number and fax to us to any of the numbers we have in over 13 countries. We process same or following working day of receipt.

    • By Phone - Start ordering online as described above and we call you back nearly anywhere in the world 24 hours a day using our automated voicemail phoneback system - you give us your order number and card details and we process same or following working day.

    • By check - Start ordering online as shown above and then print out the page that follows and pin to a US check or UK cheque with the amount shown in either USD or GBP currency.

    • By PayPal - Start ordering online as shown above and select the By Paypal option then print out the page that follows and write anywhere in big letters 'By PayPal' on the document and sign it before faxing to us.

    • By Wire transfer - Please start your order online (see above) and select "By Pro-Forma Invoice" option. The next page will give you full bank details and instructions.

  • Will my registration work for the future versions?

    • YES.

  • I've seen a crack or serial number in the Internet/UseNet. Can I apply it?

    • Technically, yes. But remember, you break the law and won't have any technical support. Also we track crack numbers and don't be surprised if you won't be able to restore your files.

 

Using questions:

  • What is Storage Manager?

    • Click here to read more.

  • What is a Backup Set?

    • Storage Manager works with data organized in Backup Sets. To backup or restore your data, you need to create a Backup Set defining which files to operate with, where to backup them, and when to update the content. more...

  • What can I do with a Backup Set?

    • Click here to read about Backup Set commands.

  • What maximum amount of data can I backup?

    • There are no any limits! You can backup as much data as you want.

  • Does Storage Manager support tape drives?

    • Yes. It supports any tape unit that is recognized by Windows. Also you can backup on a remote (shared) tape unit via network using any operating system.

  • Does Storage Manager handle different time stamp conventions between NTFS and FAT?

    • Yes, this difference does not influence backup procedure.

  • Can I backup an open file which is in use by another program?

    • Yes, But this feature works only on NT/2000/XP/2003 and later.

  • Can I avoid huge network transfers when do full backups through slow communication lines?

    • If you backup your files to FTP Server with access through slow communication lines and can physically access the server, you can use a special trick to avoid huge network transfers during full backups:

    1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

    2. Open the following key:
      3. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\KIESoft\EBShell
    3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.

    4. Add the following value:
      5. Value Name: RedirectFTPTransfersToDiskFolder
      Data Type: REG_SZ
      Data: X:\path\to\folder\to\store\backup\archives
    5. Click OK.

    6. Start full backup. Storage Manager will ask you to confirm the folder to store backup archives.

    7. On the Edit menu, delete the RedirectFTPTransfersToDiskFolder value.

    8. Quit Registry Editor.


    IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

  • Can Storage Manager run as a service on Windows NT/2000/XP?

    • To run periodical backups Storage Manager uses the standard Windows scheduler that is run as a service on Windows NT/2000/XP. The scheduler starts backups whether you logged or not.

  • Can I perform backup of different files or folders at a time?

    • Yes. You can backup as many files or folders as you need. For details, see Backup Set Wizard page.

  • Can the program do a full restore to a blank hard drive?

    • Yes, the program can do this. You have to use Disaster Recovery CD module to be able to restore operating system.

  • Is there an easy way to create Backup Set for My Documents and Windows Settings?

    • Yes. Storage Manager has templates for most standard Backup Sets. Click here to read how to use Backup Set templates.

  • Why dates in the ZIP files are not correct when I view them from WinZip?

    • We wanted to make Storage Manager portable: it must work on both Windows and UNIX.  That's why the date format is a little different from a standard ZIP format for DOS (Windows). We use the UNIX format of the date.

    Storage Manager works with this date format without any problems.  Other programs (like WinZip) show the wrong date, but when they unzip files, the date is of no importance.  This is not a bug, it is just a peculiar little feature of Storage Manager.

  • Why instead of one backup archive I found in the target folder many files with "...zip.zNNN" and "...zip.cat" extensions?

    • When Storage Manager backs up, it makes a few backup archives because that allows to span backup on a few media and to increase reliability and speed of restore process.

    ZIP format does not support native spanning and that's why Storage Manager makes a few small volumes. Each ".zNNN" files is a volume. Don't worry, it's a standard ZIP file, but it contains only a part of backed up files. Click here to read more about splitters. Restore wizard automatically works with them and you don't need to know anything else about it.  This is a normal situation.

  • How to map or disconnect network drive during backup?

    • 1. Double-click on a Backup Set to edit it
    2. Go to External programs page
    3. Add a new external command.
    4. Use "net" DOS command. (type "net /?" in the command prompt to get more information)

 

ADD:

  • How to add a new backup Set?

    • Use Add a new Backup Set command from Sets menu. It opens a new Backup Set Wizard. Just follow instructions of the Wizard to add a new Backup Set.

  • How to add a new Backup Set from the template?

    • Click here to read more.

  • How to add a log of an external program to the backup log?

    • 1. Activate External commands page of the Backup Set Wizard
    2. Add the external command that you want to execute.
    3. Add the external command with the path = $(AddToLog) and command line = name of the report file of the external program.

 

BACKUP:

  • How to backup all files?

    • 1. Select a Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click Sets menu.
    3. Select Run full backup...

  • How to backup only new or changed files?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click the Sets menu.
    3. Select Run incremental backup...

  • How to get a list of files to backup?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click the Sets menu.
    3. Select File to backup...

 

COPY:

  • How to copy the local backup archive to a floppy?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click Sets menu.
    3. Select Copy local backup archive...

  • How to copy source files to...?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click the Sets menu.
    3. Select Run full copy... to copy all source files from the Backup set
    3. Select Run incremental copy... to copy only new or changed source files from the Backup Set.

  • How to copy Storage Manager repair files to a floppy?

    • 1. Select the File menu.
    2. Select Save/Restore repair information command.

  • How to copy a log of an external program to the backup log?

    • 1. Activate External commands page of the Backup Set Wizard
    2. Add the external command that you want to execute.
    3. Add the external command with the path = $(AddToLog) and command line = name of the report file of the external program.

 

CHANGE:

  • How to change (view) the Backup Set properties?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click the Sets menu.
    3. Select Edit Backup Set... to open a Backup Set Wizard.

  • How to change the interface language?

    • 1. Select Settings command at the File menu.
    2. Just select your language on the drop-down list.
    3. Click OK
    4. Reload the program.

  • How to change toolbar buttons?

    • 1. Click the right mouse button on the toolbar.
    2. Select Customize buttons.

  • How to change shortcut keys?

    • 1. Select Settings command at the File menu.
    2. Activate Hotkeys page.
    3. Select a menu item from the list to change its hotkey.
    4. Set your pointer to Hot Key edit box.
    5. Type your new shortcut key
    6. Click Assign. button

 

DECODE:

  • How to decode encrypted files?

    • 1. Select Decode encrypted files command at the File menu.
    2. Add files to decode, by browsing the files.
    3. Select username and type a password.
    4. Press Decode button.

 

DELETE:

  • How to delete a Backup Set?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Click the Sets menu.
    3. Select Delete backup set...

 

DISABLE:

  • How to disable Interactive adviser?

    • 1. Click Help menu
    2. Uncheck Adviser item to disable adviser or check it to enable.

 

ENCRYPT:

  • How to encrypt backup archives?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Select Edit Backup Set... command at the Sets menu.
    3. Activate Backup Storage page of the Backup Set Wizard.
    4. Select an encryption key there.

 

FIND:

  • How to find a backed up file or folder?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Activate Restore tab.
    3. Select the file or folder in the tree of saved files.
    4. Select Find... command at the Commands menu.
    5. Fill in the fields.
    6. Click "OK"
    7. Click the Find next... menu to search again.

 

MOVE:

  • How to move the program to a different computer?

    • To move Storage Manager to a different computer you have to:

    1. In Storage Manager, go to the "File > Disaster Recovery Wizard"
    2. In the window "Save or restore repair information", select "I want to save configuration and encryption keys".
    3. Follow the instructions to save the backup data


    To get backup set configurations from an existing store of backup data:
    1. Install the latest version of Storage Manager
    2. In Storage Manager, go to the "File > Disaster Recovery Wizard"
    3. In the window "Save or restore repair information", select "I want to restore configuration and encryption keys".
    4. Follow the instructions to select the backup data and find configuration files.
    5. Select the most recent dirs.dat file.
    6. A confirmation page will appear before restoring.
      Note: Existing backup set configurations will be over-written!
    7. Apply your registration key.

    As a result you will have all your Backup Sets and encryption keys. If you need to restore files, do it as usual. But all backups will be full at the first time (Because repair information does not have big local catalog files you need to do incremental backups). If you do not want to do full backups again you have to copy "C:\Program Files\EB\Catalogs" or "C:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Secure Data Safe, LLC\Storage Manager\Catalogs" folder from the sourse to the target computer.

    But do not delete any files from your sourse computer until you are not sure that everything was moved OK.

 

REFRESH:

  • How to refresh the tree of backed up files

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Activate Restore tab.
    3. Select Refresh contents of active child window command at the Commands menu.

 

RESTORE:

  • How to restore a few saved files?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Activate Restore tab.
    3. Select the necessary files
    4. Select the Restore button.

 

SCHEDULE:

  • How to schedule a backup?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Select Edit Backup Set... command at the Sets menu.
    3. Activate Scheduling page of the wizard and edit the schedule properties.

 

SPLIT:

  • How to split a large file into a few smaller parts?

    • 1. Select File splitter wizard command at the File menu.
    2. Select a file to split.
    3. Select the folder where you want to put the split file.
    4. Enter volume size, or the total number of resulting files.
    5. Click Split to start.

    NOTE: In addition to the resulting files, a BAT file will be genrerated in order to laminate the resulting files back to the original files.

 

UPGRADE:

  • How to Upgrade Storage Manager?

    • 1. Simply install the new version on top of the old one. There is no need to uninstall and then re-install.

 

VIEW:

  • How to view backed up files or logs?

    • 1. Select Backup Set from the Storage Manager explorer.
    2. Activate Restore tab to view a tree of backed up files.
    3. Activate Log tab to view logs.

 

Have a question that is not answered here? Mail it to: sales@micro.com